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Hearing from the Law Schools

Acceptance Letters

This letter is easy to spot.  The first sentence always begins "We are [pleased/ delighted/ happy] ..." Congratulations! You're going to law school.

There are three possible responses to an acceptance letter: yes, no, and "what about next year?"

Seat Deposits

The requested response to retain your seat is usually money, called a "seat deposit." This varies from $100 to $300, and is frequently non-refundable if you fail to attend. The theory behind the non-refundable seat deposit is that applicants will be encouraged to choose from among their acceptances before the response deadline (usually April 15), so that those on hold can be processed.

Seat deposits allow wealthier, more indecisive applicants to hold seats at a number of schools, while those who cannot afford numerous deposits are forced to reduce their options. A few schools make a noble effort to eliminate this financial discrimination by requiring monthly status reports from you instead of seat deposits. For financially disadvantaged applicants, schools may sometimes waive the seat deposit. If you want to request such a waiver, don't wait until the last minute; if the waiver isn't granted, you may have to find the money on short notice or lose your chance of attending. Be sure to include documentation of financial status with your request, unless you've already been given a fee waiver.

"But I Need More Time..."

Yeah, you and 10,000 other applicants.  If you want the luxury of waiting until you decide, you pay for it.  That's what seat deposits are for.  But if financial aid is part of your decisions, let the school know. The LSAC Statement of Good Admission and Financial Aid Practices says:

"Law schools that have not made institutional financial aid awards (for funds within the control of the law school) by April 1, should not require a nonrefundable financial commitment from applicants who have submitted timely financial aid applications until after such awards are made. "

http://www.lsac.org/pdfs/2007-2008/Statementofgoodadm2007.PDF  

In addition to the seat deposit, accepted students may have to complete forms for the registrar, financial aid and student housing. You may have to send a photograph if one was not included in your application; and you will be asked for an official final transcript showing that you have graduated. Complete all this paperwork as soon as possible; procrastination in these matters can have disastrous results.

A month or two after the first seat deposit, you are often asked to pay a second, refundable deposit of a larger amount. You should again reply as promptly as possible; if you want this deposit waived, you must write affirming your desire to attend the school and stating the reasons for your request. You must write even if your first deposit was waived; however, you need not send documentation of your financial status again.

Declining to attend

If by the seat deposit deadline you know that you don't want to attend this school please notify the school as soon as possible in writing. Some schools take your silence as procrastination, and hold seats open for a few weeks just in case; many will not act on a phone call, wanting written proof (by mail or fax) of your decision to prevent misunderstandings or practical jokes. They MAY accept email; you have to call and ask.  If you are one of the few applicants who can afford to pay a number of second deposits, please resist the urge to hold on to half a dozen acceptances like so many playing cards. If you hold onto six seats until June, at least five other people must wait to hear until July, with the attendant anxiety and potential disruption of last-minute decisions.

If you pay more than one seat deposit, notify the schools as soon as possible if you change your mind. Don't wait until the second and third deposit requests if you know you've been accepted at another school you'd rather attend. Each time you are accepted at another school, review your options and notify any schools you've eliminated from your consideration.  Remember all of your friends who are waiting to hear, and who may not remain your friends if they find out that you're holding five seats while they have none.  

Deferrals

Some students decide after applying to law school that they don't want to attend now, or cannot for financial or health reasons. In these instances you may want to request a deferral. Most law schools will grant a deferral for reasons of health, including pregnancy. Beyond this circumstance there is considerable variation in deferral policies. If you are considering deferring, try to determine the school's deferral policy early. It would be disastrous to pay seat deposits only to schools which will not grant your deferral.  I asked schools for their policies at the 2003 Law Forums; here are the answers I collected.

A few students know before they apply that they will choose to defer admission, because of an enticing internship opportunity or personal plans. In these cases, discreet inquiries before applying may help you apply to schools amenable to your request.

Several admissions officers have suggested that your intention to defer should not be expressed in your application; it may be seen as a weakness in your file. Your intentions are best revealed after you have an acceptance letter in hand.  However, if the school asks the question on the app, answer it honestly!

What Else Can I be Doing?

The commonest question I'm asked in the summer months (besides "Is X's waitlist moving yet?") is "What can I do now to get ready for law school?"  And the best answer is "Read."  

When I teach my Intro to Law School Program, I require that my students read The Study and Practice of Law in a Nutshell, by Kenney F. Hegland, West Publishing, 4th ed., 2003.  Here's my assignment:

Chapter	Pages
Preface	V-X
Prologue	1-10
Chapter 14.  Fear & Loathing in the First Year	190-207
Part Two: Study Skills	87-145
Part One: Legal Analysis Made Simple	11-48
Part Two: Study Skills -- Exams	145-189
Chapter 21.  Writing Tips	301-306

Of course, that's my personal preference.  There are more books about law and law school than you can imagine.  Here's a list, compiled from various sources, of books you might read.  

On Everyone's list:

The Bramble Bush by Karl Llewellyn

Gideon's Trumpet by Anthony Lewis

The Nature of the Judicial Process by Benjamin Cardozo

The Nature of Judicial Process by Edward Levi

One L by Scott Turow

On a lot of lists:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver

Law School Without Fear by Scott Turow

Strategies and Tactics for First Year Law by Alayne Walton

Law School Without Fear by Helene Shapo

The Game of Law and Its Prizes by Benjamin Cardozo

 A Civil Action by Jonathan Harr

How to Study Law and Take Law Exams in a Nutshell, by Ann M. Burkhart, and Robert A. Stein

The Judicial Process by Henry Abraham

On my personal List:  

The Common Law by Oliver Wendell Holmes -- a look at the earliest roots of Anglo-American law, as well as preparation for adjusting your ear to the 19th century writing style.  

Running From the Law by Lisa Scottoline -- a surprisingly accurate (and funny) look at the realities of life at a law firm and in the court room.  Ms. Scottoline graduated from Penn Law School and is a Philly native.  Her other books are great reads, but not as rude a look at the legal system.

Likely to Die by Linda Fairstein -- Ms. Fairstein was the head of the NYC sex crimes unit unit after writing her 5th or 6th novel.  Again, all are great reads, but this one shows some of the difficulties of investigating and prosecuting a crime in the the metropolis.  

The Brethren by Woodward and Bernstein -- a realistic and sympathetic look at how the Supreme Court actually works.  

The Douglas Opinions edited by Vern Countryman -- a look at the reasoning of the last great liberal Justice on the Supreme Court.  

Attorney for the Damned -- Clarence Darrow -- edited by Arthur Weinberg.  Great closing arguments and trial summaries by the most famous defense lawyer in American history.  

The Case of Sacco and Vanzetti by Felix Frankfurter -- an analysis of how prejudice and fear can distort justice -- a timely subject for ethnic minorities.

Any three books about how to survive law school, take exams, etc.  I have no personal preferences.