[blindlaw] Readings

[James T. Fetter]

I have no objection to the exam/legal writing/how to get good grades 
type of advice that has been sent out so far. That is all useful and 
important. But there are a few other matters that I wish someone had 
informed me about before going to law school.

First, discrimination is alive and well in the legal profession. Your 
sighted colleagues will routinely be shocked that you can perform simple 
tasks, especially involving formatting. However, do not expect career 
services to acknowledge, let alone help you overcome, that 
discrimination when you are on the market.

Second, 1L year may scare you a little, but 2L year is far harder and 
more of a grind, if you are on journal. And if you are not on journal, 
it will be extremely hard to find a job, especially in light of the 
aforementioned discrimination. Journal is harder for blind people, 
because it is all about making sure that the littlest  formatting things 
are correct. And even as people are telling you how much of an 
inspiration you are for doing simple tasks, those same people will be 
demanding perfection in editing/cite checking literally hundreds of 
citations in less than a week when their ability to finish a task is 
contingent upon you doing your part. Just do your best and grind through it.

Finally, it is essential, and I do mean essential, to have a 
relationship, hobby, faith, some major part of your life that is outside 
of law school. Law school will try to teach you that the only two things 
that matter in this world are grades and money. They matter, but  other 
things matter far more.

I don't mean to scare you. Law school itself is very doable. It's all 
the other things:  discrimination, journal, collective anxiety, etc. 
that can drive people nuts. Just keep remembering why you're putting 
yourself through this, and take it one day at a time.


On 1/25/2019 7:20 AM, Robert Munro via BlindLaw wrote:
> Before the semester starts, look at any sample exams that the professors make available with exemplary answers. You can then take notes that will fit best into the sort of structure your professor likes.
>
> Do this for each class each semester and you will begin thinking like a lawyer more quickly.
>
> Onward!
>
> Rob
>
>> On Jan 24, 2019, at 18:48, Sanho Steele-Louchart via BlindLaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I'm starting law school in the Fall. Can anyone share their "What I
>> wish I'd known as an incoming blind law student" advice?
>>
>> Warmth,
>> Sanho
>>
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