While I am no longer legally blonde–and by the way, anyone who wants to discuss the musical version of Legally Blonde with me should go for it–I have been interested in being a lawyer for as long as I can remember. It wasn’t Legally Blonde that inspired my career goals, but my dad. He was an engineer–before I was born–and then decided to take control of his career because he wasn’t happy. Instead of staying an engineer, he became a patent lawyer.

Naturally Blonde…way back before I was a Scrippsie!

I certainly can’t be a patent lawyer because I have no plans to pursue engineering, but I can be a lawyer in another capacity. I want to be an advocate for people, not patents. So as soon as I saw a law school fair listed on ClaremontConnect, I signed up! I had never been to a law school fair before last weekend, but I was excited. In this post, I’d love to share some of what I learned:

1. Research! Know which schools are going to be there and which you’re interested in talking with.

2. Have a list of questions to ask the representatives. Try to have general questions and also specific questions for the schools that you’re really interested in. For example, I asked most representatives about what kind of internships and summer experiences they like to see applicants having. I knew one school had a particularly strong criminal justice program and asked their representative about that program.

3. Dress the part. You want to look professional and presentable. I wore a business dress, cardigan, and nice flats. It never hurts to make a good and professional first impression on these representatives. And you’ll probably stick out if you don’t dress up a little.

4. Make eye contact and be engaged during presentations and panel discussions. These events can be really draining, so it’s important to put in extra effort to pay attention.

5. Have fun and make the most of it! CP&R has great events like this that can show us our potential opportunities. Taking advantage of CP&R’s resources can make all the difference. If you hear about a school or field of law that you like, check Life Connections and see if you can connect with alumnae who went to those schools or work in those fields.

Another–less useful–check list!

Law school fairs can help you decide whether law is for you or help you decide what kind of law program you’d want in the future. I left feeling fairly certain that I want to go to law school. I would recommend going to one if you’re at all interested in careers in law. Actually talking to admissions representatives can give you a sense of what law schools are looking for and what you can do to start planning for law school if that’s the path you choose. All in all, it was a good experience and I’d recommend attending a law school fair.