Checking in with our former legal assistant after his first year of law school
We sat down with our former legal assistant, Shea Westermann, to learn about his first year experience of law school at Drake University. Was it what we all expect it to be? Read on to learn!
Was law school what most people expect?
Yes, after surviving the first year, I think I can confidently say that it is pretty much exactly what most people expect. That is to say, it is not easy by any means. However, though the experience has been challenging, I think I have benefited from the fact that it has always been the expectation that it will be challenging. I think I would have been in for a rude awakening if I had started the year thinking I would be able to breeze through classes. Because of the expectation that law school is very challenging, I was able to come in with a mindset that was prepared to face that challenge. In this way, I am glad that it is what most people expect, and the challenge presented has not exceeded that expectation. Knowing that this wasn’t going to be easy, I think I was able to hit the ground running more than if I had blocked out what we typically think about the law school experience. While challenging, I’ve been able to keep my head down and nose to the grindstone!
What surprised you the most about law school?
I think what has surprised me the most after the first year is how fast it feels it flew by. When amid the grind in the middle of the semester, it feels like everything is coming to a halt with the huge amount of coursework and deadlines that feels like we can never escape from. Now that I have had some time to breathe and reflect after my final exam of my first year, it feels like the year flew by. I think the fact that we don’t have much time to sit around has made the year go by really fast. It really feels like I was just starting orientation only a short time ago, and now I’m already a third of the way done! Even when things are moving slowly and I am getting overwhelmed, it will be nice to remember how fast it feels like this year has gone and that I will be finished before I know it!
How did working at a law firm before law school prove helpful?
I think working at a law firm has been an invaluable experience that I have been able to apply directly to my education. Though I have been studying practice areas I did not always overlap with while working at Blethen Berens, having a basic understanding of each area of law that comes with working at a general practice law firm has allowed me to have a leg up in many situations compared to if I entered law school directly after completing my undergraduate degree. For example, as a legal assistant, I was directly involved in keeping track of filing and service deadlines and was familiar with the processes that were required for these actions. This knowledge directly transferred to my Civil Procedure class this Spring, and I was able to benefit from this knowledge and experience. Similarly, because of my prior work experience, I am able to think about real world scenarios and apply them to what I am learning in the classroom.
Outside of the law related topics, I feel working in a professional environment has also helped me transfer skills for time management and prioritization. I am better equipped to understand how long assignments will take and allocate enough time to do those assignments. Parts of our classes are not only about the law itself but also about preparing us to be future professionals in the real world. Since I already have experience in a professional environment, I feel that I may have a step up on some of my classmates. The skill I have learned from my time at Blethen Berens, along with all the support I have received from the team there, has really set me up for success in my studies and my legal career to come.
What was your biggest takeaway in year 1?
I think my biggest takeaway was a reaffirmation that this is the path that I am meant to be on. During my years of working at Blethen Berens, I developed a deep respect for and interest in pursuing law. After some uncertainty in making the big decision to start school again last year and now after surviving my first year, I am glad I can confidently say this is what I want to do moving forward in my life and have proved to myself that I am capable of pursuing this as a career!
How was returning to school full-time after working full-time for three years?
It was certainly an adjustment! After settling into a full-time work schedule over the last few years, it was pretty tough to jump back into a school schedule. Not necessarily having my nights or weekends to myself to recharge as I did during my work schedule was tough to navigate and get used to. However, the fact that all my first-year classmates were in the same boat did make things easier. Though I am at a different stage in life than them, since most of my classmates continued their education immediately following graduating from their undergraduate studies, the fact that we all have the same classes and schedules makes it very easy to relate with each other. I am glad that I have met some really helpful friends that make the late nights at the library much more bearable.