The Balancing Act: Law Students Juggle Competing Demands

From course work to nailing summer firm jobs, law students today are juggling a number of competing demands. We’re diving right into these issues with “The Balancing Act,” a new special report geared to law student readers.

Up first, Quinn Wilson, a Bloomberg Law correspondent based in the Los Angeles area, looks at how constitutional and administrative law professors have pivoted following blockbuster US Supreme Court decisions in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, which upended the Chevron doctrine, and Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, which struck down the use of race in college admissions.

Next, landing that first law firm summer job — and earning that coveted return offer — are top of mind for many law students. (If this is currently consuming your every thought, you are not alone. We see you.) Luckily, Sean Marotta and Dana Raphael, respectively, a partner and an associate with Hogan Lovells’ Supreme Court and appellate practice group, have got you covered. The Washington, D.C.-based duo share what you need to know to be successful as a summer associate — from learning firm culture to building a team of mentors.

Lastly, besides course work and the job search, there is the business of actually being a law student on campus. For some, this can include direct engagement with the political issues of the day. We asked A. Benjamin Spencer, dean of William & Mary Law School in Williamsburg, Va., to offer his thoughts on how students who participate in campus protests can try to find common ground.

Read these pieces and feel free to write us with your thoughts. We’ll return soon with more curated stories and commentary for you in the second installment of this project.