preLaw Magazine - Spring 2008 - (Page 37)

specialties CAREER PROFILE statutes of first impression or statutes that have just been implemented, adding to the challenging and interesting nature of the work. Coming from an undergraduate background in philosophy, Saks said he enjoys working with the bigger picture, balancing specific and detailed statutes with sometimes abstract, emotional facts and cases. Saks said his clerkship helps him excel on the job as a new associate. Being a clerk meant having to be quick, straightforward and accurate, Saks said—the same skills he needs to do his job well today. “My clerkship has been the key to becoming a better attorney,” Saks said. Not only did he better his research and writing skills and fine-tune his knowledge of court procedure, he also learned to weed out what’s not necessary. At the beginning of his clerkship, Saks’ judge told him his writing was too formulaic and lengthy, typical of law school writing. “People don’t want formulas, they want short, concise, substantive writing,” Saks said. The written and oral communications skills he picked up in court help him in his current position, such as when he presents a case to a judge. Much of civil litigation involves “being able to tackle complicated cases and situations and being able to interpret and express them in a way that everyone can understand, including the judge,” Saks said. His writing skills also helped him coauthor a book that will be published this year about contemporary issues in family law and mental health practice. In law school, Saks focused on public health, public interest and municipal law. He said he most enjoyed taking seminars that allowed him to write research papers that he could later turn into journal articles. Higher-level seminars are a great place to experiment with specialized legal topics and figure out whether the topic holds your interest, Saks said. Having served as articles editor of Wayne State’s Law Review was also a helpful experience. It allowed him to improve his writing skills. Saks said law students should take classes that genuinely interest them and look for a firm that will allow them to perform work that’s engaging and stimulating. Because his clerkship allowed him to take such an active role in cases, Saks said he was used to being involved. “As a young associate, it’s a challenge to keep the interest and excitement you had as a law student,” he said. Saks said he’s grateful to have chosen a firm that focuses on training and assigns new associates work that is interesting, factors that should be considered when deciding where to accept an offer. “There are a lot of issues that come into play, [such as] salary, location and fit at a firm,” he said. Southern Illinois University School of Law N estled in one of the most scenic areas of the Midwest, SIU School of Law offers a positive, individualized learning experience at an affordable price. Our student/faculty ratio (12:1), combined with our low annual tuition ($10,206), makes SIU School of Law an exceptional investment in your legal career. Learn more at www.law.siu.edu School of Law C OMMUNI T Y “I measure the distance between Macon, Ga. and Bristol, R.I. in more than just miles. After growing up in the deep South and going to school at a small Southern Baptist university, I had no idea what to expect when I enrolled at Roger Williams School of Law. What I found was a diverse, open and caring community – where different viewpoints, outlooks and opinions are welcome, and where students, faculty and staff look at the world in Technicolor, not black and white.” Marcus Jones ’07 “This is MY experience. This is MY RWU Law.” Web: http://law.rwu.edu Phone: (800) 633-2727 Email: admissions@law.rwu.edu Spring 2008 37 http://www.law.siu.edu http://www.law.siu.edu http://law.rwu.edu http://law.rwu.edu

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of preLaw Magazine - Spring 2008

preLaw Magazine - Spring 2008 Contents From the Editor For the Record Large Gender Gap Remains Among Political Hopefuls Man Charged in LSAT Scam Barry Dean Recognized New Report Examines Legal Ed Drexel Receives Accredidation New Mexico No. 1 for Hispanics A Film Journey in Law A Law Student at Last Debt Salvation Great Law Schools for Minorities Grad Opts Out of Big Firm Job Specialties Helpful Advice

preLaw Magazine - Spring 2008

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