미국 로스쿨 1L 첫 학기를 보낸 중국인 학생으로부터 성적에 대한 고민과 불안함을 담은 메일을 받았습니다. 첫학기 성적이 나온 것 입니다. 후배는 성적이 예상보다 나오지 않아 변호사로서의 미래와 로스쿨 학업에 대한 고민을 나눠주었습니다.
▷▶참고. 2020/01/17 - [마국변호사의 다이어리] - 미국로스쿨 유학생의 미국 내 취업 고민, 방법 조언
1L 첫 학기 성적이 졸업 후 취업에 큰 영향을 미친다는 말이 있습니다. 하지만, 항상 그런 것 만은 아닙니다. 높은 순위의 로스쿨을 졸업하지 못했다고 해서 변호사로 일 못하는 사람을 본 적이 없으며, 성적이 낮게 나왔다고 해서 인턴의 기회가 없는 것도 아닙니다. 단지 원하는 길을 가기 위해 조금 더 노력해야 할 뿐입니다.
세상은 넓고, 할 일은 많습니다.
성적에 대한 불안감을 가진 후배에게 보낸 답장을 공유합니다.
성적이 낮아 인턴의 기회가 없을 것 같거나, 유학생으로서 off-campus 인턴쉽을 찾는 것이 쉽지 않을 때, 혹은 페이를 받는 인턴쉽을 찾고 싶을 때 고려해볼 수 있는 방안을 제시하였습니다.
이는 제 개인적인 경험에 근거한 것으로, 정답이 아닐 수 있습니다. 그저 이런 길도 있다는 것을 알려드립니다, 미래에 대한 불필요한 두려움으로 포기하지 마세요.
가장 중요한 것은 로스쿨에 진학하고 법조계에서 일하고 싶은 이유, 그 동기를 명확히 하고, 견디며 즐겁게 공부하는 것입니다.
Good morning W,
I understand your feelings about your grades. Law school is indeed challenging - you study harder than ever before, perhaps pushing yourself beyond what you thought possible, and yet your grades may not reflect your effort. However, don't be discouraged. Aside from Torts, your grades are quite average for law school. A B, a C, and a C+ are typical. Don't waste your energy feeling depressed. A week of sadness is enough. While your 1L grade can impact internships and job opportunities, it's not the determining factor.
Getting a low grade isn't the end of the world. Life seldom goes as planned and sometimes it leads you to unexpected, yet better places. Keep moving forward, step by step. You can improve your grades in your 2L and 3L years. The key is to study harder and smarter.
Even with lower grades, you still have opportunities to gain legal experience. The suggestions below are based on general practice and might not fit your specific situation, but I hope they give you some ideas.
Some of my colleagues had low grades, but they ran their own businesses, so they weren't concerned. Try approaching law offices, expressing your eagerness to learn and how you can assist them. You could also reach out to legal aid organizations like Legal Services of North Dakota, www.legalassist.org, and offer to volunteer, perhaps even for pay. After law school, I volunteered under a senior attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Orange County in CA. I didn't get paid, but the experience was invaluable. The experience I gained there formed the bedrock of my current job.
If you're looking for paid work that doesn't require using your CPT, consider interning at the Judicial Institute on campus, if it's available. I interned there one summer, worked on several research projects, wrote appellate briefs on civil and criminal matters, and received a stipend. Contact your career center about any on-campus positions for law students. Participating in school clinics is another way to gain practice!
As for quitting school, if you feel that being a lawyer or working with legal matters doesn't suit you, or if your goal is to work at a big law firm, you might consider leaving. Reflect on why you chose to study law. The path might be challenging, especially with low grades and as a foreigner, but if you're committed to a career in law, stay the course and do your best. Your determination will eventually pay off.
V/R,
Elaine
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