Q: Who do you consider First Generation?

FIRSTGEN is open to students who are the first in their family to attend law school, first in their family to graduate college or high school, or first-generation Americans. Unlike students who come from a family of lawyers, we don't have built-in networks and knowledge of law school and the legal profession. FIRSTGEN is designed to bridge that knowledge gap with skills-based events, as well as provide a social support system to make law school less isolating to first-generation students. 

Q: What is a clinic and a clinical professor of law?

Clinic is a pro bono legal aid service housed at Northwestern. It allows students to work with real clients on real cases under the supervision of clinical professors of law, who typically have a background in legal practice rather than academia. Northwestern offers 13 centers in the clinic, each focusing on a different type of cases, such as wrongful convictions, children and family justice, and appellate advocacy. 2L and 3L students can sign up for clinic when they register for classes. You'll get up to 4 course credits for each semester of clinic. You can learn more about the clinics here. 

Q: How do you get involved in extracurriculars and balance time with skill? What's too much or too little?

The main thing is to make sure you're prioritizing school. Attending class, doing (most) of your reading, completing assignments, etc., should come before any extracurricular stuff. Second, you should only sign up for things you're passionate about, not just to build out to resume. If you're stuck doing something you don't enjoy, it's going to feel like a lot more work than something you care about. Pick one or two things you really love to get involved in this year, and use your experience as a guide on what to pursue next year!

Q: How intense IS the work environment in BigLaw?

Like any other job, it really does depend on the firm. The best way to learn about firm culture is to talk to attorneys who've worked there (especially attorneys who have left, because they may be more open about their experience). Chambers Associate and Above the Law are good ways to get a sense of a firm's culture, hours, and salary/bonus structures.