iyhbyu, I’m sorry, but as a 1L you should most definitely not be giving advice to people regarding life choices, especially not in the preparation for a career as an attorney.
I would first of all like to say that if anything you have a slight advantage because of your analysis skills (and this was told to me by a frum professor), and you should not worry about any lack of writing skills because the style of writing that is taught in undergrad is much, much different from what is required in a legal setting.
Nonsense! Or if you prefer, naarishkeit!
Why this professor told you this, I have no idea. Maybe he wanted to give you encouragement, in which case, all props to him.
Not having good writing skills will show up when the first “blue book” (or the electronic equivalent) is handed in. I can just see it now, “it’s mamish a breach of contract.” Oh my!
Good written and oral communications skills are essential in the legal profession and the notion that “the style of writing that is taught in undergrad is much, much different from what is required in a legal setting” is nothing short of presposterous.
Tell me, how do you know this? Did you take any writing courses in college? How many and what kind?
I won an undergraduate award from my college’s English department based on newswriting. I would say this has served me very well throughout life. Being able to write clear expository paragraphs is a great skill to have. And, by the way, I heard this from dozens of my law professors.
Why not seek out some stars of the legal profession who went to yeshiva and see if they agree with you? How about former US Attorney General and former US District Judge Michael Mukasey, now a BigLaw partner (Ramaz graduate) or Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz (BTA graduate) to start? Dershowitz, by the way, likes to mention that he was on the debating team at Brooklyn College.
I am very sorry if any of this embarrasses you; this is not my intention. If YWN allowed, I would send you a private message. I think it is quite important, however, that no one make a mistake in planning his or her future.
–Homeowner, Esq.