Legal Inspiration to Get You Through Law School Final Exams

The long holiday weekend is here, and so are law school finals. Whether you’re a 1L gearing up for your first round of law school exams or a 3L feeling like this is old hat, it can be hard to focus when it seems like everyone else in your family and social circles are fully enjoying the holiday. This year is especially hard for law students, since so many are studying in isolation and missing in-person commiseration with classmates.

To lessen the loneliness and keep you feeling looped in while you study, here are some resources that just might help during the next few days and weeks. Whether you enjoy listening to podcasts while you study or taking scroll breaks throughout the day, these sources will provide you with a mix of motivation, advice, and laughs to help you cross the finish line this semester.

Podcasts:

• ABA Law Student Podcast: The American Bar Association’s podcast for law students covers everything from law school exams to the legal careers. The podcast is hosted by law students and features guest speakers who are experts in the legal field.
• Brown Girl Power: Jagdeep Sekhon is a first-generation law student, and her podcast serves as a resource for law students of color. The podcast features guest speakers who share their advice on navigating law school, legal careers, and more. 
• Ladies Who Law School: Haylie and Samantha are students going through the law school journey right along with their listeners. Join them for firsthand advice and laughs as they navigate everything from studying for finals to law school relationships to work-life balance.
• LawNext: Interested in legal technology? In this podcast, host and lawyer Bob Ambrogi invites guests to discuss the future of the legal industry. From new technologies to legal business models, it’s fascinating to see how your future career could adapt as new innovations are developed.
• The Lawyerist: Every week, this podcast hosts “successful lawyers, innovative thought leaders, and other creative people helping to shape the future of legal practice.” With guests from all walks of the legal world, this podcast is sure to spark inspiration.
• The Legal Geeks: If you’re a proud, self-proclaimed geek, then this is the podcast for you. From conversations about legal issues and pop culture to Star Wars and comic books, this podcast provides all the geeky entertainment you need from a legal-minded perspective.
• Reasonable Doubt: Mark Geragos is a high-profile criminal defense lawyer. On this podcast, he is joined by Adam Carolla, a well-known podcaster and comedian who completed a stint on the Celebrity Apprentice, for entertaining discussions on the intersection of current events and the law.  
• Strict Scrutiny: This podcast, hosted by three women law professors, takes a light-hearted approach to Supreme Court coverage. Their commentary appeals to a wide audience, including law student listeners. And what better way to stay motivated for your exciting legal career than by keeping abreast of what’s happening in the highest court in the land?
• Thinking Like a Lawyer: Legal news and pop culture combine in this podcast hosted by Joe Patrice and Kathryn Rubino of Above the Law. If you are a fan of Above the Law’s biting wit, tune in to hear Patrice and Rubino discuss the legal profession—from BigLaw to SCOTUS to the bar exam to law school, and more.

Instagram Accounts:

• dmv_lawyer: Jessica T. Ornsby, a DC-based attorney and founder of the A+O Law Group, uses Instagram to provide a glimpse into her life as a lawyer, entrepreneur, and mom. She provides a mix of motivation, legal insights, and lifestyle tips that are sure to inspire lawyers-to-be to keep working hard.
• insta lawyers and lawyerissues: Looking for some laughs and levity to get you through the week? There are a lot of lawyer and law school comedy accounts out there, but here are a couple to get you started. These accounts are full of memes that are all-too-relatable and provide a much-needed laugh during a long study day.  
• The Introverted Attorney: Even if you’re not an introvert, this page will likely resonate and provide you with some laughs. The legal profession can be challenging, and this page does a great job of finding humor in the pain points we can all relate to.
• Law & Emotional Intelligence: This account tackles many of the emotional and mental health issues that come along with law school and life in the legal industry. From perfectionism to anxiety, Espy intertwines these important topics throughout her tips on exams, cold calling, and more.
• Law School Coach: Angela helps law students “win law school and build their dream career.” It doesn’t get much better than that if you’re looking for a nudge in the right direction. Be sure to also check out her YouTube channel with tons of legal career advice.
• lawyer_stories: Featuring stories of real lawyers and law students, this account is full of inspiration to pull you through a finals slump. Sometimes all you need is to read the success story of someone else who has been in your shoes!
• Thriving in Law: Mattie is a graduate of a top law school, current BigLaw associate, and adjunct law professor who has tons of advice and motivation for law students. She covers topics from diversity in the legal field to setting boundaries to managing finances, and features attorneys and law students of varying backgrounds.
• Vault Law: Of course, we can’t fail to mention our own social media account! For career advice, legal interview tips, insider quotes from law firm associates, and the newest resources to help you navigate your legal career, make sure you give us a follow.

Blogs:

• Before the Bar: The ABA’s blog for law students has all the advice you could ask for to navigate law school and beyond. The blog covers topics from studying advice and managing student loans to landing a legal job and exploring alternative careers. 
• Caffeine and Case Briefs: Looking for firsthand tips for navigating law school and beyond? Bailey is a recent law school graduate sharing her insights into law school survival, mental health, the bar exam, and more.
• Cerebellum Chef: If you like great recipes mixed in with your law school advice, this is the blog for you. Sarah is a self-proclaimed foodie whose blog is chock-full of advice from her own law school experience, served with a side of recipes and food reviews.
• The Docket: Katherine is an Assistant District Attorney running a lifestyle blog with a focus on lawyerly work-wear and career advice. Whether you apply her work-from-home tips to your current study space or drool over her wardrobe tricks as inspiration for your future career, her blog provides a motivational boost.
• Financial Panther: Kevin is an ex-BigLaw attorney who paid off his student loans in less than three years. His blog is full of personal finance advice, including a monthly tally of his income from side hustles. For law students worried about loans and other financial issues, this is a great place to get some solid advice.
• The Girl’s Guide to Law School: This website tackles just about every law school challenge you could imagine, from law school exams and career search tips to managing relationships and navigating motherhood as a law student. 
• Law Professor Blogs: When you’re trying to master a subject, what better inspiration could you ask for than insights from the experts? From civil procedure and evidence to aviation and media law, law professors in this blog network have you covered.
• Ms. JD: Ms. JD is a nonprofit organization aimed at helping women lawyers and lawyers-to-be thrive in their careers. The blog covers a variety of timely, relevant topics that provide advice and insights relevant to women in the legal industry.
• Race and the Law Prof Blog: This blog examines the intersection of race and the law—recent topics include defunding the police, food disparity, climate change, and the death penalty. The blog also promotes other resources and events to elevate diverse voices in the legal profession.
• Verdict: If you’re looking for legal commentary and analysis of current events, this is a great place to get your fix. Plus, the contributing authors (for the most part) are law professors, so it basically counts as studying.

YouTube Channels:

• Law and Crime Network: Looking for a daily dose of the most exciting trials and legal controversies? This channel fits the bill with courtroom footage and legal analysis of high profiles trials and legal news.
• Law and Life with Lataysia: Lataysia's law school vlog touches on topics every law student can relate to, from figuring out a budget to handling feedback on midterms. Plus, she features guests on her "Perspective" series to provide a mix of insights.
• The Lawyeress: Maddie's channel is not only full of law school tips like navigating 1L year, tackling final exams, and surviving Zoom law school, but also covers personal insights ranging from life as an LGBTQ+ law student to being a pet owner in law school.
• Legally Caroline: Caroline is a law student documenting her law school journey firsthand. Her takes on law school life are great study company—be sure to check out her "Study With Me" video if you need some study accountability.
• Lipstick and Lattes: For perspectives from a new lawyer, check out Grace's channel covering her law school journey and beyond. Her mix of lifestyle and law school content will give you motivation for both law school and life outside the law.
• US Law Essentials: This channel is full of videos that break down legal topics into simple, visual explanations. Created by an attorney and law professor, these videos just might help your understanding of upcoming exam topics. 

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Did we miss a source that law students would enjoy? Contact us to add it to the list! Email Shelley Awe, Vault’s Manager of Law School Engagement, at sawe@vault.com.