In my first few days as a 1L in law school, I think I heard the work “networking” more than I heard the word “law.” Public Relations may want to consider rebranding law school “Networking or Bust.” If you are reading this, you are aware that the bulk of job hunting is during law school. The networking events, the bar association happy hours. Remember? We went out bright-eyed to get coffees with overworked lawyers who are probably wondering when they lost that same bright-eyed wonder.
There are generally two options for jobs out of law school. Either you landed an offer before graduation and have the stress of making sure you pass. Or, you haven’t landed an offer, and also have the stress of making sure you pass. So, you are looking for that official license as your ticket into a firm. The bar exam comes, but that ticket doesn’t. What now? The rumor is no one will hire you if you’re not a licensed attorney, right? How does one network for a law firm position without being a licensed attorney? Well buckle up for the next two main considerations.
You walk out of your last law school final exam and you stretch your fists far above your head. You cheer, blissfully thinking about the grand plans you have for the summer: sandy beaches, afternoon cocktails on the water, spending time with your loved ones, and the glorious feeling of the summer air as you take a nap in the sun. What a wonderful dream to have. Unfortunately, for a law school graduate, the only sandy beach you will experience is the “pink sands” candle from Yankee Candle that you lit next to you with your nose in a prep book. Yep, the worst summer of all of law school: the post 3L summer. Following law school, the July bar exam is right around the corner, much to any law school graduate’s dismay. Hours of studying, reviewing, and practicing in front of a computer every single day. How can you make matters worse? Add work into the mix. In a new form of self-torture, I decided to work during a majority of my bar prep period. Meaning, I had to cram studying in any chance I got without any fun or breaks in between. Are you 
No matter when you take the bar exam, studying for the exam can feel hectic and stressful. This feeling is only compounded when you’re attempting to study while already working in the fast-paced and deadline-driven environment of a law firm. The need to study and work at the same time can come up for any number of reasons, including because you’ve already started at a firm in a new state and need to take the bar in that jurisdiction, or because you’re studying while contemplating a jump to a new state. Whatever the case may be, there are some strategies to get through, and succeed, while juggling work and study. 
As my last year of law school is coming to an end, I am looking forward to transitioning out of being a law student. I am so excited to start working and not have to worry about studying for class after I get home. However, I have not reached freedom yet, and I still have some studying to do. Yes, unfortunately I am talking about the 
The bar exam can intimidate anyone. The law is challenging, the scope is daunting, the prep time is short, and the stakes are high. If you are working while studying, it can be easy to feel sorry for yourself and to feel like you are trying to do the impossible. You have taken a tougher road to bar success than others to be sure, but you can’t let those feelings take too much of a psychological toll.