Bengaluru, Bowing to the vociferous demand from anxious students, the Karnataka State Law University (KSLU) has postponed its final semester exams from September 21 owing to the grim Covid situation in the state, an official said on Thursday. "The semester exams for law courses have been postponed from September 21 and intermediate exams from October 5 as sought by the students in view of the pandemic still persisting across the state, a KSLU official from Hubballi in the state's northwest region told IANS. The decision to postpone the exams was taken after consultations with State Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J.C. Madhuswsamy here on Wednesday. "Final year exams, however, will be conducted online in October, as directed by the Bar Council of India," said the official. The university will commence regular classes online from September 1 to make up for the time lost as colleges remained shut since April under the Covid-induced lockdown restrictions. The semester and intermediate exams will be held only after classes resume regularly for 45 days to two months. "Though the students will be temporarily promoted to the next semester based on their performance in the internal exams held till March, but they have to take the exams when they are held in the near future," asserted the official. The state higher education department had earlier decided to promote the under-graduate and post-graduate students to the next semester, as classes could not be resumed due to the extended lockdown and Covid crisis. Hundreds of students of the law colleges across the state expressed relief over the university postponing the exams, as many of them from outside the state and rural areas had been staying back at home as educational institutes continued to remain shut in this academic year. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/china-fires-two-missiles-into-the-south-china-sea-and-asian-markets-feel-the-blow/articleshow/77777358.cms">China fires two missiles into the South China Sea and Asian markets feel the blow</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/ladakh-will-be-the-front-to-hold-for-india-and-china-for-at-least-a-year-if-not-longer-as-per-experts/articleshow/77779668.cms">Ladakh will be the 'front to hold' for India and China for at least a year if not longer as per experts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/mars-spotted-first-time-by-uae-hope-probe-on-its-maiden-voyage-in-space/articleshow/77775267.cms">UAE’s Hope probe spots Mars for the very first time on its maiden voyage through space</a>

Karnataka State Law University exams postponed — will now be conducted online in October

<ul><li><keyword id="470781" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-Bar-Council-of-India">The Bar Council of India</keyword> (BCI) said all <keyword id="6418036" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="law-students">law students</keyword>, except those in final year, will be promoted on the basis of their previous year's marks and marks obtained in the <keyword id="4234762" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="internal-examination">internal examination</keyword> of the current year. </li><li>However, it clarified that after reopening of colleges/universities, the institutions may conduct the end semester examination with respect to the year from which the students have been promoted.</li><li>The lawyers' body clarified that for final year LL.B students, the universities may adopt any other appropriate method which they feel is adequate to satisfy the requirements of a regular examination. </li></ul>The Bar Council of India (BCI) said all law students, except those in final year, will be promoted on the basis of their previous year's marks and marks obtained in the internal examination of the current year. The BCI has issued fresh guidelines for the promotion of law students to the next year and the criteria for law exams amid the Covid-19 crisis. However, it clarified that after reopening of colleges/universities, the institutions may conduct the end semester examination with respect to the year from which the students have been promoted, within a reasonable period of time, though such promoted students shall continue to study in the year to which they have been promoted. "And in case, they are unable to pass/clear any such paper of such end semester exam of the year from which they have been promoted, they shall have to clear the same, before they are granted the degree. In the case of students who have been promoted to the final year as LL.B students, they shall have to pass all papers in order to obtain their degree/s," said the lawyers' body. It allowed the <keyword id="6411073" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="final-year-students">final year students</keyword> of the three and five years LL.B courses to appear for online examinations. "In case of Final Year LL.B students, who have not cleared all papers of previous years and are required to sit in the supplementary examination, but, who have been promoted to final year, such Final year LL.B students may be allowed to write a project report or appear in online examination with regard to the pending/supplementary papers, so that they could also pass within time," said the BCI in a statement. The lawyers' body clarified that for final year LL.B students, the universities may adopt any other appropriate method which they feel is adequate to satisfy the requirements of a regular examination. "Under this system, the University may allow students to write a project report/research paper for each paper of the final year or they may adopt a foolproof method to double the internal marks of the semester exams already held for such year," said a senior official of the lawyers' body. The BCI insisted that the universities must adhere to Covid-19 protocol and ensure that the norm of social distancing is followed in the campus and all classrooms and examination halls are properly sanitised from time to time. "The safety and health of the students should not be compromised at any cost. Universities are instructed to maintain the highest academic standards while conducting the examinations," the statement said.

Law students, except those in final year, to be promoted based on internal exams and previous record, says BCI

<ul><li>The Supreme Court of India will now hear the plea challenging UGC final year exams 2020 on August 18. </li><li>On August 10, the University Grants Commission (UGC) told the Supreme Court that degrees would not be recognised if no examinations are held for final-year students even as the country faces a coronavirus crisis. </li><li>The Supreme court granted time to the UGC to respond to the stand taken by the Maharashtra and Delhi governments to cancel university exams. </li></ul>The Supreme Court of India will now hear the plea challenging UGC final year exams 2020 on August 18. Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, the lead counsel, said “There is a great disparity between the classes of students who are expected to appear. Many students have gone back to their hometowns.” <div type="twitter" handle="barandbench" handlename="Bar &amp; Bench" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1248497186402258945/izmXCMgD_normal.jpg" favoritecount="465" retweetcount="171" status="Supreme Court will now continue hearing the matter on Tuesday, August 18. #StudentsInSCForJustice… https://t.co/kMhFkxxddB" createdat="1597389999000" id="1294173576853991425"></div>He further said, “consistent stance of the MHA since March has been that the educational institutions should be closed and the same was reiterated by the MHRD but a sudden volte-face now.” What happened in the previous hearing? On August 10, the University Grants Commission (UGC) told the Supreme Court that degrees would not be recognised if no examinations are held for final-year students even as the country faces a coronavirus crisis. The UGC response was conveyed by its counsel, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, on a batch of pleas that challenged the UGC schedule for final-year university exams before September 30.The petitioners' counsel contended that the UGC guidelines for holding exams are "not legally or constitutionally valid". Mehta argued that the decision by Delhi and Maharashtra to cancel exams in their respective state universities is against the UGC rules.He argued that UGC is the only body that can prescribe rules for conferring a degree, and state governments cannot change the rules. The counsel for one of the petitioners replied that there is complete inconsistency in the Ministry of Human Resource Development and UGC guidelines. The bench also comprises Justices R. Subhash Reddy and M.R. Shah adjourned the hearing till Friday, after the UGC asked for time to respond to the affidavits filed by Delhi and Maharashtra. The Delhi government stated in its affidavit that on July 11, a decision was taken that all online-offline exams of universities under the state, which include final year exams, would be cancelled in the backdrop of the Covid-19 outbreak. However, the affidavit cited some vice-chancellors of certain universities in favour of wrapping up at least the final semester exams, but the Delhi government decided to stick to its decision of not holding the exams. The Supreme court granted time to the UGC to respond to the stand taken by the Maharashtra and Delhi governments to cancel university exams. The bench also asked the UGC to address the question of whether the Disaster Management Act would override its notification on guidelines for exams. Mehta questioned the stand taken by Maharashtra and Delhi. He said, "When UGC is the only body to confer degrees, how can states cancel exams and expect UGC to confer degrees?" Mehta insisted that students need to continue to study, as they will not be granted degrees if exams are not conducted. "That's the law," he added.

UGC final year exam guidelines — The wait gets longer, Supreme Court to decide the final verdict on August 18

<ul><li><keyword id="6355014" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi-high-court">Delhi High Court</keyword> asked Delhi University to commence physical examination from September 14.</li><li>Moreover, the court said that holding a physical examination after September 20 is “unreasonable. </li><li>DU was supposed to hold final year undergraduate online OBE from August 10-31 </li></ul>Delhi High Court has <a href="https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/delhi-hc-pleas-online-open-book-examination-for-final-year-du-students-live-updates">asked</a> Delhi University (DU) to commence physical examination from September 14. Moreover, <a href="https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/delhi-hc-pleas-online-open-book-examination-for-final-year-du-students-live-updates">the court said </a>that holding a physical examination after September 20 is “unreasonable” when virtual examination ends in August. The data of the online book examination shows that less than half of the students have appeared. “End date of physical examination to be placed on record by DU,” ruled the High Court. Highlights of the hearing — <ul><li>The High Court has also directed DU to verify the total number of students with disabilities (PWD students) who would appear for physical examination and can “work out the modalities of their stay.” </li><li>Delhi University will create an email ID to allow students ``to make requests pertaining to issuance of a "request letter" on behalf of DU to foreign universities on delay in declaration of result.” The court has directed DU to create these email IDs within a week and publish them on the official website. </li><li>The High Court also ruled that DU will digitally forward the marksheets of fifth semester law students. </li><li>Delhi High court orders University Grants Commission to issue an advisory against post-graduate colleges seeking provisional certificates for admission before the exams are completed on September 30. </li><li>Delhi University will also record data on answer sheets received through email mode, ruled Court. </li></ul>The court heard the petitions challenging DU's decision to hold online Open Book Examinations (OBE), as per the UGC guidelines, for final year undergraduate courses which will be in long-form exams. DU was supposed to hold final year undergraduate online OBE from August 10-31 and the students who will be left out of online exams were to be given an opportunity to appear in physical examinations, to be held sometime in September. Last week, Delhi High Court granted a week’s time to the visually impaired student to ask the university for study material. Further, the HC also ordered DU to provide provision admission to students in its post-graduation courses through entrance examination. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/latest-job-openings-at-google-microsoft-jp-morgan-goldman-sachs-ericsson-amazon-adobe-zomato-for-software-engineers/slidelist/77585263.cms">Google, Microsoft, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Ericsson and other companies hiring software engineers in India right now</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/the-heat-is-on-mark-zuckerberg-in-india-as-facebook-and-whatsapp-incur-the-ire-of-modis-rivals/articleshow/77575358.cms">The heat is on Mark Zuckerberg in India as Facebook and WhatsApp incur the ire of Modi's rivals</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/the-top-9-movies-on-netflix-this-week-from-aposjurassic-parkapos-to-aposwork-itapos/slidelist/77548389.cms">The top 9 movies on Netflix this week, from 'Jurassic Park' to 'Work It'</a>

Delhi University to hold physical examination from September 14, rules High Court

(Eds: Fixing typo in header) New Delhi, Jul 9 () Examinations are nerve- wracking and career of thousands of students is at stake, the Delhi High Court said on Thursday, pulling up the Delhi University for repeatedly postponing the exams of final year undergraduate courses in the last few weeks. The court questioned the varsity on pushing the exams from July 10 to a date beyond August 15, even when it kept maintaining that it was ready to conduct the Open Book Examinations (OBE) on July 1 as well as on July 10. A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad directed Delhi University to file an affidavit detailing the schedule of final year undergraduate exams which have been postponed from July 10 to beyond August 15 in view of persisting COVID-19 pandemic. The high court also asked the varsity to explain in the affidavit as to how it proposes to conduct exams -- online, off-line or both modes, besides the complete date sheet, providing clarity to students. It allowed the prayer of senior advocate Sachin Dutta, representing DU, to grant some time as they have to work out a new plan in terms of July 8 circular issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for declaring the manner in which the forthcoming exams are to be conducted. The court directed the DU to file the affidavit by July 13 and listed the matter for consideration on July 14. "We all have gone through the examination process which is nerve-wracking for the students, especially during the times of COVID-19 pandemic," said the bench, which was conducting the hearing through video conferencing. "Why are you pushing the exams to a date beyond August 15, knowing that careers of thousands of students are at stake," the court said, adding that the final year students have to be given passing out certificates and degrees to enable them to pursue higher education. It asked the varsity to mull over the schedule given by the UGC and come back with a firm date sheet and examination schedule. The court was also critical of the way mock exams were conducted by the DU and referred to technical glitches during the tests. The bench did not appreciate the conduct of the varsity which has been "turning turtle" and changing stands frequently. It noted that on June 26, DU informed the court that it will go ahead with conducting exams from July 1 and after less than 24 hours, the university postponed the exams to July 10. The court had on June 29 issued notice to the varsity asking why contempt proceedings be not initiated against it and its officers for trying to mislead the court by withholding information on deferment of the online OBE from July 1 to July 10. The court was then informed that the university was firm on commencing exams from July 10. "We took you (DU) on face value and asked you to file an affidavit for clarity. Now we discover you have again changed the date to beyond August 15 and there is no exact date. What do you expect us to do. You want us to constantly monitor you on conducting exams," the bench said. It added, "Sorry to say the way the university is conducting itself for the last few weeks, we are not impressed with anything. We have to take it with a pinch of salt." In the affidavit filed by DU on Thursday morning, it was averred that meeting of a High Powered Committed of the university took place on July 7 at 9:30 PM to access the exam related matters and taking stalk of the developments pursuant to revised guidelines issued by UGC on July 6. Thereafter, the DU has decided to postpone holding of the examination to some date after August 15. Dutta said the university is still working upon the date sheet for the examination to be conducted after August 15. During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was representing the UGC, informed the court that on July 6 and July 8, it has issued a circular/ guidelines to all the universities informing them that the examination process for final year students must be completed by the end of September and the mode of conducting examination could be online, offline or a blend of both the methods. On being asked by the court as to whether the UGC has insisted that exams be conducted for promoting students, Mehta said exams are compulsory for final year students and the process has to be completed by September 30. The high court was hearing various petitions by several final year DU students seeking quashing and withdrawal of the notifications of May 14, May 30 and June 27 for online exams for undergraduate and postgraduate students, including of the School of Open Learning and Non-Collegiate Women Education Board. As an alternative prayer, one of the petitions has sought direction to the DU to evaluate the final year students based on the previous years' or semesters' results in the same manner as the university has planned to promote the first and second year students. On Wednesday, DU had incurred the wrath of a single judge for "playing with the lives of children" by deciding to again postpone the exams. The court had transferred the pleas to the division bench headed by Justice Kohli as it has already issued contempt notice to the varsity. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for one of the petitioners, submitted that DU be directed to follow all the procedures laid down in law and the court should be informed about the mode of conducting the examinations. SKV HMP SA

Examination process nerve wracking, students' career at stake: HC to DU on postponing exams

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/52a9dfbc69beddc47c23606a-630-472/cambridge-school-of-weston-students-classroom-6.png?maxX=480" border="0" alt="Cambridge School of Weston, Students, Classroom" width="480" /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnbBooVbk-c">YouTube/WeAreCSW</a></div></div>It's traditional on most <keyword id="6360288" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="college">college</keyword> campuses to devote the last few weeks of the semester to <keyword id="417975" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="final-exams">final exams</keyword> - cumulative tests that make sure a student has absorbed everything taught over the past few months.
However, there are people - other than students subjected to days and weeks of studying - who believe that finals can be better, both as a means of assessment and something more in keeping with the broader aims of academia. 
Here are three ways for schools to improve final exams:
Switch Up The Format
Something that's been trending in academia for a while is a move away from traditional blue book multi-hour final exams. <a href="http://janisthiessen.ca/2013/01/09/why-i-dont-give-exams/">University of Winnipeg history professor Janis Thiessen</a> writes, "alternatives to traditional paper-and-pencil testing should not be considered 'alternatives' but as central methods of assessing students."
Additionally, the UC Berkeley website cites a book on classroom assessment techniques that <a href="http://teaching.berkeley.edu/course-level-learning">notes testing should be "context-specific,"</a> and "?the ?assessment ?technique ?is ?chosen ?to ?fit ?the ?subject ?matter ?and ?the? needs ?of ?the ?particular ?class."
The Berkeley website offers up some <a href="http://teaching.berkeley.edu/alternatives-final-exams">ways for teachers to move past traditional testing methods</a>, including some more practical ideas - like creating peer reviewed posters or sending in an Op-Ed to a local newspaper - that give students real world experience.
Stop Encouraging Students To Study
This one might be a little more theoretical, but some educators believe that it's counterintuitive to ask students to study for final exams. As <a href="http://chronicle.com/article/Stop-Telling-Students-to-Study/131622/">University of North Florida professor David Jaffe</a> notes, "this simple and familiar phrase-'study for exams'- ... actually encourages student behaviors and dispositions that work against the larger purpose of human intellectual development and learning."
According to Jaffe, final exams are the worst offenders. 
"This collective exercise in sadism encourages students to cram everything that they think they need to 'know' (temporarily for the exam) into their brains, deprive themselves of sleep and leisure activities, complete (or more likely finally start) term papers, and memorize mounds of information," he writes in the Chronicle of Higher <keyword id="6355445" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Education">Education</keyword>.
Chicago high school teacher Ray Salazar <a href="http://www.chicagonow.com/white-rhino/2013/10/final-exams-in-high-school-unnecessary/">offers a more practical take on finals' failings</a>. "By the time students find out if they were wrong or right, it doesn't matter! Grades are in. Report cards are printed. Students have moved on," Salazar writes in ChicagoNow.
Bring Adorable Animals To Campus
<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_left"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/52a9e52aecad0456680dbdd5-799-599/college-students-therapy-dog.jpg" border="0" alt="College Students Therapy Dog" width="480" /><a href="https://twitter.com/cee_lough/status/410140467427573760/photo/1">@cee_lough/Twitter</a></div></div>Another growing trend on colleges is the introduction of "therapy dogs" and other animals on campus to help students de-stress before taking an exam. "<a href="http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2013/12/09/worried-about-finals-therapy-dogs-to-the-rescue/">Studies show that interaction with animals lowers blood pressure</a>, reduces anxiety, improves physical and mental health and gives a feeling of well-being," according to UC Berkeley.
"<a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/education/story/2012-05-13/dogs-stress-relief-on-campus/54921444/1">You can release some of the emotions to a pet that you can't to a human</a>. A pet keeps it confidential. You don't have to worry about someone else saying, 'Oh, I think she's having a nervous breakdown over the science exam," a researcher at Harvard told the Associated Press.
While most of the animals that come for finals are dogs, Cornell Law School has made a semi-tradition of bringing in a llama to help students de-stress.

Three Ways That Schools Can Improve Final Exams

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image"><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/520284ffeab8eab40500000e-626-469/legally-blonde-1.png?maxX=480" border="0" alt="Legally Blonde" width="480" />YouTubeThe film "Legally Blonde" is the most famous movie about <keyword id="85709" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Law-school">law school</keyword> life.</div></div>Even after aspiring <keyword id="41930" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Lawyers">lawyers</keyword> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tips-for-the-lsat-2013-8">take the LSAT,</a> they have to endure the stress of <keyword id="6355470" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Law">law</keyword> school.
Impossible exams, tough professors, and all-nighters will permeate the next three years - unless you go to school to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/i-went-to-law-school-and-became-a-drug-dealer-2013-7">become a drug dealer.</a>
<a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/LawSchool/comments/1junex/hey_rlawschool_with_the_upcoming_school_year/">One Redditor</a> (and good Samaritan) realized the academic year is swiftly approaching. He reached out to the community for some law school wisdom. Check out the five of the best responses.
1.) From <a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/sflittlespoon">sflittlespoon</a>:
This may appear rather simple, but save all of your class notes into a single document (save said document on the cloud or some other safe platform). When the first set of finals came around, I had about 100 different docs that I had to weed through to find the language the prof used in class. I use <a href="http://evernote.com/">evernote</a> now and it's a great tool, even records audio - which classmates will love you for when they miss a lecture or were too distracted by deadlines.
Read more <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/LawSchool/comments/1junex/hey_rlawschool_with_the_upcoming_school_year/cbii2yp">here</a>.
2.) From <a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/bigredwon">bigredwon</a>:
Take time early in the semester to crank through your cover letters and resume revisions to have ready to send off on Dec. 1. A lot of the process is a timing game. You'll be studying for finals and you'll feel strapped for time anyway.
Read more <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/LawSchool/comments/1junex/hey_rlawschool_with_the_upcoming_school_year/cbij88i">here</a>.
3.) From <a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/helloes1111111111111">helloes1111111111111</a>:
Find out exactly how to answer an exam. Does a professor want just the rule application, or also the rule statement? Is citing cases necessary, useful as a shorthand, or worthless? Does the exam consist of areas with a rigid number of points (3 areas to explore each worth 5 points max), or might an excellent response which addresses 2/3 areas pick up over 10/15 points? With 100 raw points total, does a typical "A" test need 95/100? 40/100?
Read more <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/LawSchool/comments/1junex/hey_rlawschool_with_the_upcoming_school_year/cbigs9w">here</a>.
4.) From <a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/oatmealbatman">oatmealbatman</a>: 
Except for emergencies, don't go near the university bookstore unless you want to pay double for your books. This was true in undergrad and it's true in law school. I made this mistake first year and spent over $1000 on books. Renting books is a scam. Buy your books from an online retailer several weeks before classes begin. Buy used instead of new whenever possible. Some used books will surprise you. I bought my Evidence book through amazon, and the girl who previously owned it did a great job at highlighting the important parts of cases, and even put in labeled bookmarks throughout the book. If the highlighting sucks in your used books, laugh it off.
Read more <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/LawSchool/comments/1junex/hey_rlawschool_with_the_upcoming_school_year/cbiqrfx">here</a>.
5.) From <a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/sdhall01">sdhall101</a>:
First semester I worked every day until I thought I was going to pass out. I did really well, but I started getting bloody noses. Second semester I relaxed, went to the gym, watched my alma mater play basketball, and grabbed beer woth friends. I was much happier and got the exact same great grades. This is the best advice there is.
<div class="usertext-body">
<div class="md">
Have some tips of your own? Tell us in the comments.
</div>
</div>

How To Avoid Losing Your Mind In Law School

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:480px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/520284ffeab8eab40500000e-626-469/legally-blonde-1.png?maxX=480" border="0" alt="Legally Blonde" width="480" />YouTubeThe film "Legally Blonde" is the most famous movie about <keyword id="85709" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Law-school">law school</keyword> life.</div></div>Even after aspiring <keyword id="41930" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Lawyers">lawyers</keyword> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tips-for-the-lsat-2013-8">take the LSAT,</a> they have to endure the stress of <keyword id="6355470" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Law">law</keyword> school.
Impossible exams, tough professors, and all-nighters will permeate the next three years — unless you go to school to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/i-went-to-law-school-and-became-a-drug-dealer-2013-7">become a drug dealer.</a>
<a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/LawSchool/comments/1junex/hey_rlawschool_with_the_upcoming_school_year/">One Redditor</a> (and good Samaritan) realized the academic year is swiftly approaching. He reached out to the community for some law school wisdom. Check out the five of the best responses.
1.) From <a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/sflittlespoon">sflittlespoon</a>:
This may appear rather simple, but save all of your class notes into a single document (save said document on the cloud or some other safe platform). When the first set of finals came around, I had about 100 different docs that I had to weed through to find the language the prof used in class. I use <a href="http://evernote.com/">evernote</a> now and it's a great tool, even records audio — which classmates will love you for when they miss a lecture or were too distracted by deadlines.
Read more <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/LawSchool/comments/1junex/hey_rlawschool_with_the_upcoming_school_year/cbii2yp">here</a>.
2.) From <a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/bigredwon">bigredwon</a>:
Take time early in the semester to crank through your cover letters and resume revisions to have ready to send off on Dec. 1. A lot of the process is a timing game. You'll be studying for finals and you'll feel strapped for time anyway.
Read more <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/LawSchool/comments/1junex/hey_rlawschool_with_the_upcoming_school_year/cbij88i">here</a>.
3.) From <a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/helloes1111111111111">helloes1111111111111</a>:
Find out exactly how to answer an exam. Does a professor want just the rule application, or also the rule statement? Is citing cases necessary, useful as a shorthand, or worthless? Does the exam consist of areas with a rigid number of points (3 areas to explore each worth 5 points max), or might an excellent response which addresses 2/3 areas pick up over 10/15 points? With 100 raw points total, does a typical "A" test need 95/100? 40/100?
Read more <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/LawSchool/comments/1junex/hey_rlawschool_with_the_upcoming_school_year/cbigs9w">here</a>.
4.) From <a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/oatmealbatman">oatmealbatman</a>: 
Except for emergencies, don't go near the university bookstore unless you want to pay double for your books. This was true in undergrad and it's true in law school. I made this mistake first year and spent over $1000 on books. Renting books is a scam. Buy your books from an online retailer several weeks before classes begin. Buy used instead of new whenever possible. Some used books will surprise you. I bought my Evidence book through amazon, and the girl who previously owned it did a great job at highlighting the important parts of cases, and even put in labeled bookmarks throughout the book. If the highlighting sucks in your used books, laugh it off.
Read more <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/LawSchool/comments/1junex/hey_rlawschool_with_the_upcoming_school_year/cbiqrfx">here</a>.
5.) From <a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/sdhall01">sdhall101</a>:
First semester I worked every day until I thought I was going to pass out. I did really well, but I started getting bloody noses. Second semester I relaxed, went to the gym, watched my alma mater play basketball, and grabbed beer woth friends. I was much happier and got the exact same great grades. This is the best advice there is.
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Have some tips of your own? Tell us in the comments.
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<div class="entry-body"><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5342f78deab8ea55616d57c2-1200-924/harvard-law-school-grads-2.jpg?maxX=480" border="0" alt="Harvard Law School Grads" width="480" /><a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-747373p1.html?cr=00&amp;pl=edit-00">Jannis Tobias Werner / Shutterstock.com</a></div></div>Editor's note: Brian Clarke, an assistant professor at Charlotte School of Law, recently wrote a blog post in "Faculty Lounge" about the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/law-professor-why-im-coming-out-about-my-major-depressive-disorder-2014-4">prevalence of suicide and depression</a> among lawyers.</div>
<div class="entry-body"> </div>
<div class="entry-body">The post was the first in a three-part series, and Clarke allowed us to republish the second post that focuses on his personal experience with depression. The post that follows is the third in the series and focuses on how he talks to his students about his depression. </div>
At long last, we have arrived at the third and final post of my "Coming Out Trilogy."
As promised, I want to focus this post on the role my struggles with depression and anxiety have played and continue to play in my interactions with my students, both in and out of the classroom. 
<div class="entry-body">
My <a href="http://www.thefacultylounge.org/2014/03/law-professors-law-students-and-depression-a-story-of-coming-out-part-1.html" target="_self">prior</a> <a href="http://www.thefacultylounge.org/2014/04/in-part-i-of-this-little-series-i-laid-out-some-of-the-statistics-regarding-the-scope-of-the-problem-of-depression-and-anxie.html" target="_self">posts</a> have covered the bleak statistics regarding depression and suicide rates among lawyers (nearly four times more likely to be depressed and six times more likely to commit suicide than the general public). Further, I also mentioned that many of our students are suffering from depression (32% by second semester first year and 40% by graduation). Although I have not found any specific data to support it, my guess is that an equal (or more likely) higher percentage of our students are also suffering from significant levels of anxiety. 
In short, a third or more of our students are struggling with mental illnesses that are exacerbated (or triggered or caused or whatever word you most prefer) by the significant stresses of law school (and the various issues surrounding it, including - to be frank - the cost, debt loads, and job prospects).* <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evil-deeds/200809/is-depression-disease">According to the research</a>, if a person suffers a single incident of clinical depression, he has a 50% chance of experiencing another even if he takes antidepressant medication. After 3 incidents, there is a 90% chance of recurrence.** [I, for example, had my first (undiagnosed) bout of clinical depression in college and my first bout of anxiety (diagnosed) my first year of law school.] So, there is a very good chance that the depressed law students of today will be the depressed lawyers of tomorrow. 
Our students need help to better understand the challenges of the profession they are entering: the potential for dissatisfaction, disillusionment, mental illness (including depression, anxiety and substance abuse), burnout, and more. When I left practice and started teaching, I promised myself that I would be open and honest with my students about my struggles and about the realities of law practice. 
Now, don't get me wrong. I love the Law and there were many, many aspects of practicing law that I loved (and at which I excelled). There were also aspects that I did not love (and tried my best to tolerate, sometimes less than successfully). I know, without reservation or qualification, that being a lawyer can be a highly rewarding career: emotionally, intellectually, and financially. If I was not honest with my students about the challenges of being a lawyer, however, I would be doing them a disservice. 
Further, in my view, knowledge is power. With knowledge of the challenges and some of their causes, I figure my students will be better equipped to meet and overcome them.
In raising these issues with my students my basic goals are as follows: (1) to help destroy - via openness, honesty, and shamelessness - the very real stigma associated with mental illness in general and depression and anxiety in particular; (2) to make sure my students know that if they are struggling with depression or anxiety, that they are not alone (even if they feel that way) and that there is no reason in the world for these illnesses to hold them back in any way; (3) to offer myself as a resource for any among them that are struggling; (4) to educate them about the challenges of practicing law; (5) to get them thinking about why they are in law school and they want their lives in the law to be like (or if they even want a life in the law); and (6) to get them thinking critically and proactively about the different career paths, options, settings, locales and such available to those with law degrees, which can have a significant impact on their personal well-being.
So, what do I do? I talk openly and honestly about my struggles and experiences and I do so in class (in first year Civil Procedure). (Thanks to this series of posts, I now know I am not the only law professor in America who does this. <a href="http://www.law.unlv.edu/faculty/nancy-rapoport.html">Nancy Rapoport</a> at UNLV does the same in her Contracts classes and there are, hopefully, others out there that do something similar.) 
Of course, I do not do this on the first day of class. I am not that crazy. 
On the first day of Civil Procedure, I spend about 20 minutes talking about the depth of my litigation experience, the fact that I have litigated or used in practice virtually every rule and theory we will study, the places I practiced and some of the companies I represented. In short, I establish my credibility. During the semester, I build my credibility with my students by being a highly competent and effective teacher with a deep knowledge of the subject matter and a willingness to do whatever I can to help them learn the material. By the time we are two-thirds of the way through the semester, my students (generally speaking) respect me and, from what I understand, are a bit intimidated by me (which is at least partly due to the fact that I somewhat physically imposing at 6'1" and 250+ pounds). 
</div>
Usually about two weeks before the end of the semester - when I see the strain of writing papers and the approach of final exams beginning to take a toll - I will put the civil procedure issue of the day on hold and tell my story. I don't prepare them for this in any way, I just start class by saying, "There is something that I need to talk to y'all about today." (Although if they start googling me after this I guess the cat will be out of the bag). 
The story I tell is generally that which appears in <a href="http://www.thefacultylounge.org/2014/04/in-part-i-of-this-little-series-i-laid-out-some-of-the-statistics-regarding-the-scope-of-the-problem-of-depression-and-anxie.html" target="_self">Part 2</a> of this "Coming Out Trilogy," although it is often a bit more haphazard as it is still much easier to write about this subject than talk about it. I often get choked up at least once, usually when talking about suicide (though I have managed to avoid this once or twice). There are usually at least a few people with freely flowing tears by the end and many stunned looks. [Writing this, I realize that, to some degree, I set my students up and then, intentionally, shatter their perceptions of me. While I did not set out to do this and think that establishing my bona fides at the outset of the course is pedagogically important, I do believe that it makes the discussion of my mental illness and the challenges of practicing law more impactful in an "if that can happen to Prof. Clarke, it can happen to me" sort of way.]
I then segue into some of the statistics cited in <a href="http://www.thefacultylounge.org/2014/03/law-professors-law-students-and-depression-a-story-of-coming-out-part-1.html" target="_self">Part 1</a> of this series and talk about the scope of the problem with depression in the legal profession. I explain that I know many of them are having a hard time handling the stress of law school given the workload, the competitiveness, their "Type A" personalities and perfectionist tendencies, and the like. I bluntly tell them that if they think being a 1L is hard, they ain't seen nothing yet. 
I tell them about the challenges of practicing law including, among other things, taking on the emotional baggage of clients' problems; the inherent competitiveness of the adversarial system; the joys of dealing with unreasonable opposing counsel; the fact that someone must lose in litigation; the impact losing may have on a client's life; the nature of the billable hour; the difficulty of billing 1,900+ hours a year; the unrealistic expectations many of them may have about being lawyers; the common narrative that "success" as a lawyer is dependent on having a "Big Law" job and making partner/member/shareholder and the profound unlikelihood of these happening; the lack of boundaries and the need to be "on the job" 24/7/365 (especially in a big firm); and so on. 
I discuss a truth I have known for many years (and for which I now have <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439760.2014.888583#.Uz6ysFeBV6U">empirical</a> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/higher-pay-doesnt-make-lawyers-happy-2014-4">support</a>), namely that making a lot of money is ultimately not the thing that, for most people or most lawyers, makes them happy in life or satisfied professionally. I caution them about the materialism that is common among lawyers and the dangers of measuring happiness by the make of your car or the size of your house (a point made illustrated this morning in an <a href="http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/us_has_1_trillion_in_student_debt_indebted_lawyer_has_chevy_lifestyle/?utm_source=maestro&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=weekly_email">ABA Journal blurb</a>). I challenge them to think about why they came to law school and to identify what it is about the law that really turns them on (professionally). I encourage them to find a way to follow that passion, because they will be better lawyers and more satisfied professionally and personally if they do so. [See K. Sheldon &amp; L. Krieger, Service Job Lawyers Are Happier Than Money Job Lawyers, Despite Their Lower Income, Journal of Positive Psychology, <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439760.2014.888583#.Uz6ysFeBV6U">vol. 9, pp. 219-226</a> (2014).] I tell them that, for many lawyers (including me), finding a balance between work and life is difficult thanks to, among other things, technology and to be cautious of always being plugged in. I talk to them about the importance of boundaries (a concept with which I still struggle). 
While many of these issues are old hat to us, they come as a revelation to many students. Many still come to law school simply because they did not know what to do with their B.A. history and have never contemplated what about the law (if anything) really interests them. [I encourage these folks to seriously reconsider whether they should be in law school]. Many have never thought that there were other career paths than in a big law firm and many are convinced (by their peers, by popular culture, by the internet) that success as a lawyer means being a rich partner in a big firm, and nothing else. Many are shocked that they have only somewhat worse odds of winning the lottery than making equity partner/member/shareholder in a big law firm. 
I answer questions and let the conversation go where the students lead it for about an hour. Then we get wipe our eyes, blow our noses and get back to civ pro.
I have done this little song-and-dance at least ten times now and every time I do it, it has a significant impact. I have had many students (looking sort of shell shocked) tell me that they had no idea that anyone else had felt or thought the things they had felt and thought, but which I articulated during class. I have had students come see me a semester later or even two years later (so far) and tell me that by talking about my issues, it gave them the strength to get help for their own depression or anxiety issues. I have had several students seek me out in times of crisis and asked me for help. Many students have sought me out to talk about career paths and even whether they should stay in law school. The bottom line, however, is that every single student I have ever talked to about these issues has appreciated - above all else - my openness and honesty, not only about my illness, but about the challenges of being a lawyer. 
Beyond this in class discussion and the one-on-one discussions that flow from it, I also participate in a number of student events each year dealing with mental health, career paths, work-life balance and the like. I am active with the Lawyer Effectiveness and Quality of Life Committee of the N.C. Bar Association. And I have both planned and spoken at continuing legal education conferences about these issues. 
Now, not all law professors are as messed up or as glutton for punishment as I am. However, each of us - regardless of background - can start a dialogue with students, either in or out of class, about the importance of mental health, the dark side of being a lawyer, and the need of students to make conscious, intentional and meaningful choices regarding their futures. These discussions are critical to the long term well-being of our students. As I said in my opening post, our students need us to be brave and be honest.

We Need To Start Talking To Law Students About Depression And Suicide 

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e7a374bba85ee02080f5e4e-2400/isabelle robinson barnard statue.jpg" alt="isabelle robinson barnard statue.JPG" /><ul class="summary-list"><li>Isabelle Robinson is a sophomore at Barnard College of Columbia University in New York City.</li><li>She was a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida in February 2018 when a former student killed 17 students and staff members. A week and a half later, Robinson and her friends were expected to be back in class.</li><li>As panic about the coronavirus outbreak grew, Barnard College gave students two days to evacuate on-campus housing, leaving them frantic. Many had no place to go.</li><li>Robinson described the unparalleled "chaos" that she has now experienced twice - and the long-term effects it can have on students.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>In February of my senior year, a gunman walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and killed 14 students and three employees. My classmates and I were summarily given a week and a half off of school to collect ourselves. Then, after a steady stream of vigils, burials, and funeral receptions, it was time to go back.We went back, but the learning didn't exactly continue. I don't blame my teachers for this in the slightest - it is no easy feat to explain calculus or the Electoral College to a class of over 25 traumatized students when you have also been traumatized. To this day, I have never read the second half of "Frankenstein," nor did I bother studying for my AP exams. By late May, my friends and I were cutting class as often as we could, taking refuge in the classrooms of teachers who understood that we had little to no brain capacity left for final projects. We had far more important things on our minds.Just over two years later, there is a new epidemic to worry about, and it's not the ever-increasing rate of gun violence. With the rapid outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States, thousands of students have had their way of life and their studies radically disrupted by evacuations and quarantines.I'm one of them - and I cannot help but notice the subtle but alarming similarities that connect these events. Once again, our government and many of our schools have failed us, and students will suffer as a result. And when students suffer, there is only so much time and energy left over to learn.<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e7a36d72d654f3b4a64c543-2400/isabelle robinson barnard columbia.jpg" alt="isabelle robinson barnard columbia" />Harvard University was one of the first institutions to announce a policy of mandatory evacuation in response to COVID-19. Students - including <a href="https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2020/3/11/harvard-coronavirus-fgli-student-concerns/">first-generation and low-income students</a> who had relied on the university for meals, housing, and work-study - were given just <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/10/us/harvard-students-coronavirus-trnd/index.html">five days</a> to pack all their belongings and leave campus for the rest of the semester. For many, this was a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/senior-international-student-financial-aid-kicked-off-harvard-campus-coronavirus-2020-3">crippling expense</a>; for others, it was simply impossible.The rest of the Ivy League was soon to follow: Students at Yale were given only <a href="https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2020/03/17/analysis-students-scramble-as-yale-updates-coronavirus-policies/">four days</a> to vacate campus, the University of Pennsylvania gave students <a href="https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/03/penn-move-out-extended-coronavirus">five days</a>, and my own Barnard College of Columbia University followed suit in urging students to <a href="https://alert.barnard.edu/news/updates-columbia-and-moving-out-march-15-2020">depart as soon as possible</a> - after we were initially told that we could return for our possessions after spring break.The havoc this announcement wreaked was unparalleled. Scrambling students posted on Facebook begging those who were still on campus to pack up their dorms to be eligible for a housing refund. The few students allowed to remain on campus pleaded with others to donate their surplus food items to local food pantries supporting students facing meal insecurity.It was chaos. It still is chaos - many students are still processing the fact that they have lost their housing, their main source of income, their internet access, and much of their support system for the rest of the semester. Others have immunocompromised family members who are at a higher risk of getting seriously ill from the virus, who they will have to care for if they fall ill. What mental energy does this leave for studying, taking exams, and participating in class?The most frustrating thing about this situation is that it did not have to unfold this way. Just as the government might have averted the violence that occurred at my high school by implementing policies to prevent gun violence, the escalation of the COVID-19 outbreak could have been impeded by taking the protective measures advocated by medical professionals <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/us/coronavirus-testing-delays.html">as early as late January</a>. If the Food and Drug Administration had taken action earlier, if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had been more flexible, if testing had been made readily available, there's no telling how many deaths could have been prevented - and how many lives wouldn't have needlessly been thrown into disarray.The federal government has largely failed to lead the way in this time of crisis, and numerous universities, including those considered the best in the nation, have stumbled as well. Rather than remaining calm, they initiated policies of mass removal that were equal parts dangerous - was it really the best idea to send thousands of students away on cross-country flights during a pandemic? - and inequitable.After an elongated spring break, online classes will begin for thousands of university students who have suddenly found themselves in their childhood bedrooms, in their emptied residence halls, or crashing on a charitable alumnus' couch. I, however, have the good(ish) fortune of having experienced something like this before. I know what it's like to reenter learning after a horrifying turn of events, glassy-eyed and exhausted. I know what it's like to not be able to think about anything but what life was and no longer can be.<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e7a365f1378e37dcf5a7212-957/isabelle robinson barnard columbia homecoming.jpg" alt="isabelle robinson barnard columbia homecoming" />However, one thing has changed since I was 17 and counting the days until graduation. I have learned from my Barnard and Columbia classmates that if students make enough noise, occasionally the administration will hear us. Already, students across the country have petitioned their universities to switch to <a href="https://www.change.org/p/princeton-university-universal-p-d-f-at-princeton-during-crisis">mandatory pass/D/fail grading</a> to make the semester more equitable for those coping with a variety of difficult situations. Some have even succeeded: After initially switching to an opt-in pass/fail system, Harvard Law implemented mandatory pass/fail grading in response to <a href="https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2020/3/21/harvard-coronavirus-law-school-credit-fail/">a letter</a> expressing student concerns. Elle Woods would be proud.Instances like this are what give me hope during this crisis: Despite the failures of administrative and government bureaucracy, we students care enough about each other to advocate for the common good and salvage the learning left to be done. After all, that's all we really can do. Perhaps we will come out of this more united than we were before.Get the latest <a href="/coronavirus-covid19">coronavirus analysis and research</a> from Business Insider Intelligence on how COVID-19 is impacting businesses.

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