Name

James Chin

School

Loyola Law School

Degree Program

Second year Juris Doctor student

Previous Degrees

Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from University of Washington, 2010

Research Interests

Entertainment law; corporate law

Advisor

None

Hobbies

Reading, live music, travel

Graduate School – Application Process

How did you select your graduate school and program?

I chose to attend Loyola Law School for my juris doctor degree because of the impact that law has on the lives of others. I love that whether I am practicing criminal law, litigating personal injury suits or helping businesses with their transactional work, I will be able to see my work change lives.

Loyola’s law program was my first choice because of its great reputation, which will help me find work after I graduate. Before deciding on Loyola Law School, however, I spoke to its faculty and visited as many other schools as I could manage. Considering the time and money that law programs require, I wanted to make sure that I chose the right law school.

What did you do to prepare yourself for graduate school?

I prepared myself for graduate school by developing my reading, analytical and interpersonal skills while I was in my undergraduate studies. I knew that so much of what a lawyer does is about understanding and dissecting texts. Likewise, I felt that networking skills could help me find a job after I graduate.

Did your application requirements include standardized test scores?

My application requirements included scores from the LSAT, which my law school used to gauge my readiness for its program. I do not know the minimum score that I had to meet, but I did take the time to research the average entrance scores for the school’s other students.

What kind of information did you include in your personal statement?

My personal statement included information about my achievements and experiences to show the admissions committee that I would be able to succeed in Loyola’s law program and also in the profession itself.

How did you choose faculty to approach for letters of recommendation?

I approached faculty for letters of recommendation who I felt knew me well. In my opinion, a professor who has a good sense of someone’s strengths and weaknesses can write a letter full of specific examples, and an admissions board can tell the difference between a letter that is very specific and a form letter.

Do you have any other tips for a student who is considering applying to law school?

Yes, my tip for students who are considering applying to a law program is to make sure that the financial burden is worth it to them. The huge expense of law school can change the course of a person’s life.

I also think that students who are about to enter law school should read a few books on surviving their first year, which is notoriously difficult. In fact, students should take the opportunity now to read anything of their choosing, because law school will dictate their reading habits for the next 3 years.

Graduate School – The Program

How long is your program and how is the curriculum distributed?

My law program takes 3 years to complete. Typically, all 3 years are spent attending courses and doing research. I think that the first year is often the most difficult because students have to adapt to the pressure and demands of a very rigorous curriculum.

Does your program have an internship component?

Although my program does not have a required internship component, it still offers several internship opportunities to students. They only allow students who are in their second or third years to intern, however, and internships go to students who have the best GPAs and previous experience. I also find that, although the career office posts internship opportunities, students are responsible for finding them on their own.

What role does your advisor play in your education?

The role of my advisor in my education is very small. Choosing courses and studying to pass the bar are responsibilities that the advisors at Loyola leave to students. In fact, most students at my law school never develop more than a professional relationship with their advisors. I think that law school advisors in general encourage their students to take charge of their own educations.

Does your juris doctor program require comprehensive exams prior to graduation?

My JD program does not require me to pass a comprehensive exam, but the focus of my entire law program is to prepare me to pass the bar exam, which determines my ability to practice law.

How does a law program differ from undergraduate study?

The biggest way that my law program differs from undergraduate study is in the level of focus that my classmates have. People in my law program are driven, intelligent and competitive. They are all determined to succeed.

Graduate School – Paying for It

How much does your juris doctor program cost?

The tuition for Loyola’s law program costs tens of thousands of dollars a year. I think that public law schools probably cost much less than private ones, but the cost also varies by location and reputation. Some law school students finish their programs with more than $200,000 in student loans.

The secondary expenses that tuition does not cover include rent, insurance and books, which easily cost me over $2,000 a year. I think that many law schools with the best reputations are also in areas with high costs of living, so some students take out student loans just to pay for their rent and food.

How are you funding your education?

I am funding my education with a sizeable scholarship, help from my parents and student loans. I had applied for the scholarship before starting law school, and once Loyola accepted my application, I filled out some forms for the student loans.

How difficult do you anticipate it will be to pay off your loans after graduation?

I anticipate that it will be very difficult to pay off my student loans after graduation. The legal field and economy are both depressed right now and I worry about finding a job that will help me pay off my debt.

Graduate School – Living Life

What are the time commitments for a juris doctorate?

The time commitments for a juris doctor degree are enormous. I spend an average of 15 hours a week in class and the rest of my time studying. My law program has few actual assignments, but staying competitive with my classmates requires me to devote all of my time to studying.

How has graduate school affected your personal life?

My JD program leaves me no time for a personal life. I have accepted that fact and as a result, my personal relationships with family, friends and my girlfriend have all suffered. None of them are in a law program, so I think that they have a hard time understanding its demands.

However, now that I am in my second year, I find that I have some time now and then to relax or watch television. But I keep these breaks short because every hour I spend away from my research may cost me my competitive edge over my classmates.

In my opinion, law students have to be very rigorous with their time if they want to survive their law programs. Not only do I schedule every part of my day, but I prioritize my tasks, too. The reality is that I probably will not have the time to catch up if I fall behind on an assignment.

Graduate School – After Graduation

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 5 years, I hope to be practicing law in Los Angeles. I have considered moving to other cities, but I would prefer to stay near my law school because its reputation carries the most weight here.

Graduate School - Advice

What insights can you offer a student who is interested in pursuing a law degree?

The most important insight I have for students interested in pursuing a degree in law is that they need to understand what the life of a lawyer looks like. A law program will consume their lives for 3 years, but so will their careers as lawyers. So if students want to have plenty of time for family and friendships or to pursue personal interests, I think that they may want to consider a different career path entirely.

I also think that students should realize how difficult it is to find work in the legal field right now. There are too many lawyers and too few opportunities. If students want to enter a law program, then they should prepare themselves for the possibility that they might not find a job or be able to pay off their law school debt.

Finally, I want students to know that a law program and career can be rewarding, despite all of the sacrifices and stress. Someday, they may save someone’s home or help send a criminal to prison, and that is a future worth hoping for.