Professional Language and Culture Annotated Bibliography

Aldridge, A. (2012, September 6). A guide to surviving law school. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2012/sep/06/surviving-law-school-gdl-lpc-bptc

This article by Alex Aldridge provides a very general description of what law school is like, and what it will take to survive it.  I like the overview of this article and will use its contents as a basis for researching particular aspects of law school culture.

Kim, Y. (2011, June 30). Greater Implications of a Conformist, Competitive Law School Culture. Retrieved from Lexus Nexus: http://www.lexisnexis.com/community/lexishub/blogs/law_school/archive/2011/06/30/greater-implications-of-a-conformist-competitive-law-school-culture.aspx

Kim observes the universal style of thought that law schools produce.  He notes that there is a large emphasis on rhetoric and little encouragement for individualism.  He also writes about the endgame of law school.  Many students long to strive to land jobs at major law firms, and view any other outcome as worthless.  Even though graduating from law school in and of itself is a huge accomplishment, law students often feel that if you're not first, you're last.

Tellock, M., Awoyomi, T., Preston, K., & Church, D. (2010, March 25). What is the First Year of Law School Really Like? Private Thoughts on Public Policy. (J. S. Wilson, Interviewer) Retrieved from http://www.policydiary.com/2010/03/what-is-first-year-of-law-school-really.html

This is an interview of four law students who attend different law schools.  Each of the for is unique, and they all give their perspective on law school, their goals, and the evolution of their expectations.