Kiwi Law

Legal Forms

2006-09-25T16:48:00.000+12:00

Having the proper US legal forms is crucial for any legal action that you might be taking. Without using the right legal form, you can not do anything within the system. One of my clients, for example, is a landlord. Before he started using the legal forms which I supply, he tried to evict a tenant. He had just cause for evicting this guy, any judge would agree. Frequent nonpayment of rent, coupled with the fact that he had done extensive damage to the property through his poor cleanliness, and anyone would understand why my client would want this renter to leave. But because he did not supply the correct eviction notice forms, even though he told him he was being evicted, my client had to put off eviction for another month. Now, if this had been a normal eviction situation, everything would have been hunky dory, as most people are quite willing to leave when they are not wanted, but this guy made him get all of the right legal forms, and delayed the process as long as he possible could. That is why it is so crucial to have all of the right legal forms to begin with. As you might have guessed by now, I am in the business of supplying legal forms for a wide variety of clients. I am not a lawyer, but operate through the internet, making legal forms available of cheap on any subject. For clients who know exactly what they want, this is an affordable and extremely quick way to get legal forms. For those who are not aware of all of the legal forms which they might need to, say, sell a property, or rent a house, they can write to us by email and we will provide them with all of the appropriate legal materials with no additional fee for the consultation. Of course, many people want to get the legal forms, because they think that they will not need a lawyer if they are willing to fill out the paperwork themselves. Sometimes this is true, but whenever you are involved in a legal skirmish with someone, or a contract of any sort, it is always best to at least consult a lawyer to make sure that everything is in order. Otherwise, whatever legal forms you have may not ultimately protect you from lawsuit, or from losing an investment that you could have otherwise kept.

Baton Rouge Lawyer

2006-09-15T15:24:00.000+12:00

Article from a friend of mine hope you enjoy
Being a Baton Rouge lawyer, life has been pretty busy since hurricane Katrina hit. I am a trial lawyer, specializing in insurance claims and real estate, so you can only imagine how hectic things have gotten down here. Much of the surrounding area has been destroyed, and because it is a so-called “act of God”, the insurance companies don't want to give a penny. The aid of a good Baton Rouge lawyer like yours truly can help, but ultimately, things have been pretty dismal for a lot of poor folks who lost their homes.
Real estate is another area where there has been a big increase in the need for a Baton Rouge lawyer. Down here, there has been so much devastation from the flooding that property lines are often destroyed. People want to make sure that their houses are rebuilt using fair property markers, so they hire a Baton Rouge lawyer. Meanwhile, my firm has also been doing a considerable amount of business with the real estate developers, who have been hired to rebuild whole neighborhoods together, and need the services of a Baton Rouge lawyer who is familiar with local law to help streamline negotiation of the red tape.
Our firm itself suffered considerable damage as a result of hurricane Katrina, both in lost hours of work, and in structural damage to our offices, so all of us are pressured to suddenly be working 60 or more hours a week! The reason I became a Baton Rouge lawyer in the first place, instead of setting up in somewhere more central and lucrative like New Orleans, or even New York, is because I didn't need the high pressure of working those kinds of work weeks. It is simply to much to do. I love being a Baton Rouge lawyer, but I love to relax and spend time with my family too. I don't believe that your career should be your whole life.
If things continue as they have been, I won't continue being a Baton Rouge lawyer for much longer. The town has already changed so much, and the federal agencies in charge of rebuilding have done nothing to ensure that things stay the same. People have been moving away in droves, and it just doesn't feel like much of my old town is left anymore. I enjoy Louisiana, and I enjoy being a Baton Rouge attorney, but I'm feeling ready to throw in the towel.

Thanks for reading cheers Kiwi

Legal Aid Services

2006-08-13T13:19:00.000+12:00

I have worked in the human services field for many years. One of the services that many people do not know about is legal aid services. There are a variety of legal aid services that are available to people in need of legal advice. Most of the states in the United States have legal aid services. Depending on the size and population of the state the services may be divided by regions, counties or cities. Legal aid services include a wide range of services. Most attorneys will provide a free consultation over the telephone to answer a specific legal question. It is important to make sure that you are consulting with an attorney that has knowledge or expertise in the situation that you are seeking advice in. Do not ask a real estate attorney for legal advice about a criminal matter, and do not ask a criminal attorney about taxes. Each area of the legal service is divided into areas of expertise. If your need for an attorney goes beyond consultation you will need to hire their services. This is where legal aid services come in. They provide legal advice and representation at a discounted or free rate, depending upon your ability to pay. Legal aid services in some states include public defenders for criminal matters, and in other states the two services are in separate offices. When they are in separate offices the legal aid services usually handle only civil matters, and matters that are in family court. Our local legal aid handles divorces for women that are from households of domestic violence. They will also protect the civil rights of vulnerable adults. Legal services can be provided free of charge because the attorneys do the work pro bono. Pro bono means that they donate their time to represent the person in court. Many legal aid services also have attorneys that are hired through local or state governments to provide services to individuals in the community. The legal services are needed to protect the rights of the poor and also to insure that everyone has equivalent legal advice. The attorneys that work for legal aid services full time often have very heavy case loads. Due to this there can be long waiting lists to get your turn for services. Most of the services take your financial information prior to placing you on a waiting list, to insure that you qualify for their services. The legal aid services in your area can tell you what the income guidelines are. The services will also inform you if they cannot handle the kind of case that you need legal representation for.

Legal Aid Services

2006-07-25T19:29:00.000+12:00

One of the services that many people do not know about is legal aid services. There are a variety of legal aid services that are available to people in need of legal advice. Most of the states in the United States have legal aid services. Depending on the size and population of the state the services may be divided by regions, counties or cities. Legal aid services include a wide range of services. Most attorneys will provide a free consultation over the telephone to answer a specific legal question. It is important to make sure that you are consulting with an attorney that has knowledge or expertise in the situation that you are seeking advice in. Do not ask a real estate attorney for legal advice about a criminal matter, and do not ask a criminal attorney about taxes. Each area of the legal service is divided into areas of expertise. If your need for an attorney goes beyond consultation you will need to hire their services. This is where legal aid services come in. They provide legal advice and representation at a discounted or free rate, depending upon your ability to pay. Legal aid services in some states include public defenders for criminal matters, and in other states the two services are in separate offices. When they are in separate offices the legal aid services usually handle only civil matters, and matters that are in family court. Our local legal aid handles divorces for women that are from households of domestic violence. They will also protect the civil rights of vulnerable adults. Legal services can be provided free of charge because the attorneys do the work pro bono. Pro bono means that they donate their time to represent the person in court. Many legal aid services also have attorneys that are hired through local or state governments to provide services to individuals in the community. The legal services are needed to protect the rights of the poor and also to insure that everyone has equivalent legal advice. The attorneys that work for legal aid services full time often have very heavy case loads. Due to this there can be long waiting lists to get your turn for services. Most of the services take your financial information prior to placing you on a waiting list, to insure that you qualify for their services. The legal aid services in your area can tell you what the income guidelines are. The services will also inform you if they cannot handle the kind of case that you need legal representation for.

Billing Invoice

2006-07-07T16:44:00.000+12:00

. It's fortunate that I am a very organized person, because it allows me to find ways to organize information even if it doesn't all fit into the same box. I keep a detailed leger where I file and keep track of all of my billing invoices , recording diligently everything I've billed, everything that has been paid, and everything that still needs to be. I keep records of all of the writing jobs I have done, with a paper copy, an electronic copy, and an off site electronic duplicate for backup. It is crucial to back up all of your work and billing invoices.
Full Article Billing Invoice

Legally Change Your Name

2006-06-23T15:25:00.000+12:00

You would think that it would be easy to legally change your name. After all, with all of the people out there getting married, a legal name change must be an almost everyday occurrence. Well, yes and no is the answer. It is easy for you to legally change your name if you are getting married or divorced. They have streamlined the process, so the legal name change forms are included as part of the marriage or divorce process. They want to make it easy for couples, because they want more people to get married. More marriages means more babies and more relatively well off households. Also more social stability, some would believe. You get the idea.
But if you want to legally change your name for your own reasons, you had best make sure that you are really determined before you go about it. They are not going to make it easy for you to legally change your name. I do not know why. It seems like it should be a right of every American to go through a legal name change with a minimum of hassle. Just because you are not a woman getting married, that does not mean that you should have to jump through hoops just to legally change your name, but there it is. Lots of hoops. A whole circus, in fact.
You are required to fill out multiple forms to legally change your name. You might even have to go before a judge before the legal name change is complete, and at the very least, the judge has to approve of the new name. You will have to take out an ad in a public newspaper, saying that you are going to legally change your name, and notify all of the relevant authorities. The whole process can take weeks, or even months, and some of the steps do often involve having to pay a fee. I guess that there is some logic to making it involved to legally change your name, as it prevents certain abuses of the system. You can not, for example, legally change your name to avoid getting caught by the authorities. On the contrary, you will find yourself quickly delivered into criminal custody once you start to legally change your name, if you are already wanted. But still, there has to be a way for them to make it easier to catch a few crooks without making it harder for you to legally change your name if you want to.

Legal Research

2006-06-23T15:21:00.000+12:00

If you want legal research and writing, there are a variety of services which you can contract out for. Although one would think that in a democracy like we have, the laws would be open to public scrutiny and readily accessible to the perusal of any ordinary citizen, the reality of the situation is much different than that. It is possible to do some limited legal research on your own. For example, if you want to look up a specific law and you know its number, you can probably find it. But that is about it. Try wading through thousands of pages of that law to find the exact meaning as it applies to whatever your area of concern is. It is just simply not possible for you to do, and that is the truth!
Of course, where outside legal research really comes in handy is if you are trying to research a whole area of law. Unless you are already familiar with the way that law is organized, you can forget it. Our laws are extremely burdensome, arcane, and complex for one and one reason only: it give power to lawyers, legislators, and other legal professionals. It keeps them in business when in reality we could do better without them. So if there is an area of the law which you need to understand for your business or personal needs, you had best get someone to do your advanced legal research, or else you are out of luck.
Of course, you are not completely out of luck without legal researchers. Sometimes, you can figure out how to do legal research on a particular issue, and be pretty successful at it too. For example, I have been part of a campaign to save some of the last local wetlands in the San Francisco bay area. We do not have the money to hire legal researchers. We have to do our own legal research ourselves. But on this particular issue, there has already been so much pioneering environmental work done, that we have been quite successful at doing fairly advanced legal research and finding out how to petition the government using existing endangered species laws. It is easy to get scared off by the complexity of legal research, and at first we were scared away too. But soon we found out that, with enough determined work, an ordinary citizen really can participate in the democratic process.

Meaning Of Names

2006-06-23T15:18:00.000+12:00

An Article On The Meaning Of Names
I know I have but have you ever wondered about the meaning of names? Having a child is a wondrous and beautiful thing. New parents across the United States will welcome in new members of their families on every single day of the year in 2006. With these celebrated additions, Parents will have many choices to make in regards to how they raise their child; Protestant, or Catholic? Store bought foods, or homemade? Public or private school?
Full Article On The Meaning Of Names

Legal Aid Service

2006-06-19T11:35:00.000+12:00

A legal aid service can really rescue you when you are in the most dire of needs, destitute with no where else to turn to. I have been working for legal aid services of Oregon for seven years now, So of all people I should really know the best what I'm talking about here. It is no joke. In this country, if you do not have money, you do not have rights. It is as simple as that, no matter what the free market apologists might say. Without legal aid services, the poor would have no where to turn to when they get in to legal trouble. There is free criminal representation provided, of course, but it is often third rate at best. And what about civil legal representation? If the bank is foreclosing on your house, the state is not going to provide you with anyone to go and speak your case in court. Without legal aid services, a disaster like that can break someone, and that is no joke.
Before I started working for legal aid services of Oregon, I was a corporate lawyer, so I have seen both sides of things. I actually worked for a large rental agency, and often helped them evict clients so that they could redevelop their properties to charge even higher rates of rent. I am not proud of those days, or what I did working for the devil, as it were, but my life changed when I joined legal aid services of Oregon. I could look in the mirror again, doing what all of us secretly believe is the best thing of all: fighting for the little guy.
I'm not saying that there should be no legal representation for the rich. Far from it. Everyone deserves representation, but it does seem unfair the way that it is set up currently. The poor, if they can not find a legal aid service, are completely out of luck. Even when they can come by legal aid services, they are stuck with a group of lawyers with limited resources when compared with the big legal bully boys out there. They definitely do have a chance, but it is far from an even playing field. Until all people are guaranteed equal legal representation this country will continue to be a place of rank injustice. But until that day comes, I will continue to work in legal aid

College Costs

2006-06-18T16:35:00.000+12:00

Have you graduated yet? I'm talking about high school, here. If not, what are your future plans? Have you picked out a few colleges to consider for further education? If you're thinking that college just sounds like a load of bogus extra work and hassle, then you may want to rethink that. In this day and age college is practically a must. A four year BA or BS is just the beginning of it all. So many people recently are going back for their masters just to get that extra edge. Believe me; you need it to vie in this competitive world. The population says it all. We've got like 6 billion others to compete with. You may want to consider that before ruling out higher education. It all comes down to; why would anyone want to hire you? Now that I've slightly annoyed you, and captured your attention, we should talk college costs. These can get a little hairy, if you know what I mean.
Are your folks discussing your future? If so, I bet they brought up college costs. It's inevitable. The price of tuition always comes up amongst parents. If they were smart and stayed ahead of the game, then they probably set up some kind of college fund for you. However, maybe they want you to grapple with college costs on your own. You know, kind of a growing-up experience. Either way you slice it, college costs can be rather stressful. I should know; I struggled with mine on my own. Fortunately there are options out there. Have you checked out FAFSA on the web? This is a great source to financial aid. You should always apply for any and all grants you can get your broke little hands on. This is money you don't have to pay back. We all need more of that. Then there are of course student loans to help you deal with college costs. Many of us take advantage of these at some point in our college careers. You want to find the ones with low interest rates, or no interest rates for that matter.
It's certainly true that college can cost you some bucks. This is why it's imperative to tackle college costs before the time literally arrives. It's all about being prepared. Maybe you are eligible for a great scholarship. Hey, everyone wants a free ride. If this isn't an option, you should definitely turn to the Internet for financing options. The World-Wide-Web makes it that much easier to find those ideal forms of financial aid.

Law School Essay

2006-06-09T19:22:00.000+12:00

If you’re applying to law school, your law school essay, along with your LSAT score and your undergraduate GPA, is going to be the most important factor in both what schools will accept you and how much scholarship money they’re going to offer you. Though most schools weight the numbers a little more; your LSAT score and GPA have a big impact, law school essays are definitely taken into account. Moreover, your law school essay will make or break your application if you’re a borderline applicant, and it can even make up for a weak showing in the numbers department. Even if you’re a huge long shot for a particular school the admissions staff will read at least the first paragraph of your law school essay, just to see what you have to offer. On the flipside, if you’re a strong applicant to a particular school a bad law school essay can knock you out of the running if you’re too flippant or stuck-up.
Though some law schools will give a required topic for your law school essay, most will offer up a few suggestions but allow you write on anything your heart desires. When writing your law school essay, avoid repeating any information that can be found on other parts of your application. The admissions staff can read; they know what your GPA is and what activities you’ve taken part in. Instead, fill them in on what isn’t on your application. Write on something that both defines who you are and why you stand out from the crowd. Avoid over-used topics; writing about the most inspirational person you know or what difficulties you’ve overcome are tired topics and won’t get you much attention unless it’s something truly fresh or earth-shattering. If the most inspirational person you know is the Unabomber or you were born without legs and can run a ten second fifty yard dash the admissions staff has probably heard it before.
The admissions staff has gone through thousands of applications, so tell them something about yourself that makes you stand out in their minds. Have you hiked the entire Appalachian Trail? Gone skydiving in a kayak? Raised your baby brother for a summer? Helped a poor family get a house? Your activities don’t necessarily have to be related to the law (though sometimes it helps), the topic you write about just needs to have been important to you. You should also have something to say about the topic, whatever it may be. Say it, and think of the law school essay as a way for the admissions staff to get to know you better.

Fishing again

2006-06-07T14:27:00.000+12:00

Anyone into fishing my mates just opened a fishing blog and would love some links back to him , Can link to him text being A Fisherman and url being afisherman.com Thanks for your suport Cheers Kiwi Law

Kiwis and Aussys

2006-05-22T16:46:00.000+12:00

I dont know about you guys but New Zealand shouldnt be compared to Aussy in my opinion regarding tax cuts and Mr Don Brash is Bugging me !!!
I mean whats the buss with those billboards!! Maybe he should move to Aussy what do you say ?
Just had to put it out there and see what people are thinking .

Kiwi

Alternatives To Bunkruptcy

2006-05-16T15:33:00.000+12:00

If your debts have become so large and unmanageable that you feel like you're in over your head, you might be tempted to file for one of the three types of bankruptcies available to individuals and business owners in the United States. After all, that would mean getting all of your creditors off your back so you can start over and build yourself up again. Although that could conceivably happen, the process doesn't often unfold as quickly or as smoothly as you'd like. In addition, any bankruptcies that you file will stay on your credit record for 7-10 years and will make it difficult for you to get loans or credit cards at reasonable interest rates during that period of time. In other words, you should consider a bankruptcy alternative before committing yourself to such a drastic step.
There are several bankruptcy alternatives that can help you pay off your debts while allowing you to maintain a reasonably comfortable lifestyle. The first thing you can try to do is negotiate with your creditors. You can either do this yourself or hire a professional credit counselor to do it for you. Most of the time, you'll find that your creditors will be more than happy to accept 75 or 50 cents on the dollar for the amount of your debt because they realize it's better than getting nothing at all.
A second bankruptcy alternative that you should consider is refinancing your home. When you refinance your home, you're basically getting a new loan to pay off your original one. Depending on how much equity you've built up, you might be left with enough cash to settle all of your other outstanding debts. In addition, if your new loan has a lower interest rate than your old one, you'll probably have lower monthly payments, too. There's no question that refinancing your home is a great bankruptcy alternative, so be sure to check out this option thoroughly.
Refinancing is wonderful, but that's assuming you own a home. If you don't, you'll have to continue looking for other bankruptcy alternatives, such as debt consolidation. There are lots of consumer credit counseling services that can help you with debt consolidation. Instead of paying your creditors directly, you'll send a single payment to the credit counseling service and they'll divvy up the money to all of the people or organizations you owe. The credit counseling service might also offer you the chance to take out a personal loan, which doesn't have to be secured by collateral. Depending on the interest rate, you might consider applying for one. If you're approved, you'll be able to pay off your high-interest credit card debts and save money that way.
Another sound bankruptcy alternative would be to downscale as much as possible. This means moving into a smaller house or apartment, taking on roommates, driving a less expensive car, selling off any assets that you can part with, etc. The more money you can scrape together on your own, the less additional debt you'll have to incur in the future.
As you can see, there are several sound bankruptcy alternatives for you to choose from. Everybody makes financial missteps from time to time; however, you shouldn't compound your problems by declaring insolvency and blowing off your creditors. Instead, choose the bankruptcy alternative that sounds the best for your particular situation and start working to repair your credit now.

Law Is Expensive , But A Loan Can Be Worse !

2006-05-16T15:15:00.000+12:00

Doing Law Isnt Cheap , and not everyone has mum and dad to fork out the big bucks , In fact education yes even in New Zealand in gerneral isnt cheap , I know some of my friends in Law School with Student loans of 50,000 and climbing . Now although it can be useful to get a loan for many things, you must be careful. I mean, really careful. There are all types of fraudulent services out there which will lure you in with promises of guaranteed loans even if you have bad credit, or if you have been turned down in the past, etcetera, but many of them don't tell you, or try not to tell you that they will charge you an arm and a leg in interest on your loan in exchange for your gullability in using their services. Basically, any one who offers a loan for people with terrible credit is looking for vulnerable people with economic problems to completely rip off.

You can get a loan for improving your education. College loans can be found if you have economic problems, good grades, or sometimes just because you are going into a program which is under represented. It can be very difficult to pay for college of if you are of modest economic means. Add to that being a single mother, and having to support a family, and you can see why a college loan can be so necessary.
My cousin recently got a loan for college. She did not get the best grades, but because she was going in to science as a woman, she was an under represented group in a fast growing field, and therefore, loans were available for her. She is now a successful researcher doing physics experiments at a major national research laboratory, so obviously that loan paid off. You can see that, although you will have to pay it off, and with some interest, it can often be worth it to have a loan to improve all sorts of areas of your life. And a college loan, you don't have to pay for until after college. And now in NZ if we dont leave the country its interest free . Got to love that:) but still no reason to go in over your head , so weather you are studing law or anything for that matter just beware of ther sharks looking to criple your late 20's with massive interest bills !

Cheers Kiwi

Do you Like Rugby ?

2006-05-10T15:25:00.000+12:00

As most people know New Zealand is a country of Rugby . Seems that every Friday and Saterday night over the last few months I have found myself at a bar watching rugby and drinking beer . Not all bad I must confess :) Well the reason for this post is to point anyone interested in Rugby to a newish site a friend of mine has opened preparing for the Rugby World Cup is has a forum and will , im sure , become a popular site so once again the heads up on a nice new rugby blog and forum .
See you there :)
Kiwi

Do you Like Fishing ?

2006-05-05T10:57:00.000+12:00

If you are a fisherman or fisherwoman then you have to see this !! Its amazing , Ive been a fisherman in New Zealand for around 20 years now and my passion for fishing .... Tops ! . Yet never befoer have I seen anything like this , this had me in heaven for the minute or so it lasts , its not in english but after living in japan for so long and having so many Brasilian friends I could pick up a bit here and there , but there is no need to be able to understand this guy as the movie tells the tale . You have to check this out ! Talk about Good Fortune .

You can view the Vid at Goodfortuneplanet.com
Cheers and enjoy Im sure you will agree its amazing!

Thinking of a Vacation in New Zealand

2006-05-05T10:44:00.000+12:00

Being a Kiwi I have to do a little plug for New Zealand and im going to start with a reference to a new site that at the moment is going through a face lift , never the less I realise that alot of people reading these posts are from USA or other countrys and may someday decide to come to NZ and well you are going to need a place to stay , ie Homestay Maybe even need to rent a car in New Zealand or maybe just find some cheap flights to New Zealand . All of which you will be able to find at homestaynewzealand.com . OK well now I have done my plug im going to get back to doing some work , by the way its a shocking day in Wellington today and I just wish I could be back on a plane to say Thailand to soak up some sun eat some mangos and play a few games of Pool . Smiles to you all .
Kiwi

Want To Be An Attorney ? You Need To Go To Law School

2006-04-28T15:49:00.000+12:00

Kiwis Im Talking From An Americains Point Of View Here But If you want to be an attorney you’re going to have to go to law school. Though it may sound like an easy task once you’ve finally decided to go to law school, it’s not quite so easy. There arnt Thousands of law schools to choose from, and getting into law schools in the first place isn’t an easy task.
The first thing you’re going to have to do when applying to law schools is to get an undergraduate degree. The subject matter isn’t particularly important; I’ve worked with attorneys who majored in dance and vocal music as undergrads. However, your grade point average is important, and law schools usually favor candidates who show particular strengths in writing and speaking. Don’t bother with a pre-law major; you’ll learn everything about the law you need to know in law school. Major in what you’re interested in.
Once you have an undergraduate degree you still can’t start applying to law schools; you need to take the Law School Admission Test first. The LSAT is offered four times a year, and it’s usually a good idea to take the LSAT in the June a year and a half before you plan on entering school, i.e. if you wanted to start law school in August of 2008, take the June 2007 LSAT. Many students take the LSAT in October, but if you do poorly on the October LSAT you won’t have time to retake the test before you need to turn in your applications.
Once you have your LSAT score it’s time to start applying to law schools. Fortunately, the Law School Advisory Council makes this a relatively painless process, handling applications for virtually all ABA-approved law schools online. You can apply to as many schools as you want, though most will charge application fees between $50 and $75.
Eventually you’ll have to make a decision on what law school you eventually want to attend. This decision often depends on many factors including finances, geography, and reputation. You can find all sorts of law school rankings in various publications and online, and though these ranking systems can give you a good idea of what law schools are highly regarded, the rankings aren’t very scientific and don’t tell you a whole lot about the law schools you may be applying to. One of the best things you can do to help make your decision easier is to visit all of the schools that accepted you, though this can get expensive if you’ve applied to schools on both coasts.

Law School

2006-04-28T15:42:00.000+12:00

If you’re applying to law school, your law school admission test, or LSAT, is by far the most important factor in whether or not you’ll get into law school and, perhaps more importantly, what law schools will accept you. Though many law schools make a big show about how they don’t cut by the numbers, most will admit that your undergraduate grade point average and your law school admission test score are the two indicators given the most weight when they review their pool of applicants.
Your law school admission test score is heavily weighted because the test itself is designed to measure how well you’re expected to do in law school. A high LSAT score doesn’t guarantee you’ll be a good lawyer or even a good law student, but to score well on the law school admission test you need to show critical thinking ability and solid reading comprehension skills; two of the most important skills to a law school student.
A lot of both past and present controversy has been stirred up over the law school admission test, along with other standardized tests like the ACT and SAT. Detractors claim that these tests are biased toward students who “test well” and that they don’t adequately measure students’ ability. Though these claims may have merit, it still holds that law schools are most concerned with your GPA and LSAT score. These, along with your personal statement, will decide the fates of all but a few law school applicants.
So, if you’re applying to law school you’re going to want to have a good LSAT score. The best way to get a good score is to study; even great students don’t do very well on the first LSAT they take. The LSAT is given four times a year, and each year three of these old tests are released to the public. The best way to study is to get an LSAT prep book, Kaplan is a popular publisher for these guides. The prep book will give you an overview of the LSAT along with some suggestions on how to study and how to do the test well. Once you have the basics down, start taking old tests under timed conditions, since you’ll have to take the real LSAT under timed conditions as well. Since the LSAT format doesn’t change from test to test, familiarizing yourself with the format of the test and the format of the questions will be a huge help, especially when dealing with the logic puzzles. Don’t take the official LSAT until your practice test score has stabilized within five points or so; once you get to that point you can be pretty sure your official score will be in the same area.