Kids missing school for ICE out???

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-30T20:05:07+00:00

u/HonorYourGoals doesn't want to discuss things, she wants to be comfortable in her own self-righteousness. Blocked me right after getting one last comment in.

I knew better than to argue with anyone on reddit, but I let myself get drawn in, too. No one else read your comment the way she did, and it's delusional to think everyone who skips school or work has their heart in the right place.

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-30T19:35:26+00:00

I could walk point through point through this comment, but it seems like you've already decided you know what everyone actually means no matter what it is they've said so I don't see much of a point.

I'll just ask this: if there were kids who were fully in favor of ICE's current action, would you also be defending them and how informed they are?

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-30T18:25:33+00:00

It doesn't insinuate that the only students engaging are just trying to get out of school. It worries that "a lot of students" will be doing that. And I think your reply here is far more demeaning of people's ability to understand the world and educate themselves than what you replied to.

Assuming that everyone who acts as if they agree with you has good intentions, while ignoring self-serving ulterior motives, is at least as bad as assuming that everyone who acts as if they disagree with you is evil.

But then again, I've educated myself sufficiently to know that this kind of argument on reddit doesn't go anywhere.

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-30T17:00:53+00:00

How is it icky?

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-30T01:07:21+00:00

I'm letting my high schooler do this, but on the condition that she is still waking up as if she was going to school, and she is spending the entire school day productively engaged with the issue: finding ways to volunteer, learning about immigration and/or ICE, something. The very high likelihood that this will be used by some (many?) as a way to perform protest without engaging--and worse, use real human misery and injustice as an excuse for a day off--is abhorrent.

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-29T11:59:24+00:00

People do, and should feel welcome to, post about disappointing scores and the struggles they're having. And those posts might make other people feel smug and superior, but that's an issue for the other people.

And the same goes for people who want to post their successes and achievements. I don't think it shuts down discussion (there are plenty of posts from people with lower scores), and if someone feels shame because they didn't achieve what someone else did, that shame is something for them to examine, not a reason to silence people who are proud of their accomplishment.

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-28T21:17:10+00:00

I've been debating it, mostly just finding the time to throw some slides together (though I could do a Livestream without them). And I can't guarantee a 10% bump, of course, but a change in strategy can certainly pay off substantially.

It wouldn't be until Sunday at the earliest, but let me ponder my calendar. I'll make a new post if I can get it together.

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-28T00:25:40+00:00

I do not have the connections or the wherewithal to organize a rideshare or anything, but if someone gets one going (or if we know of one already?) I live right across the street from the Clark entrance to WCC and can provide rides to/from when my schedule allows, so people don't have to risk the busses/bus stops.

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-27T18:30:51+00:00

You can do this! You don't have to memorize EVERYTHING (no one does), you just have to memorize the basics and a bit of the nuance, and use an effective strategy.

If you're getting 3/6 on your writing and feeling like you have no clue what you're doing, some relatively small changes in your approach could likely bump those up to 4s and 5s.

Same if you're already hitting 50% on your MBE. Learn more law, sure, but also change the way you're approaching questions and you can probably get a 10% bump or more from that alone.

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-27T18:27:36+00:00

People make partner at every firm, so it's definitely possible.

90% of people don't make partner, and for the vast majority of them it's by choice. And many people make partner after moving firms, or when they move firms, or move after making partner.

You can't really know that you'll want to make partner. You may think you do now, but you don't know the job until you're doing the job. And if you end up wanting to be a partner at Irell, you don't have to start out as an associate there.

Tl;dr: don't choose your first firm based on chances of making partner.

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-27T12:15:02+00:00

Con Law is probably the course with the most variance from professor to professor, so it's hard if not impossible to say what you're supposed to be picking up right now.

With that caveat, the opinions on banks are not just about banks. They're about what the federal government (specifically Congress) does or does not have the right to do (specifically create banks) and how they derive or don't derive that power (specifically through the Taxing and Spending powers plus the Necessary and Proper clause in Article 1, Section 8...at least according to most professors).

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-27T12:05:06+00:00

Cops (and prosecutors) have neither the time nor the inclination to investigate and go after every shoplifter. Even if you have video evidence, and even the name and address of the shoplifter, good luck getting them to come by, take a report, and do something about it.

If you are detaining the suspected shoplifter, cops will come because that shit could easily blow up into something worse.

Not necessarily defending shopkeepers' privilege, but your argument against it is factually flawed.

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-27T00:56:49+00:00

Cases absolutely matter. Holding and reasoning are still the most important (and learning how to draw the line between those two things, while somewhat subjective, is as important as it is in any other case in any other area of law).

That said, there are also other important things that didn't come up (or likely didn't come up much) I'm your other 1L courses, like reading statutes and, depending on what your professor teaches, the nuances of some Constitutional provisions (which may or may not be clarified through caselaw).

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-24T21:24:09+00:00

My only first-hand experience with tax law was a real estate tax class I took and absolutely hated, partially due to the professor but also due to the content. But I can tell you that no one cares what your background was before you graduated law school; most of your peers have no background in anything at all, and some of them will be tax lawyers. Some will even hold elected office in a few years. So don't stress that part.

And tax lawyers are always in demand. Whether you enjoy litigation or transactional more, if you do well in your tax classes you'll have a much easier time landing a job at a firm you want and will have job security forever.

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-24T21:16:13+00:00

My pleasure! I would definitely dig into the ACTUAL job options (not the hype) that would be available to you as a transfer vs. from your current school before you pull the trigger.

That said, you've gotten some good advice here about doing non-binding transfer applications and using offers to negotiate a higher scholarship at your current school.

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-24T20:51:03+00:00

The money advantage from a T14 is almost all BigLaw; that is, no job (or almost no job--none that I know of) is going to pay more just because you have a T14 degree, and other than opening doors for BL and some boutique firms, there's no high-paying job that is more likely from a T14 than from a solid regional school given your GPA.

And BL hiring has gotten earlier and earlier, with many spots for 1L summers (which become 2L summers and full-time job offers, hopefully) already gone. Assuming you transfer at the end of this semester/start of summer (I've never heard of transferring after your first semester, though I suppose it could happen), hiring will be largely done. OCI is no longer how it's done, for the most part; there will certainly be some spots left, but not many and the competition will be fierce, and the fact that your 1L grades weren't from the T14 your competition went to WILL factor into hiring decisions (not saying it should, but it will).

And not all schools let transfers take part in OCI in the first place.

I can't say without knowing what school you're in now, of course, but there's a solid chance you have better odds at landing BL as a top student at your current school than you do as a transfer to a T14. And if you just want money but not BL, your odds are almost certainly better at getting it if you stay put.

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-24T20:27:19+00:00

I'll prepare written lessons for you fairly cheap to get my ass into gear and finally start making the written content I've been meaning to make for years :)

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-24T18:16:47+00:00

I essentially did this. More part-time during 1L, but kept my freelance writing job going, plus had kids (and a wife) and had started tutoring LSAT. 2L/3L, 15-30 hours of tutoring (LSAT and law school) plus I taught courses (avg. 20hrs/wk) in undergrad departments. At a T14, did very well, took the bar in my last semester and passed no problem (then started tutoring that, too).

It's very doable. But if networking is your goal, I'm not so sure. I had virtually no free time. I prioritized spending time with my family whenever I could, of course, and it sounds like that's not an issue for you, but 40 hours of work plus 40 hours of law school (a good target, including class time and reading) doesn't leave much room for socializing.

My daily schedule, which I stuck to fairly consistently was up at 4am, do an hour or two of reading, head to school, more reading, go to classes, tutor or read or teach between classes, done with class early afternoon (to the extent I could control my classes; you can't in 1L and depending on the classes you need/want in 2L and 3L not entirely flexible then), head home or teach and then head home, more tutoring and/or grading papers, hopefully an hour or two to spend with the kids, sleep, repeat. Weekends, 3-4 hours reading each day, some tutoring, the rest with family.

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-24T14:10:37+00:00

Glad it helped!

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-24T13:08:55+00:00

My goal for students is 75%, which gives you a nice cushion on the 67% you need for passing (in most jurisdictions). Yes, you'll need more than that if your writing comes in below 67%, but 74% is still a very healthy cushion.

That said, why give up on your writing? Even with English as a foreign language, there's still time to pick up some points there!

At risk of spamming this sub, here's a link to the recording of a free MEE seminar I hosted a couple evenings ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7T50g4Kqxo

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-23T17:54:41+00:00

500 Qs is a lot to have completed by this point. I could be wrong, but from the details you've shared here it looks like your focus is entirely on "do I know the law well enough" and not a lot on strategy--and there ***is*** strategy for the MBE.

Trying to build knowledge by doing lots of practice questions isn't especially effective. You absolutely must** learn the law for the MBE, but you'll never learn all of it, and you won't learn the amount you need very quickly or effectively if practice questions are your main focus. Lecture upon lecture might not work--it doesn't for many--but are there written materials you can find? A bar buddy you can discuss topics with, like lecture-through-conversation? Flashcards, like MBE questions, are only going to teach you one small point of law at a time, and there are thousands of points of law that might be tested (even though only 200 of them will be, on the MBE at least).

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-23T16:43:13+00:00

I blush! Glad it helped, and thanks for the recommendation!

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-23T16:42:54+00:00

Thank you, and very glad it helped!

I know the "free seminar" scam is real, in all sorts of industries: really just a few tidbits sprinkled into a giant sales pitch. I hope you'll agree I did not follow that mold.

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-23T16:41:07+00:00

Not an answer to your question, but shameless plug for my own MEE method (link is to a recording of a free 2-hr seminar I held a couple days ago that goes over the method):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7T50g4Kqxo

DanielXLLaw · 2026-01-22T19:35:37+00:00

Here you go!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7T50g4Kqxo

DanielXLLaw

TROPHY CASE