Law School FAQs (COVID-19)
Lauren Dropkin is the Hiatt Career Center's pre-law and graduate school advisor. If you have additional questions related to graduate and law school, contact: ldropkin@brandeis.edu.
There are a lot of questions being raised as a result of the effects of COVID-19 and our normal routines, including the impact on your plans around Law School. A few to highlight are the following:
Are employers still hiring for jobs and internships?
Yes! You probably will not be invited for an in-person interview, but the country is not shutting down. You should definitely apply and interview for positions over the phone and via video conference.
My spring or summer internship has been cancelled—how will this affect my application?
One internship is not going to make or break your application. Law schools are undergoing their own adjustments and understand that adjustments have been made for this spring. If it was a spring internship that was cancelled, and there is nothing you can do remotely, then just update your resume based on the experience you did have and focus on your classes and what you'll be doing this summer.
If you had a summer internship that has been cancelled, it's still very early - apply for another! I strongly encourage you to look for an alternative, because law schools do prefer for you to continue to grow over the summer. If nothing works out, I encourage you to still do something productive, such as volunteering or working at a part-time job. You might also be taking a class at Brandeis, which could free up time in the fall for an internship! If you planned on studying for the LSAT, that's great, but it should not be your only activity this summer.
Are law schools extending their seat deposit deadlines?
Short answer - not that I have heard so far. There also may not be a universal answer for all schools. If you have extenuating circumstances, schools may consider a request on a case-by-case basis. If there are specific reasons your decision has been impacted by the crisis (apart from the inability to visit schools), then definitely contact the schools to inquire about their flexibility.