Just the Beginning Foundation's Summer Legal Institute - Jaelin Hayden

I went to Just the Beginning Foundation's Summer Legal Institute this summer and it was a phenomenal experience. I learned a lot about college, law school and what it’s like to be an attorney. For example, I learned that you don’t have to become an attorney to go to law school. You can go further with your studies and get a law degree and open a business. This will get you an advantage in getting a good job because you have a law degree. By talking to a lot of Judges and attorneys and also people that are still in law school, I learned that it’s a very rigorous but also exciting step to take. 

They have given me a lot of advice about college. For instance, they said make sure that I take a writing and/or thinking/analyzing class because this is what will help me prepare for law school. They also said that the time you spend in college is the only time you get to actually study something you want to learn so go for it and Ace that class because law schools are looking for people who Ace there classes no matter what the subject is. For example, they would rather you get an “A” in dance rather that get an “F” in Writing. We also listened in on a mock trial to see how things work in a court room and learned what US Marshals do. 

In this experience I learned what its like to be in front of an audience and be put on the spot in front of everyone. We had to present our oral arguments on a case about a senior having cocaine on school property. I was the prosecutor and whoever gave the best oral argument gets a trophy. Unfortunately, I didn’t win but I learned a lot and how it feels to be put out of your comfort zone. This was good practice for me and I really recommend people to sign-up for this program because you will leave this program with new ideas and new thoughts and I guarantee it will make you think twice about what you want to do with your future.