Counsel’s Counsel: Sep. 16, 2026

Dear Jane Doe, 

It's my third week of law school, and I’m starting to think everyone in my section is trying to screw me over. At first, it started small: the occasional notes-sharing, the seemingly harmless “Hello” in the hallways, and the all-too-nefarious “dinner invitation.” 

They’re getting sloppy, however. Just this past week, my sectionmate asked me if I wanted to grab a drink on a Thursday, knowing full well that we have LRW Friday at noon. The only possible explanation is that he’s already completed his memo and is trying to lull me into a false sense of security. Like I’d fall for it! 

Fortunately for me, I see straight through their ruse. They’re not dealing with some public school amateur. My undergrad years at Cornell have made me a seasoned veteran in the art of manipulation. 

However fortunate I may be, I do feel a morsel of pity for my classmates who’ve never attended an Ivy like myself. I’ve seen them fall for every trick in the book. One of these unsuspecting fools is my roommate. I’ve tried my best to keep him sharp, warning him against the treachery of our peers, but to no avail. The kid simply doesn’t get it. In fact, he told me I’m being paranoid. 

Perhaps he’s right. Maybe the cold, unforgiving streets of Ithaca have hardened me into a cynic who sees every friendly smile as a knife in the back. 

Am I being paranoid, or am I the only one paying attention? 

Sincerely, 

Ithaca’s Finest 

Answer: 

Dear Ithaca’s Finest, 

Thank you for reaching out. It’s clear you need professional help, and you’ve come to the right place. 

In all seriousness, you’re not wrong to recognize that we are competing with our peers for the same career-defining opportunities. That tension is hardly unique to UVA. From Harvard to Cooley, law students everywhere face the same reality, and the compressed recruiting timeline only raises the stakes. Here at UVA, however, we recognize that competition doesn’t have to come at the expense of camaraderie. Your classmates are more than names on the other side of the curve. They’re the people you’ll spend the next three years studying, drinking, commiserating, and eventually practicing alongside. 

The way I see it, you really only have two options. The first is to commit to your misery. Turn down every invitation, assume the worst of your peers, and resign yourself to the confines of the gunner pit. You may emerge as a 2L with the shiny firm job or coveted clerkship, but don’t expect your classmates to forget how you treated them on the way there. 

The second is to accept that competition is inevitable, grab the Thursday drink anyway, and risk the horrifying possibility that your classmates might actually become your friends. You may lose an hour of outlining, and maybe even a few hours of sleep, but you’ll gain something considerably more valuable. You’ll have people by your side when cold calls go poorly, the job search gets stressful, and none of you has any idea what the professor is talking about. 

I’m sure your years at Cornell will come in handy someday. Perhaps during a high-stakes trial, or a particularly heated softball game against Darden. However, even the most seasoned operators know when to let their guard down.  

Go get that drink. Your memo will still be there in the morning.  

Yours truly, 

Jane Doe