Presentation given at @atamerica Jakarta on August 12, 2012, at "Towards a U.S. Higher Education" by Indonesia Mengglobal and Indonesian Club at Stanford. Delivered by Tiza Mafira, a LLM graduate from Harvard School of Law

1. How do I get into Law School?

2. Step 1: Don’t ask me
Harvard Law School Admissions

3. Step 2: Map what they want

4. Step 3: Kill the TOEFL

5. Step 4: Personalize your statements
A. OPEN WITH AN ANECDOTE
“Kalimantan caught me by surprise. At 13 and having been brought
up in metropolitan Jakarta, I was anticipating jungle tours and
orangutans on the island of Borneo that boasted of rainforests to
match the Amazon. The first sights I saw, however, were barren hills
and desolate marshes. Meanwhile, the driver chatted to us amiably
about the thriving logging and mining industries in Kalimantan. He
also told us the marshes were in fact peat-lands. “What do you do
with peat-lands?” I asked him. He said, “We don’t know. Maybe
your generation will know what to do with them.”

6. Personalize your statements
B. EXAGGERATE BUT NEVER LIE
“At Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP, I worked on the
largest case ever to be handled at the firm. This case, characterized by
several state and federal investigations and a growing number of civil
lawsuits, was an all-encompassing monster that demanded the
cooperation of almost 100 attorneys and over 20 paralegals. By then, I
had worked at the firm for almost 8 months, and during that time, I
saw my responsibilities grow as I adapted flawlessly to the pace of
work, hours and demands of the firm. I worked long hours, all-nighters,
and “all-weekenders” in order to finish projects on time, and my
experience provided me with a realistic picture of attorney life.”

7. Personalize your statements
C. ASPIRE TO MAKE AN IMPACT
“I am interested in serving as general counsel for a
corporation focused on advanced semiconductor
technology. I am drawn to the challenges I will find at the
intersection of intellectual property, product liability, and
corporate law. At this juncture in my life, I seek more
challenge and personal growth in a field that calls on my
written skills, attention to detail, and love of technology.
My interest in nano-technology will bring a unique
perspective to the classroom and will make me extremely
marketable upon graduation.”

8. Personalize your statements
D. TARGET THE UNIVERSITY
“I can think of no better place to gather my resources than at Harvard.
Harvard Law School’s leading programs such as the Environmental Law
and Policy Clinic would offer valuable insight into the current regimes of
carbon trading and clean energy regulation. Harvard Law School also
convened conferences on climate change regulation and carbon trading
regimes. The diversity of programs offered and the benefit of campus
institutions such as the Harvard Center for the Environment and the
Environmental Law Society altogether create a powerful magnet for
people like me, who are in the thirst for that knowledge which
accumulates at the intersection between environmental law and
business.”

9. Step 5: Get recommended
REMEMBER:
• Famous people? So what.
• Approach your employer and teacher
• Especially those who know you well
• Help them with suggestions

10. Get recommended
“I will never forget the day I met Jourdan. He showed up to my
interview in a disturbing polka dot yellow tie and I was a little bit
skeptical. I asked him, “You came from a big firm, so why are you
interested in a small litigation firm? He replied “I’m not. I’m
interested in clean litigation and I hear this firm upholds that
principle.” I hired him and never regretted it. (He has since then
adhered to the firm’s conservative dress code).”

11. Step 6: Find funding
TRY EVERYTHING:
• University
• Fulbright
• Employer / Law Firms
• Other Companies
• Last resort: deferral.

12. Aim High. Aim Plenty.