With semester two commencing this week, Tom McCarthy, a final-year law student at the University of Newcastle and paralegal at Hicksons Lawyers; Lauren Rametta, a final-year law student at La Trobe University and legal assistant for Maurice Blackburn Lawyers; and Kyla Rivera, a law student at UNSW and paralegal at Allens, share valuable insights into the importance of attaining organisational skills and offered recommendations and tips on effectively managing the demanding responsibilities facing their peers in the field of law.

Why is it important to be organised?

Acquiring and honing organisational skills is not just a key to academic success but also a stepping stone to a successful career in the legal profession.

Tom McCarthy echoed this sentiment, saying: “I am convinced that strong organisational skills are essential in excelling academically and paving the way for a successful career in the legal industry.”

McCarthy also highlighted how being organised also fosters confidence in one’s ability to navigate the uncertainties inherent in the legal profession.

“Effective organisation builds self-efficacy, enabling confidence in navigating the complexities and uncertainties of the legal field,” McCarthy said.

Lauren Rametta also shared similar views, outlining how being organised enhances law students’ productivity in accomplishing important assigned work.

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“Developing strong organisational skills allows law students to focus their time and effort on important tasks and increase their productivity,” Rametta said.

“Striving to maintain strong organisational skills will assist students to manage their demanding workload and succeed in their law degree.”

Kyla Rivera also emphasised the importance of developing organisational skills to succeed in law while managing the rigorous demands and substantial workload.

“Juggling competing assessment deadlines, extensive readings, and a myriad of extracurricular activities can make law school a daunting experience. To thrive in law school, students should attempt to cultivate strong time management and organisational skills to effectively balance all their commitments,” she said.

While it is essential to recognise that these skills don’t develop overnight, Rivera expressed how they can be accelerated with intentional effort and consistent practice.

“Although, it is important to recognise that these skills develop over time. The key to accelerating this growth is to consistently reflect on what worked and what didn’t each semester, ensuring steady improvement in managing all aspects of law school life,” Rivera said.

The consequences of not being organised

Failing to develop and maintain robust organisational skills can create formidable obstacles and challenges for law students.

McCarthy warned that “being disorganised can result in missed deadlines, unmet learning objectives, underestimated work commitments, and missed personal obligations, posing academic and reputational risks”.

He also revealed that “poor organisational habits can have long-term impacts, making it crucial to prioritise effective methods early on”.

Rametta pointed out the impact of poor organisational skills on a law student’s capacity to effectively manage their academic commitments alongside other personal responsibilities.

“Students who do not implement effective organisational methods are likely to struggle to manage their university assignments with their part-time job, volunteer work and co-curricular activities,” Rametta said.

Rivera further elaborated that individuals who struggle with poor organisational skills often experience the adverse effects of burnout.

“One of the worst experiences in law school is burnout, which can sometimes be the result of ineffective organisation.

“While it’s difficult to experience, burnout can lead to valuable reflection on what isn’t sustainable and how to avoid repeating the same mistakes,” Rivera said.

Effective strategies to implement

Law students must embrace various effective organisational strategies tailored to their specific requirements and individual preferences to circumvent these potential obstacles.

McCarthy recommended that students prepare for and become familiar with the upcoming semester’s coursework before the start of each semester.

“Understand assignment and exam deadlines, key learning objectives, and personal goals. This preparation is crucial for planning a successful semester,” McCarthy said.

“Schedule a weekly reflection to review successes and areas for improvement. A SWOT analysis helps adjust strategies, enhancing productivity for upcoming deadlines and commitments.”

Rametta also underscored the significance of implementing a structured schedule, as it facilitates students in effectively managing their academic and social engagements.

“I recommend that law students plan and set a schedule that they will follow during the semester. This will allow students to feel confident that they have the time to dedicate to difficult assignments while also having time for social activities that they enjoy. On a week-to-week basis, students can review their schedule and amend as necessary,” Rametta said.

Rivera advises that law students establish clear and attainable goals to stay committed and driven throughout the entirety of the semester.

“Set clear goals and prioritise what matters most to you in semester two. Develop a realistic plan to achieve them. In my experience, goals are easier to reach when the planning is precise and you stay committed,” she said.

“Most importantly, don’t forget to carve out time for yourself and your wellbeing – you’ll need to recharge to keep moving forward.”

Useful tools to utilise

There are various helpful tools and resources that law students can utilise to help them manage and stay on top of their assignments, deadlines, and exams.

McCarthy underscored the efficiency of using Excel spreadsheets to effectively manage impending deadlines and track the progress of assignments across all enrolled subjects.

“Maintain an Excel spreadsheet to track deadlines, the status of assignments, and key self-imposed deadlines. Include personal commitments like trips, holidays, and social plans. By merging university and personal deadlines, you can effectively plan and engage in all activities with confidence,” he said.

“Popularised by the Harvard Business Review, timeboxing involves setting a finite time limit for tasks to prevent work from expanding unnecessarily. This technique helps maintain focus and increases motivation by creating a sense of accomplishment.”

Rametta explained that to manage her upcoming assignments effectively, she prepares a document that deconstructs the assignment and outlines the necessary steps to ensure timely completion.

“In order to manage assignments and deadlines, I prepare a detailed breakdown for each assignment, which outlines when each step of the assignment should be completed by. This organisational technique enables me to set goals and stay motivated,” Rametta said.

She noted this method’s success, saying: “I have found this study technique to be useful as it has allowed me to complete difficult assignments in an efficient manner before the due date. As a result, I have a sufficient amount of time to review and evaluate the assignment before submitting.”

Rivera revealed that she relies on a combination of a Google calendar and a physical to-do list to stay on track with her weekly tasks.

“Google Calendar and my physical to-do list have been the most helpful tools throughout my law school journey so far. Having a clear picture of each week helps me stay focused and prepared, while writing down specific tasks ingrains them in my memory,” Rivera said.