Interview With Therese Lambert

Therese Lambert

BETTER KNOW A DEAN

"Law school is not for spectators so the applicant who shows that he/she is proactive in grabbing opportunities to develop intellectually..." - Therese Lambert Director of Student Recruiting, UMiami Law

September 15, 2009 \\ This is the third installment of our 224 part series, Better Know A Dean. Today we posted our interview with Therese Lambert, Director of Student Recruiting at UMiami Law -- The Fightin' UMiami Law's!

Ms. Lambert has been employed at the University of Miami School of Law since 1983. Initially she was Director of the Career Planning Center, assisting students and alumni in finding summer and permanent jobs locally and nationally. This position also included the recruitment of prospective students, a job that matured into a full-time position. She has been Director of Student Recruiting since 1985, an office that works in conjunction with the Office of Admissions. Ms. Lambert has been on countless panels, including presentations at NALP, PLANC and the LSAC National Conference. Ms. Lambert earned her B.A. degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and a M.S. degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Miami. Prior to moving to Miami in 1983, Ms. Lambert worked at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law (Assistant Director of Placement, July 1982-June 1983; Administrative Assistant for External Affairs, April 1979-May 1982) and was a press assistant for Senator Jacob Javits (R-NY) in Washington, D.C. (June 1977 – January 1979).

Ms. Lambert, thank you for taking the time to talk with us today and for giving our users some insights to the admissions process at UMiami Law.

AD	How would you describe the ideal candidate for UMiami Law?
TL	There are so many ideal candidates! Obviously, we want applicants who have done well academically and received strong scores on the LSAT but we also want individuals who are/have been engaged in activities outside of their own small corner of well-being, who are not myopic in their vision of the world, who say “Let's GO” when presented with a challenge. Law school is not for spectators so the applicant who shows that he/she is proactive in grabbing opportunities to develop intellectually, professionally and personally are ones we love to see. We fully realize that applicants who apply after being out of school for a while -- who have been in the work force, lived overseas, been in the military, etc. vs. applicants directly from undergraduate school -- are going to bring different skills and opinions to the table. The multidimensional aspects of the student body are what drive the classroom discussion, the range of student organizations, guest speakers, community outreach, etc. The blend of Miami's student body is definitely exceptional and unique.
AD	What does living in South Florida add to the UMiami Law experience?
TL	We have all of the advantages of our location on the main campus of a gorgeous and exciting university while being only 6 miles south of the City of Miami. We have close to a dozen courts in the area, many international corporations, and vibrant legal and business communities right here, on our doorstep. The variety of guest speakers and adjunct faculty members who visit the campus daily add immeasurably to students' development, not to mention the networking opportunities. If students want to work in their second and third years (up to 20 hours/week), they have countless opportunities to tap into. If they wish to do a clinical or externship program while they're in school, they can do it right here in many different legal areas from immigration to animal rights, elder law to tax law. This is a place where ideas are met with enthusiasm; Miami as a microcosm is ideal for learning and breaking ground on new and innovative initiatives. Did I mention the weather, the sand and sea, the parrots that grace our Bricks, the exotic tropical landscapes, the one-of-a-kind Everglades, the mix of ethnicities, cultures and the arts? In comparing Miami to other major US cities, Miami is young and fresh – a City that has so much energy and promise.
AD	The UMiami website suggests that students apply electronically using the LSDAS service, but that applicants are still allowed to submit a hard copy of the application by regular mail. Can you give our users some background about how the LSDAS electronic application service works, and how it makes your office/job more efficient?
TL	We really prefer that people apply electronically because it streamlines the process for applicants and for us. Everything comes to us through LSDAS and applicants can check the status of their documents online. This process is so much more efficient than in the past and is certainly a greener approach.
AD	Transferring is becoming more and more popular with law students these days. The course selection page of the UMiami website provides that, "students conditionally admitted as transfer students will be invited to register online in early April with our rising 2Ls." Does this mean that UMiami makes transfer decisions based upon a student's first semester performance at their home institution? When does the transfer application become available, and when should a student submit the application?
TL	Transfer applicants can get evaluated on one semester's grades and if we deem their academic performance as satisfactory, they will be conditionally accepted. If they continue to do well, they will be officially accepted after their second semester's grades are received. They cannot actually transfer until they have completed the first year in a full-time program (we do not offer the transfer option to students in part-time programs). If a student wishes to apply for transfer after the first semester, they can do so as soon as their grades are released. Transfer students apply electronically just like those applying for the first year.
AD	What factors do you take into consideration when deciding whether to extend an offer for transfer?
TL	Although the transfer application is very similar to the one for first year students, that is we still require the LSDAS report and LSAT score, major weight is given to the grades achieved in law school. To be considered for transfer, the student must have a “B” average or better or be in the top 20% of his/her 1L class.
AD	Students transferring to UMiami have obviously done very well at their home institution and most likely earned (or would earn) Law Review honors should they decide to stay. What advice would you give to someone who is weighing whether they have to give up Law Review honors to transfer to UMiami as a 2L? Does UMiami open up its Law Review for participation by transfer students?
TL	Sometimes students do need to grapple with this question, but transferring does not necessarily preclude them from getting onto a law review here. A transfer student admitted to Miami Law will normally be added, upon admission, to the list of students eligible to participate in the writing competition for the Law School journals, where the student's class rank at the other law school would result in inclusion in the list had that class rank been earned at the University of Miami School of Law.
AD	UMiami Law offers several degrees that can be combined with a J.D., including a combined J.D./M.B.A. What is your most popular combined degree program and what are the guidelines and timeline for admission? (e.g., Do students have to take the GMAT and the LSAT? When does a student have to decide they want to apply to a joint program?). Also, For students who elect to pursue a joint degree, when do they study law and when do they study business? Does pursuing this career path change the recruiting time line that traditional (law-only) students (e.g., interview during the fall of their second year for a summer associate position after their 2L year)?
TL	The J.D./M.B.A. is the most popular of the joint programs. The application process to the MBA and the other joint JD/MA degree, are totally separate and students can apply to each program at the front end or wait until after the first year. Regardless, the first year of law school is always completed first, i.e., a student cannot enter the MBA and then retroactively try to apply to the School of Law for the joint program. Other formal joint degrees offered at UM Law are: J.D./Master of Marine Affairs, J.D./Master of Public Health, J.D./LL.M. in International Law, J.D./LL.M. in Ocean and Coastal Law, J.D./LL.M. in Real Property Development, and J.D./LL.M. in Taxation. Occasionally, a law student will propose and be allowed to complete the JD with another graduate school (e.g., the School of Engineering). If a student wants to complete the joint degree quickly, then he/she would try to earn the maximum number of credits during the year and in the summer. This is not always the best choice. Since job experience is useful for both the student and desired by employers, trying to fit in classes and work experience can be difficult. Working with our experts in the Career Development Office to optimize opportunities is advised.
AD	When is the best time to apply to UMiami Law?
TL	Since we make admissions decisions on a rolling basis, completing the application by the end of December or earlier will place you in the best position for both admission and scholarship consideration.
AD	Who at UMiami is involved in the admissions review process?
TL	There is a faculty committee that sets admissions and scholarship policies. The Assistant Dean of Admissions and Enrollment Management reviews all of the applications and works with the committee as needed throughout the year.
AD	Take us through UMiami's admissions review process. How does UMiami evaluate a candidate's undergraduate GPA, LSAT score report, personal statement, letters of recommendation, and other relevant factors?
TL	Luckily, Miami does not have a cookie cutter approach to reviewing applications. The GPA and LSAT score are important no matter what an applicant brings to the table. If a person is really weak on the GPA but has a high LSAT and a compelling explanation for the low GPA, he/she may have a chance that on paper looks bleak. Similarly, if a person has a lower LSAT score but a really high GPA from a strong institution, being admitted might happen. Obviously, the reputation of the institution, the major, the GPA track record, the personal statement and letters of recommendation can push an applicant in the gray area over the line. Additionally, applying early can sometimes help those in the gray area since the applicant pool may still be a little soft in the early stages.
AD	How do you evaluate two students with identical GPAs, one of whom went to a Tier 1 college and another who went to a Tier 2 college?" "Tier 1 v. Tier 3?"
TL	The LSDAS report tells us what the GPA and LSAT college mean is from students from that college/university who sat for the LSAT over a three-year period. This gives us more information about grade inflation and competitiveness of the school. For example, if a tier 1 school is difficult to get into but has high grade inflation and the student did not do well academically, then we'll certainly consider this in the evaluation. When the file is reviewed, the strengths and weaknesses are assessed after which the candidate is compared with the applicant pool. Trying to fit applicants into a set formula does not work well for Miami.
AD	Do you find one undergraduate major better preparation for law school than another? For instance, many undergraduate institutions offer a Pre-Law major -- does UM look more or less favorably on Pre-Law majors when deciding whether to offer admission?
TL	Pre-law majors are not going to have an advantage but are not going to be disadvantaged either. Certain majors are likely to produce more interest in law than others, but we've had math and music majors who have excelled in the same way the typical political science or business majors have. Regardless of major, as mentioned elsewhere, the skills needed in law school and in practice are analytical and logical reasoning, critical thinking, reading comprehension and writing. Not surprisingly, these are tested on the LSAT.
AD	What is the most memorable/effective personal statement you read during the last admissions cycle?
TL	There is no one statement that jumps out. The statements that are most effective are well written but not over done, tell us about the applicants' achievements, goals and motivation, and reflect the type of students they're going to be and what they'll contribute to the classroom and the student body. Rehashing the resume is not effective but choosing salient points, highlighting strengths and keeping it short (two pages or so) is advisable.
AD	What are the 5 most common mistakes applicants make on their applications?
TL	(1) Poor spelling, grammar or punctuation; (2) Putting the name of another law school in the punch line (statements like “I've dreamed of going to Georgetown since I was 13 and can't wait to become a Hoya.” don't really work well at Miami!); (3) Not using good judgment in asking for letters of recommendation and not realizing how important LORs can be (strong letters from professors or an employer who knows the applicant well and will take the time to write a great letter can be important); (4) Applying late; and (5) Writing e-mails to us as if he/she is instant messaging a best friend (e-mails are official correspondence and should be treated as such).
AD	Do you have any advice about canceling an LSAT score? Will the admissions office know an applicant canceled a score and is there any stigma attached to a canceled score?
TL	The LSDAS report will indicate if a person sat for and canceled the score or registered and did not show up for the test. Once will not be problematic; however, more than once is not advised. Further, unless a student gets sponsored by a law school, he/she cannot sit for the LSAT more than three times over a two year period.
AD	Do you have any advice for students when getting letters of recommendations?
TL	Be careful in determining who to ask. Many law schools may prefer to see LORs from professors as they can assess your academic work, overall skills, discipline, and potential to succeed in the rigorous environment of law school. If you have been out of school for a number of years and are unable to obtain recommendations from former professors, you may substitute recommendations of employers or other persons with whom you have worked closely since graduation. When you approach your preferred recommenders, don't presume anything. Ask them “Do you feel comfortable writing me a strong letter of recommendation?” If they are not so inclined, this will give them an opportunity to decline or if they hesitate, give you an indication of their tepid enthusiasm. Try to choose professors who not only know you well but whom you feel will take the time to write you a strong letter (unfortunately plugging in names on canned letters has become more commonplace). Once professors have agreed to write the letter, give them your resume and ask to spend a few minutes with them so you can answer any questions they may have. The more a recommender knows about you, the more relevant and genuine your LOR will be. Give your recommenders plenty of advance notice –you don't want your LORs to be written in haste. Miami Law asks for two LORs. At least one (and preferably both) of these recommendations should be from a faculty member who is familiar with your academic performance and has had an opportunity to evaluate some significant aspect of your academic work. LORs can be very useful in our assessment of your ability to succeed and willingness to work hard. If you have two strong academic LORs and wish to submit additional letters, e.g., from someone who has knowledge of you in a professional setting or a leadership role, you may submit those as well.
AD	What are UMiami's wait list policies, and can you offer any (non-harassing) strategies for getting off that list?
TL	Getting off the waitlist will depend on what is happening with Miami's yield from our admit pool and what appears to be happening in the national pool. There is not much a waitlisted person can do except keep us posted on any new accomplishments, grades, awards, etc. Calling or e-mailing every week is not advised.
AD	Do you give preferential treatment to an applicant that tells you that UMiami Law is their first choice and that they will accept your offer should you extend one?
TL	In some cases indicating Miami as his/her top choice might make a difference but sometimes it gets old, especially when the person is extended an offer and then demands a scholarship or, at the 11th hour, has not given any thought to financial aid. Be genuine and sincere on your personal statement and throughout your application – we really appreciate it!

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