There’s no denying that law school is quite the overwhelming experience. From tackling examinations, internship applications, and extracurricular involvement to climbing daily mountains of homework, law students certainly have a considerable amount on their plates at any given time. To call the average law student an overachiever feels almost like an underestimation, so it’s not a surprise that even the most overworked legal pupils are continuously on the search for additional opportunities to optimize their resumes. An ambitious law student should leave no stone on the path to preparing for a future legal career unturned, and this includes being proactive about harnessing the networking opportunities available from the moment your law school enrollment becomes official. The American Bar Association (ABA) offers free membership, along with an array of exclusive benefits, to current law students, a resource that could prove extremely worthwhile to rising legal professionals. Read on for the hows and whys.

What’s In It For a Law Student?

As of 2015, all students enrolled at ABA-approved law schools are eligible for free membership to the ABA. This valuable opportunity serves as a gateway to receiving access to a variety of services and benefits, including:

-Networking opportunities with working legal professionals, from judges to lawyers across all practice areas, all over the country.
-The ability to learn about varying practice areas from professionals working in the field through panels, divisions, sections, forums, and frequent organization-wide networking events.
-The ability to utilize the ABA job board, with the ability to include the ABA logo on your resume as an official member
-A free three-month subscription to Quimbee.com, a top-rated study resource database for law students
-A digital subscription to the monthly ABA journal, as well as receiving four issues (both in digital and print formats) of the Student Lawyer magazine
-Webinars conducted monthly providing extended education on relevant contemporary legal issues
–Access to member benefits, which include discounts on various legal and everyday services on everything from practice management software to Sprint subscriptions and Hertz car rentals.
-Receiving public service opportunities, leadership training, career development opportunities, and more through the ABA Law Student Division.

If You’re Feeling Fancy…

The ABA also allows law students to upgrade to a premium membership at a discounted rate of $25. This gives student members access to all of the benefits and perks of a standard membership, plus access to the following premium features:

-The ability to run for leadership opportunities within the ABA Law Student Division
-Eligibility to compete in the four annual professional skills competitions put on by the Law Student Division
-The opportunity to have your resume reviewed by working lawyers and other legal practitioners within the ABA
-A free copy of the ABA eBook, ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct (MRPC)

Conclusion

The average law student’s calendar is inundated with deadlines and obligations, and being reactive to these numerous daily demands can come at the price of being proactive about the networking opportunities available to you beyond the law school ivory tower.  Take a break from your case study arsenal to check out the ABA Student Division today; it just might be one of the easiest and smallest steps to take in the process of making giant leaps towards your future.