Your Bound Pre-Law Advisor ..................................................... A Review of John Richardson’s Law School Bound By Alana Shepherd Fourth Year Social-Cultural Anthropology WHEN I STARTED RESEARCHING my own law school application, it seemed I couldn’t load a website without being advised to consult with my pre-law advisor. Actually, finding this advisor was impossible because as I later found out, they don’t exist in most schools in Canada. Released in 2005, Law School Bound by John Richardson, B.A., LL.B., J.D. hopes to fill this void and actually bills itself as “Your Canadian Pre-Law Advisor” on its back cover. It turns out, Law School Bound answered many of the questions I had when starting my initial research on law school. Richardson’s hefty five-hundred-and-sixty-page volume attempts to organize his vast expertise on applications, law school, and legal careers into one source for the aspiring legal mind. It is divided into eight books that are aimed to guide the budding lawyer from “Deciding on Law School” through everything you need to know about being a practicing lawyer. Highlights of Law School Bound include valuable advice on how to ask for a reference letter (Hint: ask for a positive letter at the outset), examples of personal statements from a variety of applicants, and Law School Cafe, a year in the life of a first-year law student. Richardson also discusses such topics as the role of women in the legal profession and going to law school abroad. Law School Bound is peppered with first-hand advice from real law students and lawyers that speaks to both general and specific queries. The only thing that seemed out of place was the appendix - which is essentially a brief overview of Richardson’s LSAT Strategy course – definitely not enough for serious LSAT prep. Though the best approach for the law school applicant is to contact the schools you are interested in directly with your questions, Law School Bound is a great place to start your admissions research. Because its list price is $49.95, this may be one to chip in with your friends or request at the library. If you are wondering if law school is right for you, embarking on the lonely road of applying to law school, or need advice on a specific topic, stop searching for your own pre-law advisor and consult Law School Bound. It most likely contains a valuable piece of wisdom that could get you closer to your goal. Law School Bound By John Richardson, B.A., LL.B, J.D. Suggested retail price - $49.95 ISBN: 0-9696290-2-8 Note: This review appeared in the September-October 2005 issue of Voir Dire – The University of Toronto – Pre-Law Society Journal. It is reproduced with the permission of the author. RETURN TO MAIN PAGE.