HOW I CAN HELP
“The stakes have never been so high,” you’re thinking. “Not even when I applied to college.” You’re right. And that’s why your Personal Statement is so important.
Your undergraduate GPA is set, your LSAT scores are in. But the Personal Statement is the one critical part of the admissions process you still have control over.
My primary mission is to help you write the best Personal Statement you can write. It may sound intimidating, but you’ve been writing for so many years. We can do this!
And don’t be deluded. AI/ChatGPT can’t do this. Only you can. Admissions officers in colleges, grad schools, and professional schools across the country know this and are gearing up for it. Law school admissions readers want to hear the person, you, in your Personal Statement. A ChatGPT-generated statement provides only an imposter.
Here’s how I can help with the Personal Statement challenges you may face. Together we’ll find the answers you need to questions like these:
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What is a good topic for my personal statement?
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Is there a best approach to take or avoid?
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What are they looking for?
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How do I write about a weakness or sensitive topic?
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If I’m older or am in mid-career, how do I make this a strength?
And, of course, our multiple edits will review your essay for:
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effectiveness of your opening and closing
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appropriateness of the content; overall organization and tone
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paragraph structure
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grammar, punctuation, and spelling
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word choice and usage
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formatting (Formatting is more important than you might think. Some admissions readers really don't like it when you don't follow the direction re formatting.)
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We will edit your personal statement in Microsoft Word using Track Changes.

JOSEPH J. O'BRIEN JR.
“As a practicing litigator and trial lawyer, I have written more than 1,400 briefs. As an arbitrator and appellate arbitrator, I have written thousands of arbitral decisions. And as a teacher, for years I taught students, many of them third year honors students, how to write and how to improve their writing. I can do this for you.”
Your Personal Statement is personal, and I believe my recommendations should be too – personal to you.