TESTIMONIALS

Client Success & Buzz

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Driven by Results. Backed by Experience.

We take pride in the work we do and the results our clients achieve. Below are some quick facts about our work and our team.

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250+ Years of Experience

We know the strategy behind law school admissions because we made the decisions.

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40+ Law Schools as Clients

Law schools trust our team to help them craft and refine their admissions strategies and processes.

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Top 25 Admissions Success

Our clients earn higher acceptance rates than the national pool at every top 25 law school.

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$372M+ in Scholarships

Our clients have received over $372 million in merit scholarship awards in the past 3 cycles.

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95% Client Satisfaction

95% of our clients over the last 3 cycles were satisfied with our services.

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93% Recommendation Rate

93% of our clients over the last 3 cycles would refer us to a friend.

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Unmatched Admissions Experience. Proven Results.

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yrs

Our team has 250+ years of experience working in law school admissions offices, all the way up to the highest level.

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Our consulting clients have been admitted to all of the top 100 law schools in the country—and many more.

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Our consultants have worked inside the admissions offices of 36 law schools, offering distinct insight from the “other side.”

Trusted former admissions officers:

Testimonials

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truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

I wanted to say thank you to Joe Pollak for all of the help that he has given me over the past year. I believe that without his help, my application wouldn’t have made the impact that it did, and I would not have received the many offers of admission that I did. Specifically, I enjoyed all of the insight on the law admissions process that he shared and find the whole process now very interesting. I appreciate the work that Spivey does and will happily utilize their services again if I find the need to transfer in the future and have suggested their services to my friends. Thank you again for everything.

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Joe Pollak

C.M.
C.M.
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2020-08-04
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

In addition to being a remarkably talented consultant, Paula’s point of differentiation, in my experience working with her, is strongly tied to her consistent emphasis on ensuring clear, productive communication between her and her client. In the process, the narrative admission committees read is concise yet comprehensive.

From working with her client to present a telling story which accounts for her client’s value proposition to law schools; to listening to her client’s perspective on what makes them unique, and examining the best way to present this in the context of what a specific law school is looking for in a matriculant; to advising her client with damage control, as needed, in any area of the law school application process; to working with her client to establish an interview strategy which includes immense relevance, attention to detail, and word choice tailored to each law school; becoming a Spivey client with Paula as your guide, confidante, and resource will greatly benefit your law school applications.

She is a true law school insider, and is always up to date on the latest developments pertaining to law school admissions. In addition, you will become a more articulate writer, law student, advocate, and person. You will be inspired to push yourself to present the best application possible to law school admission committees. I strongly recommend Paula with my highest regard to work with you on your law school applications, including waitlist advising and scholarship negotiation services.

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Paula Gluzman

Jon J.
Jon J.
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2020-07-30
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

After a disappointing LSAT score, I was almost convinced that top schools were entirely out of my reach. Working with Laura, however, has proven me wrong. She listened to my story and saw me as a person beyond just my numbers, and she guided me through the entire application process with her expertise, patience, and care. When I felt overwhelmed or anxious, Laura was always there to provide guidance and reassurance. She has made this process so much easier and enjoyable. In the end, I was accepted to several T14 schools and will be attending one with a substantial scholarship; I know I could not have done it without Laura.

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Laura Wrobel

J.
J.
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2020-07-21
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

As a splitter with a lack of legal work experience, I was very nervous about putting my application together for law school. I purchased the full cycle package, and I was very happy with my experience. My consultant, Anne Dutia, was instrumental in helping me put together an application that highlighted my strengths, balanced out my weaknesses, and told my own story. From my essays to my reference letters, Anne was a joy to work with and set my mind at ease with her great suggestions and edits. She clearly knew a lot about what the schools wanted, and that was shown in my acceptances to multiple T14 law schools and scholarships to said law schools. I will now be attending a T10 law school in the fall with a generous scholarship, and I would like to extend my thanks to Anne and to Spivey Consulting. I could not recommend your services more.

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Anne Dutia

A.O.
A.O.
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2020-07-20
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

I knew that selecting Spivey Consulting was the right choice to help me through the law school application process. But I had no idea how much value and expertise I would get from working directly with Nikki Laubenstein. Nikki literally surpassed every expectation I had in terms of the process and, most importantly, the outcome of my engagement with Spivey. Every step of the way, Nikki produced ideas and substance that I could not have arrived at on my own. Results are truly the only way to judge one’s accomplishments, so considering that Nikki helped me gain admission and scholarships to my top three schools, I would have to say that this was mission accomplished!

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Nikki Laubenstein

J.T.
J.T.
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2020-06-25
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

I could write an essay about how appreciative I am for the tremendous work Karen did for me, and how she gave me clarity, direction, and confidence throughout what turned out to be a very difficult admissions cycle where we faced an unprecedented global pandemic. I was continuously impressed by Karen’s strategic insights and wealth of knowledge. She went to great lengths to make herself available to me, and provided thoughtful feedback to my questions, written materials, and miscellaneous issues in a timely manner.

Most importantly, she made me feel like I was her ONLY client. In every communication we had, especially over the phone, there was never a point where we were out of synch – I never felt that I needed to catch her up or resituate her to my circumstances or my progress. These are the things that Karen’s bio will not necessarily reveal, but they are the qualities that make her an amazing advisor and someone with whom I share every success I had this application cycle. I’m so grateful. Thank you, Karen, and thank you, Spivey Consulting!

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Karen Buttenbaum

M.S.
M.S.
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2020-06-25
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

Working with Anne Dutia was a seamless experience and an absolute pleasure. As a STEM major that has been out of school for two years, I was concerned my background didn’t fit the "perfect picture” top law schools were looking for. Anne not only dispelled this myth for me, she helped me source my unique background to highlight my strengths and amplify my voice in my essays. Her guidance was creative, nuanced, and individualized to my personal needs. We were able to push out my application materials far ahead of schedule, and I was accepted to my top choice, Harvard Law School, in December. I highly recommend Anne Dutia to anyone interested in getting into their top choice law school.

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Anne Dutia

B.T.
B.T.
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2020-06-16
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

Spivey Consulting has my highest possible praise and recommendation. The folks at Spivey brought far more value to my applications than they were compensated for and than I ever expected. I worked with Spivey for over a year, and they were accessible, responsive, and invaluable the whole way through. You cannot go wrong with Spivey; thanks to them I am attending the law school of my dreams in the fall!

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E.T.
E.T.
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2020-06-10
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

I could not have asked for a better person for guidance throughout my law school journey than Joe. Joe was very accommodative to my full time work schedule, extremely insightful as to the law school application process, and helped me get into the mindset I needed to write essays, apply for schools, and craft my own story, after having been removed from school for a few years. Any time I had questions, Joe was always responsive, and the clarity he provided from his years of experience working in law school admissions was invaluable to me. Even with a mediocre LSAT score, I received significant scholarships from several schools, and I know this would not have been possible without his help. I cannot recommend Joe enough!

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Joe Pollak

R.
R.
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2020-05-31
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

I was very apprehensive going into this process… With Nathan Neely’s help, I was confident my materials were strong by the time I submitted… Nathan was realistic but encouraging. The Spivey process is about more than just submitting a perfect application. Nathan worked with me to craft essays that showed my strengths and true personality. I know that those values would not have shined through as clearly without Nathan’s help. I am so grateful for Nathan’s guidance and his friendship throughout this process. A year ago, I would have never believed all the options I would have. Stanford Law School is the best outcome I could have ever imagined.

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Nathan Neely

C.
C.
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2020-05-21
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

I could not have gotten to where I am without Nikki. I have offers from Top 14 schools and Top 20 schools. I could have never dreamed of this when I started this process. She has been a calming and reassuring force throughout. She encouraged me to aim higher when I doubted myself. Writing my essays seemed like a monumental task, but she was able to help me construct a coherent and compelling essay piece by piece. I had so many thoughts about what I wanted to say about myself, my struggles and my achievements, but I had no idea how to put them into words.

She helped me craft a story that was my own and in my own words. Before working with Nikki, I was intimidated at the thought of working with a consultant, worried that I would be judged. It felt like talking with a friend (and sometimes a counselor when I needed it!) with Nikki. I definitely recommend working with Nikki and the Spivey Consulting Group. My outcomes have exceeded my wildest dreams.

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Nikki Laubenstein

A.C.
A.C.
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2020-05-20
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

Sarah was so great to work with — always responsive, prompt, and hands down one of the most detail-oriented people I’ve ever met. She was helpful from beginning to end, and always went above and beyond to answer questions or concerns. Thanks for all of your support through this cycle, definitely helped ease this very stressful period of time.

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L.C.
L.C.
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2020-05-17
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

I was a reverse splitter for most of the schools I applied to (high GPA and low LSAT score). Sarah helped me with my entire application, and I have been admitted to my top schools. Spivey Consulting was the best investment I have ever made. I would make the same decision in a heartbeat!

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J.J.
J.J.
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2020-05-13
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

As a reapplicant, working with Tom made all the difference in my successful admissions cycle. His insights helped me write a powerful personal statement that garnered praise from admissions staff. He guided me in creating a strong and compelling resume that captures my past eight years of diverse professional experience. I also appreciated having an accountability partner to meet deadlines and submit applications in a strategic way.

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Tom Robinson

A.H.
A.H.
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2020-05-12
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

I’m so grateful to Paula for her guidance throughout the entire law school application process! Coming from a first-gen background with no lawyers in my family, I felt so much better being able to talk about my application materials with someone who could channel the mindset and goals of an admissions officer. Paula helped me throughout my process: while I was making my application list, strategizing which of my essays I would send where, and interviewing with schools.

Her feedback was critical because I knew I could trust her opinions — it saved me so much time and anxiety (I would have spent even more time panicking on Reddit). I told her I was especially nervous about interviewing, and we practiced interviews for each school until I felt comfortable, even when some of the interviews were scheduled for the following day. I ended up having a fantastic cycle, getting admitted into 11 of the T14 schools, including two of the top three!

It was so wonderful working with someone who was so excited to see me succeed. I would absolutely recommend working with Paula to anyone going through the law school admissions process!

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Paula Gluzman

D.C.
D.C.
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2020-05-11
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

Despite being a reverse splitter straight out of undergrad with very limited extra curricular involvement and work experience, Anne helped me bring the best out of my application. She was with me every step of the way, helping me to mend my talents and personality into one unique package. Thanks to her, I got into and will be attending a top 10 law school, with a scholarship. Anne, thanks so much for all your help! It was worth every penny!

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Anne Dutia

J.
J.
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2020-05-08
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

It is difficult to find a professional way to express that Erika is the best admissions consultant on the planet. From uncertain beginnings to an exciting end, she was one of the most instrumental parts of my admissions process. I began my journey with minimal insight (for context, before Erika and I began working together, I had a color-coded resume I’d built on Microsoft PowerPoint).

By the end, I’d realized choosing to work with Erika and Spivey was one of the best decisions I could have made regarding the admissions process. Though sometimes it was just a few ideas, other times, Erika woke up to a full inbox. We were constantly in touch. With a steadfast patience for my many questions, she guided me through all my ideas, hypotheticals, and any worrisome thoughts that crossed my mind. Erika showed so much commitment to my success throughout the entire process. I could not be more grateful to Spivey for the opportunity to work with an advisor who was as invested in me as Erika was. If I had to go through this process again, I would without a doubt choose to work with Erika.

She was always patient with me, and is an attentive listener. She brought new ideas to my attention, and expanded my understanding of old ones. During moments I felt unsure, Erika stepped in with a wise and well-reasoned response. She is hands down one of the best communicators I have worked with in a professional setting. She was thoughtful and thorough with every response, whether we were on the phone for two hours or communicating at length by email.

Articulate and sensible, I quickly came to trust and appreciate her judgement. Her professional yet relaxed demeanor meant I always felt comfortable discussing my ideas with her, from the far-fetched to the everyday. Her insight was valuable not only for understanding admissions, but also for peace of mind during a process that is both unfamiliar and uncertain. I truly feel I cannot say enough good things about Erika’s positive impact on my law school admissions process. She’s fantastic! When I reflect on what I paid and what I received, please know that the value far surpassed all of my high expectations (set by Spivey’s great reviews online). I am happy to contribute to this positive feedback.

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Erika Guckenberger

A.K.
A.K.
Verified tick
2020-04-27
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank Paula Gluzman for all of her help. Her generosity, thoughtfulness and skill are helping F.L. through a tremendously stressful time — both academically and emotionally — in her life. There is no way I could have fulfilled this function for her, and I am deeply grateful that Paula has been able to do so. She is more than a law school admissions expert; she is a counselor in the truest and broadest sense of the word. No matter where F.L. attends law school, we will always be grateful that Paula shared her time and talent with us. Again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

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Paula Gluzman

Parent of a client, F.L.
Parent of a client, F.L.
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2020-03-09
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

Thank you to Paula for all of her guidance throughout this process; I’m eternally grateful that she helped me discover (and hone) the best possible way to tell my story. I’m incredibly proud of this final product.

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Paula Gluzman

D.D.
D.D.
Verified tick
2020-03-09
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

After deciding to re-take the LSAT and re-apply to law school, I gave Spivey a call. I worked with Jenn to craft an entirely new personal statement and customized “Why” essays. The process was smooth, and Jenn’s quick turnaround times and thoughtful comments on my writing made the process more fun than I thought was possible in the law school application process! When I decided that I wanted to apply to the University of Michigan, a “reach” school for me, she went above and beyond to advise and support my efforts. 18 weeks after kicking off the editing process with Jenn, I was admitted to the University of Michigan! Working with Spivey, and Jenn in particular, was the best decision I could have made to solidify my essays and my overall application. Jenn helped me put my best foot forward, ensuring that my personality and interests shone through each essay. I would recommend Spivey’s services to anyone applying to law school — it just might open doors for you that you can’t imagine for yourself (at least, that was my experience!).

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Jenn Kopolow

Sydney H.
Sydney H.
Verified tick
2019-11-30
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

Anne — I wanted to reach out and thank you for all you did during the last cycle. I’m now beginning the outlining process for finals. I found all of our communications extremely helpful, and would definitely use you again if I was going through the admissions process. You made such an impact in my admissions and were able to help me through some anxious times. I can honestly say I made the right decision for me.

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Anne Dutia

Dillon
Dillon
Verified tick
2019-11-12
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

I reached out to Spivey and Joe Pollak after applying to law school at the very end of the cycle and being waitlisted by every school I applied to. I had no idea how to navigate the waitlist process! Efficiently, Joe carefully reviewed my application submissions and discussed my own preferences and needs. Based on his first hand experience on the admissions side, he described to me the inner workings of the waitlist process, and in what ways I could impact schools’ decisions. We crafted a strategy for how I should engage with each school on my list from that point through the end of the waitlist process. Now armed with a clear, thoughtful, step-by-step plan I was able to confidently reach out to schools at the right times and in the right ways. Joe relieved tremendous anxiety from the process and very likely made the difference in me getting into law school this cycle!

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Joe Pollak

Rising 1L at Northwestern School of Law
Rising 1L at Northwestern School of Law
Verified tick
2019-08-31
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

Mike — As I was doing some reflection this afternoon I wanted to send out some thank you notes to people who helped me along my Law School journey — it turns out, you’re on that list! As of two weeks ago, I’ve accepted an offer to work at Skadden in (City) once I graduate (and hopefully pass the bar) in 2020. I could not think of a better outcome for my legal education, and both my wife and I are on cloud 9 as we’ve found an opportunity that fits our financial goals and our desire to live and work in (City). Just wanted to say thanks again, and hope the business is thriving (as it deserves to!).

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Mike Spivey

M.
M.
Verified tick
2019-08-05
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

I am incredibly grateful that Paula was by my side throughout this application cycle, and I know that I would not have achieved my improbable results (a T14 acceptance with a sub-3.0 undergrad GPA!) without her. From the get go, Paula was incredibly warm and encouraging to me in a way that I cannot emphasize enough. I think she felt that despite my inconsistent numbers, I had a compelling story to tell to law schools, and she played a vital part in boosting my confidence and the idea that I could aim higher than I initially felt like I could or even deserved to.

She talked me through my reluctance to embrace the rougher edges of my narrative and to retake control of it, and provided lifesaving edits on my personal statement, a GPA addendum, as well as quite a few supplemental essays. She then guided me through the wildly confusing game of school interviews, visits, and timing, and finally, through a long and dreaded waitlist process. She probably did even more outside of this, so apologies if I left something off. Although Paula didn’t know this, I went through a several personal changes and family issues this year outside of an already-maddening and unpredictable application cycle.

Her warmth and genuine bits of wisdom helped me keep a level head through it all; in fact, I think she should guest blog for Spivey sometime to share her wisdom with all the other anxious applicants! As a result, as much as I value her sterling and meticulous guidance as a consultant and editor, I cherish the very human kindness and encouragement she brought to this process even more. I will never forget it.

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Paula Gluzman

S.
S.
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2019-07-27
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

After working with Tom Robinson on my personal statement, I am really happy with my admissions results. I am excited to be attending the University of Texas School of Law with a 95k scholarship! Working with Tom to perfect my writing definitely made all the difference. I even had an admissions dean come up to me at an admitted students event and tell me how much he liked my personal statement. Tom really went the extra mile and looked over several ‘final’ drafts until it was flawless. Hiring Tom was one of the best investments I made during my admissions process. I will be recommending Spivey Consulting to all of my friends applying to law school.

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Tom Robinson

S.K.
S.K.
Verified tick
2019-07-08
truspilot-startruspilot-star 4

Paula — I just wanted to send you a note letting you know that I’m incredibly thankful to have your guidance and support throughout this process. I did not imagine at the start of this cycle that I would have schools which rejected me last cycle now offer me money to attend, or that I’d be riding out waitlists from two T14s. I am grateful and excited for whatever comes.

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Paul Rollins

A.S.
A.S.
Verified tick
2019-06-24
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