Client Success & Buzz

I had some significant defects in my applicant profile—my GPA took a nosedive from a bad semester at community college, and I needed to carefully explain why I had taken a year-long medical break from studying at my main university. Anne Dutia helped me strike the delicate balance between oversharing and giving enough information to reassure admissions committees that I wouldn’t be a risky admit. With Anne’s help, I was able to get past my weaknesses and gain admittance and scholarship offers at several of the T14s.

Anne was also incredible in helping me find the perfect personal statement topic and refine it into respectable form. I never would have thought of my topic on my own, but once we figured out what I wanted to write about, it felt like I had a calling to write my statement. All of my supplemental essays were well polished and came together in a cohesive and thoughtful application. The biggest perk of working with Anne was the peace of mind I received—I knew that my application was the best that it could be, and, no matter where I landed, there was nothing I could have done better. Fortunately, I’m now attending UVA Law School with a near 40% scholarship. I wouldn’t have received such a great offer if it hadn’t been for Anne’s expert advice.

Anne, thank you so much for being a wonderful mentor and friend. I promise to stay in touch!

As a first-generation law school applicant, I truly had no idea what to expect from the application process. With Spivey Consulting, I was able to successfully and easily navigate this lengthy and confusing process. Danielle expertly assisted me every step of the way — from talking about my decision to attend law school to crafting a winning personal statement to polishing off the finished application.

Danielle helped me set reasonable goals while also assisting me in reaching my greatest potential. At the beginning of the cycle, my goal was to be accepted into a T-14 law school. By the end, I had been accepted to multiple T-14 schools and was able to choose between my top two choices. For her help and support, I can never thank her enough! I have already recommended Danielle and Spivey Consulting to every peer that has asked me about the law school application process and will continue to do so. You truly can’t go wrong with this incredible group!

My best admissions offer after my first application cycle was a T70 school with no scholarship. I felt I underperformed that cycle and decided to wait a year and reapply. I retook the LSAT and improved my score, but I also have an untraditional background and knew that the way I told my story would either make or break my admissions prospects, so I called Spivey for help and was paired with Shannon Davis. I truly believe this was a moment of fate.

Shannon is incredibly professional, knowledgeable, and helped me find my voice in my essays. She helped prepare me for school visits, interviews, and the other nuances of law school admissions. I cannot recommend Shannon more highly. I was admitted the next cycle to a T25 school with almost a full scholarship. The following year she helped guide me through the transfer admissions process where I landed at a T6 school. Working with Shannon has been nothing short of life changing!

I can’t imagine navigating the law school admissions process without Paula Gluzman. From day 1, she was attentive, communicative and extremely helpful. Her insights on everything from my personal statement to my supplemental essays are the reason I had the privilege of having so many schools to choose from in the end. I am so grateful for her and her expertise — she is the reason I outperformed my stats and will be attending NYU, my dream school, this fall.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!).

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.

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!