My Last Day

Today is my last day at Nossaman. I'm going back up to Berkeley this weekend, which is funny because I started working here the day after I came down. It's a little weird to think that this is my last day, partly because I feel like I just started. I can honestly say that it's been a whirlwind summer. I cleaned out my desk yesterday, so there's not too much left except some legal books that I'm using to finish this memo. I'm really going to miss the firm but more importantly, the people. On the other hand, I'm also looking forward school, and the fact that I won't have to wake up at 6 AM anymore.

Today also marks the end of my quasi-daily posts (the last two weeks' worth of posts are still coming!). School starts on the 21st, and I'm going to be using next week to prepare for 1) On-campus interviews, which start only a few weeks after school does, 2) law journal training, and 3) APALSA. My schedule next semester looks pretty good -- better than my schedule last semester when I had almost no chance to blog. I definitely foresee me having lots to talk about when school starts. In the meantime, I'm going to say T-T-Y-L. Here's to a great summer, and a great coming semester. I'll see ya'll back in Berkeley.

Lunch: In a sort of fitting bookend to my summer, I and a bunch of associates ate at the Bonaventure Brewery. Jeremy sent out an email to all the associates inviting them to join us at the Brewery for my last lunch. We were surprised when almost all of them came (8 to be exact... it's a very partner-heavy firm), which was remarkable since they apparently don't have associate get-togethers very often. It was pretty flattered to see that all of them cared enough to make time to come to my last lunch today. In a way, I'm going to miss these daily lunches, but then again, staring at my small pot belly and my brand new double chin, maybe I won't miss them too much.

And Then There Was One

This is my last week at Nossaman. The twelveth week, week numero twelve-o. Both Adam and Ashley's weeks ended last Friday, and so I am now the only summer associate in the office. As if timed to coincide, I also don't have too much work. I've asked around for more work to do, but people seem to be either busy or not in the office. So I am left in my office with little to do.

It's okay though, because last night at the End of the Summer party at a partner's home, I got an offer to come back next summer. Woohoo! As I may have explained before, it is the penultimate goal of the 1L summer associate to get an offer to come back to the firm next summer, even if that summer doesn't want to come back. Why? Because it shows to employers (with whom you'll be interviewing in the coming semester) that you were a good proto-lawyer, and it is that real-world experience above all that employers want. Conversely, not receiving an offer after your 1L summer suggests to would-be employers that you did something that caused the firm to believe that you wouldn't make for good lawyer material. It's a very interesting dynamic, and something I'm glad to have come out on the right side of.

Now all I have to do is figure out what to do the rest of this week...

Lunch: Quick bite at Trimana Grill with Ron Grace, our summer coordinator. All of my usual attorney lunch buddies are busy with work and Adam and Ashley aren't here, so its to nice to be able to eat lunch with someone other than myself. I had a ceasar chicken wrap, and it was delicious. The lunch with Ron also doubled as an exit interview and a chance for me to tell him about the highs and lows of the summer. All in all, I give Nossaman two thumbs up.

Classy People Spell It "Theatre"

Wow it's already been three weeks since my last post?? This is crazy. Anyway, I've been keeping an informal track of my activities in the Blogger archives and I'll be posting back-entries soon.

So this is my second-to-last week here at Nossaman, and I can't believe 2L year just around the corner. Adam's last day is tomorrow, as is the last firm event, a field trip lunch. In something of a last hurrah, the firm is taking us to the theatre tonight, to see a performance of Curtains, starring David Hyde Pierce. I don't get to the theatre very often (my last live performance was Mama Mia in Vegas), and so this is something of a treat. Tonight will also feature the return of co-summer Ashley, after a 2 week stint down in the Orange Country office. All in all, tonight looks to be a very exciting evening.

Lunch: Phillipe's with high school buddies Mike and Ben. The firm took us to Phillipe's last week, and I loved it so much I had to go back. Mike and Ben really liked their sandwiches. I got two sandwiches plus pasta salad, and they were DELICIOUS. Unfortunately, I also feel right now like I'm gonna puke.