No train today. For various reasons, I needed to take the car, and all I have to say is UGH. It's nice I guess to get the comparison between transit options one day after the other, but the thing is, I now rememeber why I hate driving so much. Can't wait to get on the train tomorrow.
Tonight is some dinner function about dispute resolution. All I know is I have to wear a suit, and I get free dinner. I'm in.
Lunch: Partner/Associate Lunch. Another summer lunch series where we meet with partners and they tell us about what they do and we get to ask questions. The lunch was in one of the conference rooms, and it was catered. Taco salad and little beef burritos. Pretty tasty.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
All Aboard
Fresh from my Memorial Day weekend, I decided to take the train to work today. OH MY GOODNESS what a difference! No worries about changing lanes, speeding tickets, following too closely, falling asleep behind the wheel, or of course, TRAFFIC. Just a nice leisurely 30 minute ride on the Metrolink, followed by a nice, leisurely (somewhat bumpy), ride on the Metro Red Line, and then a nice, leisurely, 2 block stroll to my office. If LA had more rail, I would be way less stressed.
Lunch: Some random salad bar place (I think it was called "Salads 2000," despite the fact that we are currently in 2006) underneath the Paul Hastings Building. Ashley is a huge healthy salad-a-holic, so she got a huge healthy salad. Adam had a baked potato with cheese and chicken. I had a roast beef sandwich. With salad on the side, of course.
Lunch: Some random salad bar place (I think it was called "Salads 2000," despite the fact that we are currently in 2006) underneath the Paul Hastings Building. Ashley is a huge healthy salad-a-holic, so she got a huge healthy salad. Adam had a baked potato with cheese and chicken. I had a roast beef sandwich. With salad on the side, of course.
Friday, May 26, 2006
One Down
Wow has it been a week already? Time really flies. I feel like I've been working at Nossaman for ages.
I have been commuting to and from work by car for the last week, and I don't like it one bit. I'm going to look into my transit options. There's a Metrolink station not too far from my house, and as soon as I figure out how to read the timetables, I think I'll try using it next week. Nossaman reimburses for parking or transit, whichever I choose.
One of the cool things about working in a laid-back firm is the Casual Fridays. I like the idea of wearing jeans and sneakers to work, even if it is once a week. It IS pretty funny though to see partners and other people commonly considered "stuffy" wearing jeans and hawaiian shirts.
I'm meeting up with some other Boalties after work. They're working across the way at O'Melveny and MoFo, so it should be interesting to see how they like life in the "Big Firm."
Today's Field Trip Lunch: Julia Stift, one of the tax attorneys (and a fellow Chino Hillsian) took us to Langer's, by MacArthur Park. Definitely some of the best pastrami daip I've ever had. Later found out that Karla, a relatively young and very friendly attorney with whom I was chatting about cooking and the Food Network, is actually a partner with over 15 years of experience. I guess not all of them are stuffy after all.
I have been commuting to and from work by car for the last week, and I don't like it one bit. I'm going to look into my transit options. There's a Metrolink station not too far from my house, and as soon as I figure out how to read the timetables, I think I'll try using it next week. Nossaman reimburses for parking or transit, whichever I choose.
One of the cool things about working in a laid-back firm is the Casual Fridays. I like the idea of wearing jeans and sneakers to work, even if it is once a week. It IS pretty funny though to see partners and other people commonly considered "stuffy" wearing jeans and hawaiian shirts.
I'm meeting up with some other Boalties after work. They're working across the way at O'Melveny and MoFo, so it should be interesting to see how they like life in the "Big Firm."
Today's Field Trip Lunch: Julia Stift, one of the tax attorneys (and a fellow Chino Hillsian) took us to Langer's, by MacArthur Park. Definitely some of the best pastrami daip I've ever had. Later found out that Karla, a relatively young and very friendly attorney with whom I was chatting about cooking and the Food Network, is actually a partner with over 15 years of experience. I guess not all of them are stuffy after all.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Take THAT Opposing Counsel!
I spent all day today reading pleadings. I think I have a taste for litigation (as opposed to transactional) work, because even though the binder was roughly 500 pages, I enjoyed reading every bit of it. It's like a reading a novel, where the excahnge of memos and motions etween attorneys is builds up tension, until it rises to a crescendo and each court ruling being a mini-climax.
Adam and Ashley were in me office all day, sorting through encroachment permits. Good bonding time. At one point during the pleading reading, I came across a really good argument made by my assigning attorney. I pumped my fist in the air and screamed "TAKE THAT!," to the surprise and horror of Adam.
Lunch: Just the summers and I at a random restaurant. I guess what that 2L said about free lunches isn't true everywhere. We don't have ALL of our meals paid for. Then again, $8.50 isn't too much to spare given the posh meals we get the rest of the week.
Adam and Ashley were in me office all day, sorting through encroachment permits. Good bonding time. At one point during the pleading reading, I came across a really good argument made by my assigning attorney. I pumped my fist in the air and screamed "TAKE THAT!," to the surprise and horror of Adam.
Lunch: Just the summers and I at a random restaurant. I guess what that 2L said about free lunches isn't true everywhere. We don't have ALL of our meals paid for. Then again, $8.50 isn't too much to spare given the posh meals we get the rest of the week.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Real Live Work!
Today was the first day I had real assignments. I spent all day working hard. Apparently, being a lawyer has nothing to do with law school. I'm glad I went to law school though, since I wouldn't understand half the things I was reading but for Contracts and Civil Procedure.
Lunch: CPK with the summers plus Melissa, Brandon, and Jeremy, a first-year associate. To get there, we had to navigate our way diagonally through The Bonaventure which, if you've been there, you know is like a labyrinth on crack. Luckily, we made it back without losing anyone.
Lunch: CPK with the summers plus Melissa, Brandon, and Jeremy, a first-year associate. To get there, we had to navigate our way diagonally through The Bonaventure which, if you've been there, you know is like a labyrinth on crack. Luckily, we made it back without losing anyone.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Home Depo
Today, Ashley, Adam, and I met with our summer coordinator, a nice young associate by the name of Ron Grace. Ron took is to lunch and discussed our summer calendar of events. Highlights include bowling, Roscoe's, day trip to Sacramento, two-day trip to San Francisco for a deposition clinic, theatre, and of course, cup stacking. Also noteable was a series of "Field Trip Lunches" whereby each Friday, an associate takes us to lunch to a divey hole-in-the-wall restaurant that is "representative of their personality."
After lunch, Ashley and I sat in on a deposition ("depo") being taken by Tom Long, one of the partners and an experienced litigator. Besides us, the people in the room were the witness, his lawyer, a stenographer, and Tom. It's interesting because I found that depositions are as much a game of poker as they are a tool of justice. The witness had every incentive to avoid answering as many questions as possible, and Tom was trying to ensure that the witness couldn't tell that he knew when he was lying. I fell asleep for a part of it, but I chalk that up to food coma.
Ashley, Adam, and I went to happy hour after work at a restaurant on the ground floor of the building. We thought we were staying late (6:00PM), but when we got to the restaurant, there was a table full of partners and associates who had obviously gotten there an hour or so before us. We summers got a separate table, and Tom Long later joined us. I recounted to him my story about turning the wrong way yesterday, which in retrospect I shouldn't have done because soon thereafter, Tom had created a nickname for me: "Wrong Way Yeh." Very witty.
Lunch: Cafe Pinot, across the street from the U.S. Bank Tower. Very fancy, and probably very expensive. I had a Kobe Beef burger, and we got some sort of tuna-avocado-sushi-thing. Tasty.
After lunch, Ashley and I sat in on a deposition ("depo") being taken by Tom Long, one of the partners and an experienced litigator. Besides us, the people in the room were the witness, his lawyer, a stenographer, and Tom. It's interesting because I found that depositions are as much a game of poker as they are a tool of justice. The witness had every incentive to avoid answering as many questions as possible, and Tom was trying to ensure that the witness couldn't tell that he knew when he was lying. I fell asleep for a part of it, but I chalk that up to food coma.
Ashley, Adam, and I went to happy hour after work at a restaurant on the ground floor of the building. We thought we were staying late (6:00PM), but when we got to the restaurant, there was a table full of partners and associates who had obviously gotten there an hour or so before us. We summers got a separate table, and Tom Long later joined us. I recounted to him my story about turning the wrong way yesterday, which in retrospect I shouldn't have done because soon thereafter, Tom had created a nickname for me: "Wrong Way Yeh." Very witty.
Lunch: Cafe Pinot, across the street from the U.S. Bank Tower. Very fancy, and probably very expensive. I had a Kobe Beef burger, and we got some sort of tuna-avocado-sushi-thing. Tasty.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Quasi-Lawyer Me
The summer associate job is a means for firms to recruit new blood. They treat us like real lawyers, pay us like real lawyers, and pamper us to no end, in an effort to convince us to stay. I have my own office with a great view, a secretary, and even my own personalized memo pad. Pretty nifty.
One of the things I distinctly remember being told about the summer associate experience is the free lunch. One of the 2L's told me that she never had to pay for lunch her entire summer. Pretty sweet. Of course, the firm she worked at was a little larger than Nossaman, so I'm not necessarily expecting that to be the case here. Nonetheless, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to start working out or something because the food is tasty, and tasty food = fatty.
Today's Lunch: Chicken Marsala at The Bonaventure Brewery. Brandon and Melissa two second-year associates, took us. Not bad. Apparently the firm likes to have a lot of mixers and happy hours there, so I'll probably be seeing more of it.
One of the things I distinctly remember being told about the summer associate experience is the free lunch. One of the 2L's told me that she never had to pay for lunch her entire summer. Pretty sweet. Of course, the firm she worked at was a little larger than Nossaman, so I'm not necessarily expecting that to be the case here. Nonetheless, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to start working out or something because the food is tasty, and tasty food = fatty.
Today's Lunch: Chicken Marsala at The Bonaventure Brewery. Brandon and Melissa two second-year associates, took us. Not bad. Apparently the firm likes to have a lot of mixers and happy hours there, so I'll probably be seeing more of it.
My First Day
What a whirlwind 48 hours its been. My parents drove up on Saturday and helped me pack. We drove down Sunday morning, got home by Sunday afternoon, I worked on CLR until midnight, woke up this morning at 6:00 AM, and left for work by 7:30.
It was raining this morning, so mind-numbing traffic is as certain as death and taxes. To make things worse, downtown LA has a series of one-way streets. Lemme tell you, one-way streets and I do NOT mix. I made a right turn onto Flower Ave, only to have a woman with an umbrella wave frantically at me and scream "nononono!" I didn't understand why she was screaming that until I looked up and saw a wall of headlights. Crap. I made a quick U-turn in the intersection, dodged about 4 cars coming crossways, and finally made it into the office at 9:30. I was supposed to be there at 9AM sharp. Not a great way to make a first impression, I suppose.
Anyway, it turns out that everyone here at Nossaman is very easygoing. My co-summers, Adam and Ashley, are 2L's from USC Law, and they were here last summer as 1L's. I spent pretty much all day learning policies and procedures, filling out forms, learning to use the phones, and learning to use the billing software. We also got a grand tour of the office, and I met 50 attorneys, none of whom I can remember at this moment.
All in all, not too bad for my first day. I didn't do any "real" work -- apparently that's coming in a few days. Except for the commute, I could get used to this sort of work...
It was raining this morning, so mind-numbing traffic is as certain as death and taxes. To make things worse, downtown LA has a series of one-way streets. Lemme tell you, one-way streets and I do NOT mix. I made a right turn onto Flower Ave, only to have a woman with an umbrella wave frantically at me and scream "nononono!" I didn't understand why she was screaming that until I looked up and saw a wall of headlights. Crap. I made a quick U-turn in the intersection, dodged about 4 cars coming crossways, and finally made it into the office at 9:30. I was supposed to be there at 9AM sharp. Not a great way to make a first impression, I suppose.
Anyway, it turns out that everyone here at Nossaman is very easygoing. My co-summers, Adam and Ashley, are 2L's from USC Law, and they were here last summer as 1L's. I spent pretty much all day learning policies and procedures, filling out forms, learning to use the phones, and learning to use the billing software. We also got a grand tour of the office, and I met 50 attorneys, none of whom I can remember at this moment.
All in all, not too bad for my first day. I didn't do any "real" work -- apparently that's coming in a few days. Except for the commute, I could get used to this sort of work...
Monday, May 01, 2006
Friday, April 07, 2006
The Admits Are Coming! The Admits Are Coming!
Today is Admit Day, the day when those who've received an acceptance packet for the Class of 2009 come to Berkeley, see the crappy facilites, make shallow judgments, and after meeting the people and the professors, decide to come to Boalt.
I had a very similar experience around this time last year. Having seen Stanford Law just the day before, I remember being distinctly unimpressed with the building and the classrooms. The intro video featuring Dean Edley malfunctioned, loose springs in the auditorium chairs were poking my butt, the classrooms were falling apart, the student panels were boring, the tours were boring, and Berkeley in general smelled like pee. "Well, at least there's free food here," I thought.
Then, at the activities fair, I talked to people from the BTLJ, APALSA, and ALJ. Awesome people. Then I met some 2L's and 3L's, and became even more impressed. They took me around the School, showed me the student group offices, and then took us to Telegraph for boba. By the end of the day, I was still very much disappointed with the environment, but very much impressed with the atmosphere.
One year later, here I am in a BTLJ shirt (I don't have an APALSA shirt right now), ready to coerce some pre-1L's. Hell, I might even grab some and take them around.
As for the atmosphere? It turns out my intuition was right. A friend of mine told me that I was one of the only people she knew who was genuinely happy at law school. Conincidence? I think not.
I had a very similar experience around this time last year. Having seen Stanford Law just the day before, I remember being distinctly unimpressed with the building and the classrooms. The intro video featuring Dean Edley malfunctioned, loose springs in the auditorium chairs were poking my butt, the classrooms were falling apart, the student panels were boring, the tours were boring, and Berkeley in general smelled like pee. "Well, at least there's free food here," I thought.
Then, at the activities fair, I talked to people from the BTLJ, APALSA, and ALJ. Awesome people. Then I met some 2L's and 3L's, and became even more impressed. They took me around the School, showed me the student group offices, and then took us to Telegraph for boba. By the end of the day, I was still very much disappointed with the environment, but very much impressed with the atmosphere.
One year later, here I am in a BTLJ shirt (I don't have an APALSA shirt right now), ready to coerce some pre-1L's. Hell, I might even grab some and take them around.
As for the atmosphere? It turns out my intuition was right. A friend of mine told me that I was one of the only people she knew who was genuinely happy at law school. Conincidence? I think not.
Monday, April 03, 2006
Boalt Hall, Back Again
The U.S. News & World Report rankings of top law schools for 2007 is out, and everyone here at Boalt is happier than they've been for a while. Boalt Hall is back in the Top 10 after a 3 year absence. Woohoo!
The facilites are still crappy, but Dean Edley has been doing a great job of getting top-notch faculty and increasing funding for several public interest programs. One of the original reasons I decided to come to Boalt despite the fact that it has one of the most downtrodden classrooms I've ever seen, is the fact that all the people here were super-friendly and just generally awesome. Since coming here, I've never regretted it. So here's to Boalt... may its rankings continue to rise.
The facilites are still crappy, but Dean Edley has been doing a great job of getting top-notch faculty and increasing funding for several public interest programs. One of the original reasons I decided to come to Boalt despite the fact that it has one of the most downtrodden classrooms I've ever seen, is the fact that all the people here were super-friendly and just generally awesome. Since coming here, I've never regretted it. So here's to Boalt... may its rankings continue to rise.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Yodelay-hee-hoo
Ohmigod... I'm sitting in CivPro II right now and Prof. Bundy just whipped out a guitar.
We're discussing subject matter jurisdiction today, and the case is Louisville & Nashville Railroad v. Mottley, about plaintiffs injured in an accident on a train and their subsequent inability to have their state claim heard before the Supreme Court because they did not raise a federal question in their "well-pleaded complaint."
Back to the song -- I forgot the name and artist of the song he's playing right now, but it's about trains. It actually has like, nothing to do with jurisdiction, subject matter or otherwise. I suspect he just needed an excuse to show off his mad James Taylor-like skills.
Anyways, Mottley is an interesting case, and the topic today is pretty interesting too. I for one, have been wondering what subject matter jurisdiction (or "SMJ" as those in the know call it) was, ever since I first heard about it in CivPro last semester.
Yikes... now he's yodeling. But at least he can hold a tune. He's actually not half bad...
*applause*
We're discussing subject matter jurisdiction today, and the case is Louisville & Nashville Railroad v. Mottley, about plaintiffs injured in an accident on a train and their subsequent inability to have their state claim heard before the Supreme Court because they did not raise a federal question in their "well-pleaded complaint."
Back to the song -- I forgot the name and artist of the song he's playing right now, but it's about trains. It actually has like, nothing to do with jurisdiction, subject matter or otherwise. I suspect he just needed an excuse to show off his mad James Taylor-like skills.
Anyways, Mottley is an interesting case, and the topic today is pretty interesting too. I for one, have been wondering what subject matter jurisdiction (or "SMJ" as those in the know call it) was, ever since I first heard about it in CivPro last semester.
Yikes... now he's yodeling. But at least he can hold a tune. He's actually not half bad...
*applause*
Monday, March 06, 2006
Awkward
Have you even been in the situation where someone is pursuing you, and you know that they really really want you, but you don't return their feelings, you don't want them, and thus are stuck in the uncomfortable situation of having to tell them the truth, knowing full well that you're going to break their heart? You know that feeling? I'm facing just such a situation -- with Northwestern Law.
Northwestern accepted me last year, but deferred me until Fall 2006, citing my need for "work experience." I would have said no and been done with them if it wasn't for the full ride they were also offering, should I accept. Wow. It's nice to be wanted.
I paid the nominal deposit and kept Northwestern on the backburner. After I came to Berkeley, I forgot I even had them on hold (I think it happened somewhere between the promissory estoppel in Contracts and the res judicata in CivPro).
Anyway, I was reminded suddenly one February morning when I received an email from the Northwestern Law APALSA welcoming me. Soon thereafter, a steady stream of emails about Admit Day, upcoming events, and even housing filled my inbox. Yikes, I thought... I should probably tell them what's up.
My guilt over forgetting about them was finally sealed when I received a FedEx package at home. When I opened it, I found this:
Holy Crap! The Northwestern Law admissions packet!
"It's so nice!" I thought. And for a split second (emphasis on the split), I considered going to Northwestern. Alas, my bonds of friendship and loyalty, not to mention my housing, financial aid, and faculty connections already had roots that ran deep to the heart of Boalt Hall.
So today, I mailed out the rejection form to Northwestern. I know that somewhere soon in Chicago, an admissions officer will be crying. But it's for the best. And maybe -- just maybe, we can still be friends.
Northwestern accepted me last year, but deferred me until Fall 2006, citing my need for "work experience." I would have said no and been done with them if it wasn't for the full ride they were also offering, should I accept. Wow. It's nice to be wanted.
I paid the nominal deposit and kept Northwestern on the backburner. After I came to Berkeley, I forgot I even had them on hold (I think it happened somewhere between the promissory estoppel in Contracts and the res judicata in CivPro).
Anyway, I was reminded suddenly one February morning when I received an email from the Northwestern Law APALSA welcoming me. Soon thereafter, a steady stream of emails about Admit Day, upcoming events, and even housing filled my inbox. Yikes, I thought... I should probably tell them what's up.
My guilt over forgetting about them was finally sealed when I received a FedEx package at home. When I opened it, I found this:
Holy Crap! The Northwestern Law admissions packet!
"It's so nice!" I thought. And for a split second (emphasis on the split), I considered going to Northwestern. Alas, my bonds of friendship and loyalty, not to mention my housing, financial aid, and faculty connections already had roots that ran deep to the heart of Boalt Hall.
So today, I mailed out the rejection form to Northwestern. I know that somewhere soon in Chicago, an admissions officer will be crying. But it's for the best. And maybe -- just maybe, we can still be friends.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Bruins > Bears
A lot of my friends have asked me whether, now that I'm up here at Cal, my loyalties lie with Berkeley. My answer is pretty much an unequivocal "HELL NO." My loyalty lies with my undergrad institution, my first love, UCLA. How deep are those loyalties, you ask? Well, enough to wear a UCLA sweatshirt deep into "Bear Territory" at tonight's Cal vs. UCLA game.
I went with a couple of other UCLA alumni/Boalties, as well as a handful of Cal alumni/Boalties. I never went to any basketball games while I was an undergrad, so it was my first UCLA basketball game. Yeah, I know -- it's kinda sad. It was billed as a pretty big game though, as both teams were tied for first at the top of the Pac-10. Thus, the winner of this game would be the undisputed conference leader. Needless to say, the Haas Pavilion was packed:
As the picture indicates, UCLA people were put in the nosebleeds. At the half, Deana (a Cal Boaltie) and I decided to just stand at the entrance to one of the lower sections. The result was a much, much better view:
Here's UCLA showing Cal what's what:
It was such a good game... it even went into overtime. Luckily, UCLA didn't disappoint as they eked out a win at the last minute.
The final score (it's fuzzy because my hand was shaking from the excitement):
All in all, a very good game. Not bad for my very first time.
I went with a couple of other UCLA alumni/Boalties, as well as a handful of Cal alumni/Boalties. I never went to any basketball games while I was an undergrad, so it was my first UCLA basketball game. Yeah, I know -- it's kinda sad. It was billed as a pretty big game though, as both teams were tied for first at the top of the Pac-10. Thus, the winner of this game would be the undisputed conference leader. Needless to say, the Haas Pavilion was packed:
As the picture indicates, UCLA people were put in the nosebleeds. At the half, Deana (a Cal Boaltie) and I decided to just stand at the entrance to one of the lower sections. The result was a much, much better view:
Here's UCLA showing Cal what's what:
It was such a good game... it even went into overtime. Luckily, UCLA didn't disappoint as they eked out a win at the last minute.
The final score (it's fuzzy because my hand was shaking from the excitement):
All in all, a very good game. Not bad for my very first time.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Nossa-men
While I was sitting in Torts ASP yesterday, I got a phone call from "unavailable." I checked my voice mail afterward, and lo and behold, it was a partner from Nossaman extending me an offer to work in the L.A. office for the summer. "Nice," I said calmly.
No just kidding. I think I screamed a little.
You see, I only applied to one summer job. While friends of mine were mass mailing and sending out emails left and right to judges, nonprofits, and firms, I and my friend Thomas took the path of least resistance: sign up for OCIP, have one single on-campus interview, have one single callback interview, then pray and knock on wood. I guess that approach (combined with the 12 thank you notes) worked, but I think the advice I'll be giving to 1L's next year is to definitely NOT do what I did.
Today, my buddy Thomas also got an offer from the Nossaman office in Sacramento. We're both pretty darn excited. Apparently, the entire firm has some sort of field trip to Sacramento in the middle of the summer where they gather up all the summer associates from all the offices and show us how real lawyers lobby it up over there. I'll probably see Thomas there. It should be fun.
Hallelujah! This summer I'm comin' home to L.A.!
No just kidding. I think I screamed a little.
You see, I only applied to one summer job. While friends of mine were mass mailing and sending out emails left and right to judges, nonprofits, and firms, I and my friend Thomas took the path of least resistance: sign up for OCIP, have one single on-campus interview, have one single callback interview, then pray and knock on wood. I guess that approach (combined with the 12 thank you notes) worked, but I think the advice I'll be giving to 1L's next year is to definitely NOT do what I did.
Today, my buddy Thomas also got an offer from the Nossaman office in Sacramento. We're both pretty darn excited. Apparently, the entire firm has some sort of field trip to Sacramento in the middle of the summer where they gather up all the summer associates from all the offices and show us how real lawyers lobby it up over there. I'll probably see Thomas there. It should be fun.
Hallelujah! This summer I'm comin' home to L.A.!
Monday, February 27, 2006
Legal Writing Sucks
Before I go further, let me make it clear that I've never pulled an all-nighter ever in my life. But law school has definitely brought me to the brink several times.
Here's a timeline of the typical last-minute legal brief, as experienced last night/this morning:
1:30 PM: Get back from APALSA Tahoe ski trip
2:45 PM: Sit down in the library and "begin work" on brief due the next day
5:00 PM: Stop surfing the net and start reading cases for the brief
7:34 PM: Look at how many more cases you have to read; despair.
8:01 PM: Go to dinner
8:32 PM: Eat dinner at Asian Food Ghetto
9:37 PM: Get back to library from dinner/boba run
9:41 PM: Keep reading cases; start typing
10:48 PM: Look at the three paragraphs you've written; despair
11:30 PM: Keep reading cases; ignore the library staff anouncing that the library is closing at midnight
11:53 PM: Look at the three-and-a-half paragraphs you've written; sigh
12:03 AM: Leave the law school; sigh heavily
1:13 AM: Sit down at home and begin paper again
1:48 AM: Keep writing paper; make tea
2:21 AM: Start on sixth paragraph
2:55 AM: Curse at self for not starting paper earlier; keep writing
3:27 AM: Notice that you're starting to write things that don't make sense; struggle to keep eyes open.
3:28 AM: Surrender to fatigue; take a "nap" on your futon
6:31 AM: Wake up; curse; start paper again
6:32 AM: Find that in your half-asleep stupor, you've written "The Country of Algeria is excited to begin training" (perfect capitalization and everything) under the section in which you were supposed to discuss the legal definition of "employee."
6:43 AM - 9:58 AM: Type type type; finish paper
10:02 AM - 10:30 AM: "nap" on top of your bed
10:50 AM: Leave for school
Anyways, those ~20 hours were quite the adventure. As much fun as they were however, I think I'd like to try to avoid doing that ever again. Ever.
Here's a timeline of the typical last-minute legal brief, as experienced last night/this morning:
1:30 PM: Get back from APALSA Tahoe ski trip
2:45 PM: Sit down in the library and "begin work" on brief due the next day
5:00 PM: Stop surfing the net and start reading cases for the brief
7:34 PM: Look at how many more cases you have to read; despair.
8:01 PM: Go to dinner
8:32 PM: Eat dinner at Asian Food Ghetto
9:37 PM: Get back to library from dinner/boba run
9:41 PM: Keep reading cases; start typing
10:48 PM: Look at the three paragraphs you've written; despair
11:30 PM: Keep reading cases; ignore the library staff anouncing that the library is closing at midnight
11:53 PM: Look at the three-and-a-half paragraphs you've written; sigh
12:03 AM: Leave the law school; sigh heavily
1:13 AM: Sit down at home and begin paper again
1:48 AM: Keep writing paper; make tea
2:21 AM: Start on sixth paragraph
2:55 AM: Curse at self for not starting paper earlier; keep writing
3:27 AM: Notice that you're starting to write things that don't make sense; struggle to keep eyes open.
3:28 AM: Surrender to fatigue; take a "nap" on your futon
6:31 AM: Wake up; curse; start paper again
6:32 AM: Find that in your half-asleep stupor, you've written "The Country of Algeria is excited to begin training" (perfect capitalization and everything) under the section in which you were supposed to discuss the legal definition of "employee."
6:43 AM - 9:58 AM: Type type type; finish paper
10:02 AM - 10:30 AM: "nap" on top of your bed
10:50 AM: Leave for school
Anyways, those ~20 hours were quite the adventure. As much fun as they were however, I think I'd like to try to avoid doing that ever again. Ever.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
"Thank You!" x12
Callback interviews are a lot like Christmas. Granted, there are no jovial Santa-type figures (unless you count some of the partners that interviewed you), but they do involve the bittersweet process of writing thank you cards.
It's common practice to send thank you cards to the firm after having an callback interview. Of course, handwritten ones are more genuine and thus more effective than emails, and so they are preferred whenever possible. As much of a hassle as it is to write the cards, its usually not too big of a deal since you only usually interview with 5 or 6 attorneys in any given callback.
In my case, I interviewed with 12 attorneys. This was the result:
Don't get me wrong -- I'm glad they called me in for an interview. *knock on wood* But I mean, c'mon. Twelve handwritten thank you notes is pushing the bounds of human physical ability. As I signed my last card and sealed it, I was pleasantly surprised and somewhat relieved to discover that, contrary to expectations, I didn't spontaneously develop carpal-tunnel right there.
It's common practice to send thank you cards to the firm after having an callback interview. Of course, handwritten ones are more genuine and thus more effective than emails, and so they are preferred whenever possible. As much of a hassle as it is to write the cards, its usually not too big of a deal since you only usually interview with 5 or 6 attorneys in any given callback.
In my case, I interviewed with 12 attorneys. This was the result:
Don't get me wrong -- I'm glad they called me in for an interview. *knock on wood* But I mean, c'mon. Twelve handwritten thank you notes is pushing the bounds of human physical ability. As I signed my last card and sealed it, I was pleasantly surprised and somewhat relieved to discover that, contrary to expectations, I didn't spontaneously develop carpal-tunnel right there.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Bar Fight
In many ways, law school is a break. It's a nice three-year breather situated between two colossal tests: the LSAT and the Bar Exam.
The LSAT is a bitch. Anyone in law school who has lost weeks and months off their lifespans prepping for the test will tell you that it's almost not worth it. The sleepless nights, the immense stress, and the seemingly endless LSAT problems somehow meld together into a nightmarish cocktail of living hell. The best part is that like the SAT, your score is only useful until you get accepted to a school. After that, it means nothing. For example, I can count on one hand the number of times I've heard the phrase "LSAT" mentioned since coming to Boalt.
The Bar Exam is bigger than the LSAT. Way way bigger. The California Bar is a three-day ordeal covering such topics as Property, Constitutional Law, and Trusts & Estates. Most 3Ls devote their last semester in law school to studying for it. And of course, you can't practice law until you've taken it.
The fact that law school is something of a valley between two standardized test peaks is something I think all law students try not to think about too much. But eventually, the time comes to face The Beast, and the recent law graduate discovers what he or she is made of (turns out it's mostly case law with some doctrine filler).
Given the amount of stress that a life-altering test of this magnitude can impose, it's probably not too heartening then to discover (for us Californians at least) that the California Bar is the hardest bar exam in the country. Mayors, famous attorneys, and even prominent legal scholars have all failed it. On the bright side if you fail, at least you''ll know you're in good company.
*goes back to not thinking about it*
The LSAT is a bitch. Anyone in law school who has lost weeks and months off their lifespans prepping for the test will tell you that it's almost not worth it. The sleepless nights, the immense stress, and the seemingly endless LSAT problems somehow meld together into a nightmarish cocktail of living hell. The best part is that like the SAT, your score is only useful until you get accepted to a school. After that, it means nothing. For example, I can count on one hand the number of times I've heard the phrase "LSAT" mentioned since coming to Boalt.
The Bar Exam is bigger than the LSAT. Way way bigger. The California Bar is a three-day ordeal covering such topics as Property, Constitutional Law, and Trusts & Estates. Most 3Ls devote their last semester in law school to studying for it. And of course, you can't practice law until you've taken it.
The fact that law school is something of a valley between two standardized test peaks is something I think all law students try not to think about too much. But eventually, the time comes to face The Beast, and the recent law graduate discovers what he or she is made of (turns out it's mostly case law with some doctrine filler).
Given the amount of stress that a life-altering test of this magnitude can impose, it's probably not too heartening then to discover (for us Californians at least) that the California Bar is the hardest bar exam in the country. Mayors, famous attorneys, and even prominent legal scholars have all failed it. On the bright side if you fail, at least you''ll know you're in good company.
*goes back to not thinking about it*
Friday, February 17, 2006
Callback City
Callback interview with Nossaman today in their L.A. office. 4 hours, 6 sessions, 12 attorneys, no holds barred.
They seem like a really good firm in terms of letting their attorneys actually have a life. Everyone was really friendly too, and they all seemed to like where they were.
I think the interview turned out okay. And until I hear back from them, that's all I'm going to say for now. *knocks on wood*
They seem like a really good firm in terms of letting their attorneys actually have a life. Everyone was really friendly too, and they all seemed to like where they were.
I think the interview turned out okay. And until I hear back from them, that's all I'm going to say for now. *knocks on wood*
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