the beginning of the end of law school

Time flies when you're a busy bee law student. So it goes that I find myself already halfway through the first semester of my third and final year of law school.

I remember the day I received my acceptance letter from Tulane. It was during the days of my laid back schedule: the spring of 2009. I had received a lot of rejection letters from graduate programs that spring. On the day the letter arrived from Tulane Law, I was home alone with the kitties when the mail arrived, and as soon as I read the word “congratulations,” I started imagining a life in New Orleans. Of course, I was still awaiting other admittance decisions, and I had no way of knowing what my final decision would be. But I knew that New Orleans was relatively close by, and that both hubby and I had an affinity for the city. And the thought of moving there and attending Tulane was absolutely thrilling. I skipped giddily through the house, announcing excitedly to the kitties that we just might move to New Orleans.

As it happened, that’s precisely what we did. Two years and many challenges later, I find myself beginning the end of my law school career.

For the entire academic year I’ll be working as a judicial extern at the Orleans Parish Civil District Court for class credit. So I’ve been in the courtroom instead of the classroom at least 10 hours each week, doing real legal work which has real consequences for real people. And that’s a whole lot more fulfilling than just working for good grades. (Although I’m still doing plenty of that, too.)

As far as classes go, I’ve made the strategic decision throughout my upper years of law school to take classes that interest me and which will give me a sound knowledge base for the areas of law in which I desire to practice, rather than taking only classes in subject matter which will be tested on the bar exam; I figure I can learn what I need to know to pass the bar outside of the classroom, and I’d rather have the in-depth coverage offered in a law school class for those areas of law where I’ll actually be working instead of just being tested once. So I’m enrolled in Trusts & Estates, Health Care Law, and Business Enterprises. I’m also knocking out my final graduation requirement: the Legal Professionalism course.

Apparently, law schools didn’t used to require law students to take a course in Legal Professionalism. The thinking goes that instituting this requirement might just result in fewer crooked lawyers out practicing in the world inspiring nasty lawyer jokes and committing malpractice. So now the American Bar Association has mandated that all aspiring lawyers take course in Legal Professionalism in order to obtain that J.D. (And, now 46 states also require a passing score on a nationally-administered Professional Responsibility Examination in order to be admitted to practice in the state. I’ll be taking that exam Nov. 5th.)

And that is why, along with the substantive law of intestacy, informed consent, and derivative actions, I’m also learning what it means to competently represent a client, why trust funds can never, ever be co-mingled, and other ways to avoid finding myself in front of a disciplinary committee someday.

I’ve heard it said that 3L year is an aspiring lawyer’s last opportunity to be a slacker (after 2 rough years of schooling and before 5-10 years of hard work in the Real World before getting a chance to relax and take it easy). But that’s not been the case for me. I’m still working hard, learning a ton, and running around NOLA like a mad woman, from home to school to work and back, barely getting enough rest during the week.

Despite the exhaustion and despite the dire job market, it does feel good to be a 3L. There’s a sense of invincibility, because I’m now too far along to fail in this law school endeavor. My GPA, while not at the Top of the Class, will earn me that J.D.; there’s no question whether I’ll continue apace and finish this thing. And while I don’t yet have a post-graduation job lined up, my success is no longer uncertain. I am constantly networking and doing good work with and for the benefit of legal professionals, making a name for myself in the legal community, and I am confident that I will not only find a job, but a job that I'll enjoy. Walking through the halls of the law school and studying in the library, I feel happily isolated from all the fear and doubt that the 1Ls and 2Ls are experiencing.

Which is a good thing, because it seems like it was just yesterday that I was a scared and shaken 1L, reeling from the mental hazing that comprises one’s introduction to the world of lawyering.

And that's your seasonal update, dear readers, for now it is time for me to return to my studies.

{This post brought to you by a cancelled class this morning.}

another year, another semester, and another home

As I greet 2011 and a New Semester of law school, I’m feeling quite content, if a little overwhelmed.

With another semester of law school under my belt, I’m now officially half-way through with my Juris Doctor degree requirements. And while law school continues to be practically all-consuming, I know that this, too, shall pass, and I'll come out the better for it in the end. (Last semester about killed me – working whilst taking 15 credit hours required more effort than I could muster most days, but I survived, mostly with the help of vast quantities of coffee and espresso.)

So far, so good with the Spring semester. I’m enrolled in classes that are both intellectually stimulating and practical, and the reading load seems to be mostly tolerable.

Good thing, too, since in the midst of the New Semester excitement, it happens that I’m once again living in Box House, the inevitable result of our recent move to a bigger place here in New Orleans. And while I love living in an Irish Channel shotgun double in true New Orleanian style, my desire to get unpacked and settled serves as a huge distraction from my legal studies. I try to delegate my time wisely, and I think I’m on the right track: the house is coming together incrementally, and I’ve not yet fallen behind with my schoolwork.

Also this semester I’ll be Acting President of the Law Women’s Association at Tulane. I was elected to serve merely as Vice President, but our President got the opportunity to study abroad in Hong Kong this semester, and away she went, leaving me to act in her stead. While this is all well and good, it is yet another distraction which influenced my decision to take only 4 classes this term.

Hopefully, after a few more marathon weekends of unpacking and organizing, the new house will be much more settled, giving me more time to focus on my legal education and career development. For now, though, my time remains divided between these two all-important tasks.

And trying to fit in a decent amount of sleep. So it goes that with this brief update I must bid you farewell and goodnight, dear readers. Mayhap 2011 will allow more time for blogging than did 2010...

New Academic Year's Eve

Tomorrow begins my second year at Tulane Law School. I'm super-exited. I've had a great summer, in terms of my intellectual and experiential growth as a budding attorney, and I'm ready to get on with the formalized aspect of my legal education.

For all that this year will be a rigorous challenge much like last year, I'm certain that it will be vastly superior in many ways. This time around, I know the Law School Drill. I know how much time I'll have to devote to my studies; I know about the Socratic Method; I know about Exams. The material will be new (and more exciting, seeing as how I get to choose my own courses), but the method and the madness will be familiar. And, I know the lay of the land; the sprawling beauty of Tulane University's campus is no longer daunting or intimidating, instead it is a comforting sight.

I'm also going in this year with a renewed sense of vigor and confidence. Vigor, because I am freed of the doubts that plagues first-year law students: Do I really want to be a lawyer? Is this endeavor really worth the mental exhaustion and the astronomical tuition? I now have the concrete sense of purpose that stems from the certainty that there is nothing that I could do for a career that would bring me the satisfaction of lawyering, and the education I'm receiving is most certainly worth the cost in time, effort, and dollars. Not only that, but I have a career path planned already, one that neither grades nor economic recession can derail. And I have a renewed sense of confidence after having worked on real-life legal problems this summer without faltering, something that led me to law school initially but which I sorely missed during that daunting first year when doing real legal work was not possible.

And autumn is approaching. Even though the New Orleans summer days are still miserably hot, the sunlight grows shorter with every passing day, and the afternoon breezes grow increasingly cool and comfortable. It won't be long before the few deciduous trees put on their fall gowns and the sun is barely up when I'm waiting for the streetcar.

It's a time of year I've grown to adore 'lo these past 4 years. Ever since I moved far enough north to see the seasons change (FL only has two seasons: hot and mildly cool, and the mildly cool season is quite short indeed), fall has been one of my absolute favorite times of year. And since going back to school in 2006, I've come to associate it with beginnings, and the freshness of beginning new endeavors, since fall does, after all, traditionally mark the start of a new academic year.

This year, in particular, seems especially significant for new beginnings. For one, Hubby will be going back to school this year to finish his bachelor's degree after an 8 year hiatus. And then there's the fact that this will be the first time in a long time that I've started a new school year without the encouragement and support of my dearly missed father-in-law.

So it goes that I'm gathering my books and getting ready for Evidence, Comparative Private Law, Constitutional Law: 14th Amendment, Family Law, and Environmental Law whilst helping Hubby gather his books and get ready for Asian Religions, Earth History, Poetry, and Latin American Studies.

alive and well in 2010

Well, I survived exams and the holidays. Exams were difficult, but I studied so much and worked so hard I don't think I could have done any better for my part. The question that remains, then, is how hard my cohort studied, and how the grades will be distributed along the curve. Only time will tell, but I'll be waiting with bated breath until grades are released at the end of the month.

For now, week 2 of the new semester, I'm trying to get acclimated to a new schedule. It's a lighter load than last semester (3 substantive classes instead of 4), which is a relief, but that doesn't mean I'll be any less stressed, for my classes this term promise to be even more dense and tedious than those of the last term. Contracts II: Sales, and Property Law will both be tedious, and Constitutional Law will be the most interesting, but it will require a great deal of time and effort. (How could it not be with a textbook that's 1962 pages long?) And it is the one and only class for which the exam will be closed book and closed notes.

So, here we go again.

Aside from school, the holidays offered a much needed and welcomed break from the stress and mind-numbing pace of law school. Over the two-week mini-vacation I was able to do a lot of relaxing, and enjoy a lot of good food and good company, the memories of which will help to sustain me over the next few months as I stumble back into the fray of the Second Semester...

new semester angst

I've learned that I cannot take my chosen two political science classes as planned. Apparently, since I am enrolled through the history department, I must take at least one class there. And what with me only being able to take two classes at no cost, I must sacrifice one of the pol sci classes.

Alas, this will require serious consideration, as I had my heart set on them both...

PS 532: Blacks and the American Political System An assessment of the position of Blacks in the political system of the United States, both historical and contemporary, with special attention to alternative political strategies for the present political epoch. Special emphasis will be placed on urban political systems.

I lean towards this class because it would expand my understanding of the ways the law interacts with societal minorities, but I'm dissuaded by the "emphasis on urban political systems" aspect. Partly, that's because I'm not sure what that indicates: is it a focus on municipal political system, or an investigation into the unique legal mechanisms utilized in urban areas? Perhaps I ought to e-mail the Professor...

PS 535: Constitutional Law and Separation of Powers An analysis of leading Supreme Court decisions dealing with the use of and curbs upon federal powers to enact economic and social legislation with special attention to urban issues. Resolution of conflicts engendered by the federal system and separation of powers also will be studied.

This is the other class,and for some reason I just love the idea of a constitutional law class. I've also already talked to this Professor, and I like her. Then again, I could likely embark upon a course of independent readings and get as much out of it; surely she would be happy to guide me unofficially in such an endeavor.

And there I have it. After writing it through, I see the course of action that I should take in this regard. Yay for blogging!

The other consideration at hand is 'Which history class to take?' I've narrowed it down to three --

HIST 502: Contemporary Africa A study of the emergence of Africa since 1945 with emphasis on the role of nations of the continent in both regional and world affairs.

HIST 521: History of Women in America An examination of the problems, challenges and experiences of American women from the colonial period to the 21st century.

HIST 546: Historical Research A course designed to assist students, especially those completing a thesis, in honing both their research and writing competencies.

The only course I haven't already taken as an undergraduate is the Africa class. Generally I'm interested in Atlantic World studies, but more so in the slave trade era. And African diaspora and colonization studies are also quite interesting, but I'm not immediately drawn to the "since 1945" era. Then again, it is admittedly a time and place about which I am not very knowledgeable. And I will likely have to select a field off minor concentration for any of my Ph.D. programs, and I'm already well situated to do that with African and/or African-American studies, so I might be well served to take this class.

I have until next Thursday to make up my mind, so I'll be giving the matter all due consideration over the weekend.

the wrong approach

Last night I had an epiphany: I realized where I’d gone wrong with this blog! I had thought of blogging here as a chore, and associated it with something I needed to be doing as a conscientious aspiring scholar, but I now see that that was all wrong, because this blog isn’t a chore at all; it is a tool!

Yay for me for discovering this.

I have now officially begin my last semester as an undergraduate, on a good note, too. Good, that is, other than the fact that my first class of the semester - Logic - didn’t meet because of a tornado warning.The five classes which will round out my undergraduate studies are: (1) Logic, (2) Contemporary US History, (3) Sociology 455 or, Race and Ethnic Relations, (4) Creative Writing, and (5) Women in US History. So far it’s shaping up to be an interesting semester. I’ll have to get to write a lot, which will be a fulfilling challenge that will allow me to expand and hone my skills as an academic. No worries, just learning new stuff.

The two things I must fret about now are: (1) the GRE, and (2) my UCLA application.

I’m struggling to come up with a feasible research topic. My mind seems stuck in broad, overarching-theme-mode, and I don’t know where or how to pare down. An alumnus of the institute advised me that the research doesn’t have to be self-contained, that it can be part of a larger research project, which is encouraging indeed.

Race and Gender are what I’m stuck on. Specifically, the ways that race and gender are both used to oppress segments of society. These two — for lack of a better description — soci-cultural technologies have profoundly shaped the course of history. This seems so obvious to me that I don’t know where to begin to try to prove it.

Then the thought of socio-cultural technology brings me back to that other historical truth that I have convinced myself of: that human culture - and, accordingly, its myriad assorted mechanism and functions - is a technological innovation just like any other that has made our existence on earth that much easier and efficient-in-a-primitive-sort-of-way.

So I’ve much to mull over.

In the meanwhile I need to do a little sociology 101 review.

five new classes: initial impressions

As a minority at a historically black university I’m no stranger to invidious stares.

Even still, the semester continues to go smoothly and, as luck would have it, an exam has been postponed such that I can now make the time to post in detail about my new classes. They are, in the order that I attend them, as follows:

Word Power: As you might guess, this is an English vocab-building class. We began with a chapter on diction, which has proven both easy and helpful thus far. I’ll be the first to admit that, while I have better diction skills than the majority of my peers, there is certainly room for improvement. Something tells me that the rest of the semester will continue in this manner. I hope to get as much out of it as possible, and I believe it will prove to be an excellent grad school/GRE prep class.
My professor is Mr. Feazele (he hasn’t implied that he holds a Ph.D., and does not refer to himself as “Dr.” so I believe I’m correct in referring to him as “Mr.”). He is my lone white professor this semester. He has a tendency to ramble, but I can hardly hold that against him because the subject of words can be quite boring without a little deviation here and there.

Cultural Anthropology: This class is, of course, a social-science class. It is much as the name implies: an introductory course to cultural anthropology (as opposed to biological, archaeological, or linguistic anthropology). Seeing as how I was recently considering graduate studies in archaeological anthropology, I believe that this class will also prove valuable for my future scholastic endeavors. For this class, in lieu of a final exam, I must create a personal artifact. This will require some serious consideration.
My professor for this class is Dr. Taylor. She is an adjunct professor which, as best I can tell, means she only teaches part-time and has a real job somewhere else. She’s from the North East U.S. but she has taught and/or studied in many other parts of the world. She is very serious, but still manages to teach in an engaging manner. I think we’ll get along just fine.

Cultural Geography: This class is actually offered by my own department, the History Department. It seems like it will be an interesting angle for a geography class, and with the emphasis on cultural diversity, it seems to be right up my alley. I’ve been placed in a study group with ten other folks and assigned the country of Nigeria for my cultural research. That research will extend out of the classroom and immerse me into the native culture (as much as possible). The dual requirements of the out-of-class research are to attend a religious service and eat at a restaurant that most closely resembles the native religion and cuisine of our country. This should prove interesting since, due to a lack of Nigerian religion and cuisine, we’ll be improvising as best we can with the professor’s blessing.
My professor for this class is Dr. Thompson. She only teaches two classes because she also serves as the Director of the Center for Student Professional Development, which offers a mentorship-tutorial program that I have joined. I like Dr. Thompson because it is obvious from her demeanor that she is genuinely concerned about her students and wants them to do their best.

Introduction to Political Science: Another social science course. I hope to get a lot out of this class, too, although I despise the textbook. It’s difficult to explain, but there’s just something about the way it’s written that confuses and frustrates me. Being the conscientious student that I am, however, I purchased myself two supplemental books for cheap on the internet, and I’ve been making do in the meanwhile by consulting Wikipedia. So far this hasn’t resulted in any tragedies; only time will tell if I’ll out of there with an A by doing it this way.
My professor for this class is Dr. Ighoavada. He is from Nigeria, but he’s been here for over thirty years. He’s very passionate and I genuinely enjoy his lectures, but I have to pay very close attention to understand what he’s trying to convey.

Introduction to Philosophy: This is another class offered by my own department, the History (and Philosophy) Department. And this is another class that I will thoroughly enjoy. I’ve considered myself an amateur philosopher for many years, and now, at long last I have the opportunity to gain some formal training on the matter. This will certainly prove advantageous for my future in academia.
My professor for this class is Dr. Banks. He is a reverend, but his teaching is not biased in any apparent way by his faith, and for that he has my utmost respect. He is also a passionate lecturer, and I believe we will have an enjoyable semester.

And those are my classes. I truly feel that this semester will help me to grow academically, and thoroughly prepare me for graduate school. Each semester I spend at JSU I feel more at home there and I’m quite sure that by the time I arrive an unknown grad school in the future I’ll be missing the time spent here.

Alas, as I continue to write the hour grows ever later, but 6am patiently awaits with no regard for how much sleep I get and, considering that I have my first exam of the semester at 8am, I’d be well served to call it quits and get some rest.

so it begins

The new semester is off to a smooth start. I believe I’ll thoroughly enjoy all of my classes that I’ve thus far attended. The only class I have yet to attend is my philosophy 101 class, which meets only once a week on Thursday evening, and since classes started last Friday, this Thursday will be the first meeting of that class.

Once I’ve been to all of my classes I’ll post my impressions and expectations of each. In the meanwhile, I have studying to do if I hope to stay ahead.

new semester's eve

Tomorrow marks the official beginning of my last semester as an undergraduate. Yay!

As for today, I had a conversation that resulted in some food for thought…

Husband and I were discussing computers and microchips and transistors. Before long the conversation had moved to digital vs. analog computing. The interesting conclusions reached were (1) I am an analog computer, and (2) digital technology represents one of those revolutions that will forever change the way humans exist.

Both of these ideas demand further consideration and investigation.

thoughts on a new semester

So far, so good with the new semester. My 20th Century History class is going to prove quite interesting. We're embarking on a class research project into eugenics in Mississippi. Turns out that there's still a law on the books allowing for the sterilization of "defectives" in this Great State. We'll be looking into why it was passed and if it was implemented and anything else we can discover. I'm excited about this because I feel that I'm in a unique position to help research this issue from a legal perspective, seeing as how I work in a law office. . . Our findings are going to be posted online as a part of the History Department's website, so I'll post a link whenever that gets published to the www.

My greatest challenge this semester shall be, of course, my senior thesis paper. I feel confident about where I am; I spent a great deal of my free time over the break reading into the subject, and I've done a bit of writing, too. Alas, I cannot help but to fret that my paper will not be as good as it should be. The research seminar class in which I'll be writing this paper met for the first time tonight. Our assignment is to revise our research prospectus and present the new and improved version next week in class. Honestly I'm at a loss as to how to improve my prospectus. I have a few books to add to my bibliography, but other than that. . . it looks pretty good. I'll do some thinking over the weekend and perhaps try to revise my thesis statement in consideration of some of the things I've read recently. What else can I do?

I talked to our campus advisor for the history society Phi Alpha Theta about presenting a paper at the regional conference in February, and I'm seriously considering doing so. I've just got to convince myself to get over the (irrationally scary) thought of presenting my research to a group of strangers and peers so that I can avail myself of this excellent opportunity.

Tomorrow brings my first test, (in health class -- ugh!) to be taken after a 9 hour work day, and so I think sleep is a good idea at this time.