From the Single Mom's Law School Experience, then "Almost Attorney" to FINALLY an Esquire!: This Semester

Thursday, January 15, 2009

This Semester

This semester promises to be a time of actual usefulness! So much of law school is abstract theory with no practice. What this means for the law student is that when you get out of school, and pass the bar, you have to LEARN how to actually practice law! You have to learn to draft motions, petitions, affadavits and so on.....It's very frusterating. Here is the recaps of the classes:

Family Law: Theory course, but very practical because we learn about dividing property and divorce. Something that I did not realize is how much federal law mandates family law in different states. Should prove to be interesting.

Employment Law: This class is about the employee-employer relationship. Basically we will study the "at will presumption" and then discrimination in the workplace. I was surprised to hear what a growing field of law this is.

Criminal Procedure: This is about the restrictions on police action. So far this class is fascinating and makes you think about what powers a police officer actually has to make stops, to complete seizures, to question you. Also, since it is taught by my FAVORITE professor and she is once again keeping me entertained with her dry wit and humor, I am in my element.

Legislation: The professor is a sitting appellate court judge in my state. He is a genuinely nice man. And he brings a passion about the subject matter. This course is useful. We are learning how to actually interpret a statute [something that some courses take a passing blow at trying to teach you] and we will learn to construct statutes. This is something that every law student should know how to do.

Oregon Family Law: This could possibly be the most useful outside of trial practice, that I will take in my law school journey. We have been assigned a spouse, and we are analyze and file petitions, motions, affadavits, trial memos, and general judgments of dissolution. This is a course in how to practice law, something that is rare in law school. The course is being taught by a practicing divorce attorney, so that makes it even more useful!

I finally feel as if I am learning about things that interest me in the fields that I want to practice. Which for once feels darn good!

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FAQ

Lots of people ask me: how do you do it? How do you attend law school and raise a child alone? My answer is simply that you prioritize. You approach school as an 8 to 5 job. I take Friday evenings and Saturday's off. Study a bit on Sundays. For me this works. It means not being a part of the "social" things at school, and that time between your classes is in the library studying. But that's okay. You will have different goals then the students who are single with no children.

How do you afford it? Student loans........yes, you heard me. My reasoning is that my earning capacity will double, but likely triple, which means that I can afford to take on the debt to pay for a better future for my daughter and I.

Does you daughter resent you studying? No. Sometimes she gets frustrated, but she really does understand the bigger picture. She is my biggest supporter. I have learned to include her by taking her to class with me when I can, by having her help me study with flash cards, and by taking her to appropriate events at school. In fact, I did an incoming student panel one year, and the administration of the school had her speak as well. We are a team, and that includes this journey.