Sign of the times?

What a waste is all I can say to this story: Willamette University students complain of harassment. If you clicked on the link, you now know that two law students are barred from the college for making harassing and threatening calls. I have spoken to three of the students that received the calls and listened to one of the messages. After talking to the students, it is apparent that some of the law students [and they were NOT first years] were making these calls while intoxicated.

What is interesting is there is a split in the student body on what should happen. Some of the students think it was in poor taste and the students should be given a firm talking to. Other students think that post Columbine and Virginia Tech, whether these students were joking or not, there is no excuse for it.

Either way for these two students, their careers in law are over. Why? This will have to go on the bar application and this will be seen as not "good moral charactor." So these students have spent a ton of money to go to law school, and in some very careless, tasteless phone calls, flushed their futures down the drain.

Swim, Float, Swim...

Who would of thought about some of the creepy things you can learn in law school? In my employment law class, we studied a case were a man, Barnett, sued some ex employees over a "trade secret." Apparently, Mr. Barnett had spent years perfecting a way to teach infants and toddlers self rescuing methods in order to safe themselves from drowning. Barnett hired two employees who learned the method, promptly quit, and then opened their own studio teaching the same method. Now it sounds funny.....but it is a bit disturbing. See, I went a did a little googling of this subject and found the method used. Barnett has something on YouTube that shows how it works when it is taught, but there are several videos of it being 'taught' to children. Basically it involves just tossing an infant, face first, into a pool. They will kick and thrash, and then you turn their head so that they are floating, let them gasp, and then flip them face first again. After a while the infant learns to swim, then float to breathe, then swim some more. Truly creepy. But if you don't believe me, check it out........

Motherhood, Student, Employee collide

There is one time in which being a single parent in law school bites: when your child is ill. I have had this hit home this week. My daughter was diagnosed with the childhood ailment of hand, foot and mouth disease. She is miserable and the side note is I have a milder case then her. But what does this translate to? A week of missed classes and work.

Everything comes to a stop when a child is ill. If it were just a cold, I would pack her up and take her to class with me--but this is a highly contagious viral infection and therefore, we are stuck at home. My absences stack up-----and so does the frustration.

The Power of the Alumni

One thing that perspective law students do not think about is the power of the alumni. It is like some secret club that you have to be a part of [or almost be a part of] before you can fully understand. The Alumni can open some truly golden doors for you.

From a students perspective, when you meet someone new and they say, "Hey, that's my school. How is the law school dragon treating you?" You find an instant friend that just "gets" you. There is a bond, an unexplainable initial trust, because this person walked the path before you and MADE IT OUT ALIVE.

Since I live in the town the law school is located in, I run into alot of alumni. I make it a practice to always chat and network with these people. The added benefit is that they are the best sources of encouragement when you are freaking out.

I share this as a new insight I have. I think it is important for a student looking for a law school to ask to speak with some alumni. They are the ones that you are going to get the truth from and get a sense of what life was like for them while they were attending school, and how they have done since passing the bar.

New tip for law students: work out!!!

Seriously, find the time to work out. I wish I would have set a priority for this during my first year. There is so much stress that goes on during law school. In the two weeks I have been working out, I have felt a HUGE difference in my overall mood and stress levels. When I am feeling stressed now, I put the Ipod on, and then take it out on the eliptical machine.......I also hired a personal trainer who I can get mad and frusterated at on a frequent basis, but that is not always feasible on a law school budget.

What I am getting at is stress leads to alot of unpleasant side effects: weight gain, high blood pressure, sleep deprivation, depression, insomnia, lots of viral infections/colds, or just plain mean and moodiness. I am sure there are more effects but those came quickly to mind.

Exercise releases endorphines to your body that counter some of these effects. I have been an insomniac for years now, but since seriously working my body, I find myself resting a whole lot better. Also, instead of feeling like I am wound up like a rubber band that is going to snap inside, I feel relaxed and ready to face everything.

So, try not to neglect this in your daily habits. You will feel better and have more energy. I work out in the mornings, and my mental focus is very SHARP right after when I have classes. If you are not working out yet, consider starting before you come to law school so that it becomes habit....you won't regret it.

Things you learn in law school

I love my employment law class. I never thought I would like this area of law, but it is all about fighting the "at-will" presumption that this country is so found of. I like thinking that you are giving the workers some more rights, without a union. Especially when the employer acts in a horrible way.

But I keep learning interesting things that bust things that I always assumed. HR departments always say that when a prospective employer of an ex employee is calling for a employment verification, you should only verify when they worked, what they made, and that is really it. But I found out that employer cannot be sued for giving information to the prospective employer about the ex employee. The myth is that this would be a defamation suit. But there is a privilege that applies for employers giving information about past employees. If the employer has a reasonable belief that there was a cause to fire and the new employer should know, you can't be sued UNLESS: you reveal it in an inappropriate way [broadcast it to more people that need to know], or you abuse it [usually by lying]. There is no cause to sue and in fact, these suits are RARE.....

Another myth bunked in law school....see all that money spent on tuition is doing good.

Another Moot Court Competition

Another moot court competition is coming up. I have decided to compete in the Open Appealate competition. I am excited about this competition because appealate work seems to be something that I could excel at. The competition is based on a research brief that you write with a partner [this year's topic is the 8th Amendment]. Then you have oral arguments based off the briefs.

Last year during the first year appealate competition I did very well. I am a fast thinker and respond well to firing questions from judges. Last year, the judge I had said that I have a "gift" in that it feels like I am having a cup of coffee and conversation with them when I am speaking. I want to brush up on this and see if I still "have it." I don't think that appealate work is something I would want to do, but you never know.

So, my brief is due Friday. Oral arguements are Feb 9-12th. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I am catching a cold and feeling yucky.