Dubitante

I used to believe that Hell would be a place much like Earth, with the small but meaningful distinction that no one would have elbows. After a year of law school, my views have changed somewhat.

I now think Hell will consist of eternal condemnation to life in a perpetual law school hypothetical. You see people in classroom hypos have terrible lives. They're hit by buses, crushed by buildings, decapitated by lawn-mower blades. In the context of a law school hypo, you can consider yourself lucky if you only end up with hairy hands or other superficial maimings. Life in a hypo is hell. Just imagine an eternity spent as the victim of negligence, intentional harm, police misconduct, discrimination, etc. Over and over again. And the salt for the wound is, immediately following each new tragedy that befalls you, a classroom of extremely lucky, healthy, and generally well-to-do twentysomethings will sterilely discuss your fate as if it were a baseball boxscore. Hell, indeed.

While googling the web to see if I could come up with any incredible crim procedure flowcharts (I didn't and have made my own), I came across this truly fantastic "The OC" Flowchart. It's a little outdated, but should serve as good primer for those interested in getting into the incredibly effective law school distraction and all-around fantastic guilty pleasure that is The OC. On next week's season finale, "everyone's life (maybe even your own should you decide to tune in) will be forever changed." You can't ask for much more than that from an hour-long show.

LRW.....check.
Civ Pro.....check.
Up next: Crim on Monday.

Today's exam featured a hypothetical fact pattern and several questions relating to it, concerning various facets of civil procedure. That's it.

I make it a point not to discuss the substance of any exam untill all is said and done and grades are in. It's not superstition. It's pragmatism. I am simply unable to find any benefit whatsoever that could possibly come from a discussion of the details of a past exam. At least, not until the other exams are over, and scores available.

Continued good luck to all test-takers out there...

I have officially submitted my schedule requests for next year. Thank g-d. I won't go into the complicated strategy I employed in selecting my courses because I'm not sure I understand it yet. Though I can say it involved a blindfold and several different colored highlighters, mostly.

The scheduling process at GULC, in my opinion, is needlessly complicated and the course variety surprisingly sparse (at least until I get 3L standing and/or some pre-reqs under my belt). However, I must say I love the fact that GULC manages to turn something as mundane as scheduling into a competition among students, with people closely guarding their ranking strategies. But, I suppose there's no other way. If you're interested in which classes I end up getting into, be sure to check back THE LAST WEEK OF JUNE! Apparently, the Registrar's scheduling program is run on a Commodore 64.

In other news, the Students Against the Death Penalty organization offered a keg on the quad today. "The Death Penalty is unconstitutional cruel and unusual punishment, responsible for killing X number of innocent people over the years! Cheers!" Truly bizarre.

Today, I learned that a colleague in my Section has been hospitalized for the last two weeks and has been diagnosed with cancer. This incredibly sad news really put things into perspective for me on my last day of class as a 1L. Suddenly, the magnitude of my imminent finals became less. Law School really isn't a matter of life and death. In fact, I am incredibly lucky to be worrying finals. I only wish my classmate had the good fortune to be worried with such trivialities. The Section is in her corner, and I hope and pray for her speedy and full recovery.

That said, best of luck to all my classmates and fellow blawgers out there as we begin this hectic and stressful time. May you all score just below me. ;-)

The next time I attend class I will be a 2L. My 1L year is done (except for those pesky Finals things). It feels good.

The Good:
I was selected as a Law Fellow for next year. Now, the eager minds of 15 1L's will be in my hands for an hour a week. Scary.

I had my last Property and Ethics classes today. I must say those two classes, basically back-to-back pushed me to brink of insanity this semester. The former because of the (in my opinion) wholly uninteresting subject matter, the professor's lulling voice, and the routinely hot temperature of the room. The latter because of the hippies.

The Bad:
The final few classes in Civ Pro and Prop have cemented the fact that, at this point, I am woefully unprepared for exams. On the plus side, there's still plenty of time...

Tonight:
Finalize next year's schedule
Do the last of my Crim reading
Watch the OC

It was a good weekend. I got caught up on my reading. I finished my crim outline. I found time to watch three movies (two of which were actually pretty good). I ate well. The weather was nice. And the Kings won the first game in their playoff series. No complaints.

Unfortunately, this is likely to be the last relatively quiet weekend for awhile because the fun is about to begin.

My first exam is in 9 or 10 days (I should probably check...) and from there, the finals parade continues until May 10th. On May 12th or 13th (again, I should probably check...), the journal write-on begins and runs until the 24th. Then some minor surgery and a week of recuperation before I start my internship the first week of June.

Here we go...

The weather in DC has been absolutely perfect of late. Today, the temperature is approaching 90. And for the third day in a row, I have been tempted from my balcony by the enticing jingle of the ice cream man. And for the third day in row, upon investigation, I have been unable to locate his elusive truck. Each day, I have walked around my neighborhood to no avail. I am beginning to think a neighbor is cruelly taunting the neighborhood with a false jingle. That's just wrong.

Many thanks to D.K. for the following nugget of wisdom...

A law school semester can be likened to a golf tournament. Four days in a golf tournament, four months in a semester...

Thursday & Friday (Months 1-2)
You can't win a tournament in the first two days, but you can lose one. The same holds true for a semester at law school: it can't be won in the first two months, but it can be lost. Miss too much class or fall too far behind in the reading, and you will almost certainly "miss the cut."

Saturday (Month 3)
You've made the cut, now it's time to make your move. The sole object is to get yourself into position for victory. It's about catching up where you've fallen behind, getting the outlines going, looking at some past exams. Whatever it takes to put you within striking distance.

Sunday (Month 4)
If you did what you were supposed to on Saturday, your score isn't likely to change too much on Sunday (and it shouldn't need to!). You may drop a stroke, or hopefully, pick up a couple. But, major drops or gains are unlikely. If you've done what you were supposed to in the first three months, it's not likely you will fall too far at exam time. At the same time, if you're not where you want to be going into the last month, it may take a miracle to boost your scores. Ultimately, your exam performance is likely to mirror your preparation in the first 3/4 of the semester.

While I'm not sure if the analogy will hold for everyone, for me, it seemed an appropriate comparison...

Four to go. I had my LRW "exam" today. And I believe I am now officially dumber for having taken it. We were asked three questions:

1) Talk about legislative history and the research process for finding it
2) Comment on the effectiveness and/or problems of a sample brief
3) Describe the Administrative Law research process

That is all fine and good, except the test was open book. The entire class had printouts of the research guides and tutorials for Leg Hist and Admin Law research available from the GULC library. Ultimately, the test amounted to who could copy the research guides the fastest and most legibly. Why bother?

The exam is worth 15% of our total grade, so it was not totally pointless. The problem is 99% of the class undoubtedly wrote the same thing and will all receive full credit. If everybody gets full points, the course grades will have to be curved solely on the other portions of the course. The end result is the other 85% of the course becomes weighted more heavily and, in effect, becomes the basis for 100% of our grade.

If that's the case, I don't understand why we bothered with today's exam at all. Oh well. At least it's done. One down, four to go. Up next, Civ Pro.

I had my second "interview" for the Law Fellow Position yesterday. The three questions I was asked were:

1) Do you have any questions for me?
2) Anything else?
3) Do you have any other questions for me?

No further comment until I found out if I will be offered the position next Wednesday...

There, I said it. May the Georgetown gods strike me down on my left side as I enter campus this morning. I like Scalia. Said it again. It feels good.

Now for the qualification. It's not that I agree with his political views or the outcomes he prefers. Rather, I like Scalia because he is principled. I can disagree with him, but at least I know where he stands. Every opinion, concurrence, dissent he writes is consistent. Plain meaning, framer intent, historical practice, judicial restraint.

Take his scathing dissent in Dickerson where he chastizes the rest of the Court (including the Chief) for their inconsistency and for hiding behind semantic distinctions and rhetoric, rather than taking a stand and admitting they were wrong in the past. I respect that. Mind you, I also think Miranda is a valid decision. But, Scalia's reasons for wanting it overturned are compelling. He is principled.

He (and his clerks) are also consistently the best writers on the Court. "Nine-headed Caesar, giving thumbs-up or thumbs-down to whatever outcome, case by case, suits or offends its collective fancy." - It doesn't get much better than that.

I disagree with him, but I respect him. And the hate I have for him when he writes a scathing dissent against an issue I believe in comes not from the fact that I disagree with him, but from the fact that he's probably right.

My first and probably most important law fellow interview was yesterday. It was a group interview, with four applicants and three professors. While it was more intense than I had expected, all in all it wasn't too bad. The group interview format brings with it certain variables different from the standard interview. It's all about walking that fine line between asserting yourself and stepping on toes. I didn't want to dominate and I certainly didn't want to disappear into the background. I think I managed to walk the line appropriately. I spoke 1st once, second twice, third once, and fourth once. I didn't curse. I didn't let my ego run wild. I listened to the other applicant's answers. I was on time. I smiled. I think it went well.

Round 2 on Thursday.

Prof Crim is on the short list for the High Court if a Democrat takes over the White House. Or so some members of the 1L Smoking (tobacco) Circle claim. While I tend to trust people with cigarettes in their mouths, I have nothing else by which to judge the veracity of this claim. Here's hoping...

It seems plausible, I suppose. Prof Crim is brilliant. His left leg is definitely shorter than his right. He's represented some of the "highest ups" in the Democratic Party at the highest levels of litigation. He's hilarious (though I'm not sure that's a prereq for a nomination). He has the degrees from the right schools.

I certainly hope it's true. Of all the potential candidates I can think of, he is by far the most likely to lay down a "Dubitante" opinion...

I've managed to get nothing done on my real studies today. Instead, I have spent the day steadily sinking into next year's scheduling quagmire. Two semesters. Seven classes/seven alternates each. Strategically ranked according to Prof popularity. Manageably spaced exams. Time conflicts allowed only when the likelihood of getting into the higher ranked class is slim. And the icing on the cake...I have to do it twice because I won't know if I was selected as a Law Fellow until just before my selections are due.

I think I have finally got it though. And next year is sure to be a blast. Corporations, tax, copyright, con law II, evidence, white collar crime (hopefully), securities regulation (if I'm lucky) and then trademark, admin law, labor law, and antitrust as some alternates. And the law fellow seminar (again, if I'm lucky).

Hmmm....second thoughts served up with a side dish of self-doubt, anyone?

Civ Pro is up-to-date. Crim is next.

I truly love this time of year. The weather is simply beautiful, baseball season has begun, the NBA playoffs are around the corner, good movies begin to come out again, TV sweeps are imminent, and where am I? Holed up in my office staring at two computer screens and a casebook.

Not complaining though...it is what it is. And, it's a small price to pay for the opportunities on the horizon... I think I'll take the rest of the night off though...

AI recently made a request for an "About" section in the various blawgs floating around. So, for those interested, here's the rundown on Dubitante.

-Law School Bio: 1L at Georgetown (I had intended to keep my school anonymous, but managed to let the cat out of the bag a few weeks ago).

-My Opinion of Law School: So far I'm pleased, both with the experience and my performance. No regrets (yet).

-Dubitante's Purpose: a place for me to comment about my law school experience, the world around me, and anything else I choose. A place for other law students, lawyers, or curious folk to get a glimpse into my life, law school's role in it, and offer their thoughts or comments.

-My Political Leanings: Left, though compared to my classmates, increasingly right.

-Personal Bio: I'm 26. I grew up and did my undergrad in Northern CA. I plan to return to the left coast after graduation. I am engaged to a lovely young lady (who also posts occassionally to offer the S.O. perspective on the law school experience).

-Interests (things I used to like to do before I started law school and free time became scarce): read a good book, watch a good movie, listen to some good music, support the Sacramento Kings...

-Summer Job: Judicial Internship at DC District Court

-Plans for the Future (in no particular order): Get married. Graduate. Pass the bar. Clerk. Work in indentured servitude until the loans are paid. Be happy. Teach. Quit smoking. Get a dog. Have some kids. Be a good Dad. Be a good husband. Retire from the law. Open a bookstore. Be happy.

You can also check my first post if you're still interested...

There seems to have been a breakdown somewhere along the line with some people's understanding of exactly what is or isn't appropriate in comments posted to this site. Most people get it and this post is not directed to you. But, for the few who don't, here's the deal.

What you can do
Add to the discussion. Disagree with me if you wish, offer an opposing argument, whatever you like, provided it is related to the post on which it is commenting and is written in appropriate language.

What you can't do:
Use inappropriate words to derogate me or anyone else. If you disagree with me, fine, tell me why, but don't simply call me some epithet rather than construct an argument against what I have said. General rule of them: if you wouldn't say it to your mother, don't post it here. Any posts containing foul words or derogatory language will be deleted.

This is my soapbox, not yours. If you can't handle these simple rules, Blogger is free, get yourself a blog and curse at will...

So I think I have finally figured out what the single most important skill necessary for success in law school is: strategic ranking. That's it. Never mind case synthesis, reading comprehension, time management or any of the typical traits listed as vital to success. If you are able to strategically rank stuff, you will succeed.

For example:
Today, we were introduced to the somewhat elaborate ranking process for course selection next year. We rank seven "first choice" classes and seven "alternate" classes for each semester. If you don't get into your first choice, the system will go to the alternate. Given that certain classes and professors are extremely difficult to get into, strategy is critical. Should be fun...

We also learned about the ranking process for firm interviews during OCI in August, where we get to rank 50 firms, each with varying difficulty of actually landing an interview. Still more fun...

Plus, we get to rank our journal preferences during the write-on competition.

Strategic ranking, that's all there is to it...I wish I had known.

3 weeks to go...

Civ Pro outline nearly done. The other 3 hardly begun. This weekend is a big one. I simply have to make some progress on my outlines. The goal: complete Civ Pro, complete Crim. It should be doable, but I may have to forego the all-important Lakers-Kings game on Sunday. Such is life.

The stress is starting to build a bit, but is not yet overwhelming. There is still time. Plus, our schedule is quite friendly with several days between exams. It is doable. Here we go...

Adult ADD*: I'm not buying it. Apparently drugging every child in America to "treat" this "disease" is not enough and the ever thoughtful folks at Eli Lilly have started a massive advertising campaign to drug all the adults who suffer from ADD and simply "don't know it." Bollocks. What you don't know won't hurt you. For each psychological discovery, the world gets progressively sicker. Adult ADD is just the latest, greatest new disease we can all scratch and claw to acquire. Call me heartless (many of my hyper-liberal classmates would), but I come from the "suck it up" school of thought. Or more precisely: the "take responsibility for yourself" method of treatment.

...uh...er... what was I talking about? Oh yeah... Adult ADD is over-hyped.

Diagnosing every kid in America is one thing, but diagnosing yourselves, give me a break! I understand it's much easier to blame a disease for your child's poor grades or bad behavior than it is to look at your own parenting skills, but when it comes to placing blame for your own shortcomings, isn't it time to take some responsibility? I fully understand the allure of Adult ADD. I didn't get into Harvard, blame the ADD. I got passed on a promotion at work, blame the ADD. My marriage failed, blame the ADD. And on, and on, and on....

Suck it up, people! Take some responsibility for your own lives (and the role your play your kids'!). If you don't like what you see, do something about it. Looking for another excuse is not the answer.

Saying this, I must acknowledge that I believe there are genuine cases of ADD out there (in both kids and adults). If you are one of them, this post is not for you. Get the help you need. I am simply suggesting that the number of people who fall in this category pales in comparison to the number of people currently being diagnosed... And that the drug companies' promotion of this disorder is extremely troubling to me...

* I find it very interesting how this purportedly helpful and purely informational site is hosted by the only company producing an FDA-licensed drug (Strattera) to treat Adult ADD.

It's been seven months since I started law school and I finally have had an experience worthy of all the hype afforded to the rigors of law school. As the loyal reader knows, I had a take home final due last week. No problem. I had it finished at 11pm the night before. But, when I attempted to go to sleep, I couldn't do it. Cases were floating through my head. Insecurities and questions were swelling my brain. Why do I have the feeling I cited Miranda wrong? There must be a better case to use than X. Did my case comparisons have enough penny and franc (don't ask!). And on and on. Ultimately, I did not sleep the entire night.

I left the house for 9am class and all was well. I had my coffee, adrenalin was pumping, I was awake. One class down. Two classes down. The final is to be turned in at 3:30. No problem. I went to my third class at 1:20. After 10 minutes, I was sweating. I took off my sweatshirt. I'll be OK. 10 more minutes and my head started spinning. I felt nauseous, dizzy, and lightheaded. I left the class for some fresh air. I felt as though I was going to faint. I walked around the block. I drank some orange juice. I ate a powerbar. I was feeling worse. My legs were week, my vision blurred. I went to the campus doctor. I had a fever. My blood pressure was 140/110. He told me to go home and get some rest. But, I couldn't.

The exam was to be collected at 3:30. No exceptions. The doc told me he couldn't do anything to convince the registrar to let me turn it in early. I wasn't bleeding. I didn't need to be hospitalized. There was nothing he could do. It was 2pm. I had to make it until 3:30. My head was still spinning. My legs were weak. But, I made it. I turned in the bloody thing at 3:30. I came home and wrote my personal statement for my law fellow application. I couldn't sleep again that night. I had now been up for about 50 hours. I headed to campus the next day to turn in my application. Done. I took the rest of the day off. I'm OK now.