Topic: Classes

A Day in the Life of a 1L

After reading Emily’s post on what it’s like to be a 2L evening student, I thought it might be interesting for readers to see what the life of a 1L day student is like. I was exhausted reading about Emily’s day—congrats to her for living it!—I promise mine is not nearly as packed (or exciting).

I’m blogging about my Tuesday, which tends to be my busy day. Like Emily, I’ve also noted times where students might do things differently.

***

7:00AM—Alarm goes off and it’s still dark outside. Lovely. I’m getting ready for school, fixing my lunch, and making sure everything is in order for the day. I like to take my time and watch a little TV too, so I usually have Saved by the Bell on in the mornings (nothing like remembering how easy high school was!)

9:00AM—Off to school. Class doesn’t start until 10:00, but I like to be early.

9:10AM—At school and sitting in the Legal Research Center. I usually catch up with friends and other pod mates for a bit and check my email. Other people grab coffee and a baked good, catch up on reading, or play ping pong

10:00AM—Class! Civil Procedure, can be a toughie, but we usually get a ten-minute break. We’re lurking in Erie territory,  and today, I’m called on to brief a case; happily, it goes off without a hitch.

12:00PM—Class is over and we’re out for lunch. I have 2 hours until my next class. I’m off to the LRC to eat, but one great perk about Lewis & Clark is there’s always a free lunch to be had somewhere. There are so many lunch time events going on around campus—from Career Services first years’ panel or informational meetings on judicial clerkships; meetings for NEDC, IPSO, International Law Society and the Women’s Law Caucus; to skills workshops or other panels—lots of the programs entice students with free pizza, sandwiches, drinks, cookies, etc. Not only is it a great way to get some food, but it’s also a wonderful way to stay involved and learn about what’s happening on campus. While I’ll spend my break in the LRC, other students will head to the library or Wood Hall to catch up on reading or to get ahead.

2:00PM—Back to class, this time for Contracts. We’re covering consideration and promissory estoppel, which is heavy stuff so we’re taking our time through this section.

3:20PM—Class is over and I’m done for the day! I spend a few minutes chatting with friends and then we all depart, some head to the library/Wood Hall to read, others hop on their bikes and head home. I trek over to the parking lot and run a few quick errands.

4:30PM—Finally home. I went to the grocery store (I usually try to do this on the weekends, so I can keep my time focused on studying, but I didn’t make it this weekend) and to the post office. I’m going to spend some time putting away groceries, make a light snack and pick up around the house. And then I’ll start studying.

5:15PM—…Maybe I’ll take a quick nap first.

6:00PM—Ok, really should open the books now. The good news is I’ve already read Thursday’s Contracts assignment and I’ve done half of Thursday’s Civ Pro reading (I like to try to keep at least a day ahead on my readings). Our Wednesday Torts class is rescheduled for next week, so I don’t have to work on that at the moment, either. Part of the reason why I like to keep ahead on my readings (being able to keep your head above water is reason enough though!) is that I also have an internship. My internship offers me great flexibility, so I can work from home if I can’t make it to the office that week. Once I finish up my schoolwork, I’m going to spend a couple of hours on this week’s assignment for my internship. I’m usually drafting memos or writing case briefs, so most of tonight’s work will be research based.

9:00PM—Whoops, time to eat dinner!

9:20PM—And back to work…

Midnight—Time to go to bed. My cut off point is usually midnight, unless I absolutely have to get something done. I’m a bit of a night owl, so I get the most work and my best work done in the evenings, hence my schedule is heavy toward the night hours. Some students are like I am, but not everyone is this way. My friends who study at the library after class will usually be there from the end of class (3ish) until 8pm. If they study straight on through and they’re done at 8, it’s doing the same amount of work I do, though I start later and end later. 

11 November 2009

A Typical Day in the Life of a Full-time Working, Evening Student

The other day, while deciding what to write my most recent blog post about, I realized that while I’ve posted a lot about events that have occurred on campus and in the Portland area, I haven’t really provided a “snapshot” of my daily life. To some being an evening student may be a bit daunting but it is entirely doable and still provides an opportunity to have life outside law school and work. Below is what my day was like yesterday (with some notations about how things may differ at other times.* 5:30 a.m. - Alarm goes off. It’s early and dark - instead of jumping out of bed I’m going to hit the snooze for a bit.* 6:00 a.m. - Finally drag myself out of bed and begin the process of getting ready.*6:30 a.m. - I grab a coat and my rain boots, put my dog on a leash and head outside to briefly walk the dog. (Note: Having a dog during law school is the best - they provide you unconditional love!).*6:40 a.m.  - Back inside from the walk. I make some peanut butter toast and grab a cup of coffee and head out the door.*6:50 a.m. - I’m walking to work and it’s DARK outside. I can’t wait until “fall back” this weekend so it will lighten up a little.*7:00 a.m. - I arrive at work and boot up my computer. While my computer is booting I have a brief chat with a coworker about the lack of physical activity and movement in our modern lives. I’m trying to figure out how to fit in a workout regularly so I don’t feel like such a slug.*7:15 a.m. - My boss (an attorney) has reviewed and approved two letters that I drafted yesterday so I convert them to pdf and electronically fax them.*7:45 a.m. - I receive an e-mail from my boss concerning the potential settlement of a client’s case. I had previously conducted a review of the claim and drafted the settlement demand and she needs some additional information in order to make a proper response to the defense counsel’s counter-offer.*8:30 a.m. - I complete my evaluation of the points my boss wanted me to address and e-mail her re: same.*8:45 a.m. - Time for a cup of tea - Yerba Maté (it’s my new saviour because it has natural caffeine!).*8:50 a.m. - It’s time for me to begin working on a settlement proposal in another case. Typically drafting a settlement offer involves combing through a voluminous claim file and writing a persuasive letter as to why we think we will prevail in court if we don’t settle. I’ve been working on this case since Monday. It’s amazing how little interruptions like phone calls from clients, etc.  prevent you from completing big projects as quickly as you would like.*9:30 a.m. - I have a question concerning an idea for one of my arguments in the settlement letter so I head into one of the attorney’s offices in order to run my argument by her. I want to make certain my idea has merit before incorporating it into the letter.*9:45 a.m. - I return to drafting the settlement proposal.*11:30 a.m. - Hunger has struck - I grab my tupperware and head to the kitchen to warm up my food. Then I return to my desk and continue working while eating. (Note: not talking a lunch break is my choice because I have a good writing flow going).*1:00 p.m. - A client unexpectedly drops by to see me and drop off paperwork. I briefly meet with him and appraise him of the status of his case.*1:25 p.m. - Time for some more tea!*1:30 p.m. - And I’m back to working on the settlement demand.*2:45 p.m. - I’m called into an attorney’s office to discuss our strategy on another case that is pending in litigation. We have briefs due in early November and I will be assisting with the legal research and part of the brief writing.3:00 p.m. - Time to head home for a brief break before school.*3:15 p.m. - I’ve arrived at home. I put on my tennis shoes and head out the door with my dog. Luckily it’s not raining (although the sky is still gray) so I’m heading on a long walk with my dog around the waterfront.*4:30 p.m. - I’m back at home. Time to pack up my books and laptop for school. After packing up I give my Mom a call to catch up.*5:15 p.m. - Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to school I go. I’m in the car and headed on the 10 minute (if there is minimal traffic) to school.*5:30 p.m. - I walk into the Legal Research Center at Lewis and Clark. Since I have 30 minutes before class starts I’m going to get ahead on a little of my reading.*5:55 p.m. - Head to class.*6:00 p.m. - Commence Conflicts of Law (which state or country’s law applies in a multi-state dispute) class. Today we are discussing how a U.S. Court obtains personal jurisdiction over foreign plaintiffs.*7:20 p.m. - Conflicts is over. I have a 40 minute break before my next class so I head to the next classroom in order to do a little more reading ahead (and also a little checking of Facebook and e-mail).*7:45 p.m. - A few of my friends and I created a “dinner club” this year. There are 4 of us involved and every Monday and Wednesday one of us brings dinner for all of us. This means that we all are well fed and on Monday’s and Wednesdays and only have to cook a meal once every other week. Today is Meg’s day to bring dinner and she’s made delicious homemade chicken noodle soup and toasted some sourdough bread.*8:00 p.m. - Alternative Dispute Resolutions begins. Today we have mock mediations in groups of three. I’m an attorney for an injured teenager and we are suing the school board for negligence related to a slip and fall accident. We proceed with mediation and miraculously reach a settlement in our allotted time (only 3 groups in our class reached an agreement, the other 16 were at an impasse). We head back to class for a debriefing session with the professor.*9:20 p.m. - Class is over.*9:40 p.m. - I meet a few friends for a margarita in SE Portland.*10:30 p.m. - I head with one of my friends to her house to pick up a part of my Halloween costume that I’m borrowing from her.*11:00 p.m. - Back at home. Time to take the dog out quickly and then head to sleep. Good night world! Tomorrow begins a similar schedule.

29 October 2009

My Starting Line Up

Professor KanterProfessor KanterOne of the joys of life as an upper division student is the privilege of selecting your classes AND your professors.  I thought you might like to meet the people who made my “cut.”  

HE SEES DEAD PEOPLE AND NAKED LADIES… sta70370.JPG

When I read the course description for International Business Transactions, I couldn’t resist.  This inability to resist says a lot, because the class meets at the blasphemous hour of 8:30 in the morning. I am not a morning person.  I dProfessor Kanteron’t usually start defrosting until around 10:00, and even then, it’s iffy.  Professor Paul Taylor of Taylor Global Law Office is a fluent Japanese speaker and writer who teaches at Lewis & Clark and PSU “for fun.”  I understand his “fun” at PSU begins at 8:00 am, so I should consider myself lucky for the extra 30 minutes.  But really, this class is remarkably practical, well paced, usually interesting and occassionally even “fun.”  Professor Taylor is an import-export, NAFTA, GAAT, TAA genius.  He knows which color schemes and marketing slogans are sure to be flops overseas.  He doesn’t even blink when foreign business people try to divert his attention with life-sized posters of nude women hanging on conference walls. From what I understand, at least one of his eyes occasionally catches glimpses of other life forms.  To find out why, you’ll have to roll about of bed and take his class.

HE’S AN ONION…Professor Kanter

At Lewis & Clark, Constitutional Law is taught in two parts: the first of which is taken in year one; the second sometime before you graduate.  I have had the privilege of Professor Kanter’s tutelage for both.  Constitutional Law is not an easy class; on the contrary, I struggle with this class more than any other.  But Con Law II is critical to understanding issues that come up in almost every other law school course, so it is better to take it sooner rather than later. Knowing in advance this course was going to make me cry, I decided to take it from an onion.  I call him (though never to his face) an onion because he is quite simply layer upon layer of brilliance and layer upon layer of kindness.  His passion for individual rights and all things Constitutional, coupled with his ability to connect with students makes him an easy choice.  If you want to make his day, bring professional baseball to Portland and keep a copy of the Constitution with you at all times. 

SHE’S TOO COOL…sta70381.JPG

Barbra J. Safriet.  I triple dare you to Google her.  I got bored after 4 pages knowing 2,350 hits were likely to lead me to more and more of the same.  All of it meaningful and relevant just like her class.  Professor Safriet impressed me off the bat.  It wasn’t her beautiful resume that got my attention, rather it was, 1) she cared how much the casebook cost; and 2) she was concerned about how much it weighed.  She dealt with #1 by negotiating a lower price for us, and since there was nothing she could do about #2, I’m glad it’s at least fascinating “heavy” reading.  My interest in Health Law stemmed from my own experiences with the health care system and my recognition that health law affects everyone.  When I signed up for her class, I had no idea that I was going to be learning from a sought-after speaker, writer, and health care law and policy expert.  Professor Safriet presents complicated regulatory schemes with humor, clarity and a great deal of patience.  I recommend reading the Nutshell before starting this class because it will help frame the repeated themes of cost, access and quality in health care, and having the background will position you to think more critically about the issues presented in class. 

 HE’S A MICROWAVE…prof-jones.JPG

Property law has a reputation for being a daunting subject.  While concepts like present estates and future interests, the rule against perpetuities, finder’s law and bailments can make even valedictorians cry “uncle,” the information is both fascinating and relevant.  In class, we discuss topics like ownership of wild animals- including ones that get tangled up in a driver’s fender; whether humans have a property interest in their body parts; whether a finder of buried treasure can keep it; and under what circumstances a renter is justified in withholding rent.  Professor Jeff Jones specializes in turning up the heat.  He brings up a topic, presents a question, and stands at the podium grinning while his class explodes with various theories.  Honestly, his class garners more participation than any seminar course I’ve taken.  Something about his leadership leaves students (myself especially) feeling vested in the concepts, even if they are distant and rooted in medieval pastimes. To get the most out of this class, I would suggest spending some time with an ENE (Examples & Explanations) before tackling the casebook materials. 

19 March 2009

Last Day of Classes

Last Wednesday was our final day of class for the semester, and it saw us out in fitting style. With Legal Analysis and Writing completed, the only class set to meet that day was Torts, from 10 am - 12 pm. I thought we were in for a short day, the final stop in a week that was a farewell tour of first semester classes. We filed in nonchalantly, tossing remarks back and forth about how quickly the semester had progressed, and discussing our various levels of anxiety at the upcoming finals season.

Class began simply enough, with Professor Gómez-Arostegui addressing questions emailed by students prior to our final session. Quickly, though, the mood changed, an intensity arose, as seemingly everyone in the room became extremely focussed and aware, yet still relaxed. I couldn’t help but notice a marked difference in the class’s behavior from the semester’s launch, where we were mostly working hard at staying abreast of the concepts coming at us, devoting our energies to understanding rather than synthesis. Now, this final class had the sense of competent individuals at practice, being taken through a workout that was challenging, but well within our abilities. It was exhilarating to feel that as a class, we now had the ability to play with this stuff a little bit, improv and bounce ideas back and forth. We were, dare I say, getting good at this.

At about the two-hour mark (our scheduled finishing time), Professor Gómez was kind enough to provide us pizza for lunch, which was quickly distributed (we could probably write the definitive theorem on optimal in-classroom pizza distribution at this point). Sated, we returned to our seats to continue our review.

The coda to our semester turned out to be an intense, engaged, and impassioned immersion in all things Tort. Running through hypos, testing esoteric and alternative theories, with Professor Gómez conducting, even injuring his had (twice) while rapidly gesturing and sketching diagrams on the board. Through two more hours, it was a rather relentless and fast-paced exercise, an engaging and engrossing test of our knowledge and skills gained throughout the semester. We emerged from the resolution of the last question, surprised at the endurance of our concentration, with Professor Gómez hoarse after four hours of energetic review. A round of applause erupted from the entire class, and our semester’s classes were complete.

PS - Radio Silence
For the past 48 hours, I’ve not received a single Lewis and Clark related email. The normal email chatter with classmates, professors, and study group members has just - stopped. Is it finals? I don’t think I’ve done anything this weekend to warrant spontaneous and complete unpopularity. I can’t help but have a new appreciation for the cinematic trope just before the climactic scene that it’s quiet… too quiet.

8 December 2008