And so, my first year of law school is over. My finals were completed a week ago, and I have spent the last week recuperating. Finals always take a lot out of me. It would have been difficult for me to concentrate so hard for a 2 week period, with the requisite late nights/early mornings and the accompanying “brain drain” without suffering some sort of after-effects. At least I get a 2 week respite before my summer class starts. That’s right. I am taking a summer class. There are a multitude of reasons. First of all, this is the first year that 2nd year students are required to take a legal writing course. We had 2 semesters of legal writing during the 1st year, but next semester is my last semester of legal writing. It will count for 3 credit hours instead of 2, so I would like to have some extra time to work on writing. Secondly, I will also be a staff writer for the Journal of Art and Entertainment Law. With that commitment as well as my Vice-President commitment to the Intellectual Property Law Society, my time will be more constrained than it was this year. Thirdly, the fall semester is the interview semester for 2nd year students. It is a time where we go on interviews and are (hopefully) placed at firms for the next summer and beyond (in some cases). Having a 12 credit hour course load would be more beneficial for that reason. Finally, the professor for my summer course (Criminal Procedure) was the professor for my Criminal Law course. He is retiring next year, and this is the last time that he will teach this particular course. He was, by far, the best professor I had my first year. This is saying a lot. I had some incredible professors first year (Weber for Torts, Roberts for Con Law, Greenberger for Civil Procedure, Ashley for Property, and Decker for Criminal Law), but Professors Decker and Greenberger were the ones who never coddled us as law students. They held us accountable while teaching us things that still stay with me. For example, I had a question from a family member concerning case dismissal due to lack of jurisdiction. I KNEW the appropriate rules for this! I have had contract questions that I have been ale to answer and Con Law questions as well. Criminal Law, however, was my favorite course last semester. What does this mean for someone going into intellectual property? Not much other than I intend to take some litigation courses. I see myself in a courtroom, and this is in no small part due to Professor Decker. I am looking forward to taking his class this summer.
I am also doing some legal work for Cabrini Green Legal Aid. This is a non-profit organization that helps the indigent of
Another goal for the summer is to pass my Patent Bar. The recommended study period for the PatBar is 150 hours minimum, and the summer seems to be the best time to study for the exam. Of course, this means putting out $1800 for the training materials (OUCH!), but in the end, having my PatBar taken care of before the fall interview process will be invaluable.
I also intend to do a lot better with updating my blog (cue the eyes rolling). I know that I have promised this in the past, but there is a lot more free time in the summer. I usually think that what I talk about bores all of you, but thanks to my friend Michelle Suit, I have been informed that many people, amazingly enough, find my ramblings to be interesting. I have always had a hard time opening up about myself. Although I can talk until I am blue in the face about movies, books, and pop culture, I have a greater difficulty sharing what is going on inside my noggin. Sometimes, I don’t even know myself. I suppose that is the purpose of a blog…to sort through the detritus of gray matter and come to a realization of what is going on in one’s head.
The next couple of weeks will be fun. Classes start next Thursday and my folks will be in town the weekend after Memorial Day. My brother and I are looking forward to that, as it gives us a chance to be a family (something that, strangely enough, has not happened in over a year!). I will also regale you with movie reviews of the films that I have seen this summer (thank you, student discount!). Stay tuned!
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