The Law School Life

This is the End

2005-08-14T19:47:00.000-04:00

I am over writing on this thing. hope everyone has a wonderful life. Later.

Seattle

2005-08-09T12:16:00.000-04:00

If you haven't guessed it, my transfer school is Seattle U. I am actually here in Seattle right now. The city is cool, a quasi-big city, with awesome food. Yet, I have still to hear from the dream law school. I spoke on the phone yesterday with the head of admissions, she informed me that they have yet to make a decision on my application. No big deal, school only starts two weeks from yesterday, and I do have to be enrolled in these things called classes. In order to leave myself open to the offer, if it ever came from the dream school, I have held off on signing a lease in Seattle. My odds of getting into the dream school are extremely slim. As a pesimist, I much rather just assume Seattle be my surogate home for the next two years, but my girlfriend would prefer otherwise. Not only would it be nice to be closer to her and my family, but the dream school would likely offer a better job search upon graduation.

Regardless of the decision from the dream school, I will be happy. The tour of the law building at Seattle was amazing, blows my previous school away. Also the school, being that it is a jesuit school, offers a chapel just north of the law building. Lord knows we all need a little support throughout law school, and that chapel will recieve many a visit from me. School starts soon, and so does two years worth of new experiences, I can't wait.

See You Later Alligator

2005-08-04T23:24:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow is the last day at the firm (sigh). The job is a dream for me, especially since I thought I had been passed over, only to find the senior partner lost my resume and contact information. There really isn't anything bad to say regarding the firm, it is a shame that I have to go back to school and leave the people there. Some people have negative experiences, but luckily I have had a wonderful experience. For those of you thinking that people at the firm read this blawg, and that that is why I am writing this suck-up post, you are sadly mistaken.

At the same time, all of my life is packed up in boxes, and my journey to my transfer school begins saturday morning at 4:30 a.m.. The future has never seen so bright, and I am really (seriously really) looking forward to writing in on law review. It will be nice to spend many tireless nights in the law library.

Nothing

2005-08-03T20:36:00.000-04:00

That is what I have recieved so far from my dream law schools, but I am not counting on an acceptance anyway. Plus, I am quite stoked on my transfer school, so this whole waiting game has lost its pain and suffering.

Even better is that my girl (who is an elementary school teacher) started her months break from teaching today. Therefore, she is happy which in turn makes me happy. You have to love year-round school, she gets three and a half months off throughout the year sparatically. If I could only make the money I will make as an attorney practicing teaching, I would so be there.

Pack Your Bags

2005-08-02T18:53:00.000-04:00

Today it begins, I start packing up my possessions and shoving them into boxes. Usually this is pretty easy, simply keep enough clothes for a day or two out and you are set. But not this time, with my crazy august ahead of me, I have to leave out enough clothes for a wedding, trip to transfer school, and trip to hawaii. Man life is rough.

Depositions

2005-08-01T17:39:00.000-04:00

The future seems so bright. One day I might pass the bar exam and then maybe get hired at a firm where I will work 30 out of 31 days a month. While the whole time getting paid nicely, whereby I can funnel my paychecks to a loan consolidation company. Only to sit in my office with a view and spend numerous hours reading through and summarizing depositions.

I have seen the crap work that junior associates get at my firm, most because they pawn it off on me while I am there. The future doesn't seem that bright when you focus on the negative, but it has just been one of those days.

One Week Left

2005-07-29T18:03:00.000-04:00

One week from today I will be packing to start my month of madness. August is crazy for me, let me descirbe:

Leave one week from today to drive to transfer school, chill there for a couple days.
Fly home, leaving my car at transfer school, and leave home the next day hoping on another flight to head to my best friends wedding.
Then staying in nor cal at the wedding for a couple days, only to fly home, stay home for a day, then fly to Maui for a couple days.
Stay in Maui for a couple days, then fly home, stay at home for a day, then fly to my transfer school (where my car will be at).
That leaves me one day to figure out which school I will be attending the day before school starts. To either move in the next day, of head back to so cal that night and drive without sleep (if I get into a local school).

August is likely the busiest month of the year for me, and I am so looking forward to it. I enjoy being busy, so I relish the craziness. Let the fun begin.

The Firm

2005-07-29T01:17:00.000-04:00

You had to figure that a reality-television show based on lawyering would suck. Guess they knew it would suck so NBC just embraced it, what a waste of an hour of my life.

If You Were Wondering

2005-07-28T22:31:00.000-04:00

On my blog there is a link hidden which will reveal to you the one law school I have recieved and acceptance to thus far. And sorry no hints.

Beggers Can Be Choosers

2005-07-28T17:54:00.000-04:00

So I got into an awesome school as a transfer, but I want more. Why can't I get into one of my four dream law schools, specifically two of the four. It would only make sense that the best schools I have applied to have yet to provide me with an answer regarding my status. Personally, I believe they just threw away my application because my grades suck and I am not good enough for their schools. Trust me, I am not be negative, this belief is grounded in truth.

Enough already, I am sick of stewing in transfer juices, my buddy got into his dream law school, why can't I? Or at least give me the denial, at this point either would work, then I could just move into an apartment at the one transfer school that has accepted me so far. Funny thing is that, the one acceptance was to the third highest ranked school I applied too (tier 1 schools rock).

Rejected

2005-07-27T18:59:00.000-04:00

From hands down the crapiest school I applied to as a transfer. As you can tell, it is a real bummer, Boo Hoo. I was actually told by one of the professors who wrote a letter of recommendation for me that this san diego school is one that Cooley can look down upon. The fact that I was denied was a welcome denial, I didn't even care if they gave me any response, since I wasn't going to go there even if they provided me an offer.

It is weird that all of my tier 3 & 4 schools I applied to have gotten back to me with denials, and the only tier 1 school I applied to gave me an acceptance. That makes 7 denials, 1 acceptance, and 7 schools still to hear from. At least there is plenty of time until school starts, you know about 26 days. This whole waiting for the good schools thing is really cramping my style. It has forced me to postpone my signing a lease at the school that provided me an acceptance until literally the day before school starts. That sunday should be quite a day.

Bling Bling, Money Ain't A Thing

2005-07-26T19:41:00.000-04:00

Apparently, money isn't a thing, considering how much money I took out today for student loans. I am looking forward to living the high life in the Pacific Northwest, showering with evian, having my butler cook meals, and most importantly buying a dog. None of these are likely realities, but damn I wish I had a dog. It seems that everywhere in southern california people are roaming around with dogs. Why is my life so scattered and poor that I can't afford a dog. Damn you law school, damn you.

Cost of Living

2005-07-25T19:01:00.000-04:00

Well, the verdict is in. I am going to pull out 1oK more in fin. aid than I took out last semester. The cost of living, as well as tuition are higher at the transfer school. The problem arises in that I can't apply for fin. aid yet because I am not for sure which school I will transfer to. It will be so exciting to graduate, take the bar, and then start practicing, only to know that all of my paychecks for a couple of years will go to financial aid.

Half Days

2005-07-21T18:03:00.000-04:00

So I am done with my public job for this summer, I served my 10 weeks and have bid that job farewell. That is, until next year (I was given an awesome offer), but we will have to wait and see. Hence, my working career consists of 7 -12:30 at the private firm. Let me just say, it is awesome, it almost provides me with a summer, like I am back in undergrad and I am taking one class over summer. The best part is because I am able to work a little extra at the private firm I have been getting positive recognition for my work.

Life is nice right now, minus the extreme heat we are facing in southern california right now. And of course the fact that I am not sure which school I am transferring to since I have yet to hear from all of them. I have a couple friends who are transferring, and pretty much all of them are still waiting to hear from their ideal law school. It is almost like it is another law school right of passage. Like, hey you want to transfer, well then you will just have to sweat it out until a week before school starts to find out.

This Sucks

2005-07-20T19:06:00.000-04:00

I just called the law schools I have yet to hear from, they said they could notify me of my acceptance within a week before the start of the new school year. This is crazy, I might have already signed a 9 month lease for an apartment in the pacific northwest by that time. How the heck am I going to get out of that one.

I know contract law, but unconscionability doesn't sound like a good excuse.

It Only Costs 37 Cents

2005-07-20T18:20:00.000-04:00

That is the cost of sending my denial or acceptance to either of the four law schools I have still yet to hear from. All happen to be the best law schools I applied to as a transfer. I figured that I would hear from all four first being that they are the most prestiguous and highest ranked schools I choose to apply too. Yet, here I sit, 4 weeks until school starts in the fall, without the knowledge of what school I will attend in the fall for sure. One sure thing is that I have left Lansing, Michigan behind. Cooley will never again be a party to my education. Another sure thing is that I will be attending law school on the west coast. The question being, how far away from my girl and family I will be is up in the air.

To be honest, I would be happy with either the accpetance or rejection at this point. Just some kind of feedback would be nice. I mean, this is cutting it pretty short; I still have to apply for financial aid, and pick classes at a would be transfer school.

Sadly, I heard from a senior associate at the firm that she heard from NYU two weeks before class started that she had been accepted as a transfer. That would suck, it would mean I would need to move all of my stuff back from Seattle, somehow figure out how to get out of my lease in my apartment there. Bottom line is it would be a giant mess. It doesn't really help that I have the craziest august in record. From trips to seattle (transfer), san fran (best buds wedding), to maui (vacation with the girl), I am booked.

Lets hope the mail provides some feedback sometime sooner than later.

Biznillables

2005-07-19T21:49:00.000-04:00

By the end of this month, I will likely have doubled the number of billable hours I logged last month. This is pretty insane; I find myself working longer hours at the same pay. But I must admit, I enjoy what I do, and the money is great.

With school on the horizon, I am more motivated to work hard and make a lasting impression. Lord knows I would love to be back at the firm next summer, and with a little luck and some more hard work I will likely achieve my goal.

On a sad note, the young guy who is (was) friends with my girlfriend who was dying of cancer, contracted an infection, and has since died. He was 24 years old.

One Lucky Guy

2005-07-17T22:10:00.000-04:00

On an topic unrelated to law, my girlfriend yesterday said something that made me love her more, if that is even possible. As well, I found out today that one of her friends from high school has lymphoma cancer, he is 24.

Life is about perspective, there are always those better off, and those worse. This seems to be something (at least for me) that law students forget about. No matter where you go to school, or how hectic life gets during school, you are lucky. You are blessed to be in the position you are. Imagine if you were borne into a life where such oppurtunity did not exist, you would know no better.

The bottom line being, I am one lucky guy. Sure I have problems, who doesn't? But, I also have gifts, glorious gifts bestowed upon me by god the almighty. Blessed with a family including amazing parents and grandparents, to a woman who I was born to love, I am one lucky guy.

p.s. To my buddy slander, I will catch up with you soon enough, don't give up the posting.

The Best Movie This Year Is ....

2005-07-15T19:29:00.000-04:00

The March of the Penguins

Represent

2005-07-14T17:41:00.000-04:00

The opposition to the SMJ pleading is out the door at my prestigious private firm tonight. I did the cite checking today and found some errors. It is damn hard to write a 45 page brief without a couple errors. More interesting was the fact that some of my personal writings were cut-and-pasted into the brief. Makes me feel good, like my research and time was not in vain. Although I could totally understand why I would not be given the task of assembling the brief on my own.

This summer has provided me with a good understand of how a mid-sized firm functions, and I dig it. It is this tier system, where everyone relies on the each other to achieve their goals. I will be eager to hear what the result of the motion is, and will likely be back at my transfer school when the judge makes his decision. Though this is unfortunate, what is fortunate are my experiences this summer and the experiences I am looking forward to at the new transfer school over the next two years.

I already have my apartment, classes, and travel schedule set up to get myself situated. My enjoyment of planning should be evident, since I recieved notice of my admission earlier this week and have already taken care of all of the details surrounding my attendence.

The real monkey wrench that could go into the works would be if I was accepted to one of the 4 schools which I have yet to hear from, which are ranked higher than my transfer school. This is highly unlikely, so I am not holding my breath.

Why Can't Law School Be Free?

2005-07-13T23:06:00.000-04:00

These student loans are killing me.

The Smile Persists

2005-07-12T17:59:00.000-04:00

Today, after yesterdays news, the smile on my face continues. My classes for my new school are scheduled and I am looking forward to my move to the pacific-northwest in the fall. A doubtful mood has been prevalent in my life since I began this transfer process. My grades were good, but not great. My extras were solid, but not exceptional.

I feel blessed, and I am more excited to hear that the school I am going to attend is a catholic school. And I as a catholic will have a local parish to attend sunday mass.

At work today, trying to hide the smile, I told some co-workers at the firm, and did my best not to look like a little kid on christmas. But, if you were looking at me, I am sure you could have seen the happiness on my face. Although I am leaving Cooley, I will never forget Lansing. That is certainly not to say that I will ever voluntarily return to visit Lansing. But, I will email my professors who wrote me letters of rec and provide them with the outcome. Hope all is well for everyone, because all is well currently for me.

Yeah I'm Back. What Are You Going To Do About It?

2005-07-11T20:25:00.000-04:00

I have been accepted. After almost an entire summer of denials, the transfer acceptance came in. I am attending law school in the fall on the west coast, at a tier one school, with one of the top legal writing programs in the country. And I still have 7 more schools to hear from.

Today was a good day, the school that accepted me has accepted a couple other Cooley kids from what I hear, and I know about two guys. Just to be back on the west coast, going to school with people I know who are cool and smart, man I am lucky. Not to mention I am a short plane flight away from my girlie.

Tonight is dinner and drinks. And to all you tier 1 kids at work I say, "what now?" I will never forget my roots, my Cooley roots. The only school to give me a chance from the start.

It Has Been Fun While It Lasted

2005-06-30T22:05:00.000-04:00

I am signing off for the summer. I have been discovered by co-workers at one of my places of employment. Given my recent loss of anonymity, I have decided to end the summer posts. I will resume when I return to Cooley in the fall. To all the haters out there I say, "beat it jerks." Spicoli Out!

Grammar Nazi

2005-06-30T19:24:00.000-04:00

For those of you who didn't have the oppurtunity to read a post that I recently deleted, I recieved some negative commentary from mr. anonymous. His/her critique was of a word which was improperly used, I do appreciate the grammar lesson, but citing my 147 score lsat was just cold. Clearly mr. anonymous is a tad bit snobby and probably got a higher lsat. Let me be the first to say congratulations on doing so well on your lsat mr. anonymous, and for going to a prestigous law school. That automatically makes you a success. Well at least until that bar exam comes around, and then that whole job thing.

You see I can take constructive criticism, but understand that I don't sit down and spell check my posts, I just write and if it sounds dumb to others, so be it. I write this blawg for me and not for you, so if you are perturbed by my grammar or word usage then my suggestion would be to click somewhere else. And if you think your better than everyone because you go to some prestiguous law school, or you got some great lsat score then maybe you are. But odds are you are not, and one day when you are in court and you lose a case (probably sooner than later) you can't whine to the judge and say but judge, I went to such and such law school or but judge I scored high on my lsat. The bottom line is once you are out of school I will see you in court and hand you a kleenex to wipe the tears from your eyes when you lose a case to me. So here is to 2004, the year I started law school, because that was the last time someone cared about my lsat score, and probably yours.