a look back

My time in law school has come to an end. I was mentored by and became friends with some of the best people I will ever know. I am thankful for the learning opportunities through internships, clerkships, and volunteer activities that spurred me on to learn as much as I could.  Also, I cannot say enough about my professors and advisers for their relentless dedication to diligent representation of their clients and the learning environment they created for me and my classmates.  I have the utmost respect for them. The basic truth - law school is hard. It is unlike any other singular life experience that I can imagine. It stretched and molded me in ways - good and bad - that will stay with me for the rest of my life. In addition to learning the law, I learned some important truths, which I share now with you:

• It takes time to create big messes, and it takes time to resolve those messes.
• Sometimes "wait" is the best response.
• Attack big problems by breaking them into manageable pieces.
• Be honest with yourself, and everyone else.
• When anyone else is speaking, be quiet and listen.
• Read the instructions.
• Motives do matter.  Question them.
• No one - and especially judges - will care what you think until they know that your opinion matters.
• Don't burn bridges.  Even the ones you think you will never cross again.
• Never lie.  It's not worth it.
• Work hard.  If your job seems "easy," you're probably missing an opportunity to do something important.
• "Having" time and "making" time are two different things.
• Learn about your audience before deciding what it needs to hear.
• Be nice.
• Think ahead.
• Waiting until the "last minute" is rarely a good idea.
• Think before you speak.  Always.
• Few people care about what you did last night.  Or what you ate for lunch.
• Vision is good, but the details are what will kill you.
• Know the rules.  Cold.
• Be friendly to everyone.
• Know yourself.

Thank you for reading ... 

the end of the beginning

Having realized today that fall term begins in just five short weeks, my next realization is that my life as a 1L is something of a distant memory.  I must say, I am very thankful for that!  As much as I tried to keep a positive (or, not overtly negative) tone in this blog, I experienced frustration and angst along with my 1L classmates.  First year is hard, often sleepless, and rarely fun.

In addition to the chunks of my outlines still floating through my mind, when I look back on my 1L year, I realize how often I was impressed (stunned) by my professors.  While the accepted pedagogy in law schools is very dissimilar from many (any?) other academic field, the professors are a credit to their craft.  Each with  a distinct style and approach, their love of their work is obvious in the guided discussion, leading questions inserted seamlessly in the flow of the classroom conversation, and 'nesting doll' structure of each class.

Let's face it, 1Ls all act (and look =/) like awkward turtles.  Yet, professors manage to coordinate discussion that leads to specific learning points.  In the process, 'wrong' answers are generally carefully redirected, even slow analysis is applauded, and every class period is beneficial.

I imagine that professors set out specific opening and closing statements for each class period or topic, then outline their path with some commentary and questions.  This is a guess.  It is possible that profs use some other method.  But, there is no way everything the prof is going to say is memorized (in part because it is in response to our crazy ideas).  Yet, they always have an intentional direction.  The profs' questions move discussion forward, allowing us to process and progress along the way.

I did not quite grasp the 'stacking' or 'nesting' concepts structure until the very last week of my first semester.  At that moment, I careened down a hallway and blurted to a classmate "I finally got it ... The concepts feed into each other!  My outlines are useless!"  What a great (and awful) day that was!  My outlines (and grades) generally markedly improved second term.  But, I have to say, kudos to the professors who organize courses such that the material makes sense, linking with and supporting itself along the way.

I suppose this post is written as a tribute to my 1L professors.  For the tough love, relentless questioning, endless reading, grade-less writing ... for your dedication to your craft.

Thank you!