best legal representation money can’t buy

I, like most all of my classmates, complain about law school a lot. It’s hard work with the light at the end of the tunnel right now being a crappy job market. That being said, there are many aspects of law school that make me glad I decided to come. I have made friendships that will last my whole life. I have learned interesting factoids that will surely serve me well in Trivial Pursuit. I have realized just how many times our lives are effected by the law every day. And, I have had the privilege of helping people who otherwise might have fallen through the cracks of the legal system.

I am currently finishing up my second semester as a Certified Legal Intern in the College of Law’s Legal Clinic. We handle civil matters for indigent clients. I have drafted a lot of documents this year but last Friday was my first actual court appearance representing a client. I’m going to err on the side of caution and not include any details about the case to make sure I preserve attorney-client privilege (even the stuff in the public record just in case) but I can say that I was arguing a Motion for Default Judgment and I won my motion.

I was pretty nervous about my appearance. In fact, I played a few games of solitaire on my iPod to get my mind off of it. But once I got up in front of the judge I felt fine and realized I had no reason to be nervous. My awesome professor had prepared me, I had the law on my side, and I really could do this.

Working in the Clinic has been the highlight of my time in law school. I have gotten so much satisfaction from being able to help people. I have gotten so much joy from the looks on their faces when they hand their problems off to me so they don’t have to worry about them anymore. No matter how much or how often I may complain about law school, moments like that make me glad I came.

Have fun!

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reentering the world

I realized the other day that I couldn’t remember the last time I updated this blog. Coming back to it and learning it had been over two years was a little shocking. I knew law school had eaten away at other parts of my life but it having taken me away from my writing, in pretty much all forms, for this long was surprising.

As the final semester of my law school career rapidly draws to a close, I have decided that it is time for me to re-engage the outside world. I have spent the last three years seeing primarily only people I go to school with, and while I love my friends I have met in law school, I realize I have let others fall to the wayside. I’m not okay with that. I have had to put hobbies near and dear to my heart on the back burner in favor of reading class law. I want to rediscover the things that make me who I am.

I realize that law school will still dominate my life for the near future; I have to deal with the prep course for the bar exam all summer. However, I have decided that I want to start the journey of reclaiming my time and my life. Getting this blog back up and running will be the first step. I plan to use my study breaks to write posts and get caught up. The first post will be up by the end of the day tomorrow; I am determined to make that happen. So, in the mean time,

Have fun!

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best birthday present ever

Last week was my birthday.

I would have written about it then but I was a) too excited from my surprise (more on that further down) and b) too busy with law school work.

Since my birthday was in the middle of the week, my mother came to visit me the weekend before. We had a couple nice meals and did a little shopping. While she was here we also saw Jeff Dunham live. I am fascinated by how well he does ventriloquism and the seamlessness of the show was amazing. It’s been a while since something has made me laugh that hard.

On my actual birthday I had class. Three of the actually. Just before Constitutional law 1 started I happened to check my e-mail and got the best birthday present I ever could have hoped for.

My yearbook, the 2008 Kentuckian, was named a finalist for the Pacemaker. For those who don’t know, that is basically the equivalent to the Pulitzer for college journalism.

I could barely sit still in class I was so excited. As soon as the professor told us we could go I was telling everyone around me about the nomination. I had to explain it since several people thought I had a heart condition that needed a pacemaker.

The rest of the week went pretty well too. Overall, I don’t know how a birthday could top that one.

Here’s a link to the listed of Pacemaker finalists so you can see who all else is listed. The covers of all the yearbooks are there too. Mine is about halfway down the page.

http://studentpress.org/acp/winners/ypm08.html

Have fun!

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trip to England – day one

Here begins the entries from my trip to England. They were originally composed while I was away on the trip so that is the tone in which they are written.

Day One

My mother and I have officially started are trans-Atlantic excursion.

12:10 p.m. After breezing through security at the Nashville airport, Mom and I are now waiting in seats outside our gate. The flight schedule to use that gate before ours has been canceled. I’ve heard several people talking to the ticket agents trying to make arrangements to make their connecting flights to all over the world. I’m hoping ours doesn’t have any problems.

I just looked down at a woman sitting across from me and was shocked at what she was doing. There she is sitting in the airport terminal cutting her toenails with a razor blade! And now I can smell the dead skin she’s scrapping off. I’m glad it’s been a while since I ate. But more than that I feel slightly worried right now. I can’t get through security with a bottle of water, but she gets through with a razor blade.

1:18 p.m. I’ve realized sitting here that all kinds of weird behavior and outfits come through airports. A little bit ago I saw a couple women who should never be without bras walking around in serious need of one. Right now, there’s a guy at my gate using his backpack as a weight to lift. Better than using his time waiting to cut his nails I guess.

1:47 p.m. My flight to Dulles was supposed to leave at 1:13 and I am just now boarding. The flight wasn’t canceled so I can’t really complain too much.

6:00 p.m. I’m now on the long flight of the day. Dulles to Heathrow, roughly just over six hours. On the previous flight I had the pleasure of sitting in front of a tween who got through the flight by kicking my seat and singing out loud along with her MP3 player.

While Mother and I were sitting at the gate waiting for our flight at Dulles an odd thing happened. We noticed a couple girls down a few seats from us with UK shirts on. We struck up a conversation with them and coincidentally enough, they are going to be third-year law students at UK this fall. Weird yes, but helpful nonetheless. Now I’ll know two more people when I start there later this month.

about 8:00 p.m. I just got through watching an episode of House on the tiny screen in front of me. Before that was the movie Iron Man and part of the second Chronicles of Narnia film. Diner was during House. Mother got hers first since we had requested the low-sodium meal for her. Mine was pasta, which was better than I had expected.

Now I’m going to try to get some sleep. The guy in seat in front of me has it leaned back as far as it will go so getting comfortable might be tough. We’ll see if I actually get any rest or not.

More tomorrow.

Have fun!

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interlude

I have now made it through the first two weeks of my law school career.

It’s been hard and stressful, but I’m surviving. Although, I’m not sure I’ve ever read this much in my life. I am enjoying it overall so I guess that’s all that really matters.

Right now, I only have two more cases to brief for Monday. I plan to get those out of the way this afternoon.

An in depth post will follow sometime this weekend all about law school.

I do have blog entries written from my week in England. I have not had time to type them up because of my class work load. Tonight I will remedy that and post the first few entries. There will, of course, be accompanying photos.

Check back later for posts from my trip of a lifetime.

Have fun!

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I did it!

Big news –

I got into law school.

Actually I got into three, but I’m most excited that I got into the one I really wanted. I don’t have a lot of details about what it will be like right now. I’m going to an open house for admitted candidates next weekend so I will know more after that. So until I know more, or I just have something else to post…

Have fun!

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