Wow that was an insane semester

Quick recap on what has happened in the last semester.

Coaching an Mock Trial team made up entirely of undergraduates has been the most rewarding experience in my 2.5 years of law school. I've learned a lot from teaching them and based on my teams performances they've learned a lot as well.

A close second for most rewarding law school experience is my clinic. So far I've done two depositions, have two more scheduled. I had 140 billed hours last semester working on clinic (only needed 90). Decided that wasn't enough and signed up for another client this semester. Only my original client will go to trial. This means I won't be able to intern at the local PD office, but I think this more than makes up for it since I would just be doing paperwork at the PD office.

Wrote an appellate brief for a case that was just garbage. In so doing I seem to have impressed the professor as he agreed to do an independent study class with me so I can get a good case next semester.

My flight home for the break got cancelled because of weather. Missed my own birthday party as a result. Spent Christmas on a plane. It wasn't my worst birthday ever (I was sick for my birthday once) but it wasn't awesome. It definitely was the worst Christmas ever. So many screaming children on the plane. Every person working on Christmas seems to be disgruntled (and I can't really blame them for that).

Grades haven't come out yet so I don't know how I did this semester. I think it will be a middle of the road semester, but I'm slightly worried it will be bad. My GPA is the last thing I'm worried about as far as the job hunt is concerned though. My biggest concern is finding somewhere that is actually hiring. So far my best news is: "PD office B might be hiring by the time you graduate and pass the bar."

Bought a new suit. It was the combination of my birthday and Christmas presents. I've driven in cars that cost less than this suit. It is currently being tailored, once that is done I will probably wear it daily for a week.

Clinic Rant

A series of letters:

Dear Opposing Counsel,

It's great you want to depose my client again. Really I have nothing better to do with my time than drive 2 hours to the prison, deal with security, and then sit there while you ask questions. Really nothing better to do. Also no worries that you scheduled it during my Thanksgiving Break. I didn't want to see my family anyway.

Petition

Dear Opposing Counsel,

Remember how my client is in prison? Yeah turns out if you want to depose someone in prison you HAVE TO TELL THE PRISON IN ADVANCE. You can thank me later for calling to confirm everything was good to go with YOUR deposition.

Petition

Dear Opposing Counsel,

That's great that you were able to reschedule the deposition. It's very convenient to try and get plane tickets less than a week before the break. Plane tickets don't get insanely expensive if you wait a long time to purchase them. You are lucky I found some otherwise I was going to join you and your family for Thanksgiving dinner. Also thank you for changing the date to the middle of finals. Nothing helps studying like long drives and intrusive prison security.

Sincerely,

Petition

I'm still alive

Holy shit I overcommitted myself this semester. So insanely busy with clinic and moot court and being a TA that I don't have time to blog. I enjoy most of my clinic work, but I'm constantly busy. I don't have class Monday or Tuesday yet I'm in the law building everyday all day.

PD Office where I worked this summer is laying 3 to 4 attorneys off. The job market as a 3L right now is terrifying. Just pretending that I don't need a job and everything will be ok.

I went to 7 years of school so I could live with parents. sigh, beats digging ditches.

Jury Duty

This week I have had jury duty. Monday and Tuesday involved sitting in a room and reading for awhile then being sent home. Then on Wednesday I was actually sent to the courtroom. As we entered the courtroom my number was called and I was juror number 9 in the box. I don't like voir dire as an attorney and I don't like voir dire as a juror.

I have one piece of advice for the prosecutor who voir dired me: ask more questions. The following is a near transcript of the voir dire.

Prosecutor: I see you are a student, what are you studying?
Petition: Law
Prosecutor: What year are you?
Petition: 3rd

Prosecutor then sat down and accepted the panel. Defense attorney got up to do her part.

Defense attorney: Do you have an idea what you are going to do after law school?
Petition: I don't have a job offer yet, but I know what I want to do.
Defense: What is that?
Petition: Public Defense

The prosecutor visible reacted to that answer. Needless to say I made the jury.

I was very disappointed when we had a directed verdict. I really wanted to see deliberations. Mr. Prosecutor seemed to forget that drugs are required to prove a possession of drugs case. He couldn't find them. Moot point really since he also failed to prove possession. I did a quick poll of the jurors to find out how they were leaning. They were all leaning not guilty but for a different reason. They didn't find the possession issue that I concerned myself with interesting. They keyed in on the minor inconsistencies in the officers testimony.

I thought 3L was supposed to be easy

Two clinics and trial ad at the same time may have been a bad idea. Oh and TAing an undergrad class doesn't help any either.

Lessons learned

1. Federal Prisons are not easy to work with. Getting a straight answer about when a client will be available is like pulling teeth.

2. When a judge appoints you to represent someone he doesn't think the case has merit. I am appointed to legitimize my clients loss. This way the client will be angry with me and not the court.

3. GTA 3: Vice City is an excellent to relieve stress.

4. Holy shit undergrads are young. To my undergrads, if you invite me out to the bar with you, that's cool I'd love to come. Don't tell me you are 19 though. I'd rather not know that I'm contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Why I love North Dakota and hate Wisconsin

North Dakota has no traffic, a high speed limit, well maintained roads and no cops (not that you would want to speed if you want good gas mileage). It is by far the better of the Dakotas. South Dakota on the other hand has a lower speed limit, terrible roads, and signs for Wall Drug every couple of miles.

Wisconsin is now my least favorite state to drive in. The speed limit is low (65), the cops are everywhere (and accept credit cards in their cruisers) and the roads are littered with trash. During my recent drive through Wisconsin a trucker decided that he wanted to be in my lane at the same time as me so he ran me into the shoulder. Thanks to all the shit on the road this involuntary trip to the shoulder resulted in one of my tires exploding. A nice three inch crack so there was no hope of patching it. The nice trucker didn't bother to stop, nor was I able to get his license plate. It's ok though because I didn't need the two hours of my life it took to get a new tire, nor did I have any need for the $150 it cost. At least it was a nearly brand new tire with 70,000 mile left on the warranty. What is most important is that I'm not bitter about it at all.

I'm back at school now and kind of depressed. In two years nothing has changed. Seeing the ex is nice and awkward. At least we have half of our classes together.

PDs know how to party

People at the office organized a goodbye party for me last night. The parts that I remember were awesome. I drank so much beer, did some shots and hit on a coworker. She's really pretty and my supervisor and another attorney told me to. Then others starting betting on whether I would succeed. I drank way to much to even have a chance.

Learned a bunch of office gossip about who is dating and who just broke up. In that respect the office is no different than law school.

At some point I went through and thought of all the crimes I saw this summer that I've also committed. I'm pretty sure at some point I've committed and defended the following: DUI, Reckless Driving, Negligent Driving, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Criminal Trespass, Assault, Exhibiting a Dangerous Weapon, Minor in Possession of Alcohol, Disorderly Conduct. Crimes I have never committed, but defended: Violation of a no contact order, Malicious Mischief, Obstruction, Resisting Arrest, Driving While Licensed Suspended, Hit and Run, and Reckless Endangerment.