FINALS SUCK!

Okay I have one more final... now that I've been through the process here is my personal advice....

START OUTLINING EARLY so that you can go back and minimize it as you understand more (not add more as you understand more)

some stuff turns into common knowledge so you no longer need to read it on an outline.

CONSIDER using your weekends at least once a month to study as if you were going to take a test on a section in certain classes.

If you don't understand something discussed in class... IMMEDIATELY go talk to your professor and clear up the confusion...

Stay healthy
shower
eat
sleep


CRAMMING DOES NOT WORK... law school finals are about application, not regurgitation... how the rule is applied is as equally important as the rule itself.

that's my rant for today.

xoxo HAPPY STUDIES!

Intentional Torts

• So finals are knocking on my door and I have my first midterm in Torts (I know right) but to study I came up with this that might be helpful to someone......
• 
  
• (if you are easily offended.... GO AWAY NOW)
• LOL
  
  
• 
  
  
• 
  
  
  
• The FAT BITCH makes you AIC

(like ache) because all intentional torts require an

Act

Intent &

Causation

F-alse Imprisonment makes ur ass SAT

• S-ufficient, intentional
  A-ct of restraint or confinement
  T-o a bounded area.
  

A-ssault – think of aib’s prayer b/c there is an

• A-pprehension that is
  I-mmediate of a
  B- attery

T-respass to land, if you own land you’re a pimp

• P-hysical
  I-nvasion of
  P-laintiff’s property

B-attery makes you hop

• H-armful or
  O-ffensive contact w/
  P-laintiff’s “purse”on {can be something the person is holding]
  
  

I-ntentional Infliction of Emotional Distriss { aic’d-amages} makes you Over Dose b/c

• O-utrageous
  D-amages of harm or reckless conduct that is severe
  
  
  
  

T-respass to Chattel - ah hells nah! u gotta have a PHD!

• P-hysical
  H-arm or damage that causes
  D-ispossession

C-onversion of a PURSE

• P-hysical
  U-tter
  R-ong
  S-evere damage for
  E-ver!

This man has converted your purse!

Dear Diary

Dear Diary,

October 30th and now finals are around the corner. What I've learned as a 1L?

I'm really in high school again…. All the drama you can remember from high school (even if it wasn't mine) is totally back and in action….

I know now the real definition of "support system outside of law school"

I would like you to know that I probably would be lost if it wasn't for that system

Lawyers just write. If you find that to be interesting then this is the right field for you!

Who the "f" word invented 15 page memos!? Oh and get this! That's actually short, so I've heard….

Health = your best friend around finals time…

If you have a boyfriend, keep him…. If you don't… stay away from them…

If your in a small town, live vicariously through the TV because that's all you got!

My state of mind: wish I was on the moon!

Music is my best friend 24/7

Till I update you about some useful things… let me know if you have any questions….

HAPPY LABOR DAY

and while everyone is having bbq's and doing what people do on labor day...........

half of my day was spent on homework...

but here is the truth that I have figured out and now put to the test.

If you manage your time WELL enough, you can afford to have a full day off.

I purposley did not follow my time plan to see if it could still be done. NOOOOOOO

I have tested the option of not doing so and being careless with my time and in the end, it's not worth it!

Now back to your regular day of fun!

ABOUT ADVICE.... on that note....

It's funny that I posted a blog yesterday about advice because my Civil Procedure professor said this in class... TODAY... ABOUT ADVICE

Look at the source of the advice giver and weight that accordingly

As people give you advice on how they did in the courses, it would be helpful to know how they did in that course

Law school does not give you a pat on the back- don't expect a warm fuzzy feeling!
A's are very rare, it is likely that you don't ever get one in law school, so be prepared

Class preparation

If you are spending 3 hours to prepare and not any time after class- MISTAKE
Take 20 - 30 minutes after each class period to go back to your notes and fill in the blank and reflect what happened and build up those notes!

Class notes-

single most important thing your going to have, even when you get out of law school and start your profession.

Class Reciting

Outstanding class room performance has no correlation to your grade; grade is determined by final

Don't get burned out!

Outlining is important but that may be dangerous because you weed things out

A good form is to re-do your notes but making them in a logical fashion

Some say start to do it after finishing a unit

People will have exhausted themselves by Thanksgiving and then need to get ready for final

Analysis

Know the material, know the facts and how to apply the facts

In the end the best advice that I have been given by one of the attorney's I used to work for and that I have applied ....

• Take school as a 9 -5 full time job...
• Go to school and work on your stuff as if you were at a job so that by 5 or 5:3o you can be fully finished with next days work and end it with that and do whatever you want to do!
  
  

The advice I have been given

Find a good place to study off campus

Non-Law school friends are the best lifesavers in the world, it's nice to be able to get away from the law school crowd even if it is only for an hour a week.

^ those I got from : http://wishiwouldhaveknown.blogspot.com/






Find Study partner(s)

Find out what you did wrong on the test.

Understand the material talked about in the classroom!

A very successful lawyer at the firm I used to work for... gave me the following advice

Don't worry about looking like a nerd. You're there to study and become a great lawyer. Very few people are really so smart that they don't have to put in a lot of book time (and even some of those who act like they don't really do when no one is looking). Work hard and you'll be happy when your grades come back.

A DEAN at one of the Texas Law Schools was graceful enough to respond to my questions. So here is my Q & A:

What is something that you wish someone would have told you your first semester of law school?
Take Economics.

Law Review, what are the real benefits of it?
Definitely worth it.

A now successful NEW YORK attorney did a little Q & A with me, here goes:


What do you mean by don't get caught up with the geeks in law school? (He had previously told me about not getting cought up with the geeks in law school.)

- I did not hang out with the geeks at school. I did my own thing and steered clear of their bullshit competition

How did you know what type of law you wanted to practice? did you figure that out in law school or before?

- I decided I liked real estate after one class and just kept taking a few more

Did you have to take the bar in both places or just one?

- Don't worry about this right now!!!!

Law Review? Necessary or over rated?
- Yes if you can

What exactly is in an outline?
- Outline is just what it says.

You have one exam for the entire semester so you compile your notes to a word document for studying. Some people update it every day after class, but most people save it all towards the end of the semester (thanksgiving) or get ones passed down to them from other classmates. I never made my own and always did fine.

A very successful lawyer in Houston has mentored me along the way... so my question to him was...

Would you suggest putting off relationships until the end of law school or let that area of life take it's own course?

His responce: Relationships and school have nothing to do with each other so I would have as much fun as possible.


So there you have it! I'm sure I'll have more from very special people in my life... but for now... take this and RUNNNNNNN




Anyone want to add to this?

BRIEF IT! -1 moment at a time, remember?

If you already had your first day of law school your not surpised to find out that you have just as many books in that picture or more!

If your not at all in law school yet and aren't prepared for it... YES THIS IS WHAT YOU SIGN UP FOR ... BEWAREEEEEEEEEEE!

So you read your syllabus... and you encounter this word "Brief"

I like dictionary.com's definition: "an outline, the form of which is determined by set rules, of all the possible arguments and information on one side of a controversy"

There are SO many different formats but here is what I found to be very helpful, especially when you have to stand up in front of the class to get drilled on that case.

I also include my comentary on it but if you find it helpful you can just cut and paste the format and create it into a template and any time you need to create a brief, fill in the breif, it's all ready for you!

Name of the Case:

Cite: (this is where the citation of the case goes
What court decided this case?
When?

Parties: (here I like to add a little about them, ie. Doctor/ civilian/ driver etc)

Plaintiff

v

Defendant


Objectives: Who is trying to change the status quo and why?

Theories of the Litigation: Cause of Action- what is the action brought forth?
Defense-

History of the Litigation: Prior Proceeding: TRIAL-

RESULT:
PRESENT PROCEEDING-

Key Facts:

- I like to put them in an organized bulleted list

Issues: It's helpful to put the issue in a format that starts with "weather" or "does"

Holding: What was the holding?
Conclusion of law: what did the court conclude?

Reasoning: (here is where your analysis goes)
General Rule:

Disposition:

Commentary:
Why are we studying this case?
What makes it so special that some teacher put it in a book?

Orientation isn't that bad

So I found out that not all law school orientations last a whole week, since I've asked my other friends...

but I'm actually almost glad that it lasted so long! Who would have known how fun the socializing aspect of school was so much fun!

So the real question some of you might have is, what did you do in orientation?

Well it's not that much different from undergrad....

• Listen to the opportunities you have to join groups and organizations
  


• Meet the Deans and staff members
  


• Familiarize yourself with what is offered and the assistance you can get as a student
  


• Get a map of the school and learn where to park
  


• Learn how to use Lexis & Westlaw

And the best part?

• Free food
  


• Socializing outside of class
  


• Getting to know everyone!

Here is the part you will understand if you already read "my story"

So now that you know that much, I actually knew a few people that I went to school with which made some room for a lot more fun and a lot less acquired silence and nervous looks between the, as my Dean told me, "new family."

So any way... if you have any questions... just let me know, I will respond to those that I know for sure and if not, maybe I can find the answer for you!

My story

Hello. I am a first year student in law school who has landed in law school a number of states away.... and although

I'm not exactly my reason yet but I'm sure through this journey I will soon find out.

• 
  So like many other hard working students, my LSAT grades sucked and my GPA wasn't stellar. So I applied to MANY schools and one had mercy on me. They offered me a seat in a summer screener program (basically a program where you take classes and take an exam to prove that your law student material).
• I like to call it the, "put your money where your mouth is" program because you have to spend money to be a part of this program and it doesn't guarantee you entrance. Why should it? They didn't mess up, YOU DID!
  
  So seriously if your considering law school...
  
• WORK ON YOUR LSAT
  
• GET THE HIGHEST GPA EVER!
  
  if that means, stop partying like a rock star, SO BE IT!*

*that wasn't my problem, a little dumb-ness of not knowing when to withdraw from a class was more my issue.