Posts from the “Law” Category

Event planning 101, or be a dear and pass the Snickers my way, would you?

Posted on June 12th, 2013

There is a charitable organization I strongly believe in, for which I have done pro bono work and donated time in the past (somewhere on the tubes you can find a webinar I did for them), and to which we, despite our one-income-poverty status, donate money through the CFC. For some bizarre reason, given my misanthropic, introverted nature and my time-jealousy of weekend days (when my husband is home and I can write without punting to television), I volunteered an entire day of my time at a recent event. On my former law school campus. I know, right? I also donated two hours (including travel time) of the previous weekend to go for an orientation (which promised food, and there is still enough of…

Categories: Etiquette, Law, Too much to ask?, WTF

Ms. Pea goes to law school

Posted on May 7th, 2013

After her piano lesson, instead of hitting OMSI like we usually do, I took Pea to the state park by the law school. It was a lovely day, and after three days of not going anywhere, I wanted to be OUT. (Also, because of the condo painting schedule, I’m stuck home waiting for someone to paint our door…and they gave a two-day window, for Wednesday and Thursday. Really, couldn’t nail that down?) So we were going to enjoy nature today, damn it. It was a good hike for her. Getting there was a lot of up and down hiking in lush forest, for about 1.20 miles. We saw three banana slugs, which prompted no screaming (two flies and a spider, on the other hand,…

Categories: Good day, Law, Portlandia

Ask AAL: Acing the MBE

Posted on January 30th, 2013

Reader Mike sent in this question: Hi, long time reader of the site and big fan. I remember a little while back you were doing a sort of “ask me anything” type column on your website. I am a third year law student getting ready to graduate. Basically, I suck at multiple choice questions. I’ve done a lot of practice in the past three years, but it seems every exam I have reviewed with my professor, I did fairly well on the essay part, below average on the multiple choice part. Now, with the MBE coming up this summer, it’s on my mind more than ever. Care to give your take on how to improve your MC test taking? I am also taking a…

Categories: Advice, Law, Question Emporium

Five things to know about law school exams

Posted on November 15th, 2012

I am going to assume the following: You went to class. You outlined. You studied. Because if you haven’t done those things, why are you taking exams? You don’t want to be a lawyer. Go do something you want to do. For you who are stressed about your first set of law school finals, there is a lot of advice out there. Read it all! Take what you need and discard the rest. Here’s mine. Don’t panic. Really. You will get through this. You will not die. You will not pass out, throw up, or otherwise lose control of your bodily functions. Why? Because: All the information you need to answer the questions in the exam? You have it. In your head. Because you…

Categories: Advice, Law

10 things I wish I’d known about clients before practicing law

Posted on November 4th, 2012

They lie. They may do it on purpose or they may do it because they believe their story. Check everything. They are awful (almost always) at obtaining the records you need. Do it yourself. It’s a pain, but it’s better than an order to compel production. They forget things. Usually things that sink the case or their credibility. Things like being busted for drugs, or that time the IRS went after them for not paying taxes for eight years. (That was the same guy in the same deposition, by the way.) They want you to like them. At least at first. This is one of the reasons that they might lie. You can’t count on a client to keep healthy boundaries. Setting boundaries, like…

Categories: Advice, Law

Good opinion, once lost…

Posted on October 8th, 2012

After dropping Pea off at school, I took M to the lab (it is a holiday for federal employees but not for kids). It was a tiny setup, and in the waiting area (total seating: 5), I ended up sitting next to a Very Prominent Attorney (M even recognized him from the bar publications). Very Prominent Attorney did not recognize me, to my relief. Very Prominent Attorney did not wait patiently. Much sighing. Very Prominent Attorney did not stand up for the older woman who entered (M glared at him and then did). Very Prominent Attorney flatulated in front of the entire tiny waiting room. All I can say is I really will not be able to look at that guy again the same…

Categories: Advice, Etiquette, Law

The post in which Pea retains (imaginary) counsel

Posted on October 4th, 2012

After having daycare and preschool teachers who loved and doted on Pea (I am friends with them on FB), I’m facing the fact in kindergarten that she is one of 22 kids and she’s not loved and doted on the same way. This feeling sucks. I don’t think she notices. In her world, everyone she interacts with has always loved her and been charmed by her precocity and sass. Whenever a child is not kind to her, she is genuinely astonished. I am not astonished, because I know the world is a cruel and horrid place, and this starts in school. Once I can get past my vindictive feelings, I start questioning her. I need to work on my technique, because, let’s face it,…

Categories: General Parenting, Law, School

Clients You Will Meet: The Engineer

Posted on August 23rd, 2012

Another one for the Practice Tips series. Given all the wingnut clients you’ll see as a lawyer, when an engineer wants to hire you, it’s like lawyer nirvana. An organized, intelligent client that you don’t already have to explain the law to? (Because he’s already looked it up.) A client you don’t have to sell your services to? (Because he’s already researched you thoroughly.) He brings every relevant file to your office the first meeting. If you give him a list of things he must do, he’ll do them. It sounds like heaven, right? Well…it does. But it isn’t. The engineer will trick you into thinking that he understands the law and the nuances of the case, because he’s done the research and can…

Categories: Advice, Law

What not to wear (to court)

Posted on August 20th, 2012

This is really hard to admit, even pseudonymously. But once, right after Pea was born, I accidentally wore Crocs to court. I say accidentally because I had heels with me. But my feet still hurt, so I wore the Crocs in the car. And I was brain dead from lack of sleep. I forgot to put the heels on and didn’t realize I was wearing the Crocs until after I’d gone up, signed myself in for ex parte, waited my turn, gone in to chat with the judge, and then left chambers. And then, in open court, I looked down and said in front of everyone else waiting for ex parte, “Oh, shit.” Sure, this was one of the most laid back judges in…

Categories: Advice, Etiquette, Law, Not crazy...yet

Pro tip: extra court clothes in the office

Posted on August 17th, 2012

You know how you have the dream where it’s the end of the semester and you realize you’ve been taking a math class that you haven’t attended since the beginning of school and now it’s time for the final and holy crap, what are you going to do? That’s my version of it, anyway. It always annoys me that it was a math class, because how stereotypical could I get? Also, I’m way too OCD to not go to class, and forget about a class? Right. Even in ye olde college days, I had a paper planner that outlined every class every day. And a Newton. There would be no forgetting. When I started practicing law? Voilà, a new unprepared dream. This is the…

Categories: Advice, Law, WTF