BU Law is Friendly: Admitted Students Preview Day

March 25, 2013 at 8:22 pm

On Friday, the Student Government Association (SGA) hosted a social at a local bar for admitted students to unwind after a day of BU Law Preview Day programming at the law tower.

The SGA also invited current students to mingle with the prospective students. A drink with my friends who are in SGA and a little blog recon sounded like a nice way to spend a Friday afternoon, so I headed over to chat with some prospectives.

To be honest, I thought I would be one of the only current students at the bar unaffiliated with the Preview Day events. Instead, I was struck by the number of current students who showed up just to hang out with the prospective students. Some cited their own positive Preview Day experience as the reason they showed up, but others just came to be friendly and offer free advice.

Conversations were grounded in reality; no one was giving a BU Law sales pitch. As I made my way around the room, current students were giving honest advice about the law school decision process, their own experiences at BU, and the current state of the job market and the legal field.

A few weeks ago I wrote about the atmosphere at the law tower, and I think that the large turnout of current students at the Preview Day social is a great example of the friendly nature of BU Law students. The fact that current students were happy to come out and spend the afternoon meeting their potential colleagues says a lot, I think, about the “feel” of BU Law.

And the conversations weren’t just between prospective students and current students; the casual scene also encouraged a dialogue between 1Ls and upper-class students. In fact, I wound up speaking to a few 3Ls that gave me advice about moot court, the first year writing competition, and the on-campus recruiting process for summer jobs.

As a 1L, I love answering questions from prospective students, but I still have a lot to learn from the 2Ls and 3Ls. The school offers a formal student advisor program, a great resource for 1Ls, but I have learned to appreciate a general willingness to help out newer students that extends throughout the law tower.

I have met many upper-class students through students organizations, mutual friends, and networking events with interests similar to mine or involvement in interesting law-related activities that I want to know more about. More often then not, they are willing to sit down with me and share their experiences. Definitely a valuable aspect of the BU Law community!

 

By clarussa | Posted in Extracurriculars, Social Life/Boston, Student Organizations | Comments (0)

Detroit, Pt. 2

March 18, 2013 at 10:08 am

He asked if I minded if he ate breakfast while we talked. Of course not. First, he started eating an apple, trying to keep the juice from spraying the property tax bill I pushed across the desk towards him. But then he pulled out one of the most delicious smelling pieces of bread I have ever smelled, the kind of hot, soft, awesome-smelling bread that completely distracts you, even when you are of course a total professional like myself.

I had been hungry for awhile, but was so busy I had mostly forgotten about it. Because I was on this same trip over my spring break last year, I was thankfully a bit more prepared for the crazy busy-ness this year.

BU Law has a spring break pro bono trip program, sending students all over the country to volunteer at various legal aid and public defender offices. I spent my spring break in the offices of Michigan Legal Services, volunteering in their Tax Foreclosure Prevention Project. This Project solves a problem it had never even occurred to me as existing until I went on the trip last year. When I thought of foreclosure, I thought of mortgages. But, it turns out, property tax foreclosure happens too. People own their homes free and clear, have done so for decades in some cases, but can no longer pay astronomical property taxes. So the Country is going to foreclose unless they can come up with the money by April 1st.

Sort of, anyway. Folks actually have a few different options to stay in their homes, and they flock to MLS to find out what those options are, then MLS lawyers and advocates help them as best they can with whichever option clients choose. MLS has open intake on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, at 9:00 a.m. “Open intake” is a nice euphemism for, “people fill up the waiting room, line the hallway, and end up standing near the elevators, waiting for one, two, or three hours.”

I saw this particular client, a gregarious black man in his late 40s, sometime close to 12:00 p.m., and when he pulled out several slices of amazing-smelling bread, I was reminded that, oh, right, I’m starving. Evidently he noticed that I paused briefly mid-sentence, when he pulled out the bread, because he broke a hunk off and offered to me. “Would you like a piece, ma’am?” he inquired.

“Oh, no, thanks,” I answered. “Smells awesome, though – did you make it?”

“Of course!” he replied, looking mildly annoyed I might think otherwise. “Baked it myself. Nothing better than hot, fresh, banana bread.”

“Family recipe?” I asked.

“Sort of. My daughter got it from her boyfriend’s sister or something like that. But she told me – she knows I like to bake,” he answered. “So, hey, I figure it’s ours now!” he added with a laugh.

I joined his laughter, then turned our conversation to the matter at hand: “Sounds like solid logic to me! Now, this is your property tax bill. I know it’s a lot of money, and I know the notices the County has sent you are scary. I’m going to explain a couple of your possible options, okay? And some of this stuff is crazy confusing, and sometimes I talk too fast, so if I say anything confusing, please tell me to stop.”

He nodded his understanding. “Thanks. And, you know, my brother just told about this place – you all don’t work for the treasurer or anything, right? And you don’t charge anything for helping me?”

I shook my head. “No, we don’t charge anything, and no, I don’t work for the treasurer.” I paused, then added a line I said literally hundreds of times over the week I was in Detroit: “My only job is to be on your side.”

Read More »

By Elizabeth McIntyre | Posted in In the Community | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Gay? Fine by BU Law**

March 11, 2013 at 5:25 pm

Law school is about inspiration. You may spend countless hours in the library, more hours in classes, probably more hours in meetings and other networking functions, but ultimately you need to find your own motivation to persevere. Last fall, I was fortunate enough to serve as Treasurer for BU Law’s LGBTQ group, OutLaw. OutLaw has a rich history of social and political activism, and a diverse and active alumni network. One of the many reasons I chose to attend BU Law was based on the warm, accepting and active LGBTQ community at BU Law and Boston in general. However, I learned through Be Yourself Orientation, an optional two day orientation before regular orientation, that BU Law does not only boast a reputation for being “gay friendly,” but we hold a strong commitment for diversity and inclusion.

I am proud to be at a law school which places such a strong emphasis from its Office of Admissions to its Office of Student Affairs to its student body on diversity and inclusion. We have students of every ethnic, cultural, religious and socio-economic background, like most law schools. But more than that, we welcome diversity in the classroom, discussions, and friendships. We encourage people to pursue their dreams within the context of their unique background. Two experiences jump out for me to illustrate how diversity and inclusion have shaped my experience at BU Law. I apologize in advance for the lack of diversity in my examples, and I find that I am not the most diverse or interesting person (but hey, that’s accepted too!).

This fall, I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to direct a play. I directed throughout high school and college, and I consider it a underutilized hobby. I enjoy the passion and commitment that comes with directing a play and working with actors. However, this play was different from other plays I’ve directed. I found a place that spoke to my career as a lawyer.

“8: The Play” is a groundbreaking dramatization of the historic Proposition 8 trial (apologies for citing Wikipedia!) in California. This play follows the trial court transcript with familiar characters, such as Ted Olson and David Boies, counsel for the plaintiffs; Charles Cooper, counsel for the defendant; and Chief Judge Vaughn Walker, the presiding judge with his own unique relationship to the trial. This play was written by Dustin Lance Black, famous screenwriter of Milk and J. Edgar, and produced with help by Broadway Impacts and the American Foundation for Equal Rights. I was excited to tell a story through the actual words of the plaintiffs and expert witnesses, while relating back to the research I completed on Prop 8 and the other marriage cases. Now is an essential time to discuss DOMA and Prop 8, especially given the pending Supreme Court review this term.

I was fortunate enough to have overwhelming support from the BU Law administration and staff, including some fantastic professors to act in the production! I was astonished with the interest, passion, and commitment that my fellow students, professors, and community members brought to the production. Unfortunately, the production was one-night-only, but we were able to start a dialogue that lasted for months after the performance. Honestly, the discussion before, during, and after was more important to me than the success or star-quality of the performance (I was lucky to have both too). I had a unique opportunity and I could not have attempted it without the generous support of BU Law.

My second experience started during the fall of my second year of law school (what feels like forever ago!). After a year on the Lawyers for Transgender Rights Gala Committee, I targeted the sensitive issues affecting transgender individuals. I noticed that BU Law did not have a gender neutral bathroom. You might wonder why do I care? Why should we care? Each day, transgender individuals must make difficult and conflicting choices regarding their gender identity. I apologize that though I may have the sensitivity to these issues, I do not have the appropriate language.

However, I am still dedicated to these initiatives. Gender neutral bathrooms not only protect transgender individuals, but they also protect individuals who do not feel comfortable in single-sex gender bathrooms. It’s a privacy issue that I am proud that BU Law has addressed. While I brought many of these concerns to the administration last year, I am overjoyed that the administration and current OutLaw Executive Board found a solution. In fact, BU Law has found multiple solutions, including:

Outside the Women's Law Association and OutLaw Offices

- Temporarily converting the second floor women’s restroom into a gender neutral bathroom (temporary means until the new building is built).
- Temporarily converting the eleventh floor men’s faculty bathroom into a gender neutral, single-stall bathroom.
- Converting the seventeenth floor men’s bathroom into permanent, transgender-friendly bathroom.
- Promising that the new BUSL building will have gender neutral bathrooms.

Sign for the 17th Floor Bathroom

BU Law continues to be sensitive, responsive, and aware of the many issues affecting our students’ lives. Their action reminds me why I am comfortable and proud to be a BU Law student. I hope other students will continue to step forward and acknowledge the hard work of the administration while challenging them to address our evolving needs.

** The title is taken from a popular T-shirt campaign and not meant to be non-inclusive of the entire breadth and depth of the LGBTQ community.

By Brian | Posted in Extracurriculars, Student Organizations, Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Springing Forward

March 10, 2013 at 1:49 pm

580 Commonwealth Avenue

Spring is in the air here in Boston. This year the groundhog told us that spring would come early, and I believe he was right. It may be over a week before the season officially begins, but it is already starting to feel like springtime in the city. The month of March came in like a lion with lots of wind and snow, which hopefully means it will go out like a lamb. Either way, the snow is now melting and spring is right around the corner.

What does that mean for us law students? Well, first of all it means that we get to enjoy spring break. I think the second semester of 1L year has been at least a bit busier and more stressful than the first semester. The fact that we now have a week off to relax and recover is wonderful. It’s these breaks that allow us to do things we may not have time to do while we have classes to worry about.

For some that may mean simply catching up or getting ahead on some work without any distractions. For others it could be all about seeing loved ones, doing pro bono work, or simply travelling to warmer destinations. Whatever the case may be, it is important to take advantage of the free time you have in law school and to do something meaningful with it. That’s what lets us come back feeling refreshed and ready to finish our first year.

This only becomes more obvious after Daylight Saving Time. It seems to come out of nowhere, and suddenly we find ourselves losing an hour in the day. In law school your days are usually planned out by the hour, so for many people this can be somewhat alarming. However, you also learn how to be more flexible with your time as well as how to adapt to things that come up and throw off your schedule.  To someone with good time management skills, Daylight Saving Time has probably been accounted for far in advance.

I’m happy that spring is almost here. It was nice experiencing my first real winter in the North, but I’m ready for the seasons to change. Spring is a season of hope and new beginnings. It’s a time when we rejuvenate our minds, bodies, and spirits. The sun is out, the birds are chirping, and the flowers are in bloom. It becomes a joy to go outside and enjoy the warmth of the sun’s rays. It turns out that life is much brighter when we appreciate the little things.

By Zack Rothman | Posted in Academics, Extracurriculars | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Brewing Success

March 9, 2013 at 10:33 pm

Boston is known for many things. It is a city filled with stories and historic landmarks everywhere you turn. I knew it would be a great place to live before I moved here and that there would always be something new to see or do. What I didn’t know was how much passion Bostonians had for one thing in particular: beer.

Now, before I continue, I want to make it clear that I’m not advocating for anyone to go out and drink. Alcohol can be a dangerous thing, especially if it becomes something more than just a casual beverage.  It’s all too easy to give in to temptations when faced with stressful situations.  That’s why I feel it’s important to remind everyone to be responsible and to consider the consequences of their decisions.

With that said, let me now tell you about the cultural phenomenon of craft beer. Most people who drink beer are used to products offered by the largest breweries in the world, otherwise known as “macro-brews.” Brands like Budweiser, Michelob, Natural Light, and Miller all come to mind. They are often lighter on the wallet, but also lighter on flavor.

After coming to New England, I realized just how different things were here. There is a lively and passionate craft beer scene in the northeast, and the people here are very proud of that fact. When I talk about craft beer I’m referring to smaller, often independent brewers. They are sometimes called “micro” or “nano” breweries, depending on their size. They are not only distinguished by their independence, but also by the care and dedication they put into brewing their beers.

Samuel Adams is a craft brewery that many people would recognize. Run by the Boston Beer Company, it has grown a great deal over the years. Yet, today it still only captures about 1% of the beer market in the United States. Its founder, Jim Koch, came from humble beginnings selling his brews to restaurants and bars. Today you can find Sam Adams almost anywhere you go to buy groceries.

I guess that’s what’s so appealing about craft breweries like Sam Adams. They put a great deal of effort and creativity into producing a superior product because they care about the people that will be buying it, not just their bottom line. Those who live in New England have a great deal of respect for brewers like that, and are often inspired by them to try their hands at brewing themselves.  The feeling you get from making something your own and presenting it to the world with your label on it just can’t be described.

It is this admiration for the little guys that makes Massachusetts, and Boston in particular, such an interesting place to live in. You don’t have to travel far to take a tour of one of the local breweries such as Samuel Adams or Harpoon. It’s easy to make a day of seeing the sights, tasting the brews, and learning the craft. Perhaps the most difficult thing is not falling in love with it all after your first experience.

At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that you’re still in law school. Beers are best saved for when you have finished your work and have some time to relax. Still, there’s actually a lot that can be learned from the craft beer scene in New England. It can even contribute to a better understanding of the legal field in general.

I believe the most valuable lesson comes from the art of brewing itself. What makes the best brew is not how cheaply or quickly it can be produced, but the quality of the ingredients. Likewise, no matter what size law firm you work in one day, what makes you a good lawyer is how well you are able to serve the interests of your client.

It will take hard work and long hours, but the end result will be something that will make you proud. It really comes down to the choices you make. You can choose to take the fastest and most lucrative route, but you can’t ever forget who it is you are representing. Your reputation is a powerful thing. You get to decide how to develop it. In the end, it’s going to be your name that is on the label.

By Zack Rothman | Posted in In the Community, Jobs/Internships, Social Life/Boston | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Dyeing To Fit In

March 7, 2013 at 5:10 pm

Every time I told myself ‘No more after this, this has got to stop before law school.‘ The bad habit I struggled to quit? Dying my hair fanciful colors. (The title was a horrible pun and I apologize.)

I had been dying my hair various hues of purple for years. I liked the subtle little kick, first as a small rebellion when my high school uniform precluded other forms of self expression and later just because it garnered compliments and all my towels were already dye stained. I’d never encountered a problem either in school or various work places but law school had to be different. It’s a professional school after all. Surely the whimsical standard of undergraduate free for all could no longer apply: I let all the color fade out of my hair weeks in advance of orientation.

So you’ll imagine my surprise when one of my 3Ls roommates had hot pink streaks in her blonde hair, visible tattoos were not uncommon and even wheeled backpacks were acceptable (wait until you need to take multiple casebooks somewhere at once; you’ll understand that looking cool pales in comparison to minimizing back pain). While I suppose actual pajamas might be frowned upon, jeans and hoodies are entirely acceptable.  There are many, many parts of 1L life one is perfectly justified in stressing out over, but style in the classroom has proved not to be amongst them.

When I completed enough LexisNexis training sessions to qualify for an amazon.com gift card (both Lexis and WestLaw have systems that reward you for doing research and training, pretty sweet), the choice for what to buy was obvious. More hair dye.

By Sarah Simkin | Posted in Extracurriculars, In the Community | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

The Week After Follies

March 7, 2013 at 2:37 pm

Follies is over, so it’s time to reflect. First, there’s all of Follies week to think about, and then this week – both great weeks in their own way!

(1) Follies Week

Follies week is, in a word, insane. Starting last monday, we had rehearsal starting at 5:00pm and going until 10:00, 11:00, or even midnight every day. At the same time, I had all my normal classes and reading, as well as the first draft of my giant moot court brief due on Tuesday. The result was that I barely slept all week, and I filled every blank spot in my schedule with constant work. Even so, I missed a lot of reading and a full day of classes because the lack of sleep eventually lead to me getting a bad cold and laryngitis.

However, Follies week was also really great. Our first performance was so much fun! After going through our whole show over and over again, it was great to be in front of a responsive audience. That Thursday night, we were all done by 9:30pm and went out to the SGA’s after party at Game On for a little while. Friday night, we went for a drink at the dugout with a number of BU Follies alumni who had come to see our show that night. The alumni are one major plus of Follies – they come from all over to watch the show, and they are very helpful and eager to network with us. The next morning, on Saturday, we had brunch with more alumni. After the final show, we went to a cast party at a cast member’s apartment – at which even more alumni were present! The Follies week was time spent with some of my favorite people at BU, as well as a surprising number of networking opportunities.

(2) After Follies

Now that Follies is over, I have so much time! For the first half of the week, I felt more tired than I ever have in my life. I’ve never really understood that phrase “weary to the bone”, but this week I finally got it. I felt tired in my whole body, even after sleeping for 9 hours. However, the whole part of this semester in which I was in Follies taught me how to work with such exhaustion, and still keep going. So – on Sunday I volunteered for the study abroad group I traveled with in high school; on Monday I finished all my classes and homework by 3:00pm, then went to the grocery store and cooked dinner for the first time this semester; on Tuesday I had classes all day and still finished all my reading in time to go to bed; on Wednesday I went to 3 classes, finished my reading for the rest of the week, went to a personal training session at the gym, then watched two friends perform at a cafe in Cambridge; finally, today, I have two classes, no urgent homework to do and I’m hosting a potluck for my study group so we can make an exam prep plan for the rest of the semester.

The Point: I am kind of an efficiency rock star at the moment. Last semester, if I finished my class day at noon, I’d go home and maybe watch a show, maybe grocery shop, or waste time in some other way. I’d think about sitting down and getting my work out of the way, but then put it off for a few hours and end up finishing late at night. During Follies I couldn’t do that, so I got into the habit of not procrastinating ever. This week I’ve done my homework every day between classes or as soon as classes are over, so I’m finished nice and early. This feels great, and opens up so much time to spend time with people, as well as to do additional school work.

All in all, I do think Follies was worth the time and effort. I’ve made great friends, had a lot of fun performing, forged good study habits, and made networking connections too. I do have some catching up to do, but so long as I am able to catch up to my satisfaction this semester, I think I can safely say that I look forward to doing it again next year.

As a little treat, here’s one of our beautiful cast photos, taken by Tyra Bleek. She’s amazing! (I’m in the pink dress and blonde wig with the fake rifle.)

BU Law Legal Follies 2013, Tyra Bleek Photography

By debarton | Posted in Extracurriculars, Student Organizations | Tagged , | Comments (0)

The BBA: A Solid Investment

March 7, 2013 at 12:44 am

As you’ve probably figured out by now, I’m a big fan of getting out and talking to people in the legal community. Speaking to attorneys about their careers energizes me about my own future. When I go a couple of weeks focused solely on school – like I have recently as I researched and wrote my moot court brief for the 1L writing program – I lose some of the momentum that helps me push through nights of reading cases. Though maybe I’m just getting tired and needing spring break (two more days!).

Anyways, for my own mental well-being, I know I need to prioritize networking opportunities after spring break. For me, it’s not about making a contact in order to ask for a job. It’s about a conversation with a person who does what you want to do, and getting excited about doing it too.

One of the most convenient ways to do this has been through the Boston Bar Association.

As a community of Boston lawyers, the BBA is a prime networking channel. As a host of various events related to the legal field, the BBA is a resource for learning outside of the classroom.

So today I’m going to do a little public service announcement about how great the BBA is, and what new law students have to gain from a (reduced, student) membership.

Once you become a student member, you’ll receive weekly emails about BBA programming. You’ll also have the opportunity to sign up for specific sections, such as Litigation, Civil Rights, and Health Law sections, which send out individual newsletters with their own events.

Granted, you’ll wind up skimming through lots of emails about things that you’re not particularly interested in. And that’s okay; if you tried to go to every event it would probably take a toll on your grades.

But every once in a while, you’ll find something that catches your eye. Maybe it’s related to a topic you’re studying in a class. Maybe it’s an event with a speaker that you’d like to meet. Maybe it’s a CLE (continuing legal education) session about a type of law you could see yourself practicing. When this happens, GO TO THE EVENT.

Don’t be lazy, delete the email, and tell yourself that you’re staying home because you have too much homework. Just go, it will pay off.

To recap, why you should give up a weeknight every once in a while and attend a BBA event:

1. You will expand your understanding of a specific legal field, which can help you prepare for class or strengthen career plans.

2. You may meet interesting people who do what you want to do, which can lead to a mentorship or job opportunity down the road.

3. You can use it in job/internship interviews.

I want to call attention to this last point with an anecdote. When I came back to Boston after winter break, I attended a CLE program on whistleblower law and the Dodd Frank Act. I was looking into some summer internships that dealt with whistleblower law and I wanted to learn more about it.

Not only was the CLE session itself highly informative, but I was also able to mention it during an interview. The fact that I had pursued an opportunity outside of school to learn more about whistleblower law impressed my interviewer and demonstrated my genuine interest in the work that he did. I was able to speak intelligently on the topic and carry on a conversation that I simply would not have been able to do if I hadn’t joined the Boston Bar Association. Also, I got the job (more on this later).

So do yourself a favor; buy the less expensive dinner/jeans/alcohol and spend the money on a BBA student membership!

 

By clarussa | Posted in In the Community, Jobs/Internships | Comments (0)

Moot Court: Patents and Antitrust and Feedback (Oh My)

February 27, 2013 at 10:27 am

I have now spent fifteen minutes haranguing on about a per se illegality rule as applied to reverse payment settlement agreements.

Seriously.

Reverse payment settlement agreements.

Sounds unbearably dull, admittedly. But actually, in what I assume is some form of Stockholm Syndrom, I’m finding it pretty interesting. Idea is this: brand-name drug company puts out Drug A. Generic drug company puts out a generic version of A. Brand Name sues Generic for infringing Brand Name’s Patent. Brand Name tells Generic that if Generic stops marketing Generic A and stays out of the market, Brand Name will pay Generic millions of dollars every quarter until Brand Name’s patent runs out. Their lawsuit settles, everyone is happy.

Everyone except all the other generic companies and consumers. Because the thing is, the first generic company gets a kind of mini-patent: no other generic companies can put out their own version of the generic until Generic has put out its version. So, when Brand Name pays Generic to stay out of the market, Brand Name gets a monopoly that can’t be challenged. Translated into English: one competitor pays another competitor to stay out of the market, effectively preventing all other competitors from also entering the market. This implicates antitrust concerns because it is patently anticompetitive. (Pun absolutely intended. Also, if you don’t find this dull, you can read more about it here. The Supreme Court is set to hear basically this exact case in about a month.)

I had to learn all of this because I am in the Albers Moot Court Competition here at BU. Moot Court is different from, say, a mock trial. When you first take a case to court, it goes to trial, and this is the kind of thing you see on Law & Order: witnesses, cross-examinations, exhibits, closing statements, etc. Appeals look totally different from trials. No witnesses, no closing statements, none of that. Instead, lawyers stand up and just make their legal argument and judges interrupt them with questions. Sometimes, you have judges who will just let you get out may-it-please-the-court and then they interrupt you with questions (called a hot bench), other times judges will let you get a bit more out first (a cold bench). That’s what moot court is like. You’re given a fake lower court decision (ours is about antitrust law and patents), assigned a side, you write a brief arguing for your side, then BU brings in attorneys, professors, and/or judges to play the judges while you play the attorneys. Arguments take place in rooms set up like courtrooms in the law tower. You have to wear a suit and the judges wear robes. Afterwards, you get wine and cheese (hurray!) and feedback (hurray-ish).

Every BU Law student will do moot court at least once, in your first year, as a part of your writing class. If public speaking isn’t your thing, though, no worries. Your writing teacher will prep you well, and the oral part of the moot court is graded pass/fail. As long as you put in the work, you’ll do just fine.

If public speaking is kind of your thing, or if you just think it’s fun to argue (very deferentially) with judges, then you can do more moot court your second year. In the spring, there’s the Stone Competition, which is open to all second year law students. The top 32 students from Stone (an average of brief and oral scores)  then move on to the Albers Competition in the spring. That’s where I am now. If you really love moot court, you can join one of the moot court intramural teams your third year, and sometimes second year. (Our teams rock.)

I (mostly) enjoy doing moot court. I prefer a hot bench to a cold bench, because when it’s a cold bench, I don’t know what the judges are thinking. Much easier to try and persuade someone when you know what they’re thinking and why they disagree with you. Plus, it’s just more fun to have a back-and-forth rather than just talk. I did improv in high school and college, so I think of moot court like an improv scene. You prepare, but you don’t really know what’s going to happen. And – also thanks to theatre – I have a loud voice. Actually, as friends, family, and professors will tell you, that’s probably something of an understatement. I have a very loud voice. In our courtrooms, that’s not a bad thing, that’s a bonus!

Next Monday, I argue “off-brief.” That means that while last night I argued on same side I wrote my brief on, next Monday, I have to flip and argue for the other side. I learned a couple of things last night from the feedback: I say “sort of” too often, should pause briefly before I answer questions, and be careful to cut all we-think/I-argue from my vocabulary. I knew that last point, but sometimes, in the moment, a we-think/I-argue still comes out. Judges want me to cut that because, given that it’s coming out of my mouth, we’re all working under the assumption it’s what I think. Moreover, no one cares what my personal opinion is. Just state Petitioners’ position as the unequivocal truth.

Which of course, it is. Till Monday. At which point it becomes unequivocally wrong. Obviously.

By Elizabeth McIntyre | Posted in Extracurriculars | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Boston: My new home

February 26, 2013 at 9:13 pm

Summit of Mt Katahdin

BREAKING NEWS: I am officially a homeowner.  Last Friday, my boyfriend and I closed on a condo in Allston.  So, it’s official – Boston is my new and permanent home!

I’m originally from a small town outside of Seattle, WA.  For college, I went to Berkeley, CA.  Since then, I’ve lived in San Francisco, New York City, and Somerville/Cambridge (MA).  Never did I imagine that I’d end up in Boston, yet here I am.

Here are my two cents about life and school in Beantown.

In terms of picking a city for law school, I think there are two very important things to consider: (1) cost of living and (2) activities.

Before moving to Boston, I lived in NYC and I absolutely loved it!  I had a closet sized apartment in the East Village; I had social engagements almost every night; but, holy cow, was I strapped for cash.  NYC is an incredibly expensive city; I had to take on a second job and I just scraped by.  I considered staying in NYC for law school, but I was already living paycheck to paycheck and being on student loans sounded nearly impossible.  So, Boston seemed like a good alternative – still close to NYC, so I could visit my friends, but much more wallet friendly.

I also knew I wanted to live in a city.  I like having restaurants, bars, and activities right at my doorstep.  But, let’s be serious, as a law student you will enjoy maybe 5% of what Boston-metro has to offer.  Most of your waking hours will be spent elbow deep in books, briefs, and Lexis Nexis.  A friend recently confessed that she hadn’t seen any of Boston in our two years here – she only knows the 1/4-mile Commonwealth Avenue corridor between her apartment and the law school.

So why the emphasis on activities?  When I actually do have free time or feel like procrastinating, I want things to be easily accessible.  If I have to travel an hour to get to nearest movie theater or nice restaurant, forget about it.

Although, funny enough, one of the worst parts about Boston is how hard it is to travel short distances.  For example, my commute to school is about 2 miles and takes me 30-45 minutes on public transportation; 10-15 minutes by car.  My commute to work in Cambridge (about 4.5 miles) takes over an hour on public transportation!  BUT, within a 15 minute walk from my house, there are over a dozen restaurants/bars, a movie theater, a TJ Maxx, and an Urban Outfitters.  A few other nearby highlights?  Boston Marathon. Fenway Park. Charles River.  Tall ships in the Boston Harbor!

 

Lobster feast in the Boston Harbor Islands

BU Hockey at TD Garden

Looking beyond the city limits, there is an amazing plethora of things to do.  The general location of the city Boston is quite possibly my favorite part about living here.  I go to Vermont 4-5 times a year for skiing, hiking, camping, apple picking, hippie watching, beer festivals, and delicious cheese.  Surfing in New Hampshire. Camping on the beach and island hopping in Maine. Fresh lobster and oysters EVERYWHERE.  And of course, the ever amazing Cape Cod.  And, if the great outdoors aren’t for you, NYC is 4 hours by car/bus/train and 1 hour by airplane.

Fall in Vermont

Skiing in New Hampshire

 

 

By tamaru | Posted in Social Life/Boston | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (0)