15 Reasons to (Not?) Date a Lawyer.

I have seen this article floating around Facebook for the past week and I laugh every time I read it...

Here's the link: http://www.eharmony.com/dating-advice/dating/15-reasons-to-date-a-lawyer/#.UheVORu-2uK

As the URL suggests, it's a list of 15 reasons to date a lawyer. The thing is, if you're in law school, an attorney, or have even like...met an attorney, you know why this list cracks me up. Here's my take on their list. I also had help from my husband, who had some interesting things to say based on our marriage ;)

Reason 1: Quoting your date will make you sound smarter: “My boyfriend is a lawyer and he says…”

This is true if you don't care about keeping your friends, I guess. "My boyfriend is a lawyer and he says..." Oh really? My hand says it would like to smack you -_-

Reason 2:Your mom and dad will be impressed. Plus: A lawyer in the family is always a good thing!

This one is probably true in the majority of situations. Unless your attorney boyfriend is a Democrat and likes to start lawyer-y arguments with your Republican father at family functions...Merry Christmas!

Reason 3: Most lawyers are fantastic dressers. (Yes, there’s more than one suit in his/her closet.)

I will say that most attorneys who are in court often will know how to present themselves. That being said, just because a guy wears a suit doesn't necessarily mean he is a fantastic dresser. I have seen some pretty ill-fitting corduroy suits in my lifetime. Also, when I was in court over the summer, one of the female attorneys was wearing a velour "suit" with sparkly applique flowers and shoulder pads the size of Texas. I would not put her in the "fantastic dresser" category :)

Reason 4: Lawyers are financially secure.

THIS. Who wrote this article?! I should find them and show them the stack of student loan paperwork I have. Once an attorney pays off his or her debt (which for some takes 30 years) THEN they're more secure. I would venture to say though that most of us graduating next year will be eating a decent amount of ramen for the first year or two in the field ha.

Reason 5: Lawyers know how to present themselves well – and up the charm. Your date will likely make a great impression with your friends and colleagues.

This is probably true if your "date" is a litigator. If he's behind a desk doing tax stuff all day it won't necessarily be true. Also, I feel like "upping the charm" is not always a good thing. We've all had boyfriends or girlfriends who knew exactly what to say even if it wasn't true haha.

Reason 6: Your date will stand up for you, even when you’re wrong.

Or your date will argue with you by applying rules and analogous situations...

Reason 7: Lawyers are often invited to interesting social events. Most of them include an open bar.

This varies wildly. I'm aiming to work for the government when I graduate next year and there will be nothing with an open bar ever. Unless unlimited water counts. Any attorney who works for a nonprofit, the government, or a smaller (even some mid-size) firm will not attend fancy schmancy shindigs all that often haha.

Reason 8: Lawyers are very experienced negotiators and excel at conflict resolution.

Many lawyers often are excellent at creating conflict as well...

Reason 9: Like to debate? Your date is always up for that type of challenge.

Don't like to debate? TOO BAD. 

Reason 10: Lawyers have good memories – or at least good note-taking skills.

Because nothing is hotter than a date writing down your answers as you give them. Where you grew up will be forever memorialized in a legal pad in terrible handwriting. Probably with abbreviations that only he or she can understand. Also, do you really want your S/O to have a good memory of everything you've done wrong?! Let the score taking commence!

Reason 11: Speaking of note-taking, there will be plenty of free legal pads lying around.

"Oh honey, I knew you were the one when I saw how many legal pads you had in your apartment." Also, who said the legal pads were free?! If someone stole my notebooks I would not continue that relationship for much longer...

Reason 12:  Your date will have interesting law-school stories (and lots of life experience). As a general rule, lawyers work hard and play hard.

Oh, I have lots of law school stories, but ask my husband if they're all interesting. My guess would be nope. And after working hard, my version of "playing hard" is changing into yoga pants and sipping wine while watching Law & Order. It's pretty wild.

Reason 13: Lawyers are eloquent, articulate and very insightful when it comes to reading another person’s character.

Yeps, many attorneys can read a person like a book... which involves spotting flaws miles away. Isn't that what you want? Just wait for your first fight because they can eloquently and very articulately tell you what your character flaws are. So romantic.

Reason 14: Eloquence is sexy. So are briefcases.

Not all attorneys are eloquent nor do they all carry briefcases. 

Reason 15: If you ever need your partner’s services, he/she will work especially hard for you.

...unless you break up, and then it will be very possible that he will use his "services" to make sure your life is a living hell (within the Rules of Professional Conduct, of course).

All snarkiness aside, I realize (or at least hope) that this was intended to be a humorous list. I just think it's interesting that the author tries to lump all attorneys in together when the personalities and jobs of attorneys vary wildly haha. As for me, since I'll likely end up at a nonprofit or other public service position, much of this list will not apply! :)

Surviving 1L Year

I was thinking that because this blog is titled "Love and the School of Law" I should actually write something about law school :) There are bazillions of books and articles out there with great advice for getting through, but here are my personal thoughts on surviving your first year of law school!

1. Treat it Like a Job

One of my TA's recommended this to me and it was the best advice I got. Basically, if you have class from 8-noon, stay on campus until 4 or until you're done with the next day's reading. This way, when you go home, you can actually relax! Because of work, I was only able to do this for the first park of my first semester but it was enough to help me transition. If it's possible for you to do, I would highly recommend this!

2. Know You Will Work Your A** Off and Get the Worst Grades You've Ever Had

This was a hard lesson for me. My first semester of 1L year, I loved Civ Pro. My professor was amazing and I thought my final went well. I walked out of that exam like a boss. Got my grades a few weeks later and Civ Pro was my worst grade of all of my classes. Seriously?! Hate.

Realize law school is unlike anything you have ever done. Ever. Also you'll have class with super smart people who set the curve rullll high (jerks). Remember though that everyone else is in the same boat!

3. Don't Get Behind

This is easier said than done. If you already read 100 pages for 2 classes the next day, the last thing you want to do is read another 30 for class #3. Do it! Skim it, at least :) Missing reading once in a (great) while will be fine (unless you get called on...meh) but getting behind is a pain in the butt. Most classes build on what you've already read, so if you didn't read for class last week, this week is not going to make a whole lotta sense!

4. Make Friends

The people I've met in law school are absolutely amazing. My law school is very friendly and really feels like a community. Unfortunately, some schools are crazy competitive so maintaining relationships is harder.

My friends not only help me study and understand material, they keep me sane! Consider your classmates as allies, not competitors :)

5. Don't be a Fun Suck

When I was a few weeks into school, my mom (nicely) told me I was being a real drag. Basically, I was throwing myself a pity party but no one else wanted to be invited haha. Since then, I've been making a conscious effort to not let myself be dragged down by this commitment I've made to finishing law school. Sometimes I fail though, just ask my husband :)

Complete your coursework, but don't forget to have fun! Go to happy hour with your classmates after Crim Pro. Get together with your parents for your dad's birthday. At least for me, it was worth it to stay up a little later to finish the next day's reading when I'd had a great time with friends or family earlier in the day. Plus, first year is basically a fight against going insane, and this will help :) You'll be useless if you spend all your time studying and don't sleep/breathe ever!

6. Use the Resources Made Available to You

Law schools typically have TAs for all first year classes. Email them questions, hypos, etc. It's what they are there for, and it can be so helpful to get advice from someone who's taken the class before. Attend workshops and study sessions. Some are more helpful than others of course, so try to get a "feel" for them first!

7. Realize What an Incredible Opportunity You Have

When I was really feeling down about my law school my first year, it helped me to remind myself how lucky I was to be in law school. I had a supportive family, husband (fiancee at the time), and friends who were all helping me make this dream come true. There are so many people who don't have the opportunity to follow their dreams. Perhaps financially they can't get student loans, maybe they are a single parent, maybe they aged out of foster care. I thought, "How can I feel sorry for myself when others would give anything to have the opportunity to pursue higher education?" It helps me put things in perspective.

There are millions of blogs and books out there but these are ones I found especially helpful. Remember, it will be hard, but you will survive :) And it will be awesome. Enjoy the journey :)

DONE

I just turned in my memo (!!!!!!) and I am so relieved. It's probably not my best paper ever, but anyone who reads it is going to know a lot more than they ever wanted to about conditioned plea bargains!

I am also realizing today how lucky I am. Today after work, I came to the condo to work on the hellish assignment. It's quieter here than my house. For those of you who don't know, I moved home to my parents' for my first year of law school and I have several younger siblings :) So the house can get a little crazy. I love being around the chaos and I love my family but sometimes I just need to minimize distractions!

So, anywho, Brian came home from work after I got here, and told me that he would be cooking dinner. He made real food (no microwave necessary) and refused to let me clear the table after, or touch a dish to clean :) Brian just shooed me back to my memo station (Which consists of my laptop on the floor surrounded by cases and legal pads. So fancy) and commenced the clean-up. I feel so blessed to be marrying someone that is so good to me. I am thankful that he will be understanding if I can't make a fancy dinner because I have homework or need to stay late at the law school. He will even cook for me without me asking :)

Less than two months till I marry this guy..I can't wait..!

Procrastination.

I have been working on a memo for legal writing all night. Clearly, I am super productive at this very moment. I am still hoping that sitting on the couch with my 12 cases spread around my laptop will somehow induce my memo into writing itself. So far, it hasn't worked but I am hopeful.

I have never been much of a blogger for personal reasons. I write blogs and newsletters periodically for the nonprofits that I volunteer with, but that is the extent. I think that my life is generally pretty boring, but sometimes, I have thoughts. Sometimes I cook new recipes that might be fun to document. Some don't turn out well. Perhaps I should write a blog sometime about all of my gluten free experiments that have failed miserably haha. 

I have friends who blog and I love to look back through years of entries to see all that can change over the life of a blog. I am going to try to create a record so that someday, I can look back through this blog and think "I remember that!" I am also hopeful that after I graduate I can look back upon this time of memo craziness and laugh, forgetting the tears, Facebook "breaks", and cheap wine that got me through it.

Mayyybe someday :)