Week One Wrap-Up

My first week of law school successfully completed, and so far I find that it has been a rewarding experience. I am not yet overwhelmed with work, which is nice, and I am still finding the cases interesting and engaging. I am getting to know my classmates, and finding that many of the law school myths are just that, myths. So far, I have enjoyed a collaborative learning experience, and while everyone may have their own best way of studying, no one has attempted to sabotage mine or a peers efforts in order to get ahead themselves.

Some highlights of the awesomeness that is law school:

My criminal law professor was defense counsel during the Watergate trial. He also has some pretty intense opinions about the cases we read in the casebook, and he is not afraid to share them.

My contracts professor tells non stop sex jokes during class, occasionally bordering on criminally inappropriate. He is also the super intelligent type who just doesn't have time for the things he considers unimportant. He also cancelled class for this week while he goes to Turkey on a trip he describes as "business-pleasure."

The dean is active in intramural sports, and plays on the top ranked softball team at UB.

My first two topics in criminal are sodomy and prostitution. You would be surprised how many people have detailed questions about the technicalities of sodomy laws. And thanks to my class, I am fairly knowledgeable in that area.

EVERYONE asks me legal question they have ever had. I try to tell them, that after one week, no, I can't really answer very many questions (not related to sodomy or, as it turns out, farm animals). My civil procedure professor recommends telling people that I charge $100 for fifteen minutes of their time if they really want an answer.

Yeah, the other topic that you always get in your cases: Farm animals. It seems like all the trespassing in American legal history happens in Kansas on farms. Also, judges in American legal history seem to know much about "the nature of dogs" that makes them non liable for trespass if chasing sheep.

The "Law Scholars" (the name that UB gives the TAs) are awesome. I was spoiled during undergrad and had 1 TA in my whole undergrad career. He never even lectured anyways, he simply graded papers and helped with research projects. So I was really nervous when I saw that there are a lot of TAs in law school. So far, it hasn't mattered. They have all been very helpful, and each has made time for us. None of them schedule meetings when they are really running off to their next activity. They are extremely knowledgeable, and great at providing communication between the students and the professors. So far, so good.

Got some great thoughts to write about in the future, if I can find that time that is!