So this week in law school is "Bridge Week" for me. Essentially, all the regular classes I have this week will be converted into one class called "Law in Context" that's worth 3 credits which is half the credits of a regular law course. Basically, our schedules are the same but the content of the classes are different. In each class we get to learn a different facet of all the ethical duties, potential professional conficts, and disclipinary actions that could arise if we happen to be total fuck ups as lawyers.
Did you know I can receive disciplinary actions based no what I do outside the office, I guess being lawyer means scaling back my dreams of becoming an international playboy. No blatant drunken-coke-induced debauchery for me. Only covert drunken-coke-induced debauchery... (in international waters) for me.
On a another note, Heather's heading home on Thursday for her convocation. I'm so jealous... i was so tempted to book a ticket and head home with her, but unfortunately there is no flex in my schedule. After bridgeweek, i'll have 4 writing assignment all due the next friday. Plus, I've got an LSLAP (Law Students Legal Advice Program) clinic the following monday.
The LSLAP program is the UBC legal aid program that provides legal advice to low income families and individuals. Its run entirely by volunteer lawyers and students. Basically, at the start of school, they said join this club or you won't get a job. So I joined, as did the rest of the 200 other fearful 1st year law students. So, with the help of a volunteer lawyer, I get to utilize my supple 6 weeks worth of legal education to help deranged homeless people or uppity-rich-folk-pretending-to-be-poor so they can get free legal advice about their 4 beach front properties.
Craziness.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Law School in a Nutshell
So i'm sitting in the "interaction area", which is effectively like "the pit" of the U of R in the the law building... i should probably start on the paper I have due tomorrow, but since i can't quite work up the motivation do it yet, i'll write to u guys in the mean time.
If it weren't for the horror stories of how dilapidated the engineer building is, i probably would not be able to appreciate the few amenities at the UBC law building. Its a bit of an eye sore, definitely not as pretty as the new buidlings that U of R seems to erecting these days. I think the UBC law building won some award for the most creative use of concrete (did i mention that in my other blog? I can't remember). No joke, i think its in a brochure somewhere. For most political science student this building is an upgrade but, for me at least, its definitely a downgrade from what i've been used too. Business school spoiled me. I forget sometimes that the business is by far the most highly funded faculty at least at the U of R. Lectures without powerpoint in a "smart" classroom was almost unheard of in classes. At law school, there's a podium, desk, and chairs, and maybe four power outlets for 40-50 students who all have laptops. Thank god I have a new Mac with a fresh battery.
There are some great features about the law building, its got a great library, and if you ever need a dead silent place to work, that's the place to be. They also have a "candidas" which i guess is our food court which is nice. They have a panini press, microwaves, fridges that everyone can use and free hot water... which is great for me... since i have a french press cup from starbucks.
Law school as a program is definitelys structured differently from any program i've ever heard of or participated in. Its pretty crazy. They take 200 first year law students and divide them into "small groups" of twenty. They pretty much stated, very eloquently, to all of us that these people are our new friends, get to know them... cuz they will be the only people u will ever see for the rest of the year.
For the most part, that's been holding true. i see the same 20 or so people, some in my small group, some not, in all my classes. Our schedules are exactly the same... right down to the breaks. Crazy, huh. It pretty much forces you to get to know these people. These will be the people that will share notes and save your ass when you happen to forget some important detail... so you'd better buy into the spirit of cooperation b/c the people that go it alone are the ones that are left behind.
The grading scheme is pretty messed too, but everyone expected it; however, its still hard for me to choke down sometimes. Basically, you are not graded on how "right" you are, you could construct a picture perfect case brief, that is absolutely rock solid, but if everyone does a picture perfect case, you'll only get a 70... at best. You are marked in comparison to the class, not to how "right" you are. At least in undergrad there was a distribution that the profs had make all student fall under... so there was the chance someone could get a ninety, but not everyone could get one. In law school, there is a range of marks and no distribution. The basic range of marks is generally 68-75, if you are absolutely steller u'll get a 72-73, if your avg u'll get a 70. Oh, if you want to do a masters in law, the minimum requirement is a 80% to be considered... brutal gabe.
I spend about 15.5 hours in class a and a about 26.5 hours in the law building a week. that's gotta be at least double what i did in my undergrad.
Its hard to imagine, after just reading what i just wrote, how or why anyone would subject themselves to this kind of punishment. I can honestly tell you, that i love it here. I can't say the last month hasn't been difficult because it has been a huge adjustment and it definitely did not go smoothly. I guess, its finally nice to be finally doing what i wanted to do since I graduated high school. Feels like it took me forever to get here... but I finally feel like i'm in the right place.
If it weren't for the horror stories of how dilapidated the engineer building is, i probably would not be able to appreciate the few amenities at the UBC law building. Its a bit of an eye sore, definitely not as pretty as the new buidlings that U of R seems to erecting these days. I think the UBC law building won some award for the most creative use of concrete (did i mention that in my other blog? I can't remember). No joke, i think its in a brochure somewhere. For most political science student this building is an upgrade but, for me at least, its definitely a downgrade from what i've been used too. Business school spoiled me. I forget sometimes that the business is by far the most highly funded faculty at least at the U of R. Lectures without powerpoint in a "smart" classroom was almost unheard of in classes. At law school, there's a podium, desk, and chairs, and maybe four power outlets for 40-50 students who all have laptops. Thank god I have a new Mac with a fresh battery.
There are some great features about the law building, its got a great library, and if you ever need a dead silent place to work, that's the place to be. They also have a "candidas" which i guess is our food court which is nice. They have a panini press, microwaves, fridges that everyone can use and free hot water... which is great for me... since i have a french press cup from starbucks.
Law school as a program is definitelys structured differently from any program i've ever heard of or participated in. Its pretty crazy. They take 200 first year law students and divide them into "small groups" of twenty. They pretty much stated, very eloquently, to all of us that these people are our new friends, get to know them... cuz they will be the only people u will ever see for the rest of the year.
For the most part, that's been holding true. i see the same 20 or so people, some in my small group, some not, in all my classes. Our schedules are exactly the same... right down to the breaks. Crazy, huh. It pretty much forces you to get to know these people. These will be the people that will share notes and save your ass when you happen to forget some important detail... so you'd better buy into the spirit of cooperation b/c the people that go it alone are the ones that are left behind.
The grading scheme is pretty messed too, but everyone expected it; however, its still hard for me to choke down sometimes. Basically, you are not graded on how "right" you are, you could construct a picture perfect case brief, that is absolutely rock solid, but if everyone does a picture perfect case, you'll only get a 70... at best. You are marked in comparison to the class, not to how "right" you are. At least in undergrad there was a distribution that the profs had make all student fall under... so there was the chance someone could get a ninety, but not everyone could get one. In law school, there is a range of marks and no distribution. The basic range of marks is generally 68-75, if you are absolutely steller u'll get a 72-73, if your avg u'll get a 70. Oh, if you want to do a masters in law, the minimum requirement is a 80% to be considered... brutal gabe.
I spend about 15.5 hours in class a and a about 26.5 hours in the law building a week. that's gotta be at least double what i did in my undergrad.
Its hard to imagine, after just reading what i just wrote, how or why anyone would subject themselves to this kind of punishment. I can honestly tell you, that i love it here. I can't say the last month hasn't been difficult because it has been a huge adjustment and it definitely did not go smoothly. I guess, its finally nice to be finally doing what i wanted to do since I graduated high school. Feels like it took me forever to get here... but I finally feel like i'm in the right place.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
A Much Belated Blog
Hey guys,
Sorry i haven't written in awhile... life has been crazy. Ever since I’ve gotten into Vancouver, I’ve been feeling like I have a million things to do that HAD to be done yesterday.
For the most part, Vancouver has been great. I miss home terribly... there are days where it would nice see another person in Rider paraphernalia or not feel like I’ve been consistently walking uphill for a fort night. I miss my family, car, and all around easy-going-friendly Saskatchewanians. I guess probably the hardest adjustment for me was not being able to just pick up the phone and call people to do stuff. Everything in Vancouver needs to planned ahead. Those spur of the moment plans that I have been so accustomed to in Regina are not possibly in Vancouver.
Everyone loves Vancouver (that seems to be the general rule around here). There really isn’t any reason not to love Vancouver, it’s a very exciting city and there will always be a ton of stuff to do… if you have time to do it… that is. For what its worth, I like Vancouver too, but the “lifestyle” takes a bit getting used too. I pretty much feel like a bum 24/7, I can’t be bothered to put on anything other than a T-shirt and jeans lately. When your living in Kitsilano area (people here call it Kits for short) your likely to fall in this continuum: a poor student, uppity yuppie, or some weird blend like poor student pretending to be a uppity yuppie. I love those ones, you can pretty much foresee the real world slamming into them like an angry train when they realize they shouldn’t have spent their rent money on a $500 blinged-out sweat suit. People are generally nice here, that is… until they hit the road, then they all become maniacs. The view can’t be beat, I love seeing the mountains, and I’m less than a five minute drive to the beach… although I’m pretty sure you can bike to the beach just as fast too.
… there’s so much more I have to write about, but, alas, I have no time. I gotta start my readings for the tomorrow’s classes. However, for next time, I’ll either be writing about UBC Law or my move up there, and if your lucky, I might post some pics too… that is, if anyone reads this
Sorry i haven't written in awhile... life has been crazy. Ever since I’ve gotten into Vancouver, I’ve been feeling like I have a million things to do that HAD to be done yesterday.
For the most part, Vancouver has been great. I miss home terribly... there are days where it would nice see another person in Rider paraphernalia or not feel like I’ve been consistently walking uphill for a fort night. I miss my family, car, and all around easy-going-friendly Saskatchewanians. I guess probably the hardest adjustment for me was not being able to just pick up the phone and call people to do stuff. Everything in Vancouver needs to planned ahead. Those spur of the moment plans that I have been so accustomed to in Regina are not possibly in Vancouver.
Everyone loves Vancouver (that seems to be the general rule around here). There really isn’t any reason not to love Vancouver, it’s a very exciting city and there will always be a ton of stuff to do… if you have time to do it… that is. For what its worth, I like Vancouver too, but the “lifestyle” takes a bit getting used too. I pretty much feel like a bum 24/7, I can’t be bothered to put on anything other than a T-shirt and jeans lately. When your living in Kitsilano area (people here call it Kits for short) your likely to fall in this continuum: a poor student, uppity yuppie, or some weird blend like poor student pretending to be a uppity yuppie. I love those ones, you can pretty much foresee the real world slamming into them like an angry train when they realize they shouldn’t have spent their rent money on a $500 blinged-out sweat suit. People are generally nice here, that is… until they hit the road, then they all become maniacs. The view can’t be beat, I love seeing the mountains, and I’m less than a five minute drive to the beach… although I’m pretty sure you can bike to the beach just as fast too.
… there’s so much more I have to write about, but, alas, I have no time. I gotta start my readings for the tomorrow’s classes. However, for next time, I’ll either be writing about UBC Law or my move up there, and if your lucky, I might post some pics too… that is, if anyone reads this
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