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10/17/2012 1:11:34 AM

Looks like after this program I'll be married to tax law. I guess I'll have to deal with a little family law here and there... but for the most part I'll just be dealing with corporations and partnerships.

10/18/2012 12:27:02 PM

One step closer to being done with divorce law. That was exhausting.

Two more cases and I'm done with this shit.

11/1/2012 11:38:01 AM

I passed the Maryland Bar! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

LLM in Tax from Georgetown Law comes in May

Things are looking up!

11/2/2012 5:29:45 PM

congrats!!!

11/3/2012 3:19:06 PM

^^ Congrats.

I know a handful of kids who failed the SC Bar and they are on depression watch.

I haven't been keeping track, but apparently the percentage that passes in SC has gradually gone down since I took it. It was in the low 80s when I passed and it hit 70 this year. Fine with me...less lawyers to compete with.

11/3/2012 5:08:33 PM

Maryland's bar passage rate has been going down since ATL called them out. February's overall rate was 54.5%

So yeah, I've been fucking terrified the past few months.

ALL GOOD NOW!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOO!

11/4/2012 1:23:12 PM

Quote :

"February's overall rate was 54.5% "

fuck that

11/4/2012 2:37:45 PM

the reason february rates are so low is because they represent all the people who failed after law school. it's the same for every state.

11/4/2012 7:27:33 PM

I know that... but still, 54.5 is low even for that.

11/5/2012 12:19:19 AM

In Maryland at least

11/5/2012 12:42:15 AM

Quote :

"the reason february rates are so low is because they represent all the people who failed after law school. it's the same for every state."

True...I somehow missed the February part of that.

11/5/2012 7:00:23 AM

Oh, FWIW, I never mentioned this before, but a few months ago I accepted a job in Dallas after graduation. It was one of the two firms I worked at over the summer. If anyone from here is planning to work in the Texas market, it's pretty sweet. They have no income tax and the legal market is booming.

11/9/2012 1:54:47 PM

tell me more...

BTW, everyone should check out my mega-awesome Capstone Project and tell their bosses about it so they want to hire me

http://www.youtube.com/user/GenAssem

11/9/2012 7:29:11 PM

I got a 161 on the MBE, so until I graduate (again) in May, I'll be slangin Themis Bar Review.

It's cheap, and it worked well for me! If it's available in your state and you're about to take the bar, you should consider it.

11/12/2012 8:51:40 AM

Been practicing for 3 years now. Not liking it.

Every day is a battle with time and morons, sometimes including myself.

Anyone out there been successful at finding a job outside of the legal profession with a law degree?

I get tired of yelling at adjusters, ADA's, and the occassional crazy person.

11/14/2012 5:59:15 PM

^ You solo, small, or big firm?

11/14/2012 6:42:18 PM

I am in a small firm. In office with four attorneys.

11/14/2012 7:19:38 PM

Jeez, it's been so long since I posted I went cray cray on the double post.

Sitting here billing when I should be home watching State.

[Edited on November 14, 2012 at 7:20 PM. Reason : oops]

11/14/2012 7:19:38 PM

Word. I don't know what to say because I've only been "full time" for about a year although I've been out of law school for over four years now. At the beginning I worked part-time for small firms and solo attorneys and bartended the other half. Now I'm all by my lonesome.

But I'm definitely frustrated a majority of the time. I'll have a day or two when things are going well and I'm like..."ahhh, this isn't so bad." But then I get that email in the morning and I'm all:



Hopefully a lot of that will go away when I finish off my remaining divorce/family law cases. That shit is the worst.

I tell my fiance that if I was offered a decent job at a decent salary I'd take it it in a heartbeat...but I don't know. A close friend of mine that was a year ahead of me in law school just closed on two massive cases. One he was working on for only three months and is going to net him $250k and the other one is probably going to double that. I don't even need those types of settlements...but its shit like that keeps me grinding away.

11/14/2012 7:43:47 PM

If any of y'all are interested in what we're working on with NC SPICE, or know any solo/small practitioners who might be, we've got our first info session / focus group set for 12/12/12 @ 6:00pm over the NC Bar Center in Cary

11/14/2012 10:35:06 PM

Just downloaded the StayFocisd google chrome app to make sure I don't fuck up with exams.

12/1/2012 8:24:26 PM

again, anyone having any luck finding a job outside the legal profession?

asking for a friend.

12/10/2012 2:31:15 PM

Lots of options opening up in state government over the next couple months. As the high-ranking folks get replaced, the lower-level folks will be getting ousted too.

12/13/2012 1:53:25 PM

I'm hoping I can be one of the lucky ones who gets on with the state government.


Fingers crossed.

12/13/2012 2:20:45 PM

Haha good luck man!

I started my own firm and have been having a blast so far. Praying it continues...

12/14/2012 4:18:13 PM

6 exams in 1.5 weeks. This is the worst exam "week" I've ever experienced.

12/15/2012 8:48:37 AM

Holy fuck that was rough

So next semester I am going to finish up the LLM program, I'll also be doing in externship at one of the firms here and DC, plus I'll have a job as a supervising attorney at one of the lawschool's tax clinics.

Next semester is going to be a BITCH!

12/21/2012 7:25:52 PM

But then you'll be done and earning $$$$$

12/23/2012 12:43:30 PM

Is there anything more satisfying as an attorney than dropping a shit-tastic client??? Maybe winning a big settlement...but I think the unloading of stress that comes with getting rid of a crappy case/client might slightly outweigh it.

Dropping some dead weight today...

12/28/2012 8:15:56 AM

It's not stricly lawyer-related but I'm feeling just as excited about finding an American to help me program for my project at the last moment when before I had 1 eastern european guy and 15 indians interviewing. Since I first posted my video in October, I've gotten people from all over the world messaging me about the project so I'm really excited to get things off the ground and get a prototype done in February so I can go after some of that VC startup money (I'm being realistic but I have people messaging me things like "I will sign an NDA today and I have access to funders").

I think the plan is to split the project into two companies. A for-profit who will be going to target law schools, lobbying firms, gov't institutions (especially those that require public commenting), and related non-profits with customized solutions first and then those programs will essentially be subsidizing or supplementing the non-profit/public service site.

12/28/2012 1:28:16 PM

That's awesome man, good luck! And make sure to get very thorough IP protection so no one steals your thunder

---

@jbrick83: Outsmarting opposing counsel who's been a dick to you b/c they've been practicing for 20+ years?

Been lucky and haven't had any bad clients to drop yet (the ones I'm questionable on just get quoted an outrageous fee I know they won't pay), but finally have the upper hand in a very messy case I'm trying to unf*ck and the other side is panicking.

12/30/2012 10:27:29 AM

^ I could use some that right now.

Opposing attorney files a MSJ four months ago....WITHOUT a supporting Memorandum. Honestly, I think he's just filing shit to squeeze more money out of his clients. I'm thinking I'll get through the MSJ and we'll start some settlement talk.

Anyways...I file my Memorandum in Opposition to Defendant's MSJ a few weeks ago...giving him plenty of time to prepare. After some unfortunate continuances and delays, I have a damn contested divorce at 11am right after my 9am MSJ hearing. I get to the office this morning at about 6:30 am to get all my ducks in a row for the MSJ. Sit down to check my email...and that fucker filed his Memorandum in Support for the MSJ AT 3:30 IN THE FUCKING MORNING.

What the fuck is that bullshit?? Guy has had 4 months to file that supporting memo and he waits til 3:30am before a 9'oclock hearing. Took everything in me to cock-punch his ass outside the courtroom today. I think I crushed it in the Motion Hearing...but he made some bull-shit claims in his supporting memorandum that I didn't have time to research the proper rebuttals for. Thankfully I called his ass out in front of the judge and the judge is giving me 10 days to respond.

I just think shit like that is bush-league. I'll never do that to an opposing attorney unless they do it to me first.

1/9/2013 3:56:23 PM

maybe im confused but 4 months ago he files, you filed a response a few weeks ago...what took you so long?

1/9/2013 5:31:09 PM

It takes FOREVER down here to get a court date. I run my own practice...by myself...no paralegal, no secretary, no bookkeeper. I'm fucking busy...but I get shit done. But I got the notice for the court date (early December notice...court date today). I went to work immediately and filed my memorandum within 10 days (he had at least 10 days to go over my memo).

When you're giving oral arguments, all you need is a day...two days top just to go over the evidence so you can have some kind of counter-argument. There's a reason this fucker sent his shit out at 3:30am.

It's a chump move.


Oh...and 90% of attorneys file a Memorandum in Support of their MSJ WITH their MSJ. It's like he was baiting me. I've also heard similar shit about this attorney...but we've been pretty congenial until this.

[Edited on January 9, 2013 at 9:00 PM. Reason : .]

1/9/2013 8:56:43 PM

Chump moves seem to be a common occurrence w/ certain attorneys. I don't get it.

Successfully defended a church from what had been a $303K judgment on Monday -- multiple attys had punted on the case, but I took it on a whim b/c I needed the money (and then undercharged )

The attorney never properly served the church, sending the summons to an old address repeatedly even though the church had filed a change of address form that was available from the Sec'y of State website (the same site where the atty got the old address), then using NCGS § 55D-33 to "serve" the church via the Secretary of State.

Initially attacked the judgment on "due diligence" grounds, but then as I was going through the case file to prep bench books I noticed 1 line where the complaint and an affidavit had different dates of injury -- went digging, and turns out this guy's client got injured before he ever knew the church even existed, but they decided to sue the church anyway b/c they figured it would have $$$$$ and they'd be able to get a default judgment via the improper service of process

The judge was not pleased.

2/27/2013 10:44:28 AM

My year at Georgetown Law was awesome. The tuition is nuts, but in this case you get what you pay for. Career services is awesome, the professors are on the top of their game, and most of all, they have a fucking indoor basketball court on the 4th floor of their sporting complex.

After 4 years of grad school, I'm am so ready to graduate and start working though. I will never take another class for a grade, but I'm sure I'll audit some though.

4/22/2013 8:10:00 AM

a legal ethics exam on saturday AM and i'll be halfway done part-time. (including 7 hours this summer)

5/7/2013 9:55:13 AM

I graduate next weekend. It's kind of strange sitting here at 8 in the morning with nothing to do. It's different when I'm trying to procrastinate, but with nothing to avoid doing, it feels like I need to fill my day with something productive.

At least until I start my bar prep after graduation.

5/8/2013 8:20:35 AM

I have 2 more exams, then I start work on the 20th. I welcome my vacation. For the first time in 4 years, I won't have to worry about school, or feel guilty when I'm doing something other than studying.

I think I'm gonna play golf and hit up the new casino tables in Maryland :-)

5/8/2013 10:39:34 AM

EXAM SUBMITTED, I AM FUCKING DONE, FOREVER!!!!!!

I can't wait to hear Greta Van Susteren speak for commencement. I am really so excited about that.

5/12/2013 1:49:11 PM

How's bar prep going?

6/12/2013 10:26:30 PM

On my lunch hour I transact business - bout to sign the operating agreement, handshake deal in place with school to pilot beta program, handshake deal with Y-Combinator company to handle database integration

but the other 8-9 hours of the day fucking blow with bar study.

6/22/2013 7:29:32 PM

This whole bar review thing is actually pretty relaxing. I was concerned that it was going to take like 8-10 hours a day, and I'd be really stressed out. For the most part it's like an easy version of law school, which involves more feedback and more direct information.

6/24/2013 2:38:28 PM

I think I went to every morning session, grabbed some materials, then jetted out to the local coffee shop to study until lunch. Then I went to the beach and/or watched a ton of movies.

It was kind of like a mini vacation.

6/24/2013 3:11:26 PM

I'm doing the study at home course via the internet site. I'm taking the Texas bar and wanted to do it from the comfort of my own home. I'm finding it is awesome. I can take the time to do things at my own pace. Sometimes that's faster than the course, and I'll do multiple sessions in a day, and a lot of times it means that I rearrange things and work late at night or early in the morning.

It's a whole lot more relaxing than having to work on a set schedule. I hear that the in person course just has you show up somewhere and watch the videos in person anyway, that it's almost the exact same.

6/24/2013 7:09:02 PM

^Thats what I gathered from the in person course. And that 90% of the time they were reading straight from the BarBri books they gave you. Thats why I quit attending the lectures after the first week.

6/24/2013 8:21:36 PM

I'm still attending the BarBri lectures at the school but it's only for the sake of keeping me on a schedule with no interruptions for those 4 hours. The other 4 hours of studying are usually spread out across the next 6-8 hours of the day, try and be in bed by 11.

6/25/2013 3:40:02 PM

Our alumni are freaking out because the same people who own the Charlotte School of Law, Florida Gulf Coastal, and Phoenix Law are in the process of purchasing our school and turning it into a "diploma mill". I don't know if I should feel worse that I don't care or that I'm getting a little bit of enjoyment out of the Facebook meltdowns.

I mean...it's definitely going to devalue my degree a bit...but I'm a solo practitioner, so the effect will be minimal. I do feel bad for the current students. I feel a lawsuit coming the way these kids are talking...

7/25/2013 9:18:36 PM

I got an email at work the other day mentioning that Charlotte School of Law is offering $10k if you flunk the bar twice after graduating.

7/25/2013 10:38:35 PM