As many students awaken from their finals week malaise (some will trade this in for a drunken stupor), Law Riot would like to know what are some of our reader’s best finals moments. Everybody has experienced those awkward library moments, and heck who hasn’t been disturbed by a laptop start up sound? Note to self: breathing loudly could endanger my health, especially if I am sitting next to this girl.
An Open Letter to My Future Employer: Hire These People Instead
Dear Potential Future Employer, Today, I would like to express why, good sir (or madam); it would be in your best interests to look beyond the scope of your traditional associate hiring criteria. Law firms often fail to grasp how the personalities and social abilities of their employees deliver real profits or losses to their [...]
3 Steps 3L’s Should Take Now to Prepare for Student Loan Repayment
By Todd Balsley, GL Advisor High student debt levels among law school graduates and a tight job market have captured major news headlines, leaving many graduates unsure how they will manage their student debt burden. Fortunately, federal programs like Income-Based Repayment (IBR) and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) are available and can help borrowers minimize [...]
Before You Talk About Your Grades With Anyone…Read This
Top 5%? Top 10%? Top 20%? Fantastic. Put that on your resume, tell your parents, your family, your pre-law advisor who you eventually want to thank in your fairy tale valedictorian speech, but for the love of God, don’t talk about your grades to other students at every gleaning moment. It must be for sheer [...]
Law School Valedictorians: Top 5 Things Not To Say In Your Graduation Speech
Valedictorians: You’ve made it. 3 years of library-living, blue-booking, and junk food-eating has finally paid off. You’re the best. You’ve probably made it onto at least one or two of the various honors organizations your school offers. Lemme guess: Law Review and Moot Court. You might even be an editor on Law Review. Suffice to [...]
Turning Down Law Review?
Law reviews work differently across the nation. Most commonly, at the end of your 1L year, depending on your class rank, you’ll either get an automatic bid to be on law review, or be offered a chance to compete in the write on competition. Mostly, students in the top 10% are given an automatic bid [...]
Arise, students. Finals are over (for some). Now go hibernate
Posted by Scott W. on December 10th, 2011
Baby, baby, baby – Nooo!
Posted by Scott W. on November 3rd, 2011
Justin Bieber hit with paternity suit
Disclaimer: Yes, I know, there are more important things going on in the world right now. I get it. But, you’ve got to admit, this is pretty entertaining stuff right here.
A 20 year old woman has recently stepped forward and claimed that pop sensation Justin Bieber is the father of her 3 month old baby. The woman has filed a paternity suit against Bieber and claims the two had a sexual encounter backstage at a concert last year. Justin Bieber himself, along with his lawyers, has denied the woman’s claims.
The age of sexual consent in California (where the encounter allegedly took place) is 18. However, since at the time of the encounter the woman was 19 years old and Bieber 16, this opens up the door to possible statutory rape charges being filed against the woman if the encounter (which she claims lasted a mere 30 seconds – ouch, Bieber) is proven to be true.
This young woman either feels she has nothing to lose in lobbing these charges (under the penalty of perjury), or her claims are true. Either way, attention now turns to the outcome of the paternity suit hearing schedule for December 15. It is then the next steps regarding whether or not Bieber will have to provide scientific evidence to determine paternity will be determined.
For the full story, please see here.
Roll Sheet….You Elusive Bastard
Posted by Allen DeVries on November 3rd, 2011
This has gone on far too long.
The ABA has these silly little requirements about attendance at ABA approved law schools. As a student, you’re required to attend 80% of every class during the semester. So, how do these professors keep track? Oh, that handy little roll sheet with your name—and sometimes even that horrible picture you took during 1L year—right there next to your name in case you forget how to read that day.
The roll sheet is handed out to a student, usually sitting on the end in the front row, who then signs and passes to their right or left and so on. Simple enough, right?
YES!
There is no “it’s more difficult than you think” line coming. This is seriously not a difficult concept. Sign and pass to the person next to you. Once at the end of the row, pass behind you and let the roll sheet make its way around the classroom, giving everyone the opportunity to meet the ABA requirements.
Here are the 3 General Categories:
How a 3L Spends Their Class Time
Posted by Allen DeVries on November 1st, 2011
Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries Getting Divorced – Ashamed to Even Be Writing This Headline
Posted by Allen DeVries on November 1st, 2011
Let me begin by saying, “I’m devastated.” I mean, I really thought they were going to make it. Everything was working in their favor. They were both rich, both on T.V., they both stand on opposite ends of the height spectrum, they had their lives/wedding aired on E!; this was literally a match made in heaven. Additionally, Humphrey’s has literally nothing to do right now (thanks NBA lockout) so he can be an awesome stay at home husband. How could this not work? I know there are plenty of theories swirling around the interwebs, most notably that the wedding was a ratings sham and essentially ANOTHER way for them to capitalize on “Brand Karsashian,” and I honestly am not going to subscribe to any of them. The fact that I am even writing about this is embarrassing enough and I’ve legitimately wasted 7 minutes of my evening/life writing this.
For a much more hilarious and interesting read, check out Rob Delaney from www.Vice.com and see why he is suing Kim Kardashian, E, and Ryan Seacrest. Read it HERE.
The Art of the Unsolicited Resume in 5 Steps
Posted by Allen DeVries on October 24th, 2011
Times are tough and getting your foot in the door as a 3L is seemingly impossible, no matter where you go to school. Relying on your summer gig as a 2L or career services is no longer enough. It’s time to get creative.
Sending your resume to law firms unsolicited is an art form to say the least. You would be a fool to think you’re the only one doing it and that these firms are just waiting for a resume. Here are some suggestions on how to send your resume to firms without making a bad name for yourself or your law school.
DISCALIMER: Don’t forget that you are forever representing your law school. From the second you step onto campus, throughout your entire legal career, whatever you do affects your law school. This is no different.
Step 1: Do a little research. Find the firms you’re interested in working for and start making a list. You always want to make a list of the firms you are sending your materials to. Why? Because you are
October 6, 2011 Law Revue
Posted by Allen DeVries on October 6th, 2011
It’s Midterm Time! Try Some Stress Relievers. Survive Law
Thinking About Getting Married? Worried About The Long Term? Try Mexico City. Bitter Lawyer
With The Acquittal of Amanda Knox, Questions Are Raised. Just a Few. WSJ Law Blog
What Deserves Extra Time on the LSAT? A.D.D.? Nursing Mother? You Make The Call. LSAT Blog
An Open Letter to My Future Employer: Hire These People Instead
Posted by Joseph Tsai on September 27th, 2011
Dear Potential Future Employer,
Today, I would like to express why, good sir (or madam); it would be in your best interests to look beyond the scope of your traditional associate hiring criteria. Law firms often fail to grasp how the personalities and social abilities of their employees deliver real profits or losses to their bottom line. Too many of your competitor firms look only to a specific set of characteristics and employ—pun intended—a numbers-driven scheme of selection.
That scheme, unfortunately, is flawed.
Orange County Superior Court Rules in Contentious Medical Marijuana Case
Posted by Skye Daley on September 23rd, 2011
Recently, Judge Chaffee of the Orange County, California, Superior Court ruled in what has become one of the most watched medical marijuana cases in California. The ruling in Qualified Patients’ Association v. City of Anaheim comes after years of contentious legal sparing, and the involvement of the state’s appellate court.
For those of you not familiar with the background of the case, here’s a quick recap:
California became the first state to legalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes in 1996. This was accomplished through Proposition 215, also known as the Compassionate Use Act (“CUA”), which won a majority of the public vote, and paved the way for thirteen other states to enact similar laws. The CUA was codified as Health and Safety Code section 11362.5 and was created to, among other things, “ensure that seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medicinal purposes ” and “to ensure that patients and their primary caregivers who obtain and use marijuana . . . are not subject to criminal prosecution or sanction.”
As you can imagine, the CUA caused mass chaos as law enforcement agencies and local governments grappled with the inherent vagueness of the law. As a result of this chaos, in 2004, the California Legislature introduced and enacted Senate Bill 420 (clever, right?) in an effort to solve the many problems created by the CUA. The bill, titled the Medical Marijuana Protection Act (“MMPA”), had the expressed intention of solving the problems created by the CUA, and in some respects succeeded. First, the bill defined key terms, which had become controversial following the passage of the CUA. This included defining what constituted an illness justifying the prescription of marijuana, and who could be considered a patient. Next,
Help LawRiot Make the ABA Top 100 Law Blawgs
Posted by Allen DeVries on September 8th, 2011
The ABA is accepting nominations for the 2011 ABA Top 100 Law Blawgs!
Help LawRiot.com make the list by going to the ABA Amici Form and filling it out for www.LawRiot.com! You only have until September 9, 2011! It takes less than a few minutes and we at LawRiot would really appreciate it!
There is ONLY 2 Days Left to Vote!
Vote HERE!
Thank you for all your support!
