Hey everyone, I know that I haven't written anything in here for a while. There are a couple of reasons for that: 1) Man, they really aren't kidding when they say your 2L year is busier than your 1L year, 2) this semester has been full of interviewing, and rumor has it that potential employers will look you up online to learn more about you -- I've been staying under the radar just to be safe. 3) I've been just plain lazy.
Anyway, now that 1) the semester is starting to calm down, 2) I have a job, and 3) I fel motivated again, I'm going to try to post again with some semblance of regularity. A lot has happened in the past 10 weeks that is definitely rantworthy. So for the 2 of you that still regularly read this, hoping and praying for a shred of news from my pitiful law school existence, Stay Tuned!
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Friday, August 11, 2006
My Last Day
Today is my last day at Nossaman. I'm going back up to Berkeley this weekend, which is funny because I started working here the day after I came down. It's a little weird to think that this is my last day, partly because I feel like I just started. I can honestly say that it's been a whirlwind summer. I cleaned out my desk yesterday, so there's not too much left except some legal books that I'm using to finish this memo. I'm really going to miss the firm but more importantly, the people. On the other hand, I'm also looking forward school, and the fact that I won't have to wake up at 6 AM anymore.
Today also marks the end of my quasi-daily posts (the last two weeks' worth of posts are still coming!). School starts on the 21st, and I'm going to be using next week to prepare for 1) On-campus interviews, which start only a few weeks after school does, 2) law journal training, and 3) APALSA. My schedule next semester looks pretty good -- better than my schedule last semester when I had almost no chance to blog. I definitely foresee me having lots to talk about when school starts. In the meantime, I'm going to say T-T-Y-L. Here's to a great summer, and a great coming semester. I'll see ya'll back in Berkeley.
Lunch: In a sort of fitting bookend to my summer, I and a bunch of associates ate at the Bonaventure Brewery. Jeremy sent out an email to all the associates inviting them to join us at the Brewery for my last lunch. We were surprised when almost all of them came (8 to be exact... it's a very partner-heavy firm), which was remarkable since they apparently don't have associate get-togethers very often. It was pretty flattered to see that all of them cared enough to make time to come to my last lunch today. In a way, I'm going to miss these daily lunches, but then again, staring at my small pot belly and my brand new double chin, maybe I won't miss them too much.
Today also marks the end of my quasi-daily posts (the last two weeks' worth of posts are still coming!). School starts on the 21st, and I'm going to be using next week to prepare for 1) On-campus interviews, which start only a few weeks after school does, 2) law journal training, and 3) APALSA. My schedule next semester looks pretty good -- better than my schedule last semester when I had almost no chance to blog. I definitely foresee me having lots to talk about when school starts. In the meantime, I'm going to say T-T-Y-L. Here's to a great summer, and a great coming semester. I'll see ya'll back in Berkeley.
Lunch: In a sort of fitting bookend to my summer, I and a bunch of associates ate at the Bonaventure Brewery. Jeremy sent out an email to all the associates inviting them to join us at the Brewery for my last lunch. We were surprised when almost all of them came (8 to be exact... it's a very partner-heavy firm), which was remarkable since they apparently don't have associate get-togethers very often. It was pretty flattered to see that all of them cared enough to make time to come to my last lunch today. In a way, I'm going to miss these daily lunches, but then again, staring at my small pot belly and my brand new double chin, maybe I won't miss them too much.
Monday, August 07, 2006
And Then There Was One
This is my last week at Nossaman. The twelveth week, week numero twelve-o. Both Adam and Ashley's weeks ended last Friday, and so I am now the only summer associate in the office. As if timed to coincide, I also don't have too much work. I've asked around for more work to do, but people seem to be either busy or not in the office. So I am left in my office with little to do.
It's okay though, because last night at the End of the Summer party at a partner's home, I got an offer to come back next summer. Woohoo! As I may have explained before, it is the penultimate goal of the 1L summer associate to get an offer to come back to the firm next summer, even if that summer doesn't want to come back. Why? Because it shows to employers (with whom you'll be interviewing in the coming semester) that you were a good proto-lawyer, and it is that real-world experience above all that employers want. Conversely, not receiving an offer after your 1L summer suggests to would-be employers that you did something that caused the firm to believe that you wouldn't make for good lawyer material. It's a very interesting dynamic, and something I'm glad to have come out on the right side of.
Now all I have to do is figure out what to do the rest of this week...
Lunch: Quick bite at Trimana Grill with Ron Grace, our summer coordinator. All of my usual attorney lunch buddies are busy with work and Adam and Ashley aren't here, so its to nice to be able to eat lunch with someone other than myself. I had a ceasar chicken wrap, and it was delicious. The lunch with Ron also doubled as an exit interview and a chance for me to tell him about the highs and lows of the summer. All in all, I give Nossaman two thumbs up.
It's okay though, because last night at the End of the Summer party at a partner's home, I got an offer to come back next summer. Woohoo! As I may have explained before, it is the penultimate goal of the 1L summer associate to get an offer to come back to the firm next summer, even if that summer doesn't want to come back. Why? Because it shows to employers (with whom you'll be interviewing in the coming semester) that you were a good proto-lawyer, and it is that real-world experience above all that employers want. Conversely, not receiving an offer after your 1L summer suggests to would-be employers that you did something that caused the firm to believe that you wouldn't make for good lawyer material. It's a very interesting dynamic, and something I'm glad to have come out on the right side of.
Now all I have to do is figure out what to do the rest of this week...
Lunch: Quick bite at Trimana Grill with Ron Grace, our summer coordinator. All of my usual attorney lunch buddies are busy with work and Adam and Ashley aren't here, so its to nice to be able to eat lunch with someone other than myself. I had a ceasar chicken wrap, and it was delicious. The lunch with Ron also doubled as an exit interview and a chance for me to tell him about the highs and lows of the summer. All in all, I give Nossaman two thumbs up.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Classy People Spell It "Theatre"
Wow it's already been three weeks since my last post?? This is crazy. Anyway, I've been keeping an informal track of my activities in the Blogger archives and I'll be posting back-entries soon.
So this is my second-to-last week here at Nossaman, and I can't believe 2L year just around the corner. Adam's last day is tomorrow, as is the last firm event, a field trip lunch. In something of a last hurrah, the firm is taking us to the theatre tonight, to see a performance of Curtains, starring David Hyde Pierce. I don't get to the theatre very often (my last live performance was Mama Mia in Vegas), and so this is something of a treat. Tonight will also feature the return of co-summer Ashley, after a 2 week stint down in the Orange Country office. All in all, tonight looks to be a very exciting evening.
Lunch: Phillipe's with high school buddies Mike and Ben. The firm took us to Phillipe's last week, and I loved it so much I had to go back. Mike and Ben really liked their sandwiches. I got two sandwiches plus pasta salad, and they were DELICIOUS. Unfortunately, I also feel right now like I'm gonna puke.
So this is my second-to-last week here at Nossaman, and I can't believe 2L year just around the corner. Adam's last day is tomorrow, as is the last firm event, a field trip lunch. In something of a last hurrah, the firm is taking us to the theatre tonight, to see a performance of Curtains, starring David Hyde Pierce. I don't get to the theatre very often (my last live performance was Mama Mia in Vegas), and so this is something of a treat. Tonight will also feature the return of co-summer Ashley, after a 2 week stint down in the Orange Country office. All in all, tonight looks to be a very exciting evening.
Lunch: Phillipe's with high school buddies Mike and Ben. The firm took us to Phillipe's last week, and I loved it so much I had to go back. Mike and Ben really liked their sandwiches. I got two sandwiches plus pasta salad, and they were DELICIOUS. Unfortunately, I also feel right now like I'm gonna puke.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Summers in SF
Whew! I just got back today from a whirlwind trip to Nossaman's San Francisco office. My duffel bag is still sitting here next to me.
I flew up to Oakland yesterday morning at 8AM, met Adam and Ashley at the airport, BARTed over to the Embarcadero, and met the other Nossa-summers (including Nossa-Boalties Krystal and Thomas), whom we had just seen only a few weeks ago in Sacramento. This is the view from the lobby of the SF office on the 34th floor:
Nossaman flew us up there to not only check out the SF office, but to also attend a deposition clinic presented by a couple litigation partners. We learned the ins and outs of getting what you want out of a witness, protecting your own witness if she is being deposed, and learning what to ask and what not to ask. Despite lasting about 6 hours, it was entertaining since they filled the presentation with war stories about nightmare witnesses. We also got to watch several videos of difficult (read: bitchy) witnesses, and how the attorneys dealt with them. For lunch, they brought us tasty sandwiches and salad.
After the presentation, we went to dinner at Enrico's, an italian restaurant in North Beach, where we got a chance to chat with the attorneys as well as the other summers. I also got in some good Boaltie bonding time with Krystal and Thomas.
The summers:
From Left: Adam, Krystal, Ashley, Thomas, Heather, Mari, and Yours Truly
The firm shacked us up in a pretty nice hotel for the evening, then Adam, Ashley and I flew out of Oakland in the morning, landed at LAX, and got back to the office in time for a Partner-Summer associate lunch.
Lunch: Steve Wiman, a litigator, and Alan Ickowitz, a bankruptcy attorney, talked to us about their practice over salad, a particularly mustardy potato salad, and chicken and beef wraps. Alan holds a special place in my heart because he was one of the two Nossaman people who interviewed me at Boalt back in February. Steve is the head of Nossaman's litigation practice group, and so he's not too bad of an attorney either.
After lunch, Steve pulled out a video of one of his own nightmare depositions, where rather than the witness going nuts, the opposing counsel actually lost it. It was actually quite amusing to hear (the depo video focuses only on the witness-- the attorneys are off-camera) the other attorney flip out and proceed to go on a diatribe about how Steve and our firm ("your office has two floors for god's sake!"), representing an employer in a worker discrimination suit, was oppressing her client along with the legal system, judges, Congress, the President, dictatorships in other countries, and pretty much the rest of the world. Steve told me later "I think she forgot to take her medication that morning."
I flew up to Oakland yesterday morning at 8AM, met Adam and Ashley at the airport, BARTed over to the Embarcadero, and met the other Nossa-summers (including Nossa-Boalties Krystal and Thomas), whom we had just seen only a few weeks ago in Sacramento. This is the view from the lobby of the SF office on the 34th floor:
Nossaman flew us up there to not only check out the SF office, but to also attend a deposition clinic presented by a couple litigation partners. We learned the ins and outs of getting what you want out of a witness, protecting your own witness if she is being deposed, and learning what to ask and what not to ask. Despite lasting about 6 hours, it was entertaining since they filled the presentation with war stories about nightmare witnesses. We also got to watch several videos of difficult (read: bitchy) witnesses, and how the attorneys dealt with them. For lunch, they brought us tasty sandwiches and salad.
After the presentation, we went to dinner at Enrico's, an italian restaurant in North Beach, where we got a chance to chat with the attorneys as well as the other summers. I also got in some good Boaltie bonding time with Krystal and Thomas.
The summers:
From Left: Adam, Krystal, Ashley, Thomas, Heather, Mari, and Yours Truly
The firm shacked us up in a pretty nice hotel for the evening, then Adam, Ashley and I flew out of Oakland in the morning, landed at LAX, and got back to the office in time for a Partner-Summer associate lunch.
Lunch: Steve Wiman, a litigator, and Alan Ickowitz, a bankruptcy attorney, talked to us about their practice over salad, a particularly mustardy potato salad, and chicken and beef wraps. Alan holds a special place in my heart because he was one of the two Nossaman people who interviewed me at Boalt back in February. Steve is the head of Nossaman's litigation practice group, and so he's not too bad of an attorney either.
After lunch, Steve pulled out a video of one of his own nightmare depositions, where rather than the witness going nuts, the opposing counsel actually lost it. It was actually quite amusing to hear (the depo video focuses only on the witness-- the attorneys are off-camera) the other attorney flip out and proceed to go on a diatribe about how Steve and our firm ("your office has two floors for god's sake!"), representing an employer in a worker discrimination suit, was oppressing her client along with the legal system, judges, Congress, the President, dictatorships in other countries, and pretty much the rest of the world. Steve told me later "I think she forgot to take her medication that morning."
Monday, July 10, 2006
Judge Dredd? Not So Much.
Today, Tracy the Librarian took Adam, Ashley, and I to the courthouse to meet with Judge Hess, a California Superior Court judge. We sat in his chambers for a few hours as he talked about what it was like being a judge, how he got to the bench, and what not to do as a freshly-minted lawyer. We then got to ask him questions about anything. I asked him about his thoughts on elected judges, especially in light of the Judge Janavs controversy.
All in all, a very informative session. It definitely helped remove a lot of the mystique and mystery that surrounds a judgeship. After all, judges are people too.
After I got back, Ron, the summer coordinator, stopped by my office to give me a midsummer review of my work at the firm thus far. The verdict? "You're doing fine. Keep up the good work." Whew.
Lunch: A quick bite with the summers and Jeremy, the newbie associate.at La Salsa on the ground floor of my building. I had a Ultimo Burrito or whatnot. We ate outside, which was a good idea except for the fact that I was sitting in direct sunlight, in a dress shirt and slacks, in LA heat wave temperatures. On the bright side, my burrito never got cold.
All in all, a very informative session. It definitely helped remove a lot of the mystique and mystery that surrounds a judgeship. After all, judges are people too.
After I got back, Ron, the summer coordinator, stopped by my office to give me a midsummer review of my work at the firm thus far. The verdict? "You're doing fine. Keep up the good work." Whew.
Lunch: A quick bite with the summers and Jeremy, the newbie associate.at La Salsa on the ground floor of my building. I had a Ultimo Burrito or whatnot. We ate outside, which was a good idea except for the fact that I was sitting in direct sunlight, in a dress shirt and slacks, in LA heat wave temperatures. On the bright side, my burrito never got cold.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Go Dodgers!
Today actually went by rather quickly. I'm working on a new project right now -- an insurance litigation case with Tom Long. It's refreshing to be able to go into Lexis and actually pull up cases, knowing that there's got to be something there, rather than struggle through Google and the rest of the common internet looking for random bridge facts. I would much rather have too much information than not enough.
There was an MCLE thing today, about legislative intent. I went mistakenly expecting there to be free food. There was none. Instead, I learned about how to find the legislative intent behind any bill I wanted. No soup for me, as the saying goes.
The Dodger game last night was a lot of fun. It was my first ball game, and I'm glad I got the experience. I have never been a big baseball fan, since they always looked exceedingly boring on TV. Turns out that baseball games in person are, well, a whole 'nother ball game. The firm has season tickets and about 8 seats in a primo spot near home plate. Apparently they've held these seats for decades, and partners use them when they want to schmooze clients. Jeremy came with us, and he did not hesitate to remind me that my experience was not typical of the average baseball fan, who usually has to pay high prices for nosebleed seats. For dinner, we porked out on Dodger Dogs, nachos, peanuts, ice cream, and other assorted junk food, all compliments of the firm. It was really nice just chilling out in the balmy summer evening air, with my legs up on the seat in front of me, chatting with other attorneys. I ended up having to leave at the bottom of the 8th inning so I could make it home before midnight, but I would definitely go to another game, if only for the food.
Lunch: Trimana again, except with Ashley and Adam 2. Original Adam was out of the office today doing document review in Redondo Beach, so it was just the three of us. I got a BBQ chicken wrap and fries this time, you know, to mix things up.
There was an MCLE thing today, about legislative intent. I went mistakenly expecting there to be free food. There was none. Instead, I learned about how to find the legislative intent behind any bill I wanted. No soup for me, as the saying goes.
The Dodger game last night was a lot of fun. It was my first ball game, and I'm glad I got the experience. I have never been a big baseball fan, since they always looked exceedingly boring on TV. Turns out that baseball games in person are, well, a whole 'nother ball game. The firm has season tickets and about 8 seats in a primo spot near home plate. Apparently they've held these seats for decades, and partners use them when they want to schmooze clients. Jeremy came with us, and he did not hesitate to remind me that my experience was not typical of the average baseball fan, who usually has to pay high prices for nosebleed seats. For dinner, we porked out on Dodger Dogs, nachos, peanuts, ice cream, and other assorted junk food, all compliments of the firm. It was really nice just chilling out in the balmy summer evening air, with my legs up on the seat in front of me, chatting with other attorneys. I ended up having to leave at the bottom of the 8th inning so I could make it home before midnight, but I would definitely go to another game, if only for the food.
Lunch: Trimana again, except with Ashley and Adam 2. Original Adam was out of the office today doing document review in Redondo Beach, so it was just the three of us. I got a BBQ chicken wrap and fries this time, you know, to mix things up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)