Law School

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8ABhatAfsA

LOL. While my first grader has been (seriously) talking about mounting a production of "Elementary School Musical," my less earnest fourth grader has been joking about what "College Musical" and "Law School Musical" or "Medical School Musical" would be like.

[adpiucf]

That has been making the rounds through UF, too. Funny stuff. How's the semester going, everyone?

[GeekyPenguin]

I hope BarBri gives me a Birkin bag to carry the books around. I also like that they include a "free" MPRE class when the jurisdiction I'm sitting for the bar in doesn't require the MPRE.

[adpiucf]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Just take your MPRE right after your PR class.

Everything should be okay.

I can't --> we have PR first semester of 1L (whose genius decision was that?), and you can't take the MPRE until you have a certain number of credits under your belt (i think I can take it this summer?)

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

I can't --> we have PR first semester of 1L (whose genius decision was that?), and you can't take the MPRE until you have a certain number of credits under your belt (i think I can take it this summer?)

Double-check that carefully. One of my classmates took it fall of 2L year when he was in PR and passed for the jurisdiction the law school is in, but not the one where he wants to practice. He took it again spring of 2L year and passed everywhere, but then found out the jurisdiction where he wants to go requires you take it after being done with 2 years of law school - so he just had to take it AGAIN for the 3rd time.

[deadbear80]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

I can't --> we have PR first semester of 1L (whose genius decision was that?), and you can't take the MPRE until you have a certain number of credits under your belt (i think I can take it this summer?)

I took PR 1st semester of 2L year. Did fair in the class but not great. I took the MPRE 1st semester of 3L year, buckled down and studied my booty off and easily passed for every jurisdiction in the US. You should be fine by the time you have to sit for the MPRE provided you study at least a little bit. Every person I know who didn't pass for the jurisdiction they needed to thought to themselves "It's just ethics; it's easy." Yeah, the MPRE is easy--when you've actually studied for it!

I agree with GeekyPenguin though; check the jurisdiction you're planning to be in quite carefully. And remember that the MPRE is offered in August, November, and March--so technically the August exam would be AFTER your 2L year is done if you're on semesters.

[adpiucf]

Thanks-- good advice! I would hate to have to take a test more than one time. I don't see any huge harm in waiting until summer after 2L; will check with jurisdictions.

I am starting to feel the pressure. GP -- good luck with the bar!!! I am a few weeks away from my first semester finals. A little nervous -- ok, a lot nervous-- but I've been diligently keeping up with the reading and outlining all semester, doing hypos and practice problems. I think it is starting to make sense... I think...

Any survival tips or tactics? I'm done with LRW, so just focusing on Contracts, Crim Law, Torts and PR for now. All will be essay (with some variations -- short answer, MC, MC with explanation, T/F).

My Crim Law prof is huge on MPC... she gave us one take-home practice question and gave us individual feedback. The whole class was having probs. with MPC causation. Anyone have experience with MPC vs. C/L?

[deadbear80]

adpiucf,

I'm sorry to hear that your prof. is big on the MPC....since it's not on the Bar! That's right...the MBE is SO cool that it deals with the wonderful 17th century common law stuff your professor probably isn't focusing on! (If you can't tell...this is dripping with sarcasm).

Flashcards. It's all about flashcards. If I flashcarded in law school it would've been better. Flashcards really helped me with the Bar. And I mean flashcards you make, not the ones you buy (although I've heard they're helpful too).

And don't be worried about the fact that the MPC isn't really on the Bar. You will learn everything you need to know (and everything you forgot over time) in a Bar prep course.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

Thanks-- good advice! I would hate to have to take a test more than one time. I don't see any huge harm in waiting until summer after 2L; will check with jurisdictions.

I am starting to feel the pressure. GP -- good luck with the bar!!! I am a few weeks away from my first semester finals. A little nervous -- ok, a lot nervous-- but I've been diligently keeping up with the reading and outlining all semester, doing hypos and practice problems. I think it is starting to make sense... I think...

Any survival tips or tactics? I'm done with LRW, so just focusing on Contracts, Crim Law, Torts and PR for now. All will be essay (with some variations -- short answer, MC, MC with explanation, T/F).

My Crim Law prof is huge on MPC... she gave us one take-home practice question and gave us individual feedback. The whole class was having probs. with MPC causation. Anyone have experience with MPC vs. C/L?

I had this book for Crim Law that was a supplement to our text but it really laid out sections of the MPC well - I think it was called "Understanding Criminal Law" and it was by Dressler. I never learned any common law in that class because they said we'd learn it in BarBri - nothing like knowing what you're learning is useless!

I'm really grumpy about law school right now because I spent almost the entire weekend on my couch preparing for my Trial Advocacy trial and a group project for another stupid class - the only social interaction I had was when I went to the grocery store last night. At least the end is in sight - I graduate in 174 days!

[Kevin]

Trial Advocacy was a great class - did y'all get to put on a trial? We had two profs -- one is the University's general counsel and founder and named partner in one of the state's biggest firms. The other is a federal magistrate... Our final was putting on a half-day murder trial to a jury (a bunch of kids from another college who got a full letter grade bump to show up).

We put on our trial at the federal court house.. Good times.

-- and we won. Got two alleged cop killers off the hook

But 174 days??? Must be nice. I still have my 4L year to look forward to.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Trial Advocacy was a great class - did y'all get to put on a trial? We had two profs -- one is the University's general counsel and founder and named partner in one of the state's biggest firms. The other is a federal magistrate... Our final was putting on a half-day murder trial to a jury (a bunch of kids from another college who got a full letter grade bump to show up).

We put on our trial at the federal court house.. Good times.

-- and we won. Got two alleged cop killers off the hook

But 174 days??? Must be nice. I still have my 4L year to look forward to.

We're putting on our trial next week - it's a civil action about terms of insurance. Contracts and Sales rolled into one, oh boy! I have a felony trial in February for my job so this will be good practice, I guess!

[Kevin]

It's actually going to be a lot of fun. I really enjoyed it. I'll probably never do a criminal trial, so it was interesting for me from that standpoint.

Another group got to do a medmal case... I wanted that one :/

[adpiucf]

Finals begin next week... is it too late to take the MCAT?

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

Finals begin next week... is it too late to take the MCAT?

You're a 1L, right?

That feeling around finals doesn't go away...

[adpiucf]

I am a 1L. A 1L freaking out among a sea of other freaked out 1L's...