Staying flexible

Staying flexible Final exams for the fall start tomorrow – what better time to reflect on the term that was? With the freedom to select a schedule from a very broad array of class offerings, how does one decide how to proceed? If you have a specific focus area, or are seeking a certificate, decisions about what class to take might mostly be made for you by the schedule itself. In my case, my intent was to explore a few different areas of the law while accommodating my extracurricular interests. Thanks to the evening program at Lewis and Clark, there are a wide variety of classes and class times available for crafting a schedule, which made it possible for me to fit my schedule around work and volunteering, while still carrying a full load of interesting classes in a number of subject areas. Animal Law, Administrative Law, Bankruptcy, Business Associations, Capital Punishment and Constitutional Law II were my choices for the term – a mix that allowed me to touch on a few different areas of the law while preserving two days a week class-free for other purposes. What other purposes? For one, the chance to volunteer my time with the Oregon Justice Resource Center (OJRC), an opportunity that grew directly from Lewis and Clark itself. In the current climate of reduced hiring, even volunteer positions are very competitive for law students, so it was a great pleasure to join the first class of students at this brand new non-profit, founded by three 2011 graduates of the law school. The OJRC assists local non-profit legal organizations with trial and appellate litigation on behalf of indigent, prisoner, and low-income clients in federal and state courts on a range of civil liberties and civil rights matters, including but not limited to the death penalty, immigrant rights, and unfair procedural barriers to the courts. My role with OJRC has been as a volunteer supporting the Oregon Capital Resource Center with appellate advocacy as part of the Death Penalty Project. Working on real cases, with experts in the field, has been made possible by the dedication and hard work of the founding directors of OJRC, the open and collegial relations between attorneys in the Oregon Bar, and the flexible scheduling options that Lewis and Clark provides for students. On top of my classes and my work with the OJRC, a flexible schedule also provided the opportunity to hold on to my part time job as a snow reporter for a local ski resort, Mt. Hood Meadows. Most students at Lewis and Clark seem to indulge some kind of athletic interests, including runners who ply the trails of Tryon Creek State Park adjacent to the school, bicycle riders who take advantage of the CATS towel program for commuting to school, and the crew of dedicated gym rats that work out daily at the student athletic center. Students here understand how to maintain a balanced life. In the interest of keeping my own life in balance, this was my last term as a full time student at Lewis and Clark. No, I’m not dropping out, transferring, deferring or taking a sabbatical – I’m just switching to the ‘evening division’, which means 12 credits, instead of the 17 on my schedule this term (what was I thinking?). This kind of flexibility in scheduling sets Lewis and Clark apart from other schools, and allows students to make connections in the community that will serve us well as we transition from living as students to working as lawyers.

Capitolizing

Capitolizing Summer. Many took positions as interns, externs and summer associates, but I decided to start my first summer in law school by taking advantage of other opportunities. Study abroad programs caught my attention during the year, and I decided to join a well established trip organized by the University of Missouri at Kansas City, a program that has been popular with Lewis & Clark students for some time. So, a day after completing my first year in law school, I packed my bags for Beijing, China, where I had the chance to learn the basics of the reconstituted legal system of the People’s Republic of China while making connections with students from the US and abroad, and still found some time for sight-seeing fun. I never made time for study abroad as an undergraduate student, and I’m very glad I decided to add this trip to my summer schedule. The program did not require any Chinese language skills, and Beijing in the post-Olympics era is more accessible than ever. We had a chance to visit the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace and many other historic sites in the Beijing area. Class time was concentrated in the mornings, leaving plenty of time for afternoon sightseeing excursions by bus and weekend adventures, made easy and quick by the subway system that covers much of the city. The cohort of Lewis and Clark students, along with Professor Kanter, had the chance to share an elegant dinner with alumni from Lewis and Clark, who have made the most of their legal training in a range of fields in China. The three week course was a great introduction to many areas of Chinese law, and a great way to cap a first year in law school. Just a week after getting back from Beijing, I made a visit to Washington D.C., where I attended the 10th annual American Constitution Society convention (hence the title of the post). This was a great chance to expand my networking reach, see the sights of D.C., and connect with like minded individuals, while providing a presence for Lewis and Clark at a high profile event. I met law students and lawyers, writers and editors, professors and judges. I even ran into a distinguished guest that remembered me from a trip to Lewis & Clark earlier in the year. A little trip to D.C. helped to put the temperate summers of Oregon in good perspective. Halfway through the summer, I still had time to take Evidence and Natural Resources back at Lewis and Clark, where I enjoyed the excellent weather in Portland. I spent a lot of time floating whitewater, biking, attending beer festivals, and picking up some credits along the way with some intensive courses. The split summer schedule was especially helpful in making it possible to combine intensive study abroad with a dose back home. Whew! I’ll fill you in on what I’ve been up to this fall in my next post…

Oral Advocacy

Oral Advocacy Thursday evening was the grand finale for our Legal Analysis and Writing classes this year. The last round of appellate brief arguments was held at the Multnomah County Courthouse in downtown Portland. Many weeks of hard work went into preparation of appellate briefs, and even more weeks of practicing oral arguments followed. There is nothing quite like putting on your best suit and standing at the podium in a courthouse, with a panel of judges hanging on every word. Nervousness is normal in such a situation, and I think everyone had some anxiety going in. I found mine mostly alleviated by observing my classmates’ arguments. As each of them argued, it helped to build my confidence that I, too, would be able to make a compelling presentation of my case. Although the arguments were truly brief, with only ten minutes allotted to each student, the opportunity to engage in such practice was a highlight of my first year in law school. Feeling prepared and confident, and delivering a solid performance, puts a big smile on one’s face. After the arguments were done, we stepped into the hall for a moment while the judges conferred; the relief and excitement were palpable. Each of us felt the sudden joy of accomplishment and the well-earned urge to relax. Following a quick de-brief on our performances, we all made our way to the after-party. This is where law students show their true colors, drinking, laughing, and making fun of themselves and one another. I arrived at the party with one more topic for the conversation than I expected – a parking ticket, left on my car while we were in the courtroom making our arguments. Somehow the parking enforcement folks completely missed the valid parking sticker on my vehicle. No problem. I’m actually looking forward to the opportunity to make my case.

People, Place and Passion

People, Place and Passion The “joy of being a law student” may seem to be a contradiction in terms, but the combination of people, place, and passion can actually make pursuing legal education fun. As my schedule started to fill in with job fairs, interviews, speakers, mock trials, receptions and student group meetings, it became obvious that the community that makes a law school great consists of a lot more than just the student body and the faculty. The larger legal community of Portland is probably the greatest resource that Lewis and Clark students could ask for as developing legal practitioners and scholars.More than that, Portland also provides recreational, cultural and culinary opportunities to keep one engaged, informed and happily engorged. It’s easy to escape to the coast or the mountains for a day, or stay in town to enjoy the great variety of food, drink and entertainment that Portland offers. Probably the best reason to be having fun in Portland is really the passion that Portland engenders and delivers. Lawyers here, like Portlanders in general, are truly passionate about making the world a better place, and this comes through in their commitment to the profession, and also in their passion for other pursuits. All this effort is for a purpose, and with classes only four days a week, there is still enough time left to have some fun outside school as well.