First Day of Classes - August 27, 2007

The word of the day is "underwhelming".

The build up was a masterpiece. Law school was to be the beast of burden that Mick Jagger never wanted to be. In fact, this beast was not some allegorical homage to a woman (or in Mick's case, supposedly, a thank you to Keith Richards). There is no love making. The only promising thought is of that which is three years away: graduation.

If you are at this point wondering how the above could be underwhelming, ponder this: the preceding was on my mind as I entered my first class at 10:00 AM. I was overwhelmed.

But, let me back up. I arrived to the law school exactly one hour early to look over my notes, skim the readings and to prepare for the class to come. I was more prepared for this class than I was in any other class of my educational life. I had read the assigned portions of the book. I went back and reread the same portions of the same books, this time outlining the key points. I then skimmed the readings (which I had already read twice) and looked over my notes, which is a solid outline of the readings (which I was familiar with, because I had read them a total of three times). I was, in a word: prepared.

Into the class walks the "bowtie". When I first arrived in New York with my Father, I attempted to describe the subway system in one rhetorical question and answer: "You know all the movies that depict the subway as scary, dirty and run down? They are all dead on." This professor is your bowtie-wearing, enthusiastic (and very knowledgeable) movie-typical professor of law. And, to add icing to the cake, the class was contracts. This was your "dead-on law school professor" -- the good breed, not the scary kind.

Walking into the class, I figured contract law would fit into the exciting-classification-system somewhere between snails and broccoli. I was very wrong.

But, back to the "whelmings" I alluded to previously.

I am wholly intrigued by contracts. From the start to wherever it is I am in my studies: I love the readings and the lectures. Who would have known? The class has elements of legal ethics (as do most of those in which I am enrolled). For those not in the know, it turns out Hofstra Law has some world-class professors. Monroe Friedman, known as the father of legal ethics, teaches multiple classes. If there is some moral or ethical legal issue in national news, look for his name. We are using his contracts textbook for our class.

I am excited that the law school puts such an emphasis on ethics. It is good to know that, although not necessarily moral, the lawyers that the school puts out are ethical (as a general rule).


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A Side-Note: I have all 5 classes with Michelle, another Advocacy Fellow. I told you that to relate this. Michelle has been working in the law firm her grandfather founded, for the last three years. After receiving our first assignments for Contracts, we were instructed to fully brief a case for in-class discussion that brings together legal ethics and contract law. The case is a legal malpractice/ breach of contract case. I told you that to tell you the following: the case we briefed happens to be a famous malpractice suit brought against poor Michelle's grandfather's law firm. The very first case. Poor Michelle.
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I had Torts later in the afternoon. The class has 100 students and is a very welcoming environment. Much learning will happen in this class. Participation is not graded, so asking questions and giving your best shot at answers will not result in any mental breakdowns. The final is open-book also (which I think may be a false-security). My notes for that class will remain stellar.

My roommate was not so lucky. Her only class on Mondays is with a professor on a mission: to make people cry. Her description is that of nightmares come true. Vindictive, embattled and potentially abused. Evil in a suit. A man that, in a long while has not ... been happy. She found it amusing. I breathed that long sigh of relief.

Anyhow, I walked away from this first day of classes very relaxed, relieved, and underwhelmed. I feel like I should be scared. Alas, I am not.

Somebody, please, jump out of a closet. A good scream would probably be good. I am in law school, right?


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Note-To-Self: Pray the week continues in this way.