Summer...and Beyond!

Oh blog world, I've definitely been neglecting you this semester!  Law school got real, fast.  I was so swept up in this semester that posting went by the wayside.  There are a few posts that I didn't want to share until after the semester was over - those will be up soon!

Right now, it's 2AM on a Saturday night (Sunday morning?).  I would love to be driving home and passing out fully dressed with some disgusting fast food on my nightstand, but instead, I'm taking a study break!  I have completed (2) finals so far (Contracts and Civil Procedure), and I have one remaining (Property).  It's a take home final, so it can't be that bad, right? :-(  I may seem a little relaxed, but that's mostly because the panic is over.  I was worried about my first two exams (to the point of crying and vomiting), but now the end is on the horizon!

Before updating everyone on what happened over the course of the semester, I wanted to talk (well, maybe brag a little) about how incredible this summer is going to be! I have been planning every minute of it with a huge smile on my face.  Law school has opened so many doors for me.  Last summer, I was just going to parties, working at a hotel, and watching way too much TV.  But this summer...it's going to be unforgettable.

First, the boring part.  I am taking (2) summer courses. One is on campus, and I have to go (2) nights/week.  The course is Oil and Gas, and apparently the professor is some sort of O&G wizard.  As gross as it sounds, I am actually very excited about it! My father worked in the O&G field for several years, and since I live in Texas it will always affect my life in some way.  The other course is Marital Property, and it's online! I didn't know online courses existed in law school, and I can't wait to learn about how to swindle my first husband's money while in my pajamas.  Just kidding...I really just plan on making my own fortune and having a shit load of cats.

While taking courses, I will also be working a paid internship!  Paid internships are a rare treat for first year students.  Most attorneys simply don't feel we know enough about the law to be any sort of asset to their company over the summer.  A few of them offer unpaid internships, but they are also hard to get.  You don't know rejection until you cry over missing an opportunity to work for free.  I applied several places and even went on a few interviews. I wanted to work in the Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office since I plan to work in that field, but it didn't work out.  That was the last of my interviews, and I was pretty upset when I got the rejection letter.  As luck would have it, my personal attorney offered me a job for the summer just a few days later!  I will be working in a criminal defense firm working evidence and cases.  Though the job is exciting in and of itself, I think it's about time I shared how I ended up there...

Warning: I am not asking for lectures or judgments. I made a mistake and I learned a LOT from it - so be nice or else...

Last year in May, I was going out a lot.  Far more than I should have.  I wasn't worried about a thing in my life; I was headed to law school, I had a job that paid for all I needed and more, and tons of friends. I had started hanging out with a promoter (you know, the ones who get free tickets and free drinks everywhere they go as long as they bring some groupies along with them and post it on Facebook), and he invited me to a concert at the House of Blues. I was very busy during the day of the concert, and I forgot to eat.  When I got there, the party commenced, and so did the booze.  I drank too much on an empty stomach, and my friend offered to drive me (in my car) back to his house so that I could sleep it off.  It was the best idea, but he had something else in mind, and I immediately demanded my keys.  I drove all of (5) minutes when I was pulled over for - get this - not having the front license plate on my car.  Obviously, the police could tell I had been drinking and they booked me.  I spent the night in jail (TERRIFYING by the way, especially for someone who has never gotten in trouble in their life), and my friend bailed me out the next morning. 

When I got out, I tried not to panic.  I notified the law school, who lectured me but overall was very nice about it. I also hired an attorney to work my case.  I met with the attorney and went over the details, and we continued communicating throughout the course of litigation.  Around December, as I was applying for winter internships, I got a phone call from a potential employer who was otherwise a sure shot.  She notified me that they could not hire me because when they ran my background check, I had a warrant.  This was as much of a surprise to me as it was to them! The warrant, as it turns out, was for failure to appear.  Lots of times in criminal cases, your legal representative can take care of court dates without you having to appear.  I had one of those cases scheduled, but somehow my attorney overlooked it.  I sent him a frantic email, and he fixed the warrant, so I thought I was in the clear (though I didn't get that particular internship even after I explained the situation!).  Everything was fine, however, about a month later I was looking over my records online, and ANOTHER failure to appear showed up. This time, I emailed my attorney in a less polite manner and asked him what happened.  He assured me that his legal assistant was fired after this mistake and he apologized profusely.  Since it didn't turn into a warrant, I wasn't as upset, and I sent him a cheeky response and said that he owed me an internship for all the trouble. To my surprise, it worked!  After some back and forth, we came to an agreement for the summer and he officially offered me a job.  

What is the lesson here, my little law enthusiasts?  Never doubt yourself, and never be afraid to ask.  My bad judgment call resulted in a wonderful opportunity! And people say that nothing good ever happens when you drink too much...ha!  

On a more serious note, a DWI is a very terrible thing.  It can harm you and those around you, and the legal fees and headache aren't worth it! I voluntarily went to some meetings and talked to some people in the community about being a more responsible drinker, and I abstained from it for a while. If you need a ride, call me, unless you're one of my random readers from Germany...then call a cab.  And don't judge. It could have happened to you!

"oh you'll know when I pull up..."

Now, back to my summer.  Once finals and my internship are over, I am headed to CROATIA!  I am doing a summer abroad trip to study Intellectual Property in the European Union.  As luck would have it, I will be accompanied by several classmates on the trip, so I won't have to hang out with strangers the whole time. Perfect!!

Beautiful pic of Croatia

Details about my program can be found here: http://www.law.msu.edu/croatia/index.html

As soon as my last final in Croatia is complete, I am jumping on a plane and getting back to the states as soon as possible to attend a training session for my new position as a Teacher's Assistant!  I will be in charge of a group of 1Ls (first year law students).  The program meets once a week during the school year and my co-TA and I will give the new students advice on time management, studying, and how to avoid the panic attack that is always looming over law students. I am very excited for the opportunity!

Next year, I am also going to serve as the Vice President of the Student Bar Association at my law school. I won the election (which was a little upsetting since I was running against a good friend) about a month ago.  SBA is the liaison between the students and the administration, and we also put on a lot of awesome socials throughout the year.  

The next year is going to rock.  I can't wait to see what new opportunities and friends await me.  Usually I am a lot more sarcastic, so sorry for those who were looking for some rude comments.  They're coming next time...don't worry.

Cheers!