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Message-ID: <ucdavis/king-hall-faq/part4_1051198758@rtfm.mit.edu> Supersedes: <ucdavis/king-hall-faq/part4_1048762998@rtfm.mit.edu> Expires: 5 Jun 2003 15:39:18 GMT References: <ucdavis/king-hall-faq/part1_1051198758@rtfm.mit.edu> X-Last-Updated: 1996/06/22 From: Internet Esquire <netesq@dcn.davis.ca.us> Organization: Internet Esquire(SM) Newsgroups: ucd.king-hall,news.answers Subject: King Hall Law School USENET FAQ Part 4 of 9 Followup-To: poster Summary: This article is Part Four of a Multipart compilation of information on subjects of interest to the readers of the ucd.king-hall USENET newsgroup and other members and would-be members of the King Hall Law School community. Date: 24 Apr 2003 15:39:59 GMT X-Trace: 1051198799 senator-bedfellow.mit.edu 3934 18.181.0.29 Archive-name: ucdavis/king-hall-faq/part4 Posting-Frequency: monthly Last-modified: Jun. 22, 1996 Version: 21Jun96 [ASCII/Multipart] URL: <http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/ucdavis/king-hall-faq/part4/faq.html > Ebb: <http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~netesq/USENET-FAQs/king-hall/part3.html > The King Hall Law School USENET FAQ Part 4 of 9 Frequently Asked Questions at and about King Hall (c) Copyright 1995 & 1996 by David F. Prenatt, Jr. King Hall, 1995 Alumnus U.C. Davis School of Law University of California Davis, CA 95616-5210 <mailto:NetEsq@dcn.davis.ca.us > The King Hall Law School USENET FAQ (King Hall USENET FAQ) may be comprised of more than one part. If it is, please see the TABLE OF CONTENTS in Part One for a complete list of the questions that have attempted to answer and for other important legal information. Caveat emptor: I assume no obligation for anyone through the publication of the King Hall USENET FAQ. Furthermore, all versions of the King Hall USENET FAQ are my personal property and are protected by applicable copyright laws. All rights are reserved except as follows: I hereby give my permission to anyone who has access to this version of the King Hall USENET FAQ to reproduce the information contained herein for non-profit purposes, provided that proper credit is given to me as the author of this FAQ and that I am promptly notified of any use other than personal use. I may revoke permission to reproduce any version of this FAQ at any time. - - - - - The King Hall Law School USENET FAQ Part 4 of 9 Frequently Asked Questions at and about King Hall (c) Copyright 1995 & 1996 by David F. Prenatt, Jr. 4.1.2.9) How important are the courses in Legal Research and Legal Writing? [Rev] You will probably not learn much in Legal Research (a one unit course), but don't blow it off. Legal Research is the only "easy A" at King Hall. [Note: The structure of Legal Research changed as of Fall 1995, so it may no longer be an "easy A."] Legal Writing, on the other hand, is probably the most difficult and important course you will encounter during your first year at King Hall. In Legal Writing, you will learn the skills that you need to be a good attorney. Thus, you should take Legal Writing very seriously, even though it is only a two unit course. Legal Writing is a lightning rod for most law students at King Hall. After coming to terms with their first semester grades, law students must then endure the harsh criticism of the TAs who proofread Legal Writing assignments. While some people tune in faster than others, no one is naturally skilled at legal writing. Ironically, the best writers suffer the most because they are so defensive about their writing abilities. However, virtually everyone will eventually acquire legal writing skills, leaving them to confront the harsh realities of proper citation form. The Bluebook is the standard for legal writing citation form in most law schools. And while it is the first place that you should look when you have a question on citation form, it is not the final word on the subject. Once you have determined what the Bluebook standard is, you must then consider the very real possibility that you are the only person who is aware of that standard (at least the only person that counts). Even so, you must learn the rules before you can learn the exceptions. The Bluebook is the most poorly organized reference book that I have yet encountered. In most instances, you must check three different sections of the Bluebook to determine which section contains the information that you need, with each of these sections containing a few cryptic clues that mean little or nothing by themselves. Accordingly, you should get your own copy of the Bluebook and incorporate your own handwritten cross-references in it. On the inside covers of the Bluebook, you will find the "Quick Reference" sections. Nothing could be more of an oxymoron, and nothing could be further from the truth (if there is a de facto quick reference section in the Bluebook, it is the "Practitioner's Notes" on pp. 10-19). While the Bluebook contains virtually all of the answers to your citation form questions, you must become intimately familiar with the entire contents of the Bluebook before the "Quick Reference" sections mean anything to you. The best place to start this process is on page 21, Rule 1: Structure and Use of Citations. Keep reading until page 53. Once you have completed reading pages 21-53 of the Bluebook (and think that you understand them), you are ready to begin cross- referencing Short Citation Forms (Rule 4; pp. 39-42), Abbreviations, Numerals, and Symbols (Rule 6; pp. 46-48), and Capitalization (Rule 8; pp. 50-52). These Rules are context specific (i.e., text vs. footnotes; court documents vs. law review articles), and they can be trumped by the person to whom you are submitting your work. Every teacher, law review, law office, and court has its own idea about what constitutes proper citation form, specifically "parallel citations." When you find an authority that you will be citing in your legal writing, find out what the Bluebook says about proper citation form first. Then, compare this information with the local rules, the local local rules, and observed practice. Bring all of this information to the attention of the person who makes the final decision about proper citation form (i.e., your instructor/TA, your research editor, your boss/senior partner, or the court clerk), and ask him or her how he or she wants it done. Be prepared to change your citation form when someone points out a rule or custom of which you were unaware. This process may seem tedious, but proper citation form is essential to the intellectual integrity of any and all legal writing. Proper abbreviations and capitalization form also demonstrate an eye for detail, and thus inspire confidence in the abilities of the person who is familiar with these items. Most important, however, is the fact that proper citation form facilitates automated cite checking, keeping your legal authorities current and freeing up your time to do more important things. 4.1.2.10) What if I decide that I don't want to go to law school anymore? After you've started law school, it's too late to decide that you don't want to go. Law school requires you to completely reorganize your life, and once you have begun law school, you should complete it. If you withdraw from law school, you will simply be throwing away good opportunities for which you have already paid dearly. A law degree is a good credential to have, even if you learn nothing from law school other than that you don't want to be a lawyer. Some people encounter a personal hardship that prevents them from continuing with law school. If this happens to you, you might be able to take some time off to set your life in order. Most people whom I know who quit law school, however, do so because they are unhappy with the heavy workload and/or the grades that they receive. Law school is tedious and competitive for most people, but it doesn't have to be that way at King Hall. Most students are able to pass their classes at King Hall with a modicum of effort (i.e., attending class, reviewing course outlines, and practicing final exams). The disappointment and tedium I witnessed in some of my more ambitious and competitive colleagues was the result of their using scholastic achievement as a measure of their self-worth (which is always a mistake). As important as it may be to do well in law school, it is much more important to finish law school. During my first year of law school, I remember meeting a number of accomplished and successful alumni/alumnae who had very mediocre grades during law school. For example, Clint Bolick (King Hall Class of 1982) told me and a number of other students that he had finished in the top 10% "of the bottom half of the bottom half" of his class before he went on to become the Vice President in Charge of Litigation for the Institute For Justice in Washington, D.C. In other words, not everyone can excel in law school, and a mediocre performance in law school does not compromise your ability to make a name for yourself as a lawyer. Many outstanding lawyers never even attended law school. 4.1.2.11) Can I repeat my courses? King Hall does have some provisions for students who want to repeat a course. Specifically, if your GPA drops below 2.0 at the end of your first year, academic regulations require you to repeat many of your first year courses if you wish to continue your legal education at King Hall. Similarly, if you receive an F in a course (a very rare occurrence) that is required for you to graduate, you must repeat that course; if you receive an F in a course that is not a graduation requirement, administrative regulations allow you to repeat that course with the permission of the Assistant Dean. Contact Assistant Dean Antonia Bernhard (<mailto:aebernhard@ucdavis.edu >) at (916)752- 0243 for more information. Law school regulations do not state whether you can repeat other courses, so before you repeat any other courses check with Nicole Waterman ( <mailto:Ngwaterman@ucdavis.edu >) or Dian Francis (<mailto:dpfrancis@ucdavis.edu >) in the King Hall Registrar's Office, in person or at (916)752-4299. 4.1.2.12) Should I complain if I am unhappy with my instructor? It depends upon why you are unhappy with your instructor. If you think that your instructor is a bad teacher, that's a personal problem that you need to address. I have never encountered a bad teacher that someone else didn't like. On one occasion, the verdict on a visiting adjunct professor was virtually unanimous in that no one felt that the instructor was competent, and that professor was not invited back to King Hall again. If you are really unhappy with an instructor, you can usually drop the class and take it when another professor is teaching it. If you need the class, however, that is a trade-off that you may need to make. In any event, the grade distribution remains pretty standard. The administration at King Hall is very concerned about the quality of instruction. Thus, you are given the opportunity to fill out anonymous instructor evaluations at the end of every semester. I have never turned in a bad evaluation for an instructor, but many other people whom I know have, and in many instances they have come to regret it when they realize that they actually did learn a great deal from that professor. Keep in mind that sometimes the subject matter of a particular course defies the capacity of an instructor to spoonfeed his or her students. Most of the people whom I know who complain about the quality of a professor's teaching think that they know more about the subject than the professor or think that they know more about how the subject should be taught than the professor does. I have felt this way myself at times. On very rare occasions I have come to the conclusion that attending some law school classes was a complete waste of time and that I learned certain subjects in spite of my instructors rather than from them. However, I still attended all of my law school classes religiously, in case an instructor passed out a "silver bullet" that would help me on the final exam. 4.1.3) OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER AS A FIRST YEAR LAW STUDENT. 4.1.3.1) Registration with the Committee of Bar Examiners. First year law students who intend to practice law in the state of California after graduation must register with the Committe of Bar Examiners shortly after they begin law school. You will find forms for this in the Registrar's Office. Take care of this as soon as possible to avoid late fees. 4.1.3.2) Where should I buy my books and supplies? You should be able to obtain all of your books and supplies at the Silo Bookstore. However, you can probably find the books you need elsewhere for less. For instance, America's Legal and Professional Bookstores at 725 J St in nearby Sacramento, (916)441-0410, does a greater volume than the Silo. You should also post a list somewhere in the law school of the books that you want to buy and watch for lists that other people post of the books that they are selling. 4.1.3.2.1) Should I sign up for a bar review course during my first year of law school? Yes, even if you don't plan to take the bar exam. When you sign up for a bar review course, you will obtain free outlines of your first year courses that will help you in preparing for your final exams. You may also be able to get a free bar review course by becoming a sales representative for one of the courses. 4.1.3.2.2) Which bar review course should I purchase? Most people purchase BarBri or Barpassers [Note: Barpassers has been purchased by Wests and renamed]. Given the choice, I signed up for Barpassers and later became a sales representative for Barpassers. My preference should be obvious, but both of these courses are very good courses. Check out all of the courses on the market and decide for yourself which one is best for you. Some people whom I know even signed up for both BarBri and Barpassers to obtain all of the outlines that both courses offered and/or to play the two vendors against each other on course price. 4.1.3.3) FINDING SUMMER WORK. 4.1.3.3.1) How do I find summer work? Send out resumes to firms, government agencies, etc. that interest you, and do so promptly (ABA regulations prohibit you from doing so until close to the end of your first semester, so just get your resume in order). Summer jobs for first year law students go very fast. For more information, Contact Director of Career Services Jane Thomson (<mailto:jthomson@ucdavis.edu >) at (916)752-6574. Of course, she probably won't be interested in talking to you until sometime around November of your first year. 4.1.3.3.2) What if I can't find paid work? Volunteer. You may also be able to find a fellowship to help you pay your way. The King Hall Legal Foundation provides a number of grants specifically for such purposes. One advantage of volunteering for summer work after your first year of law school is that you will not compromise the amount of your financial aid award during your third year. For more information, contact the King Hall Financial Aid Director Lu Reed Bastian (<mailto:lrbastian@ucdavis.edu >) in person or at (916)752-6573. 4.1.3.3.3) Are there any career planning resources on the Internet? [New] Yes. See Section 4.6.5 for information on career planning resources on the Internet. 4.1.3.4) SOCIAL LIFE AT KING HALL. 4.1.3.4.1) Is it a bad idea to date other law students? Yes. Problems will arise even in the best relationships. When they do, your classmates will become involved, and everyone will get hurt. Moreover, most romantic relationships in law school do not last. When your former lover is a law student, you must confront him or her every day while you are in law school, not to mention the fact that you will probably know most of your classmates for over 40 years. The small size of the King Hall community makes dating your fellow law students even more complicated. Consider that when Version 1.1 of this FAQ was posted on the King Hall dayboard, some anonymous smart aleck crossed out the word "date" in this question and wrote in the word "stalk." Res ipsa loquitor. Unfortunately, most of you will ignore and/or attempt to refute what I have written in this section. And undoubtedly there will be many of you who will enter into committed relationships with other law students shortly after you arrive at King Hall. And many of those relationships will flourish long after your departure from King Hall. But keep in mind that most of the law school relationships that do fail will fail miserably and quietly, so be modest about whatever success you do encounter in your romantic relationships with your fellow law students. 4.1.3.4.2) How do I avoid gossip at King Hall? You can't, and you are foolish to try. People exchange a lot of information in law school, and gossip is included with this information. However, you can avoid repeating unkind and unflattering gossip. And if you exercise discretion, you will be amazed at the quantity and quality of information that people will share with you. As cynical as I am, one of the things that never ceases to amaze me is how two-faced some people can be. I don't pretend to pass judgement on these people, however. In fact, I depend upon the duplicity of many of my good friends to gain the trust of people who wish me ill. On the other hand, the only reason that any of these people trust me is because they know that I will not reveal what I know or how I know it unless compelled to do so by the law or my professional ethics. As a result, I always knew what people were saying about me and who was saying it. 4.1.3.4.3) What do I do if people spread a vicious rumor about me that is untrue? There is very little that you can do about vicious rumors about yourself at King Hall. In any small community there are ignorant busybodies who falsely believe themselves to be among the enlightened and well-informed. King Hall is no exception. Generally speaking, these people have lives of their own that are so mediocre or tragic that they must poison the reputations of others to boost their own self-esteem. Don't think for a moment that there is honor among these gossips. After all, knowledge is power and power corrupts, so the malcontents who chime in today about your common enemy will tell tales out of school about you tomorrow. If you are the victim of idle gossip, straighten out the record with your close personal friends; they will take care of the rest when you are not around. The term idle gossip is difficult to define. After all, it's a matter of perspective. If you are among the enlightened and well- informed and your sources are reliable, then you are performing a valuable community service as a purveyor of accurate information. On the other hand, if you are an unwitting victim of hidden agendas (i.e., most of us), you are receiving incomplete and inaccurate information from your sources, and you will do irreparable harm to the reputation of others when you repeat a rumor. I always asked myself three questions about any rumor that I heard at King Hall: 1) Is it kind?, 2) Is it true?, and 3) Is it necessary to repeat it? Even when you repeat the truth, you can intrude upon people's personal lives. This makes enemies out of people who would otherwise be your friends and who would be willing to help you when you need help the most (and you never know who or when that will be). Gossips are the worst kind of false friends. None of the secrets that you share with them are confidential. On the other hand, silence is a friend that will never betray you. 4.1.3.4.4) What should I do if I experience some form of harassment at King Hall, sexual or otherwise? Depending upon the seriousness of the situation, you should file a grievance with the administration at King Hall. I experienced harassment myself at King Hall, sexual and otherwise, and I learned that even the nicest people can sometimes be very vicious. In most instances, I was able to resolve it informally. I simply confided in someone whom I knew I could trust about what I was experiencing (preferably someone in a position of authority who could later be used as a mediator if necessary) and steered clear of the perpetrator until he or she offered me an apology or explanation (or until he or she started treating me with respect and consideration). Avoiding a perpetrator, however, is not always a viable option in a small, close- knit community like King Hall, and a formal grievance may be in order. Just as important as what to do when you experience some form of harassment is how to conduct yourself if you are accused of being a perpetrator. Unfortunately, one person's good clean fun or harmless flirtation is another person's harassment. If you find out that you have done anything to offend anyone at King Hall, even if it is just a misunderstanding, you should apologize IMMEDIATELY to that person and avoid him or her from that point forward. The people whom I have met at King Hall are typically very forgiving. In most instances, they will appreciate a courteous apology and extend an olive branch to you once they have cooled off. Depending upon the seriousness of the situation, however, you should also consider seeking legal advice. Whether or not you think that you have done anything wrong, law school types can be very litigious. My experience with both perpetrators and victims of harassment who have confided in me has led me to believe that there is no reliable method of divining who is telling the truth. Liars can be very convincing (more so than honest people), and you certainly cannot trust the many rumors that abound because most people (law students included) have an insatiable appetite for vicious gossip. The more that people talk about a situation involving some form of harassment, the more lurid and convoluted the rumors get. Many innocent people are falsely accused (a form of harassment itself), and many actual victims of harassment are not believed (which adds insult to injury); sometimes the roles of victim and perpetrator are even reversed in the retelling. Worse yet, many perpetrators get away with harassment when there is no doubt about what actually happened (i.e., the victim is blamed for inviting or creating a situation or for overreacting). 4.1.3.4.5) What do One Ls do for fun? There are a large number of social gatherings every month, if not every week (every day, if you live in the dorms), most with alcoholic beverages as the main attraction (notwithstanding the University's prohibition on advertising on campus the fact that alcohol will be served at an event). Many law student organizations have potlucks as well. But by far the biggest social activity is amateur sports. A large number of law students are former college athletes (some better than others). Volleyball, softball, and basketball seem to be the most popular law school team sports; a softball league usually forms during the first month of classes. And yes, skill is optional. 4.1.3.5) MOOT COURT. 4.1.3.5.1) Moot Court Clerking. One Ls are usually invited by the Moot Court Board to act as time keepers during oral arguments. This is an excellent opportunity for One Ls to find out what Moot Court is all about. 4.1.3.5.2) Moot Court Team Tryouts. Notwithstanding the year long Appellate Advocacy program, One Ls may qualify for various moot court teams at the end of their first year for participation on these teams during their second year. Watch for bulletins about the various moot court team tryouts. - - - - - End of document: The King Hall Law School USENET FAQ Part 4 of 9 Frequently Asked Questions at and about King Hall (c) Copyright 1995 & 1996 by David F. Prenatt, Jr. King Hall, 1995 Alumnus U.C. Davis School of Law University of California Davis, CA 95616-5210 <mailto:NetEsq@dcn.davis.ca.us > Link to next document: <http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~netesq/USENET-FAQs/king-hall/part5.html > - - - - -