The Results are In

I passed!!!!

This blog is likely dead to rights...now that I've passed and I never need to look the Cal Bar Exam in the eye again (or, let's HOPE I DON'T).

What a long strange trip, indeed...

The party's over...

...or, hell...maybe it's just begun!!!

Final day of the Cal Bar Exam. I finished and it's out of my life. For now. And hopefully FOREVER.

It was more straightforward than I had imagined it would be and I was a pretty good predictor of what subjects would be tested for the essays (was so certain Corps would be on there that I kept studying and restudying it...don't know if it made a difference in the long run, tho).

I know there were rule of law I just couldn't remember (Sakai says: "Make it up!") and there were some MBE's that were just downright EVIL (I mean how can you HONESTLY conspire to steal your own coat? huh? Who's calling the cops on that particular crime, exactly?), but it's done. And I didn't pass out, freak out or wimp out. And neither did old Bessie my Dell laptop who wheezes and sputters when she powers on, but stayed the course.

I don't have to kick ass on this exam. I just need to pass.
But for right now, all I have to do is SLEEP.

California BLAH Exam

I haven't posted since graduating. Mostly because I've been in BarBri classes and generally being a slave to studying for the Cal Bar Exam.
And drinking occasionally.

To say that I cannot wait for this to be over is the understatement of my life.

I have also heard alternately that taking the exam at Cal Expo is going to be HORRIBLE. They better have A/C. I know that the Exhibition Halls always had A/C growing up. You would go wander around the 4H displays in order to cool off between corn dogs and the Tilt-A-Whirl. Preferably in that order.

Let's hope they crank it against the 105 degree Sac heat, eh?

I'm driving up on Saturday and wasting basically the whole day doing that. If I was smart, I would run thru laws in my head while driving. But I'm afraid that will cause me to run off the road and take out an unsuspecting cow. Thus, I'll be listening to a NON-LAW audio book.

I'm at mom's until Monday afternoon when I check into the hotel. Hopefully, I can study a bit before heading to a final dinner with the family. I'm having a martini.

My brain has ceased working properly and I honestly don't know what good I'm doing any more.
It's far more interesting to watch my friend, Storm, on Rockstar:Supernova or my friend, Bonnie on Project Runway than study the rule in Shelley's Case.

I'm certain that both Corporations and Professional Responsibility will be on the exam. My two weakest links. Tomorrow HAS TO BE about working on those. I'm running out of time.

And brain cells.

End of the Era

Well, law school is finally OVER. Commencement was on Sunday and I threw a large grad party at Hotel Cafe afterward (during which I ate none of the epic-ly prepared food I made all weekend and got hammered).

I got my grade back for the one class i was EXTREMELY concerned about (Income Tax) and I passed and actually scored above the mean -- so I'm happy. No other grades back yet and I'm hoping my GPA doesn't fall. But if it does, oh well. Depending, I could fall anywhere between top 20% and top 30%. Let's hope it's closer to the former.

BarBri starts on Tuesday and I've been RELAXING. I haven't even opened my PMBR books yet, but think I should do it today. I need to drive over to BarBri and pick up my books for next week, but might have to do that tomorrow. I really need to mop my kitchen floor. It's grotesque.

I'm trying to figure out a quick, low-cost post-Bar trip. Maybe just San Francisco or Lake Tahoe. We'll see. I will need a couple of days "away from it all," to be sure.

It feels so WEIRD that this is over...

Last Law School Class Ever

It's hard to believe...but I had my LAST LAW SCHOOL CLASS EVER on Thursday night. At 7:30 p.m., when my Income Tax Class was over, I realized I was done -- in terms of lectures/classes, that is. I obviously still have finals and papers to write.

It feels odd. And not quite real yet. Probably won't until I'm walking down the aisle at Graduation! But I've made it. Barring a catastrophe (knocking on wood next to computer), I will be done in 3 weeks.

It went by very fast. It really doesn't seem 3 years ago that I went to Orientation and bought that first load of heavy books. I know the path isn't totally complete, since I still have bar review classes and the dreaded Cal Bar Exam in July...but Part I is nearly over.

It's been great, honestly. There were trying times and times I questioned what I was doing. But overall, I learned a ton and am really proud of myself.

I turned in my final negotiation file on Thursday, too, so that class is complete. I got my Death Penalty paper draft back and need to spend this weekend rewriting it. My first exam is on the 12th and my Income Tax final is on the 16th. I have papers due the 9th and the 18th. The one on the 18th is more "stream of consciousness" and is for a Pass/Fail course, so obviously I'm stressing more over the Death Penalty one.

Now...if someone would only hire me.

Do They Know It's Christmas?

So I realized I haven't updated this in eons and the final 3 people who were even reading it have probably been lost forever. It's been a busy life...

The bad news: I didn't get the job I really wanted. They decided to only to extend offers to their Summers from last year and not to any additional entry-level lawyers. I'm not giving up forever, tho, and have made a mentor-friend in the woman who originally interviewed me. So I do not have a post-grad job yet and it's making me a wee bit nervous.

The good news is that the rejection lit a fire under my butt and I got myself both an internship AND an externship next semester. So in addition to taking 5 units of "work," I will still be taking 4 regular classes. It's going to be one nutty semester -- especially Mondays, when I'm working at Sony and then in class until 10 p.m. ugh. Then I have to wake up and drive all the way to Orange county the next morning for my externship. Hope it all works out and I don't lose my marbles along the way.

I've made it thru one 25-page research paper and one 3-unit final. Just three more finals left and then home for Xmas. I'm looking forward to spending some additional time with my family, since usually I get out of school around the 22nd and only spend about 5 days at home in Sacramento. I plan on sleeping tons.

It doesn't feel very Xmassy here in L.A. Only a slight chill in the evening to remind us that it's not June. It's one of the times I really miss NYC. A friend is having a Holiday party tomorrow nite and I'm hoping to go later for about an hour. Have to study TRADEMARK all day tomorrow, tho.

Better get to bed. I'm exhausted.

Waiting for your letter...

I thought I'd use a title of one of Cary Brothers' new song for this post. Give him a little love while I'm whining.

I had my callback with the firm on Tuesday. I met with 2 partners (including the managing partner of the LA office), an associate and a senior associate. I liked everyone. I felt like the meetings all went well...but you just don't know. Everyone was really laid back and intelligent. They asked me about both business and non-businessy things and I tried to keep eye contact with everyone and be enthusiastic and poised. It's a casual office, so I was the only one in a suit, but that's OK. I felt like a million bucks in it having just gotten it tailored and I was carrying my hand-me-down Armani handbag from Sam.

The recruiter told me they had one more interview-callback the following day and would be making their decision by week's end. I didn't hear from them on Friday, which worries me slightly, but Thursday was a firm holiday (Yom Kippur), so it is possible they didn't make their decision yet. Last time, I was told I would be called by Friday and they called Monday nite. So here's hoping the silence doesn't mean they hated me.

I'm really really nervous because I loved the firm and the people and it seems like the work would be incredible (1st Amendment defense stuff). Also sounds like they might throw me right into litigation. WHEE!

For anyone reading this, please think "offer" thoughts for me tomorrow (and possibly Tuesday). I really want this. And think I would be great at it.