Diana, 3L

I have two weeks left of my summer co-op at the Legal Aid Bureau. As I pause and think about these last nine weeks at this Co-Op one thing is for certain: I've gained more confidence being a litigator in the courtroom. So far this summer I've learned how to negotiate visitation and child support orders with adverse parties and opposing counsels and I've done numerous Prove-Up hearings in divorce cases. At a Prove-Up hearing, the Judge will hear testimony from the parties concerning the facts, circumstances, and settlement. At the end of the Prove-Up hearing the judgment for divorce is entered. I've learned to adapt for the unknown when stepping in front of a judge. For example, during the Prove-Up hearing I've had to change child support amounts or add time limits in a litigant's request for spousal alimony in the future. Now, I feel more confident and less nervous when stepping in front of a judge in court. Thank you Co-Op! I also have to thank the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) for providing me with funding which made it possible for me to work in Chicago this summer.

As I prepare for the completion of this Co-Op, the beginning of fall quarter classes lingers nearby. I've sign up for the following courses: Corporation, Evidence, Income Tax, Legal Writing Workshop, and Reproductive Rights. I can't believe I have two more academic quarters left before graduation.

Below is a picture of a typical summer day in Chicago by Lake Michigan.

Hello All,

This week I completed one month on Co-Op. What do I do you ask? Well, let me provide you with a brief description of a typical day at my Co-Op. In reality, there is no typical day when you practice in family law. My day starts at 9:30 a.m. where I accompany my supervising attorney to the Circuit Court of Cook County at the Daley Center Courthouse (see picture of courthouse below). My employer, The Legal Aid Bureau, only represents victims of domestic violence in family law with issues such as divorce, custody, visitation, order of protection, and child support. While at the courthouse my supervisor meets with the client, opposing counsel and/or the child representative. He checks in with the clerk and will appear in front of the judge for various different reasons such as providing the judge with a status on a divorce case. We are usually back in the office by 11 a.m. where we focus on paperwork and meeting with clients.

The majority of my time is spent in court or working with clients. As a 711 license law student, I'm permitted to appear in court as an attorney. Thus far, I've appeared in court for cases such as an emergency order of protection and on finalizing a divorce. Many of the judges I've appeared in front of have been very forthcoming about sharing their law school experience with me.

I've also worked on writing various motions and pleadings. To sum, working at the Legal Aid Bureau has been a very extensive experience in both motion writing and litigation. I am a lot more comfortable in the courtroom thanks to my experience in the Domestic Violence Clinic and at the Legal Aid Bureau.

Below are some pictures of Chicago for your enjoyment.

The Daley Center Courthouse

View of the Chicago Skyline from the Daley Center Courthouse

Eye Structure

Mural of a Mexican Family in the Pilsen Neighborhood of Chicago

Happy Father's Day to all fathers especially my father Nestor. Today, I read a heart-touching column written by Nicholas Kristof about his father's journey to the United States from Armenia. For those who are interested here is a link to the column: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/20/opinion/20kristof.html

This column made me think about my father's experience of leaving Colombia back in the early 1970's with only a plane ticket to the United States and with the hope of better opportunities. My mother eventually came to the United States a couple of years later to meet up with my father and the rest is history. If it wasn't for my father's courage to move to the United States I would not be here writing this blog. Who knows what my life would've been like in Colombia but I am pretty sure due to my parent's lack of financial resources I would not have made it to law school in Colombia.

Even though my parents left behind all ties to their country, family, and friends when they chose to leave Colombia they gained better opportunities for themselves and for their two daughters. This is the typical immigrant story which is also my personal story. Thank you Dad for your courage and bravery which inspires me everyday to keep on moving because I really have nothing to complain about when I think of all the sacrifices you and mom have made to be here today. Happy Father's Day Papi.

Hello everyone! It is official, I am in my third year of law school. Looking back, it was not that long ago I was studying for the LSAT and wondering if I would be admitted to any law school. Fast forward to the present, this summer I start applying for post- graduate jobs. The three years do fly by and so far I have really enjoyed this law school experience. Law school, more specifically Northeastern, has granted me the opportunity to work in three different states, to see the inner workings of the judiciary by working in the U.S. Court of Appeals, and to work with under-represented communities in validating their civil rights.

I finished my final exams on May 20th and focused some of my free time visiting family and friends. I moved to Chicago on Wednesday and I start my 3rd Co-Op on Monday. I will intern at the Legal Aid Bureau and will work with domestic violence victims on family law issues such as divorces, custody, order of protections and child support. On Wednesday, after I arrived to Chicago, I attended a welcome lunch reception organized by the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI), the same organization that awarded me the summer fellowship to work in Chicago. Here, I met the other 40 or so PILI interns who all attend various law schools from across the country and work with different not-for-profit organizations throughout Chicago. The keynote speaker of the lunch noted that the law will only protect an individual if it is self-executed with the assistance of an attorney. Therefore, many individuals who are poor or indigent miss out on the opportunity to assert their legal right because of financial restraints. This is why it is important for lawyers to pursue a legal career in public interest law. This speech vindicated my desire to practice public interest law and it provided great inspiration to continue on this path. I think I am off to a great summer to say the least.

Till next time.

Hello All,

I apologize for slacking in writing my blog but I promise going forward I will write more frequently. I am still in shock that within two weeks I will be considered a 3rd year law student. Amazing how fast time flies! This quarter I've been busy taking a more leadership role in the Latin American Law Student Association (LALSA). LALSA is an organization consisting of enrolled students at Northeastern University School of Law who have either identified themselves as Latino or have expressed an identified interest in Latino issues. LALSA's goal is to provide programs of cultural, academic and social importance to its members and the entire university.

I have to admit that I really enjoy working with my fellow LALSA student members. This past weekend, LALSA had a goodbye party to celebrate the graduation of its third year student members. Our fierce and fabulous leader, a third year, will be missed greatly next year. In addition, one of the 1L members started a biweekly Spanish lunch session where for one hour everyone gets to talk only Spanish while eating lunch. LALSA also organized a "Law School Admission" panel for the undergraduate students at Northeastern University. Our last event will be a brown bag lunch with two law school professors to discuss the Arizona Immigration Bill SB 1070. Needless to say, LALSA has been busy this quarter.

Now it is time to return to exam preparation mode. Final exams are in less than two weeks. I have one paper and two exams standing in my way of becoming a 3rd year law student. Till next time everyone.

I apologize for the delayed post but it has been a busy three weeks. Since my return to Boston, I've been juggling between managing my coursework and interviewing with employers for summer internships. Just another day in the life of a Northeastern law student.

This quarter I am taking the following courses: Non-Citizen Rights Seminar, Professional Responsibility, Advanced Criminal Procedure, and Advanced Family Law Litigation. I am also doing an independent study with the Domestic Violence Clinic where I work as a court advocate at the Dorchester District Court every Monday. In addition, I started conducting guided tours of the law school to prospective students.

On another note, since the end of February I've been interviewing with employers for summer internships. I am excited to announce that I accepted the Public Interest Law Initiative Fellowship (PILI) and will be working at the Legal Aid Bureau of Metropolitan Family Services located in Chicago, IL. The best part is that PILI will provide me with a stipend of $5,000. It sure does feel good to receive some funding this summer.

At the Legal Aid Bureau I will be working in the Family Law/Domestic Violence Unit and will have a wide range of litigation exposure, including client interviewing, counseling, negotiation, research and drafting pleadings, and court representation.

Thanks to the PILI Fellowship my next stop in my law school journey will be Chicago.

For those interested here is some information about the PILI Fellowship: http://www.pili-law.org/

Till next time everyone!

My last week of Co-Op included observing oral arguments and experiencing one of the largest snowfalls in Philadelphia history. Luckily, the snow storm did not prevent the oral arguments from proceeding as scheduled. On Friday, February 12, 2010, Judge Sloviter, Judge Roth and visiting 9th Circuit Senior Judge A. Wallace Tashima, presided over an appeal filed by the U.S. Gov't. This case could prove to be one of the most important privacy rights battles of the modern era, where the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will have to determine the proper legal standard to apply when prosecutors demand cell phone location data.

The U.S. government argued that it should be allowed access to people's cell phone records to help track suspected criminals without a warrant. Specifically, the government urged these judges to overturn the lower court's ruling denying it the right to seek information from communications companies about the call activity of specific numbers that authorities believe are associated with criminal activity.

The civil rights lawyers such as The American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Center for Democracy and Technology argued the government should have to obtain a warrant to track an individual via a cell phone and show probable cause that the information would provide evidence of a crime. Furthermore, civil rights lawyers also argued that providing information such as dates, times and call duration, and which cell towers the calls used, would be an invasion of privacy and a violation of constitutional protections against unjustified arrest. This is a case first in its kind to be argued in any U.S. Court of Appeals. Below is an article about the case.

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/02/12/fbi-knows-thanks-cell-phone/?test=latestnews

To be sitting in that courtroom during this oral argument was an eye opening experience to say the least. What better way to learn appellate advocacy skills than by observing oral arguments made by one of the best lawyers in this country. Judge Sloviter always made it a goal to make sure I worked on cases that touched on different areas of the law. For the majority of litigants the U.S. Court of Appeals is their last chance to be heard. For me, it was an honor to have the opportunity to have a say in that process.

The experience of working in the second highest court of the country cannot be obtained through a textbook or lecture. I thank the Northeastern's Co-Op system for enriching my law school experience.

How fast time flies when you're having fun at Co-Op. I have less than three weeks left until the end of my Co-op. Working for Judge Sloviter at the U.S. Court of Appeals Third Circuit has been such an eye opening experience about the inner workings of the judiciary branch. The various assignments I've worked on have dealt with various issues of law such as immigration, disability, denial of social security benefits, and criminal sentencing. In my last week on Co-Op, I will observe another round of oral arguments. A great way to end my Co-Op if I may personally add. Admittedly, working as a judicial intern has improved my research and writing abilities. I highly recommend that most law students, if possible, intern with a judge. The Northeastern Co-Op department does a great job in encouraging us to intern with judges because the experience improves our legal research and writing abilities. I couldn't agree more with this advice.

I've also enjoyed my time here in Philadelphia. Below I added some pictures of one of my favorite places in Philly––the historic farmers market at the Reading Terminal Market. The Reading Terminal Market is the oldest farmers market in the country which houses numerous vendors that sell fresh meat, poultry, seafood, fruits and vegetables. It's also a great place to sit down and eat delicious food with friends and family. I also discovered the Termini Brothers Bakery which sells the most delicious cannolis in Philadelphia.

See my pictures below. Warning-the pictures below may make you hungry. Enjoy!

Cannolis at Termini Brothers Bakery

Termini Brothers Bakery

Reading Terminal

Farmers Market at the Reading Terminal

Philly Cheesesteak from the Reading Terminal

A recent study revealed that minority student enrollment dipped as law school capacity rises. Here is the link to the article:

http://amlawdaily.typepad.com/amlawdaily/2010/01/minoritystudy.html

Specifically, the study noted that the percentage of African American and Mexican American students enrolled in law school dipped between 1993 and 2008, even as overall law school capacity rose across the country.   Over the 15-year period, the study found that the total number of African Americans and Mexican Americans entering law school dropped from 7.5 percent and 11.7 percent decrease of African American and Mexican American first-year law students, respectively.   Thus, the study notes that to many African Americans and Mexican Americans law school is an elusive dream.  In my opinion, with superior preparation and a stellar law school application, law school is not an elusive dream but a reality.  

Applying to law school is a daunting task but it should not be done alone, especially with the various organizations available that assist students of color with the law school application process.   The purpose of this blog is to inform my blog readers about these organizations. 

As stated in the study, two factors that seem to contribute to the disparity is the increase cost of law school and poor performance of minorities on the LSAT.  Additionally, another factor I would add is a weak law school application. They say it "takes a village to raise a child." I contend the same applies to law school applicants. Applying to law school should not be a process conducted alone. There are many organizations available whose primary purpose is increase the pipeline of minority students into the legal profession.

The organizations below assist students of color with either LSAT preparation, law school scholarships, and/or with law school application process:

Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO)- http://www.cleoscholars.com/index.cfm?nodeid=2

Puerto Rico Legal Defense and Education Fund(PRLDEF)- http://www.prldef.org/

For People of Color-  http://www.forpeopleofcolor.org/index.html

CLEO offers support programs to both college students and law students nationally.  I participated in CLEO's ASAP program which prepares students of color with the law school application process.  Thanks to the help of CLEO, I had attorneys and law admission personnel from top law schools review my personal statement and addendum.  

PRLDEF, which assists students of color in the NYC metro area, offers a low cost LSAT preparatory program, scholarships for law school, a law-school forum, and numerous workshops on issues such as the mechanics of the law school application, networking, etc just to name a few.  It was at the PRLDEF law school forum where I first learned about Northeastern.   

For People of Color, Inc, provides admissions consulting services, mentorship, and professional development opportunities to law school applicants and law students of color. This organization offers a guide to the law school application process, which I used and found real helpful.  The founder, Anthony Solana, Jr., also offers law school admissions workshops throughout various law schools located primarily in California and NYC.  For students who can't personally attend these workshops, Mr. Solana, Jr. also conducts the law school admissions workshop through a teleconference where students listen in by phone or internet. Mr. Solana Jr. and other attorneys volunteer to review a student's personal statement and addendum.   

In addition, all three of these organizations offer these services for FREE. This is not an exhaustive list, but I have used the assistance of these organizations and know from personal experience that it helped me succeed with the law school admissions process. The law school admittance process is a daunting task but just remember you are not alone in this process. There are many organizations that will offer a helping hand in making your law school dream a reality.  

Till next time. 

I just finished my third week of Co-Op-how fast time flies. I was fortunate enough to observe oral arguments this week and it did not disappoint. In general, at the U.S. Court of Appeals only a few cases are scheduled for oral arguments while the remaining cases are resolved by the judges writing opinions. One of the advantages of working in the Court of Appeals is the variety of legal issues that the judges get to review. The cases scheduled for oral arguments touched on various issues such as disability law, environmental law and criminal law just to name a few. In addition, I am currently working on a bench memo involving an issue of criminal sentencing. It is amazing how much I am learning about different areas of the law.

This week I also ate my first Philly cheesesteak made here in Philadelphia. I went to Campos Deli located in the Olde Town section of Philadelphia. I tried their famous "Heater" cheesesteak which included, jalapeno cheese and buffalo sauce. It certainly was yummy!

I am currently in NYC for the weekend to visit family and finish some Christmas shopping. I am embracing myself for supposedly the biggest snow storm since 2003. Oh…I guess winter has arrived.

Have a great weekend everyone.