I keep forgetting that I am a 3L. When people ask, I always respond Oh, I'm a 2L! But that's mostly habit, a lot like how people forget how old they are.

Classes started Tuesday. Now, I like skipping Mondays as much as the next person. However, when you are 3rd on the waitlist, trying like mad to get into a limited enrollment class that ONLY meets on Mondays, then you may see my problem.

If you don't, let me explain. Many of the rising 2Ls don't understand the limited enrollment process. You register for the limited enrollment class and it will show up on your online schedule, however, that does not mean you are in the class. It only means that your space is saved. About a month before classes start, the limited enrollment list will show up on the WeBoard.

For Advanced Legal Writing, there are only 16 spaces and these names are picked at random from the registered students. The rest on the waitlist . . . Where I am.

Because people are constantly adding and dropping, even if you are on the waitlist, one should still go to the first class because the professor will let you in if someone who got in did not show up. At times, a professor will expand the class if there are only a few people on the waitlist. Beware though! This is not guaranteed and should always be done through the administration first.

Back to my dilemma, because Advanced Legal Writing is on Monday and class started Tuesday and September 1 is Labor Day, I haven't had a chance to see who else has dropped and if I've moved up on the list. This is especially problematic because September 2 is the end of the add/drop period.

Cross your fingers and wish me luck!

This weekend was filled with things to do! On Saturday, my friends and I caught a Dark Knight matinee at AMC Boston Common. Even though the movie has been out for a week, the theatre was packed. I hope everyone goes to see it because Heath Ledger was definitely the best Joker ever seen. As one of my friends best put it, "Ledger was a Clockwork Orange Joker." It's sad that Ledger died, but as a viewer it's tragic that we won't get to see his acting ability evolve because Joker was amazing.

After Dark Knight, I met with another friend to study for the MPRE. We went over one of the outline packets. It was hard to study in such a nice Saturday afternoon. Especially since it was so hot and she didn't have air conditioning.

She did, however, have Wii Fit. I really want a Wii now. We only took a short break in between studying, but in that time Wii was able to determine that my center of gravity is slightly to the left and that I am unbalanced.

After studying, we met up with my other friends to watch Shakespeare on the Common. If you aren't from Boston, one of the perks is free Shakespeare! This summer they are doing As You Like It. Orlando is played by Marshall (real name Frederick Weller) from the USA TV show In Plain Sight!!! It was an excellent show. I must admit: I've read As You Like It before for fun and didn't fully understand it. But seeing it acted out just made it click.

Today was a 4 hour MPRE class, but enough said on that.

Have a great week everyone!

There is so much to do! On my to-do list, is setting up my materials to apply for judicial clerkships and job fairs and studying for the MPRE. I can't believe that the summer is half way done and that I am a 3L. Just this morning I registered for fall classes. I really want to get into one of the seminar classes, so my schedule will completely depend on whether I can get into one of the three limited enrollment classes I signed up for.

Those three are 1. Advanced legal writing 2. Constitutional litigation and 3. Balancing Security and Liberty. All my other classes will depend on which, or any, of the limited enrollment classes I will be able to get into because the seminars conflict with other classes I want to take. I definitely will be able to Animal Law because that class does not conflict with anything I want/need to take: Intellectual Property conflicts with ALW, Basic Income Tax conflicts with Constitutional litigation, and I don't even remember what First Amendment conflicts with.

Selecting a schedule is always difficult, but for some it can work out perfectly. I have a friend where none of her classes conflict!

Otherwise, I just read the unauthorized biography of Martha Stewart by Chris Bryan. I thought it was very well-written and an interesting view of how Martha created an multimedia empire based on the (allegedly) suppressed domestic impulses that working women have.

Happy 4th of July everyone!

This week has been a slow week at the office, but I am excited to say that I finished another memo. All law schools have a writing requirement. Starting next year for the incoming class, people can fulfill the writing requirement with a portfolio of pieces, from co-op or classes. This would have worked so well for me on this co-op since I've already written three memos, each more than ten pages. Sadly, this requirement does not apply to me. Also it is incredibly difficult to get a memo approved to be released from the SEC.

In other news, my work friends and I have started going across the street to Elephant and Castle on Tuesday nights to play trivia. Sadly, we didn't make it into the championship to win Red Sox tickets. We did place, not thanks to a team that cheated! I know, so terrible. You may wonder how I knew they cheated. The announcer said "We've already had a complaint, don't do it again or your team will be disqualified." I understand why they don't get the automatic DQ because the pub is a business and want those people to come back and not feel embarrassed.

But I'm bitter.Why would you cheat at bar trivia! The point of bar trivia is to show that you have a whole bunch of useless knowledge in your brain like knowing that the ancient Romans called Scotland Caldonia or that owls have asymmetrical ears. (Both questions no one in my team knew). Obviously it's easy to know those facts if you google it on your PDA/Blackberry. I'm slightly bitter because of the injustice that cheaters do prosper. They won the $50 that comes with first place and a chance to participate in the trivia championship with Red Sox tickets as a prize.

I like competitions and I like to win. But really, if one team cheats that's just not fair. Now if all of us had a chance to cheat, that would be a test of who has the fastest fingers on a blackberry and would be more fair. But that's just not the point.

In other news, I plan on seeing Wall-E sometime soon. The NYT gave it the best review! Maybe tomorrow.

Otherwise, I hope everyone enjoys this slightly chilly 4th!

I am really enjoying my summer co-op with the SEC. There are a total of four legal interns (three from Northeastern) and an indeterminate number of college interns. I've been busy since my first day! The work is mostly securities regulation (no surprise there). Since everything we work on is top secret, I can't talk about what I am doing. I can say that I've done tons of research and writing, doc review, and some other prep stuff.

But what is nice about working and not being at school is having weekends free. So far I've been going to the movies every week (matinees because I am still a poor law student).

Last week when I went to see the Happening (which is NOT a recommend) I saw Chris Rock at the Loews Theatre in Boston. He was originally going to see the Incredible Hulk but missed the previews and was going to see the Happening. He was with two others. I thought he looked and talked a lot like Chris Rock but then I thought, why would he be here in Boston and without entourage.

It was only after the movie when my friend told me that the ushers were saying how it was Chris Rock!

Since I didn't (clearly) get an autograph for myself, no one else gets them either ...

Still there is my celebrity sighting for the week. Let's hope that this becomes a tradition and that Hollywood has come to Boston.

This isn't a comment on race issues (although I think it works just as well) but one of the little nuggets to think about in working in the summer is summer work clothes. As I shop for summer appropriate work tops, I notice that all around me women are wearing yellow: yellow shirts, skirts, and shoes.Yellow is everywhere. I have not yet given into this fad but if I found a good top on sale, maybe.

On other less shallow and sartorial topics, I am currently writing this at home and watching Battlestar because all the movie tickets were sold out. I went to dinner, did a little shopping, and was sadly disappointed to find that I would not be seeing the Incredible Hulk. It ruins my plans to watch all the Marvel movies in a row. I saw Iron man last week, and I definitely agree with the majority; that was an excellent movie.

On other work related matters, I just finished my second week at work. I love working for the SEC. I can't really talk about my work, but I can tell you that the work is constant and interesting. I've written two memos and already am on a third assignment. It's also incredibly easy to get to work, so much easier than school.

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!

I've just returned from a 9 day trip to Taiwan!

Top Five things to know about before visiting Taiwan
1. It is more expensive than you think. Even through 30TWD=1USD, the prices are all fairly equivalent to American prices for goods like clothing and shoes. The exception being food. Also if you plan on visiting, bring the latest US currency to exchange (meaning the numbers on the bills should start with F) because otherwise there is a 30TWD surcharge each for old bills. Although if you exchange all that you have at the airport (and you should do it there because it's cheaper), there is a flat fee of 30TWD.

2. There are crazy scooter drivers who use the traffic laws as a reference. Even the dogs here know to look both ways before they cross the street.

3. The heat is already unbearable in May. Especially if you are from MA where it is only really hot in July and August. The heat is humid and I felt sticky and dirty all day.

4. If you visit the national parks, wear sneakers, bring long sleeves and pants, and lots of bug spray. LOTS of bug spray. The bugs are huge and venomous. For example, my sister and I visited Taroko National Park where a giant bee the size of a dime hovered. The guide said "don’t make sudden movements or that huge bear bee will bite you and you will die because its bite is venomous." My initial reaction was to freeze, my sister's was to jump behind me.

5. The sun is very strong. Our suntan lotion had been confiscated in customs (it was larger than 3.5 oz) and we didn't buy suntan lotion (which is expensive) until much too late. I went straight to burn so if you go to Taiwan, buy lots of 3.5 oz bottles, and go Asian and buy a parasol/wear a hat everywhere.

Five places I visited that I recommend
1. National Parks( I cheated a bit here) Taroko National Park, Kenting National Park and Yeliou National Park (It is right by the water and is famous for its odd stone formations. Also they don't yell at you if you cross the red line warning not to cross. Of course, none of the tour groups followed that mandate because the prettier picture was across the red line.)

2. Chiang Kai Shek Memorial - Great for pictures and inside remember to go downstairs where there are galleries.

3. National Palace Museum - Although I didn't get a chance, I've heard the gardens are absolutely splendid and admission for students (even foreign ones) are half! So remember your student IDs!l

4. Suao - which is famous for its cold (as opposed to hot) springs. The water has healing properties! Also there is only one other cold spring which is in Venice, Italy.

5. 101 Taipei which is the tallest building and in one of the informational panels it lists the Boston Big Dig as one of the top 5 construction wonders (bwhahahah)

Top Five Things about Taiwan that makes it an amazing place to visit

1. The transportation system – Completely electronic, much better than New York or Boston in terms of efficiency, cleaniliness, and so easy to understand. Everyone there actually queues!

2. The people - they are so friendly, helpful, and polite. Such a contrast to New York and Boston. When you enter a store, they instantly welcome you. Although I think Americans may find it a bit intrusive when they ask you if you need anything every few minutes you are there.

3. The natural beauty - Taiwan is the land that natural beauty blessed. The mountains, sky, coastline, and water are just so wonderful. I wished I was a better photographer because everything I saw just couldn't be captured on film.

4. The food - No one here has to cook because there are food stalls everywhere and the food here is good, filling, and cheap!

5. The fruit - There are so many varieties - I had guava, sweet melon, dragonfruit, cranberries, pineapple, these pink fruits that are shaped like pears, papaya and everything is fresh off a branch!

I'm so tired though! It took me a total of about 26 hours to travel (including layovers). I had actually brought a book with me but I never even opened it because I discovered that I have the amazing ability to sleep for 16 hours straight, only awaking for the food breaks.

I hope to recover from my jet lag soon because I start work tomorrow!

Sorry for a short entry but this is the last week of classes and next week are finals.

I have 2 take homes: admin and int'l bus reg and 2 in class: Prof. Resp. and Secured Transactions

I am the most worried about secured transactions because Prof. Hillinger has made it clear that it is very very very hard. Very.

Thus, everything must be scheduled and completed so that I can devote max amount of time studying for the class.

That said, I am attempting to get the Admin done tonight, the first draft at least. Int'l Bus Reg on Sat, and Prof. Resp. on Sunday.

Wish me luck!

Was the title of the first, and hopefully annual, Northeastern University Law Journal symposium. It was last Friday from 10AM - 5PM. It went really well!

The keynote speaker was Tom Wilner, a managing partner at Sharman and Sterling. He spoke about how he got into representing Guantanamo detainees when the opportunity arose.

The first panel was "Representing at Your Own Risk - Challenges to Finding and Taking Guantanamo Clients." Professor Coyne of University of Oklahoma Law, Nicole Moen of Frederickson & Byron, and Stewart Eisenberg of Weinberg & Garber spoke of flying down and meeting with their clients, many of whom are in solitary. One of the most poignant things that the speakers said was that even though it seemed hopeless at times, the lawyers were providing an important service. Not the attempt to get a hearing on the detainees status (which is important) but just flying down and interacting with the detainee and assuring them that they too were human. I know that's corny. But it really struck me because you think the most important thing is that the detainees actually have lawyers who will fight their cause and it turns out that the most important service they provide to the detainee is a human connection.

The second panel was "No News is Bad News - Cutting Through the Secrecy of Evidence." Sabin Willet of Bingham McCutchem, David Remes of Covington and Burling, and Marcellene Hearn of Richards, Kibbe, & Orbe spoke of how the comuniques from their meetings with clients had to go through DC before they would get back to them. This, however, is only if they need to discuss to the public about the situation with the detainees. Otherwise, you are breaking the law.

The final panel was "What does Winning Mean? - Representation After a Favorable Judgment" hosted. Bernard Docket who flew from Germany!, Professor Baher Azmy of Seton Hall law, and Jason Pinney of Bingham McCutchen spoke on this topic. I wasn't present for this panel but I heard that it was also very good.

Overall, the turnout, speakers and panels were great! I really hope this continues. In addition, if you do come to NUSL, unlike other law schools you don't have to test / write into Journal. All 2Ls and 3Ls are welcome as long as you do your end of things.

Hi everyone,

For those who have toured NUSL or read the brochure, you will know that the University has decided to improve the law school (this means that the university is paying and not the law school). We have annexed the building next door aka Dockser. Last week, the school was offering tours of the still under construction building.

Another blogger and I decided to go Wednesday afternoon. We would get to wear hardhats and get a tour --so of course we were very excited. Even though it may not look it from the outside, the inside seems to be nearing completion. There will be four floors total. The ground floor will have a large commons and meeting rooms. This is a major improvement because most organizations do not have a set office. All student organizations share the one student activities room that has bins.

The second (considered the real first) floor will have the moot courtroom. This is my favorite because our current moot courtroom is nowhere near a showpiece. The tour guide also said they would even consider leasing it to a judge.

The new building will also have (I think) 6 more classrooms. This is amazing because class size has increased and this year especially it was difficult to find classrooms for the ULs. My professional responsibility class is located in two different buildings and my admin class is in the moot courtroom (hence my excitement).

Otherwise more bonus points for the new building is that it uses mostly green materials and will have a green roof!

I am incredibly excited about the new building, especially that I will be able to use it next year. Hopefully my classes will be scheduled there.