Winter Break is finally coming to a close. I enjoyed celebrating Christmas and New Year's with my family and it was nice to have a few weeks to relax and re-boot after exams. I am a movie buff, so I was happy for the opportunity to catch up on the latest blockbusters. I also took time out to read for pleasure, weight train, complete the daily cryptoquip, and watch plenty of football with my grandpa, dad, brothers and nephews !!! In the midst of spending time with my male-dominated family, I was able to carve out some time with my mom, favorite cousin, and friends to shop and catch up on girl talk.
Classes start Monday. This semester I am taking Legal Ethics, Criminal Procedure, Corporations II, International Trade, and Copyright Law. I usually try to pick a mix of bar classes and classes in subject areas I am in interested in. The first year of law school your schedule is made for you, so it is quite a change to be given the freedom to pick your own classes the second year. You need to be conscientious when choosing courses. If you are having trouble making decisions about what classes to take, I would recommend including some bar classes (for example, Evidence, Corporations, Wills & Trusts, etc.) in your schedule. These courses provide you with a framework for bar exam study and insight into various areas of the law. In addition, many bar classes are prerequisites to upper level courses in various subject areas and need to be taken early in one's law school career to make sure you can fit in all the classes necessary to concentrate in an area of law. During the mandatory 1L meeting regarding scheduling for the second year, which will be coming up during the end of spring semester, students are provided with information on the various areas of concentration law students can choose (i.e. corporate, criminal, estate planning, intellectual property, etc.) DON'T PANIC ! There is always someone available to help - professors, mentors, fellow students, etc.
I am looking forward to a busy spring semester. In addition to new classes, I will also be working on another law review article. I am currently looking for a new topic and I hope that I find one that I like as much as last semester's topic. I will keep you updated on my search !
Happy New Year !!!!!