Future Lawyer - Tumblr Posts

19.05.23

“I may not reach the heights I seek, / My untried strength may fail me; / Or, half-way up the mountain peak, / Fierce tempests may assail me.”

The weather is warm and my evenings lazy. My summer job is going well. Not a day goes by that I believe I’m doing everything right, but I wouldn’t be learning anything if I did. I’ll forget the absurdities that crept in as soon as I can. I’m not qualified, but I’m here and I’m trying.

“But though that place I never gain, / Herein lies comfort for my pain— / I will be worthy of it.” —Ella Wheeler Wilcox

28.06.23

“Earth’s the right place for love: / I don’t know where it's likely to go better.” —Robert Frost

June has been filled with work, reading, and catching up with friends, so no time to take photos—just trust that there’s a life I’m living beyond your screen.

I dropped out of the French program to pursue loftier goals and registered for 2L classes. I got to see one of my research memos win us a case and received a thank you from a high-up lawyer for it. I’m having some work I helped with published by LexisNexis.

I’m on my way.

Happy Canada Day, all. I’ve been spending the day bitterly reading through the decisions SCOTUS just dropped, and I figured I’d brief the Canadians on here about how your equality rights work in Canada (not legal advice).

Equality rights are in section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982). I’ll start with a bit of historical context, but skip if you’re not interested. In 1982, Canada changed its constitution to get full independence from GB. This happened under the liberal government of Trudeau I and around the same time as the Multiculturalism Act. If you want to dig into the juicy stuff, look up the story behind why the province of Quebec hasn’t signed the Constitution.

Anyways, the CCRF applies to government action (various human rights statutes cover individuals at the provincial level) and covers everything from freedom of expression (not just speech); freedom of religion and conscience; the right to life, liberty, and security of the person; and equality rights in section 15:

15. (1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.

Pretty self-explanatory. The list has been expanded by case law to include things like marital status (Miron v. Trudel, [1995] 2 SCR 418) and sexual orientation (Vriend v. Alberta, [1998] 1 SCR 493).

However, the there is also section 15(2):

Section (1) does not preclude any law, program or activity that has as its object the amelioration of conditions of disadvantaged individuals or groups including those that are disadvantaged because of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.

Although the legal side of things can get more complicated, and I’m by no means an expert in 15(2) literature or criticisms, I think it’s pretty damn awesome. Stay safe, cheers to section 15(2), and happy Canada Day.

See Charterpedia for more info on your rights under the CCRF (although it’s aimed at a legal audience). Also, remember that I’m a lowly law student. This isn’t legal advice, and you should do your own research.

10.07.23

“Don't you ever get the feeling that all your life is going by and you're not taking advantage of it? Do you realize you've lived nearly half the time you have to live already?” —Ernest Hemingway

I need a routine! I’ve started exercising in the mornings again (it’s 0600 you know what the 0 stands for…), but I’ve gotta do more gotta be more. I was at least a bit productive after work, as I updated my resume to apply for law review.

20.07.23

“For all that, and though the live-oak glistens there in Louisiana solitary in a wide flat space, / Uttering joyous leaves all its life without a friend a lover near, / I know very well I could not.” —Walt Whitman

I’ve been busy at work, but I’m absolutely loving my career choice (for the most part). On the upside, I got to a questioning! On the flipside, I got to have a male client make me feel uncomfortable and disrespected for the first time (yay sexism). Take it in stride—the cure for an uneasy heart is good friends.

29.07.23

“And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. / For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.” —Kahlil Gibran

Still busy in the best way. It’s been a week of networking and going out with friends, living the life I thought I was never meant to and never deserved. Got to see an amazing performance of As You Like It down my the river last night, and suddenly the world is beautiful again and filled with love.

07.08.23

“Anyway, that’s often the case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb.” —Mary Oliver

Spent the last day of the long weekend relaxing and tidying the house. This past week I went to see Oppenheimer (phenomenal, as expected), as well as a live production of R&J (phenomenal, which was unexpected). I get to accompany a partner to chambers tomorrow! With only two weeks left of work, it’s time to start finishing up assignments and preparing for classes to begin.

29.08.23

“And the days are not full enough / And the nights are not full enough / And life slips by like a field mouse / Not shaking the grass.” —Ezra Pound

It’s been a week since I finished my summer job, and I’m stuck here in the in between. I’ve had some time to reflect and prepare. How do I build a life outside of my work when my work brings me joy? x

Advice for 1Ls

- Stop reading this. 1L is different for everyone. Studying works differently for everyone. You’re going to be overwhelmed with advice and information in the first few weeks, some of it contradictory, and you shouldn’t try to do it all. Stop trying to find advice and start acting on what you think is best for you to do right now.

- We’re all imposters. The sooner you accept it, the better. You all got in. You are all smart. You’re going to meet people from all sorts of backgrounds. You’re going to meet people with egos higher than their IQs. You’re going to hear people talk about their amazingly irrelevant LSAT scores. Give yourself a little credit for getting yourself this far.

- Focus on learning how to think like a law student, not memorizing cases. You’ll remember the bits of cases that are important or put them in your CANs. You read the cases so you can see the judges’ reasoning, understand policy or history behind a rule, and start thinking about how you might use that reasoning on a different set of facts.

- Figure out what works best for you. Some people change their study techniques in law school, and other people stick with what they know works for them. Whether it’s group study sessions or flash cards, know how you learn best. However, remember that you’re learning a new way of thinking, so cramming won’t cut it.

- Be honest with others about stress. It’s the best way to stay sane.

- Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Office hours are life-changing. Friends are phenomenal. Shoot law studyblrs questions and immediately disregard the answers. Do what works for you.

- Remember your reputation. Don’t be an ass. These are not just your classmates or profs. These are your future coworkers, judges, and references. The way you treat the people you go to law school with will stay with you for your entire career. Assume exponential growth applies to anything you say to anyone. Also, be aware of reputation by association.

- Get your resume ready now. You won’t have time later, and applications for 1L summer jobs happen early and inconveniently.

- Find ways to incorporate things that don’t include sitting or staring at a screen into your routine.

- Give yourself more time than you’d think to do readings. Legalese is a different beast.

- On a more practical note, save your neck and buy one of those book-holder thingies to help with the hours of reading ahead of you.

- Take a deep breath. It’s going to be rough at some points, but you’re going to be fine. You’re here to learn. Would it really be worth it if it were easy?

06.09.23

“We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.” —Kurt Vonnegut

Welcome to 2hell! I made it through first year with awesome grades, and now I’m back and out for blood. The goal for this semester is to regain the little networking ability I had and try some new challenges. My law review application is pending and I’ve drafted cover letters to apply to moots. It’s good to be back.

Fall semester schedule:

- Judgment Enforcement

- Civil Procedure

- Labour & Employment Law

- Wills

- Human Rights (dropping if accepted to law review)

Edit: just got accepted into law review!

16.09.23

“Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, / Tears from the depth of some divine despair / Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, / In looking on the happy Autumn-fields, / And thinking of the days that are no more.” —Alfred Lord Tennyson

The beginning of 2L has been going by quickly, but I’ve finally been hit with the first wave of anxiety. Imposter syndrome and overwhelm have returned with renewed strength, most likely related to grief over the loss of a close colleague and mentor of mine. I have been driven to distraction more often than not. I’ve been staying on top of readings and still having a good time, for the most part, so that will have to be enough.

18.09.23

“Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” —William Shakespeare

Haha…hey guys…

Remember that time when I was feeling completely overwhelmed with 2L and having a wee crisis?

Guess who applied and got accepted to a moot team? Yay?

Unrelated: how does one separate one’s sense of worth from one’s academic achievement?

23.09.23

“and the monosyllable of the clock is Loss, loss, loss, unless you devote your heart to its opposition” —Tennessee Williams

Yesterday was my first moot practice, and the pressure is on! My weekend plans are nothing but readings. I’m overwhelmed, but I’m doing what I can and loving what I do. Am I doing too much? If I’m ambitious, it’s a grievous fault. Let’s find out how I answer it.

28.09.23

“There are days we live / as if death were nowhere / in the background; from joy / to joy to joy, from wing to wing, / from blossom to blossom to / impossible blossom, to sweet impossible blossom.” —Li-Young Lee

I’ve had a wonderfully productive week and the weather has been beautiful (i.e. I’m enjoying open windows). I finished reading the case my moot is based on and have the rough outlines of an oral argument done for practice tomorrow afternoon. I also skimmed through a good bit of my labour and employment readings for next week. My anxiety asks, isn’t there something we’re forgetting? Shhhh—nobody asked you.

P.S. I’m also celebrating a great decision for trans rights that came out (pun intended) in my jurisdiction!!

You know you’re deep into the law school culture when you look up R v Parks and are thoroughly confused when campsite locations show up

19.10.23

“But East and West will pinch the heart / That cannot keep them pushed apart; / And he whose soul is flat—the sky / Will cave in on him by and by.” —Edna St. Vincent Millay

I spent a couple weeks feeling shit about myself, but the light-soaked days are slowly returning. I started the week off at networking events and having good times with good friends. Now I’ve been working on my minor paper, reading Abolitionist Intimacies (phenomenal), preparing my cover letter for a clerkship, and starting to prep for moot practice.

NTR: no matter your achievements, no matter how much you are loved, and no matter the light you bring to this world, there are days you will feel like shit. And that’s okay.

30.11.23

“And I said, 'That last thing is what you can't get, Carlo. Nobody can get to that last thing. We keep on living in hopes of catching it once and for all.’” —Jack Kerouac

Reading week has come and gone, and apparently so has all of November? Just submitted all my law review assignments and am beginning to desperately prep CANs. I know grades aren’t important seeing as I already have a job, but my clerkship interview went really well and there’s a curve to fight.

Things my law school profs have said out of context: 2hell fall semester edition

- The thing about the bookstore at the university here is it’s terrible

- While it might be a big deal for your client, it’s just 10 o’clock on Tuesday for you

- It would be nice to win and get a good score, but if we don’t it’s because the judges are biased and fascists

- The only thing better than being right is convincing other people you’re right

- Speaking of heartless and methodical—[my name]

- If you’re like me and you hear sirens, you think “ooo…work!”

- Don’t talk about money. Don’t talk about death. Don’t talk about creepy Uncle John

- I have not often said this in my life, but thank God for Ontario

- Like most other things in life, I just decided I didn’t care

- It’s not that they’ve said no. It’s just that they’ve ignored my requests

- Treat me like I’m as dumb as I am

11.12.23

“A man awaits his end / Dreading and hoping all; / Many times he died, / Many times rose again.” —W.B. Yeats

‘Tis the season… exams are here. I’m done with judgment enforcement (behold the glorious battle CANs above), I write Wills tomorrow, and Labour and Employment is after that. Then it’s factum time.

Ok random but I need to know

Lawyers, law students, legal professionals, and anyone else who uses this term: how have y’all been pronouncing prima facie??