tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-307839342024-03-27T10:24:34.985+01:00Legally Blonde in London- adventures of an aspiring lawyerSusie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.comBlogger157125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-84356555684348730842008-07-30T17:30:00.002+01:002008-07-30T17:33:42.145+01:00End of an Era<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">This is my last post as Susie Law School. After this, there will be no more. Perhaps a direction to my new as yet unknown blog, but nothing substantive. After all, this blog was about law school and law school is over. *sniff*</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I'm sorry to disappoint those who were looking for more, but at least until my training contract starts, I feel I'll be unable to offer any further wisdom to those who come after me. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">But you never know. I might start blogging again soon about something else, and if you're lucky I might tell you where. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">It's been fun. Thank you, dear readers. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Love, SLS</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">P.S. In response to those who asked - yes, I did get a Distinction :-)</span><br /></div>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-12987106841384668132008-06-23T18:19:00.002+01:002008-06-23T18:25:59.881+01:00The end of an era<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Law School is over. Finished. Done. No more. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">This state of affairs probably hasn't hit home just yet as it really just feels like any old post-exam day and I will wake up tomorrow thinking it's time to head to the library again. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">My exams went ok, I think. None were horrific, but I did remember a few things post-Equity Finance that I know I missed out, but generally speaking ok. The Debt Finance paper was a bit evil, and seems a lot of people missed out on the last two questions due to confusing layout of the paper. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I will get back to you when I've realised it's all over. Right now it just all feels a bit surreal... </span><br /></div>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-76829357583457846282008-06-14T21:28:00.002+01:002008-06-14T21:39:11.955+01:00Due to popular demand...<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">... I am back again. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">When I say 'popular' I mean that 100% of comments received since my last log-on asked me to return. There was one. And that one said 'come back'. So there you go. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The sad news is, there is only just over a week of law school left. I am mostly trying to pretend this isn't the case, and get all the joy I can out of it. Of course, soon I will have to face facts and come to terms with never being a student again. Any thoughts on how to cope with that? </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Not that I'm not looking forward to going to Big Law Firm and being a lawyer. It's just that, well, I'm not good at many things but I am good at studying. When I no longer have that, I need to find something else to be good at. And there might be nothing... </span><br /></div>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-32219280650769534912008-05-31T23:06:00.001+01:002008-05-31T23:07:13.156+01:00Something weird is going on...<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">... there appears to be some kind of bug attacking my blawg, normal service will resume ASAP when I find my most recent posts and comments!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Apologies! </span>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-81694294040872711532008-04-24T17:35:00.003+01:002008-04-24T17:38:20.642+01:00That distant rumbling...<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.... it's the sound of DOOM!!! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Results on Monday. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Dreams have started, varying from getting 20% for everything to the dreaded phone call from Big Law Firm telling me I can post my cheque for £31,000 any time I like. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I'm trying to proceed in denial at the moment. Unfortunately, flashbacks of the horror that was BLP just will not quit. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Therefore, doom. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">You read it here first. </span><br /></div>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-9108778264711342322008-04-07T15:33:00.003+01:002008-04-07T15:49:26.562+01:00All drafted out<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I'm not very happy about this exam. I don't think I particularly did myself justice, but I also didn't really revise very hard either and the whole thing is making me feel a bit uneasy. The trouble is there is no right answer so there is no way of knowing whether you got the marks or not.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I added up my supposed marks and think I probably managed 26 out of 50 at least, which for me is shocking. But it is a pass. And I will never know. I would imagine drafting is so subjective they can't fail people on the basis that their answers are different to the exact wording in the solution. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I do feel a little ashamed at not revising a bit more and being a little complacent about the exam. I heard last year that very good students often fail drafting because it is commonsense and subjective. Maybe I will fail. I don't want to fail. But I've always had that fear after hearing that... However I answered all the questions, and for once had enough time to check through and add some extra stuff that I feel improved my answers so hopefully that is something. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In response to anonymous who stated left this comment: </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Is this diligent student thing serious? Or are you just being funny? I cant work it out. If you really were hard-working and scarily obsessive I'm not sure you'd share that fact with everyone. Give us a clue?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I'm not very clear on where anonymous got 'obsessive' from, diligent for sure, obsessive I hope not! Might I suggest you read some of my older posts, they may give you a bit of insight. Yes, it is completely serious and I'm not sure on why I wouldn't share it with everyone. I hate those people who work their backsides off and then when someone else says "oh did you work really hard for that" they go "oh no, half an hour". I work hard and I'm not afraid to admit it (although the drafting exam is not an example of this as I didn't work very hard at all, shame on me!). Hopefully it will pay off. </span><br /><br /><br /></div>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-28372830810234845022008-04-06T13:58:00.003+01:002008-04-06T14:02:15.041+01:00Drafting exam<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">This is tomorrow. I am having very mixed feelings about it. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">This is an exam. Exams are supposed to require work. I had made no plans for the weekend and prepared to work. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">However, I have found this entire subject very fluffy and difficult to revise. It all seems to obvious and I'm not really sure what I should be learning. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">So I haven't done very much. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">Which makes me feel guilty. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">But then when I try to do some, I end up putting it all away again because it seems so easy and obvious and I feel like it really can't be that hard an exam. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">This worries me. Drafting doesn't strike me as particularly difficult to pass, but I am a rather diligent student, so I can't help but feel guilty when I end up doing something else, and feel like maybe I should be afraid and should do more work and learn something else. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">So I pick it up again and so the cycle continues. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">Stupid. </span><br /></div>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-3813943291240567452008-03-31T19:13:00.003+01:002008-03-31T19:24:33.145+01:00Results Day I<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">Accounts and </span><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;" href="http://reallylegallyblonde.blogspot.com/2007/12/interviewing-and-failing.html">interviewing</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;"> results today. You will all be jumping for joy to hear that I am indeed competent. Of course I am disappointed not to have obtained 100% in my accounts assessments. Unsurprisingly, I was unwilling to put myself through the ordeal of physically walking up to the wall where the results were pinned up. Instead, I relied on my trusty friend, the computer. And it did not fail me.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">The whole thing was somewhat of an anti-climax. Even though in true Susie Law School style I was somewhat nervous, I don't think I ever genuinely thought I had any real chance of failing either assessment. In fact, the absence of nerve-shredding dreams filled with NYCs (Not Yet Competent) and percentage values in the low twenties suggested to me that today would indeed pass without exam-induced hysterics. This was indeed the case.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">I'm sure you are all very pleased for me ;-)</span><br /></div>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-87539551130379890032008-03-12T23:40:00.003+01:002008-03-13T00:00:32.082+01:00What's going on...?<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">So, new term, new tricks, right? </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">When I say new term, I merely mean electives have started. Last week was the first week of lectures and this week SGSs have commenced. New subjects means new groups. I liked my old group. i made friends in it. Now I must go forth and associate with new people - what a bother! </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">That aside, electives are very exciting. I am particularly a big fan of Equity Finance (which is basically all about listed companies and the Stock Exchange and suchlike). This week we are doing floatation - my main gripe with it is that I don't understand why it is spelled flotation as opposed to floatation, like float. Bah. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">Debt is almost as good but really pales in comparison to the interest I have towards Equity Finance. My other subject is nothing very exciting as I did not get to select it - Big Law Firm did the honours for me... Can't have everything I suppose, at least I have a job to go to so mustn't grumble!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">More PLR (Research memo writing) fun is currently taking place. I think I have finished mine. But the usual PLR concern of "Do I have the right answer" is going on a bit. On the positive side, research memos are quite fun which I hope bodes well for my future career. Sadly I don't feel the same way about drafting...</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">Drafting exam in a few weeks - I actually feel like I know absolutely nothing about it. We had a few SGSs back before Christmas but the exam felt very distant then! I am sure I can pick up a few things but currently I feel like I am going into an exam on something I am having to learn completely from scratch!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">Advocacy is also part of this term's fun. And it should actually be fun. Unlike interviewing. Yuck. I might actually be good at it. Unlike interviewing. Yuck. Which reminds me interviewing results are out in a couple of weeks. Yuck. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">I should end on a pleasant note - it is light at six now! This makes me very pleased and puts a spring in my step - in addition to the spring I get from Equity Finance! </span><br /></div>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-76217816802661254162008-03-02T15:23:00.002+01:002008-03-02T15:34:06.471+01:00Life after Law School<div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://medicallybrunette.blogspot.com">Medically Brunette</a> asked me whether I would continute my Blawg once Law School is over. I have often thought about this myself. The answer is, I don't know. Writing about Law School is one thing but once work starts the stakes are higher and I wouldn't really be able to rant with freedom about life at Big Law Firm. You must have read all those horror stories about people being fired for blogging about their jobs...<br /><br />So the options are<br /><br />1. This blawg will end and there will be no more.<br />2. This blawg will end and Susie Law School will resurface with an alter ego in a different blawg<br />3. This blawg will continue but become fictional<br />4. This blawg will continue but stop being about my life in the law.<br /><br />Call now, calls cost 88p per minute from landlines, mobile costs may be higher. Terms and conditions apply.<br /></div>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-77587914588958771892008-02-29T23:28:00.002+01:002008-02-29T23:31:38.664+01:00During recent upgrade work...<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">There was a glitch. It seems my blogroll reverted back to an earlier form and is all out of whack. If you used to be on my blogroll and no longer are, please let me know. If you were never on it but would like to be, let me know and I will include you if you are worthy. </span><br /></div>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-50665691894279532802008-02-26T18:28:00.003+01:002008-02-26T18:33:06.130+01:00Barely Likely to Pass - otherwise known as Business Law and Practice<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">Big Law Firm:</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;"> hello</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">Susie Law School</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">: hi, Susie Law School here. Reckon I failed BLP. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">Big Law Firm:</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;"> That'll be £13,000 please. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">Susie Law School:</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;"> OK, thanks a lot, bye bye. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;">Stripper-R-Us, here I come!</span>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-27192460661674541432008-02-25T15:17:00.003+01:002008-02-25T15:28:06.164+01:00The Fear<span style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:georgia;" >"An emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight). "</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:georgia;" >I am experiencing Business Law related fear. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:georgia;" >It is immense. </span><br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:georgia;" >It is not aided by the fact that I get to a point where I feel like I know things, only to find something else entirely that I have not even considered. </span></span></span><br /></div><span style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:georgia;" >In 25.5 hours it will all be over. Sadly said time is not sufficient for me to actually learn everything I need to know. </span></span></span><br /></div><span style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:georgia;" >Fear. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:georgia;" >Immense fear. </span></span><br /></span><span style=""></span>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-58681749832098284332008-02-22T18:26:00.005+01:002008-02-23T23:06:18.590+01:00Exam II... and III<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Big day today. Civil Litigation AND Criminal Litigation bot</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="em">h in one day! Four and a half hours of flicking through statute books, writing like a small beast and pretending my arm did not ache and it is over.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="em">This is how it went.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="em"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Civil Litigation</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="em">Some MCQs. Some were easy, some were difficult. Sadly, my two favourite topics, foreign jurisdiction and Part 3</span><span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:85%;color:White;" >6</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);" class="em"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> t offers already appeared in MCQ so no long form questions to guarantee full marks from! Managed to do all of them fairly quickly and figured there would be plenty of time for Section B (80% of the paper). Turned over to Section B and found most of it was ok, but I would have preferred different questions. Compare arbitration and mediation. talk about Tomlin orders. Case law on Summary Judgment was v sketchy. Wasn't sure what part of Security for Costs was for what part of the question, put it all down but wasn't sure if it was in the right sections. Disclosure was a disaster. Thought it would be easy marks but managed to completely confuse myself. Also completely confused myself in Particulars of Claim. This should not happen!! I am clever, I work hard. I should be ble to get many many marks for this stuff! Goodbye 100%...</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);" class="em"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Criminal Litigation</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);" class="em"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">This paper was a dream!!! No rush, got everything down I wanted to say, apart from think there was more to say about bail than I said but wouldn't be too many marks. Case study was almost identical for Formative Assessment!</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);" class="em"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">At least the day ended on a high.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);" class="em"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Business Law is on Tuesday. Another very long day and bound to be the toughest. Back to the library I go tomorrow...</span></span><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);" class="em"><br /></span><span class="em"></span>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-34786674913979108692008-02-21T22:58:00.000+01:002008-02-21T22:59:31.235+01:00Exam madness<a style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 102, 204);" href="http://www.rollonfriday.com/story661.htm">Enoug<span class="login">h</span> said </a>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-84626371793084478792008-02-19T23:45:00.002+01:002008-02-19T23:49:39.540+01:00I really should check my emails...<span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 102, 204);">It seems I've been featured on </span><a style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 102, 204);" href="http://www.lawcareers.net/Information/Features/Detail.aspx?r=1300">LawCareers.net</a><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 102, 204);">! It was very useful to me before I got a training contract and now I'm being featured! So exciting! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 102, 204);">Thank you for the heads up those who told me, particularly Asp on comments, as I wouldn't have known otherwise and may have missed it altogether! And there was an email about it from LawCareers but silly me hadn't got to it yet. But yay! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 102, 204);">Keep reading, kids! </span>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-42482851242790940172008-02-19T17:01:00.007+01:002008-02-19T23:45:23.217+01:00Exam I<span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Property Law and Practice was t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >e longest exam I </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >ave ever done. And is likely to remain t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >e longest until t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >e New York Bar at least. I mean it actually WAS t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >e longest, t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >ree </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >ours and 15 minutes. I left 10 minutes before t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >e end </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >aving finis</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >ed my answers a good ten minutes earlier. T</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >is asn't </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >appened to me since my undergraduate exams - I finis</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >ed early! O</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h except for Accounts but t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >hat wasn't a real exam... </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >T</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >at in itself is not </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >owever, an indication t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >at t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >e exam went well. </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >I had </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >hig</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >hopes for t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >his one. I felt like I knew it.<br /><br />Section A was multiple c</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >hoice, not a big fan actually. T</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >hey try to catc</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h you out wit really tiny detail so youneed to be mega-careful to read t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >he question exactly and not miss anyt</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >hing! I got lots of D's. T</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >here is of course no statistical probability involved so t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >hey could all be D's but it did not inspire confidence.<br /><br />Section B was about registered land. It was fine, mostly, but I </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >thoug</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >ht for a w</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >hile I was running out of time and started rus</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >hing and possibly didn't answer t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >he middle questions as well as I could </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >have done. T</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >here was a professional conduct question w</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >hic</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h totally t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >hrew me and even t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >houg</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h I t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >hink I got some of t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >he points, I certainly missed out talking about t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >he fact t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >hat it isn't in t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >he client's best interest to lie to t</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >heir mortgage lender... ba</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h.<br /><br />Section C was on leases, my least favourite topic area. Many were </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >hoping for a big question on Security of Tenure but instead said topic was in MCQs. I </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >adn't looked at Landlords' Licences in enough detail so missed out a lot of points on section C. Not amused.<br /><br />Next one is on Friday, litigation. Two papers, one in morning one in afternoon. Am </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >h</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;" >oping it will go better!</span><span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-90724362713773339472008-02-18T23:12:00.002+01:002008-02-18T23:16:57.830+01:00T minus 12 hours<span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204); font-family: georgia;">First exam tomorrow. Property Law and Practice. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204); font-family: georgia;">You will pleased to know tat today I got to that point were you feel like you know a lot of stuff and just want to get to the exam and see what the questions will be like. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204); font-family: georgia;">I did a past paper, timed, managed 88% which was nice, but this of course means nothing in real terms. It did reassure me that I do actually know quite a bit of stuff though! It also reassured me that there probably won't be such a godawful rush as last year, and I actually have a decent chance of finising the wole paper. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204); font-family: georgia;">Watch this space! And wish me luck of course. </span>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-42202927240980091792008-02-13T17:08:00.001+01:002008-02-13T17:09:29.633+01:00Last year...<span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 102, 204);">...someone apparently got 100% for Business Law and Practice. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 102, 204);">Would be nice. Doable? Perhaps not... </span>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-69637606857702455002008-02-02T17:01:00.000+01:002008-02-02T17:29:11.112+01:00<div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;">This week students at London Law School were invited to provide feedback on their experiences on the LPC. Despite the fact that the majority of my fellow students compare the LPC to the equally-pleasant experience of having one's eyelashes plucked off one at a time with sharp, heated tweezers, while a 2-tonne weight is balanced on their right foot, I have actually enjoyed it. A lot. I can't wait to be a lawyer.<br /></div><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;">But how do I know if I'll be any good? How does anyone?</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;">One spends hours labouring over application forms, telling firms about excellent communication skills, team-work, attention for detail, commercial awareness... you get the idea. Then they invite you for interview and it is more of the same, with well-thought out illustrative examples from a previous life. However, that is just practice, learning what questions could come up and what answers make firms bend over backwards to offer you a position. So how is one supposed to know whether one will be a great lawyer - an Atticus Finch or Denny Crane? Or whether one will become a statistic, one of the 1.5 people in <a href="http://reallylegallyblonde.blogspot.com/2007/09/whilst-in-my-professional-conduct-class.html">professional conduct class</a> who apparently WILL be struck off.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;">For one, the LPC is very artificial in many ways, consider <a href="http://reallylegallyblonde.blogspot.com/2007/11/lpc-preparing-you-for-practice.html">Practical Legal Research </a>or <a href="http://reallylegallyblonde.blogspot.com/2007/12/interviewing-and-failing.html">Interviewing and Advising</a>. Will any of the skills* learned actually translate themselves to being useful in practice? Short of "that guy paying your fees with a suitcase full of cash covered in white powder is not suffering from extensive dandruff, he is money-laundering" - how much of the LPC will actually be relevant to real life law? Will budding lawyers not just learn many things by Mr Supervisor barking at them how to do things when after an all-nighter in the office it turns out they got the whole task completely backwards?<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;">It is a slight fear of mine that I will not be a good lawyer. I love it, I can't wait to do it, but what if it turns out I am genuinely completely abysmal at it? I am doing well on the LPC, I have good academics, I have work experience... but what if I'm simply missing the lawyer-gene which no amount of hard work can substitute? Then what?<br /></div><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family: georgia;font-size:78%;" >*Of course the same applies much less to actual law, since obviously one will need to understand the ins and outs of share issue and conveyancing to be able to get started as a lawyer... but still? </span>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-58779389988533727402008-01-23T14:38:00.000+01:002008-01-23T15:16:49.360+01:00Something wicked this way comes<span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">And I don't mean wicked as in evil. I mean wicked as in excellent. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">Dear readers, you may be in shock if my blawg is a new feature of your daily life. But my more established readers will not be surprised. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">EXAMS ARE COMING!!!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">I like exams. I like revision, suffice to be said. I have been spending some time this week going over what needs to be done in terms of revision, and putting together a revision timetable. And I must say I'm very excited! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">The pre-Christmas mock examinations went very well (78% upwards well, in fact some papers very much upwards!) and this has erased some of the horror from last year's exam hell of my </span><a style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);" href="http://reallylegallyblonde.blogspot.com/2007/05/1-down-6-to-go.html">first </a><a style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);" href="http://reallylegallyblonde.blogspot.com/2007/05/following-takes-place-between-0815-and.html">two</a><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);"> papers. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">In other news - someone suggested a money-making idea in the form of publishing my blawg as advice to budding lawyers. I always have fancied being a published author but I can't see who would want to a) publish something I wrote and pay me money or b) buy it!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">But secretly I've already been designing the cover of course...</span>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-21523533737610131432008-01-10T19:13:00.000+01:002008-01-10T19:26:37.411+01:00<div face="georgia" style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Now that Law School is back in session and rapidly approaching its end, the time has come to consider my next steps. In other words, think of something respectable, yet fun to do before I start my surely-glittering career at Big Law Firm. I have some ideas, most of which take place outside the confines of the United Kingdom, however</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">I have encountered the age old problem - somehow I will need to fund my escapades.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">I have some money. Not very much. Big Law Firm has paid me a nice little grant for law school and Mr. Bank Manager has been kind enough to provide some extra. However, I now wish I had asked for a little MORE extra. I feel it may be too late and in any case I doubt that "I need to extend my loan by £4000 to fund jet-setting around the world for a few months after Law School" is simply not going to fly with him.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Obviously some of the time between Law School and Law Firm will need to be spent working. However, having carried out some preliminary calculations, I would have to earn a rather unlikely hourly wage to have sufficient capital to go securely from June to my start date in early 2009. This hourly wage could of course be obtained through somewhat underhand methods, but despite my career choice as a lawyer, I still have some morals left. And I would hate to be struck off before I even qualify for soliciting of a completely different kind.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">The biggest problem is rent. Namely paying it. If I didn't have to pay rent all would be well. I have to manage 13 months rent until my first paycheck. I have enough money to do that at present, but once I've done it, there will not be a great deal left unless I cut out luxuries such as food, electricity and travelling to Law School. So subletting looks like the most viable option, which unfortunately cuts out a lot of my flexibility on how to spend my time.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">The crux of this post is this. I need to make some money. A part-time job is of course the most likely option, but I would need to find one that earned me significantly more than the minimum wage in order to be able to spend the very small available part of my time at work. So I turn to you, dear readers. Any other ideas? LEGITIMATE ones only, please. </span> </div>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-47260125879339855692008-01-05T21:21:00.001+01:002008-01-05T22:16:01.198+01:00Susie's back... back again...<span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:georgia;" >Happy New Year, one and all! I hope you are all sufficiently well fed and rested, ready for new challenges. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:georgia;" >My holiday at home with Mum and Dad Law School was lovely, thanks for asking. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:georgia;" >This year has so far not started so well though. But here are some thoughts to get you going. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:georgia;" >1. Isn't it amazing how failure in one sphere of your life can have a completely debilitating impact on your self-esteem in all other areas? As much as one tries to be rational about such things, it is sometimes quite hard to pigeonhole one area of life from others. Let us say, hypothetically, you failed your driving test. This could easily lead to some, albeit temporary, sentiment, that you are also stupid and will fail all your exams.* Currently I'm experiencing some self-doubt of this kind. I'm a rational person and I know it's not a permanent state of affairs, and I know that this said failure does not imply inadequacy in other areas but it SUCKS!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:georgia;" >2. The above has led me to further consider the fact that I'm not really very good at anything. I'm above average in some things, but I'm not really great at anything. This probably is true of most people, but it is rather irritating. It would be nice to have something at which I am just really really good. I realise this is my competitive streak rearing its ugly head again but it's been so quiet recently!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:georgia;" >3. This leads me to my final point which is to tell you that Competitive Susie lost out in the end, and Logical Susie powered through with the outlining. The mocks went somewhat ok, of course results will only arrive next week and at that point we shall see how well she fared. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:georgia;" >Apologies for the somewhat negative and philosophical stance to this post, the year has started disappointingly thus I have decided to pass on the (lack of) joy to you, dear readers, and hope this will have a cathartic effect on the near future at least! </span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><br /><br />*FAOD I passed my driving test eight years ago, this is just an illustrative example.<br /></span>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-29019435678534832672007-12-18T21:03:00.000+01:002007-12-18T21:07:38.446+01:00Festive fun<a style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204); font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.miniclip.com/games/ice-slide/en/">Happy Holidays from Susie Law School</a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204); font-family: georgia;">No animals or polar ice caps were hurt in te making of this game but it's great fun! Only managed a score of 312m so far... sure I can do better!</span>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30783934.post-15410720882494809552007-12-10T22:38:00.000+01:002007-12-11T18:21:13.430+01:00Mock examining<span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);font-family:georgia;" >Next week we have mock exams. Three of them to be exact - one for each compulsory subject. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);font-family:georgia;" >The consensus in law school is that most people are anticipating abject failure. Apparently the average mark last year was an impressive 30%. Considering the mark required to pass the final exams is 50% I felt this fosters a great deal of confidence in the fact that since most people passed their final exams, there is enough time to do all the revision well between now and the end of February. As a result many of my peers are planning to carry out minimal revision and prepare to perform the happy dance if they succeed in obtaining over 30% in the mock exams (seeing as that would be deemed 'above average'). </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);font-family:georgia;" >However, the situation has created within me considerable cognitive dissonance. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);font-family:georgia;" >In one corner is the Logical Susie. She accepts there really is not enough time for the kind of decent revision between now and next week that would be required for say a 60-70% outcome. Therefore she has decided the best course of action is to instead focus on detailed consolidation and do what she can in the mocks, and not worry if the result is less than encouraging. It is all about experiencing what the exams will be constructed and suchlike. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);font-family:georgia;" >In the other corner, however, is Competitive Susie. She is thinking that really it would not do to fail the mocks. This is despite the fact that they are entirely insignificant and most people improve greatly from their mock result when they sit the final exam. She is wanting to do all she can to maximise the points she can score, and see exactly how well she COULD do, to provide confidence for the impending final exam revision and at least a small smidgeon of self-satisfaction. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);font-family:georgia;" >Currently Logical Susie is winning. She has convinced me to sit down and carry out very diligent consolidation activities which, although taking longer than superficial cramming, is providing me with a much better in-depth understanding of the topics and which should put me in good stead come exam-time. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);font-family:georgia;" >However, notwithstanding this victorious outcome, I fear it is highly unlikely that Logical Susie will be able to convince Competitive Susie not to be too disappointed when she averages 29% in the mock exams... </span>Susie Law Schoolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14060966997122168077noreply@blogger.com6