It's been a while!

Since I last posted, I've switched jobs and gotten married!

I'm now working for a large creditor's rights firm, primarily in real estate default. My new position seems to be a great fit--I love the people I work with, the work I do, and so far the pace isn't too impossible. My workload has recently picked up exponentially, so balancing that with the necessary in-court time is a challenge, but I think I'm up to it.

Interestingly, a big part of a private sector legal position is demonstrating to your supervising attorneys that you have client development instincts; that is, bringing in new contacts and developing relationships. Before I was given my full caseload, I worked on this as much as possible.

Although I never thought I'd be working in the private sector, my current firm seems to be a great fit. I also really like the opportunities I have to write articles for our trade newsletters and attending community events.

Life Goes On

Well, in February I took the Bar exam. In late April, while visiting my cousin in the Netherlands, I found out that I passed the Bar exam--much to my surprise. I was nervous because several very close family members of mine were in the hospital having serious surgeries, and I made the choice to spend more time than recommended away from the books. My logic: I could retake the Bar exam, but if anything happened to them, I could never get those days and hours back. Fortunately, on Queens Day (a huge jubilee celebration everywhere in Holland) the news was posted on the internet, and half a world away I knew I was admitted to practice law!

Then came the fun part. I was sworn in upon my return to the states by Judge Eugene Lucci of the Lake County Court of Common Pleas, my good friend Nina's father. It was a wonderful private ceremony, and Judge Lucci gave a fantastic speech and to the great delight of my entire extended family, wore robes :) We were beyond grateful--he even drove all the way to Hudson from Concord for the event so my grandfather, who has Parkinson's disease, could attend.

Then came the big check to the Supreme Court of Ohio, and I am now officially a licensed attorney in the state of Ohio.

I was fortunate to land a job with a small real estate firm in Valley View, Ohio, before I'd even passed the Bar exam, and I am very much enjoying my work there despite the fact that it is a departure from my normal criminal, municipal, and employment experience. I am learning tons, though, and diversifying my legal skills, which is fantastic.

Finally, in other exciting news, I just got engaged to another Ohio attorney! We've been working on several pro bono cases together in very disparate areas of law, but it's good generalist experience and we're not only growing professionally, but I think it's helpful to see what kind of team we make!

Merry, merry, merry Christmas!

I'm almost done! I have one final draft of my Comparative Constitutional Law paper on the ramifications of using Military Tribunals outside of the exigent circumstances of war time, and then, assuming I've passed all of my classes, I'll have earned a J.D.! We only have one graduation ceremony (in May) but I am willing to wait.

I have already submitted my application to take the February Bar and my application to join the Navy JAG Corps; so now it's just an interminable wait. I'm going to try to take the holiday week off to rejoice and see friends and family, but then it's back to the books. As I didn't take Secured Transactions or Commercial Paper, it'll be good to review those subjects in advance of the BarBri classes.

Hope all is well with you!

Ambitions

It's been a while, and if you are a regular reader I apologize! I've been quite busy since I returned from my exciting summer working in DC for a top law enforcement agency. It was wonderful, but I was definitely happy to return to the land of easy commutes and family. I found the summer quite empowering, however, in that I was able to transition to a new place, a new work place, and a new social scene easily. I did have some friends in the area, which certainly helped.

I absolutely loved my experience in DC, and I think it will add infinitely to my future career. It's also opened my eye to many career paths I might not have considered.

I don't graduate until December, but I am thinking ahead to what kind of career I'd like when I am finished. A few of the areas I am definitely exploring include the following:

County Prosecution
Navy JAG
Federal Agency work
Federal Agent work

This is not exhaustive, but it is where I am currently aiming, and where I think my skills could be best used. I am also studying Arabic to maximize my desirability to the Federal government should I go in that direction.

A recession is a tough time to enter the job market, but I have a multi-pronged approach planned. Honestly, as long as I am challenged, getting experience in a courtroom, and working for some governmental entity, I think I will count myself lucky come May!

Moving piece in NY Times

I encourage you all to read this piece, May it Please the Court, by Maira Kalman

http://kalman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/may-it-please-the-court/

Third Year Crash

I'm a third-year night student. A normally three year law program will be finished in three and a half years only because I have taken classes every summer.

I have loved my time in law school--I've learned many things and had fantastic opportunities...

But I'm ready for the end now. I'll be done in December, and it can't come soon enough. I'm very relieved that this summer will be spent off-site, and in mostly practical applications. I will only have class once a week--most of my credits will come from my internship. So hopefully that will keep me from burning out.

I guess it happens to us all!

Judge Advocate Generals

You may have heard of the JAG corps, and you may have watched a show or two that pertain to their work.

The Judge Advocate General Corps are the team of military lawyers that represent and advise our troops and our military branches--and they are quite cool :) I will be working with many of them at NCIS in Washington, D.C. this summer, and I'm really looking forward to it. It is an appealing career path, but it does involve some serious travel obligations and commitments.

The reason I mention this is because this Friday, I'll be traveling up to the Catawba Island Club for a JAG Seminar on Saturday. The group of attorneys presenting are in large part members of my law fraternity, Delta Theta Phi. In attendance will be William Suter, Clerk of the United State Supreme Court! A few classmates and I are going the night before with the Executive Director of the fraternity--we're all sharing a room and visiting Mon Ami Winery. Many of the most decorated presenters from the conference go there there the night before, so the Executive Director is going to try to introduce us to them there!

It should be really exciting and they will probably have TONS to say about the recent pirate crisis, with all it's legal and policy implications. Once at an event, one of the attorneys told us a story about a JAG lawyer being asked if they could shoot an insurgent who saw them and who would likely reveal their position to the enemy--but the twist is that the insurgent was a 7 yr old girl. The JAG told them not to, they didn't shoot the girl, and a firefight ensued. So it's really cool to hear the tough ethical issues involved and what the military lawyers have to do!