The bliss that followed the end of my examinations was somewhat short lived. No more than a week passed before I was already bored. I am faced with the possibility of three months with nothing academic to do. Of course, I have work experience and mini-pupillages to attend, and the obligatory job I need to pay off my overdrafts - but three months with no law learning seems a long time.
And so it was, with my recently acquired motivation, that I popped into the local Waterstones last week and purchased a case book on Tort law (I also purchased a book on Italian, reasoning that if I am intent on learning a year's worth of work in three months, learning a foreign language on top of it all is likely to make little difference). I am going to focus on Tort law first, for a number of reasons. The most important is that a third year friend, who is well on course for a first class degree, recommended that the best approach to take with Tort is to learn as many cases as you can. The second reason is that I would rather avoid starting to learn 'The Law of Business Transactions' before I have to.
I have sat down with my case book, and am beginning to work out (using lecture notes provided to the current second years) which cases are of most use. The list will be extensive and large in number, but when it is taken into account that my Tort exams are just under twelve months away, it seems highly possible that I should be able to almost entirely memorise every case listed in Nutcases.
I will inform my readers when I become bored of Tort and move onto the joys of Property law.
Tuesday, May 22
Saturday, May 12
One Year Down.....
It was with a sigh of relief that I set down my pen yesterday. For weeks I have been making constant trips to the library, burying myself amongst the dusty tomes on the third floor. Any time I didn't spend in the library was time wasted, unless spent in the company of my own books. For the time being that is all behind me now. My last first-year exam has been taken.
Our University regulations dictate that we are not to leave our exams within the last half an hour of the allotted time. This has not been a problem for me during the examinations. Many people take it upon themselves to leave around the first hour of two hour exams, but I prefer to stay and use the time we have been given.
Yesterday's exam was different. The two sections of the exam were of equal marks and therefore required an hour each of my time. I finished the first section well before the first hour. I had myself in a slight predicament. I knew that having finished the first section somewhat early I would not be working until my two hours was up. I also knew however that the time it would take to finish the section would run over into the last half an hour of the exam, thereby precluding my escape. I am not particuarly keen on sitting around at the end of exams waiting for them to finish, the time seems to drag on purpose.
To save all the bother I was mentally causing myself I stared at the ceiling for a few minutes to kill some time before I began the second section. Ten minutes before the end of the exam a girl was allowed to leave after claiming she was unwell. I hung my head in shame.
I had been outwitted.
Our University regulations dictate that we are not to leave our exams within the last half an hour of the allotted time. This has not been a problem for me during the examinations. Many people take it upon themselves to leave around the first hour of two hour exams, but I prefer to stay and use the time we have been given.
Yesterday's exam was different. The two sections of the exam were of equal marks and therefore required an hour each of my time. I finished the first section well before the first hour. I had myself in a slight predicament. I knew that having finished the first section somewhat early I would not be working until my two hours was up. I also knew however that the time it would take to finish the section would run over into the last half an hour of the exam, thereby precluding my escape. I am not particuarly keen on sitting around at the end of exams waiting for them to finish, the time seems to drag on purpose.
To save all the bother I was mentally causing myself I stared at the ceiling for a few minutes to kill some time before I began the second section. Ten minutes before the end of the exam a girl was allowed to leave after claiming she was unwell. I hung my head in shame.
I had been outwitted.
Monday, May 7
Sorry for the delay
During the past two weeks I have taken the majority of my first year law exams. I feel quite confident about my performance, though I will have to wait and see.
In the days preceding my exams I found a rather obscure way to revise case names. I sat in one of the local student bars, overlooking the river, with some friends and my books. I read through the list of cases I had prepared a few times, and then sat watching the music videos on the television. A friend (who doesn't take a course with exams) who was also in the bar relaxing did ask why it was that I was just staring at the television, whereas my course mate who was with me was elbow deep in books.
What I was doing was going over the order of the cases on the page in my head. I didn't read the pages more than three times each before I could comfortably recall all the cases. I remember my old Chemistry teacher saying that his roommate during university had a photographic memory. I can't have that or I would have done better at Chemistry A-Level...
I don't know how it worked, or how it managed to work as during the 48 hours prior to my contract law exam I had 4 hours sleep - but it did. I had time enough at the end of my exam to count how many cases I used. Thirty one - I have no idea how many I learnt that weren't relevant to the question.
The day after the exam, more studying was needed. My friend joked that I should try to learn the full citations for the cases I was going to need in the next exam. I am glad to say that I did not attempt to do so, however I did read a case as he said this, and managed to recall the citation in the exam, but was too worried I would be suspected of cheating should I put it down.
Nearly a week later I can still recall the citation. I did remark that it's like Good Will Hunting, only better, as I'm not best friends with Ben Affleck.
In the days preceding my exams I found a rather obscure way to revise case names. I sat in one of the local student bars, overlooking the river, with some friends and my books. I read through the list of cases I had prepared a few times, and then sat watching the music videos on the television. A friend (who doesn't take a course with exams) who was also in the bar relaxing did ask why it was that I was just staring at the television, whereas my course mate who was with me was elbow deep in books.
What I was doing was going over the order of the cases on the page in my head. I didn't read the pages more than three times each before I could comfortably recall all the cases. I remember my old Chemistry teacher saying that his roommate during university had a photographic memory. I can't have that or I would have done better at Chemistry A-Level...
I don't know how it worked, or how it managed to work as during the 48 hours prior to my contract law exam I had 4 hours sleep - but it did. I had time enough at the end of my exam to count how many cases I used. Thirty one - I have no idea how many I learnt that weren't relevant to the question.
The day after the exam, more studying was needed. My friend joked that I should try to learn the full citations for the cases I was going to need in the next exam. I am glad to say that I did not attempt to do so, however I did read a case as he said this, and managed to recall the citation in the exam, but was too worried I would be suspected of cheating should I put it down.
Nearly a week later I can still recall the citation. I did remark that it's like Good Will Hunting, only better, as I'm not best friends with Ben Affleck.
Tuesday, April 17
Pro Boni Discipuli
Since my last posting I have managed to secure enough work experience placements to ensure that I am going to be having a busy summer, and gain a very rounded CV. However, one essential element is still evading my grasp. I am having difficulty in finding a placement with a Pro Bono group. To this end, yesterday, I visited the Law careers advisor, who informed me that I should consult our student law society. I am yet to hear back from the senior member I contacted. Whilst at the careers office I also picked up a copy of the Pupillage/Training Contract Handbook. It does seem to be full of helpful tips, though it's size did nothing to help the tear in my rucksack as I clipped it shut.
I have been spending large amounts of my time in the library recently, which explains my lack of posting. BatGirl may be interested to hear that yesterday the library was giving away outdated legal textbooks as they were no longer fit for purpose. I picked up a couple of Family Law books which, after managing to cleave their dusty pages apart, revealed their year of publishing to be 1999. Still, it can't hurt to have more books on my bookshelf.
By the looks of the book-filled arms of some of my fellow students, this would be the only addition to their bookshelf in this past academic year.
I have made mention before of my liking for the judgements of Lord Denning. A few days ago I stumbled upon a copy of one of his published works (I believe it was Landmarks in the Law). I spent quite an enjoyable afternoon reading his book and then finding the relevant law reports and reading them as well.
That is a a use of time I believe to be almost impossible to describe to someone who does not study the law as 'fun'.
I have been spending large amounts of my time in the library recently, which explains my lack of posting. BatGirl may be interested to hear that yesterday the library was giving away outdated legal textbooks as they were no longer fit for purpose. I picked up a couple of Family Law books which, after managing to cleave their dusty pages apart, revealed their year of publishing to be 1999. Still, it can't hurt to have more books on my bookshelf.
By the looks of the book-filled arms of some of my fellow students, this would be the only addition to their bookshelf in this past academic year.
I have made mention before of my liking for the judgements of Lord Denning. A few days ago I stumbled upon a copy of one of his published works (I believe it was Landmarks in the Law). I spent quite an enjoyable afternoon reading his book and then finding the relevant law reports and reading them as well.
That is a a use of time I believe to be almost impossible to describe to someone who does not study the law as 'fun'.
Thursday, April 12
Ethics
I wrote a post or two ago that I was of the opinion that a career at the Bar held a certain degree of prestige. 'Bagpuss' was kind enough to comment that the majority of the public believe lawyers to be "somewhere between sharks and politicians". I know the profession I intend to enter is not held in the highest of regards by some.
I recently read the Times article about the solicitor who earned 16.8 Million pounds in a year. Some of the comments left by posters seemed to hold lawyers in a very dim light indeed. I'm not sure if I should be bothered by the public perception of lawyers or not. In all honesty, I don't really mind if people think I am of the intention to become a self-serving parasite.
...What is a more pressing worry to me is that on Tuesday I was in receipt of another rejection letter for a mini-pupillage. The difference with this letter however is that it was from the chambers I most wished to gain a mini-pupillage with. Not to worry I suppose, I can always re-apply next year, hopefully with a better CV after my summer placements.
I recently read the Times article about the solicitor who earned 16.8 Million pounds in a year. Some of the comments left by posters seemed to hold lawyers in a very dim light indeed. I'm not sure if I should be bothered by the public perception of lawyers or not. In all honesty, I don't really mind if people think I am of the intention to become a self-serving parasite.
...What is a more pressing worry to me is that on Tuesday I was in receipt of another rejection letter for a mini-pupillage. The difference with this letter however is that it was from the chambers I most wished to gain a mini-pupillage with. Not to worry I suppose, I can always re-apply next year, hopefully with a better CV after my summer placements.
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