Songs About Law School Part 5

The next installment in the Law School Songs series is Texas Wesleyan law student, Danielle Rupp's, submission for the Access Group's "One Less Worry" Contest. What I like about Danielle's unique expression of her law school experience is that it reminds prospective law students that they are stepping out of the cozy confines of their undergraduate cocoons and entering a place where there are other people from the "real world." When I was a law student I had the greatest respect for people who worked all day long and then went to class and somehow found time to prepare for the next day's classes. Yes, law school is hard; and it is harder for those juggling work and family and other real world responsibiities at the same time. But, LIFE is hard and the juggling act never really ends once it begins. Remember, students, to steal a line from Rudy Baylor in The Rainmaker, "There are all kinds of lawyers." And there all "all kinds" of ways to be involved in the practice of law or use of your law degree after law school. You don't need to throw yourself into the "Big Business model, 3,000 billable hour/year, owe your soul to the company store" type of law firm just because other law students are pursuing those positions. You need to be true to yourselves and the things that are important to you in your lives. Money is a poor substitute for peace of mind and a life richly shared with family.

Kudos to Danielle for her creativity and talent and the best of wishes for juggling law school and life.

Songs About Law School Part 4

The next installment in the "Songs About Law School" series features Lindsey Myers's submission to the Access Group "One Less Worry" contest. In a lighthearted way, Lindsey touches on most of the basic entering law student concerns - including money, grades, appearances, competition and moral degradation. I think that Lindsey is ahead of the game. As I have stated here before, going into law school understanding what you are about to experience will help you to get through it intact. Law schools typically make much of their mission to "train you to think like a lawyer." This is all well and good and certainly a necessary skill for the practice of law. But it should not be misinterpreted as some higher state of intellectual pursuit. It is, ultimately, occupational training. A law student needs to learn to be able to "think like a lawyer" when lawyering and "think like a person" when not lawyering. Lawyers live in a world of relative truth. "Truth" in law is nothing more than an evaluation of what evidence exists that is more likely than not to prove the existence of the fact. However, when relating to your spouse, children, family, friends, employers or employees and co-workers (in short, everyone who has importance in your life) truth is not and should not be dependent on the existence of evidence. Logical, analytical analysis has its value in its proper place. But so do sympathy,empathy, and irrational emotion.

Thanks to Lindsey for sharing. If you're reading, Lindsey, I have no doubt that your sense of humor and insight will serve you well. And who could't help but admire a cheese-head wearing accordian player?

The International Sale of Goods Song

Professor Harry Flechtner at the University of Pittsburgh Law School performs a song about the United Nations Conference on International Contracts for the Sale of Goods. While it is not my area of expertise, it strikes me as quite a good song (pun intended). This is not, strictly speaking, a popular cultural representation of the law. Although Prof. Flechtner's song is clever and catchy, it isn't likely to capture the attention of those outside of law circles. It is, however, the kind of song that can be used in the classroom - similar to the Law Lessongs available on my web page. Thank you, Prof. Flechtner for sharing your creativity and providing another valuable and innovative resource for the law classroom.

Songs About Law School Part 2

This song was submitted as part of the "One Less Worry" contest sponsored by the Access Group for a $10,000 scholarship. Students had to submit a video that was no longer than 4:00 long on the topic, "What are your worries as a law student?" I will post the winner and some of the honorable mention video in the next few weeks. Some of them have a lot to say to undergrads. But first, recognition goes here to Melissa Mitchel for "The Law School Worryin' Blues." It is cleverly composed and nicely performed. Once again, I think that there is significant value in undergrads considering these issues in advance. It can't help but make them better prepared.

Melissa, if you ever read this you are welcome to come down to UConn to talk to our undergrads anytime. I love the Sweatshirt from good ol' So-FFolk-U Law.

My Cousin Vinny Gambini for President?

Today I met with my freshman honors class, "Law and Lawyers in Song and Story." Students discussing the movie "My Cousin Vinny" got off on a thread about the value of having a lawyer whom you like and can relate to versus a lawyer who is more sophisticated and authoritative. I couldn't help but make the parallel to the discussion that has been going on since the 2000 Presidential election about Bush garnering votes because he is "the kind of guy you can see yourself sitting down with and having a beer." (see this editorial for example) In 2000, Gore was portrayed as wooden. In 2004, Kerry was cast as an elitist. The McCain campaign has attempted to cast Obama as an elitist as well, choosing Palin for her "you betcha" folksiness as a contrast. The problem is, in theses times of economic crises, we turn to serious people to solve serious problems. Likability is trumped by competence. I think that without realizing it, my students were fleshing out these issues in the context of the law movie. When you are in serious legal trouble, competence probably trumps likability; and the traits are not necessarily mutually exclusive - in lawyers or politicians.

And it all reminded me of one of my favorite movie clips - one that I use when discussing the decision in Texas v. Johnson. This is from The American President. I hope that you enjoy it.

Songs About Law School Part 1

There are a lot of creative and talented people out there. Some of them end up in law school (for whatever reason) and share with all of us their impressions. Their reactions to law school, expressed in creative ways, fashion a picture of law school for curious undergrads (my students). For the most part, the images are unflattering - which is both scary and confusing to the smart and idealistic undergraduates who see the law as a force for good but are nervous about how law school might change them. I see this is a positive circumstance. The decision to enter law school should not be made lightly. Further, the more that you know about what to expect in law school, the more you are likely to be able to navigate the sausage grinder effect of law school and come out the other end with your sanity and personality mostly intact.

I give kudos and thanks to Owen from the University of Maryland School of Law for his "Law School Musical" video, shared here: