Editor's Note: On further reflection this post isn't very interesting. Only read on if (a) you like listening to Holohan bitch about petty things, (b) you're interested in law school courses, and/or (c) you want to help Holohan decide what to take next semester.
God damn it. There were three courses I wanted to take next semester: Federal Courts with Judge William Fletcher, Antitrust, and Professor Jesse Choper's Supreme Court seminar. It turns out that Judge Fletcher is not teaching Federal Courts next semester (another professor, who sounds pretty boss, is teaching it, but part of the lure of the course was learning about federal courts from a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge). Antitrust is also not being taught by the normal guy, but by a Law & Economics Professor. I fucking hate Law & Economics. I find it harder to swallow than Creationism.
The Supreme Court seminar is ready to go, but it's limited to eighteen students and usually has a waiting list numbering in the dozens. The reason for the limited enrollment is the kick-ass format of the class: The class splits into pairs, and each pair takes on the role of a Justice on the current U.S. Supreme Court. Over the course of the year the students go through the Court's docket and decide cases as their respective Justices would. Each pair is responsible for writing one majority opinion and one dissent. And the best part is, it satisfies the dreaded Writing Requirement.
So, of the three courses I was looking forward to next semester, it looks like I may not be able to take any of them. I've decided that for the next year I'm going to satirically blame all of my problems on Boalt's fallen ranking. "Maybe at a top twelve school I could have taken a class from a Ninth Circuit Judge, but not here." I could also play up my transfer student disappointment. "I left Westwood for this?" Of course, we all know that the real reason for my transfer is sitting in the kitchen reading The Caine Mutiny right now, so that last argument is pure affectation.
Let's take a look at my second string:
Constitutional Law - Structural Issues. It would be my third Con Law class, and the most esoteric. I'd spend yet another semester in the company of hard-core law geeks.
Entertainment Law & New Media Writing Workshop. I thought I liked Entertainment Law until we got into remedies this semester. But I think I just hate remedies in general. This would be one of those 2-unit courses that takes up more time than the rest of your schedule combined, and there's a strong preference for 2Ls in the limited enrollment. I may not even bother applying.
Conflict of Laws. Another law geek course, taught by one of the three professors that came highly recommended by one of my Boalt alum friends. The other two were Judge Fletcher and Eleanor Swift. Professor Swift teaches Evidence, and I couldn't take her course because she only teaches in the Fall and I had to take Evidence this semester for my Trial class. Maybe at a top twelve school...
Estates & Trusts. Dull as toast, but since it's a major subject on the California bar exam, they say that California law students looking to take the California bar should take this course for an edge over the out-of-staters. It also meets once a week from 6:20-9, which might bring back nightmares of Civil Trial Practice.
California Marital Property I didn't like regular Property, and I have no interest in being a divorce lawyer (my thorough enjoyment of Intolerable Cruelty notwithstanding). But, like Estates & Trust, it's a weeder subject on the California bar exam. It's also taught by the highly recommended professor who's teaching Conflicts of Laws. And my dad could help me with my homework.
Comments welcome. Help me decide what to do with my life.
It's not just you. Remedies do suck. I say go with the law-school-geekiest option possible. When in doubt, the geekier/esotericer the better.
I'd say take one of the bar courses; whichever one you feel less prepared for and/or you think won't bar review won't adequately cover, although I hear that bar review courses can cover you pretty well on estates and trusts and community property if you've taken property. I'm taking a Mass Media seminar and Conflict of Laws next semester, but this one is about US v. EU law rather than federal v. state which totally sucks and is incredibly boring. So, I'd say take the Con Law class, even if it is full of geeks. At least you'll be interested in it and it won't be just 2 units sucking the life out of you. Good luck getting your classes.
Antitrust sounds exciting!
After graduating from Stanford, two idealistic computer whiz kids who are best friends are offered jobs at NURV, a giant Portland company with a driven boss, Gary Winston, on the verge of a world-linking satellite communication system. With support from his girlfriend Alice, Milo takes the job; Teddy says no and continues work on a media compression program he wants to make available free. Winston takes a person interest in Milo, whose genius can help NURV meet its launch date, and Milo responds with brilliance and long hours. When Teddy meets with tragedy and Winston's offhand remark makes Milo suspicious, he decides to investigate Winston and NURV. But, whom can he trust?
Rent it today!
actually i'm interested in antitrust because it's intellectual property's evil twin. or good twin, as the case may be. the IP department at boalt has left a bitter taste in my mouth.
as an IP lawyer said to an antitrust lawyer at a firm function i went to: "Everything we create, you destroy."
Lemley was really good (his intro to IP class was nothing short of amazing - you learned so much, and he kept his opinions mostly out of it.) The rest of the IP dept. is less than fabulous (Samuelson's cyberlaw class did not impress me. Copyright class was one string of horrors after the next (that instructor is no longer there, though. I imagine that Samuelson still is, however.)) Then again, with Lemley moving on, I'm not sure if anyone good is left in the IP group.
Now stop bitching. Willie Fletcher is teaching Fed Courts instead of Civ Pro II. Take it and rejoice, ya whiney red hot, you.
heh heh. yeah. i got into judge fletcher's fed courts class at about 7:05 last night. i bet all those people signed up for mishkin's class are PISSED.