Thursday, January 6, 2011
LAW SCHOOL AND THE BAR ARE NOT THAT HARD
OK, this statement may seem crazy, especially to those in the middle of school or preparing for the bar. However, I made it through law school working full time, and passed the bar only using used study books and pilfered audio recordings. Did I study a lot? NO. I studied when I could and listened to audio recording when driving. From what I heard I should not have passed the bar. My study habits dictated I should not have even made it through law school. But I did, I passed all classes, was invited to law review every semester, completed law review, passed the MPRE the first time, and passed the bar the first time. I will share my ideas here of what I felt led to my success.
I THOUGHT MY LIFE WAS OVER AFTER I ATTENDED THE FIRST NIGHT OF SCHOOL
I still remember the first night of law school, orientation night. On this night, my school, had current and former students explain to our class what to expect from law school. The stories were all the same: life was over, all free time would be spent studying and reading and briefing cases. Relationships with significant others and families were put on hold. People were missing their children's activities. I sat there thinking, "Well I like my free time." "I have seven kids, one an infant and really do not want to miss their lives." "I like football Sunday." I was ready to make the sacrifices to obtain the JD, but wondered how true these statements were.
When the semester started, I read and fully briefed every case diligently. I took notes. I studied every free moment I had. I made outlines. I did everything I was told to do. However, I remember one instructor making the statement, "If you are studying what you already know, you are wasting your time." This made me think. And to be honest, I was getting tired of reading all the cases, briefing them, and writing outlines. It was exhausting and my life was passing by in front of me without my participation. My first epiphany came to me when it was time for the first Torts exam.
LAW SCHOOL OUTLINES ARE A WONDERFUL THING
One day in class, I received an email from my study partner with a Torts outline written by someone else. This was blasphemy. We were to write our own outlines. But that day I was tired. I was working a death penalty case as an investigator, and it was taxing me. I opened the file, RIGHT THERE IN CLASS. I then went to the part of the outline the instructor was lecturing on. I'll be damned if the same stuff she was writing on the board was the same stuff that was in the outline. EXACTLY. In addition, because I had a laptop, and the outline was a Word document, I could modify the outline as I saw fit. I left what was good, and added what I felt was missing. This was awesome. I was no longer trying to take the material I learned in class and trying to make it into a coherent outline. I was verifying accuracy, and adding material. Part of Football Sundays were back.
I used this system the remainder of law school. I found what appeared to be a good outline, made sure it was in a format I could modify it, and eliminated the task of writing my own outline. I decided to put this to a test. I had finished a huge trial just prior to the first Torts exam. My initial plan was to write a good outline the weekend prior to the exam which would allow me to study by writing, and hopefully produce a good outline from which I could build. However, I now had this modified outline. I was tired, my wife was tired as we had a newborn infant. We decided to go to San Francisco the weekend before the exam. I no longer had to write an outline and felt I could carry the outline with me and study during the drives to and from San Francisco, and during any down time there. This is exactly what I did. I still remember studying by the indoor pool in a spa near the Mark Hopkins, where we were staying. I studied on the way to and from San Francisco. I will admit I was apprehensive because this was not the method that was advised by instructors and former and current students. While others were at home writing, and studying away, I was eating at the Stinking Rose, and in North Beach with my wife.
THE RESULTS AND WHAT I LEARNED
When the exam results were returned, I was shocked. I had the second highest grade in the class. I had not spent the whole week and weekend before the exam laboring in front of my computer and case books. I was in my favorite city doing my favorite things. I learned that when others before you have done the work and laid the foundation, why repeat the work? Yes I still had to learn the material. However, I found what I believed was a simpler way to learn the material, while taking away the labor that was involved in learning the material. Yes I know some people like writing their own outlines. In fact this is how some people learn. I will address this in my next blog. However, if this is not a productive method in which you will learn, why do it? I also realized that I am a visual learner, and actually learned the SECTIONS of the outline. I could visualize the outline in my head while I was taking the exam. This has to do with methods of learning, which I will address in my next blog. So stay tuned.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Welcome To My Life 2011
I started this year weighing 229 pounds, employed as a criminal defense investigator, having recently passed the bar, and completing my moral character application with the California Bar so I can become an attorney. Today, the 5th, I weigh 219. I have accomplished this by following Tim Ferriss' Four Hour Body and being trained by G-Fitness. G-Fitness is Greg Johnson and he is incredible. I am doing things I was doing when I was in the police academy again. (Yes I used to be a police officer.) I am working on improving all aspects of my life. We will see how it goes. I am ready to move forward and do big things. I lost ten pounds in 5 days. I passed the bar without studying. (I will share my thoughts on this here) and got through law school while working two jobs and taking care of a family. I believe anything is possible.
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