Law Students

Georgethelawyer, Whatta Guy!

Posted on June 11, 2008
My name is George M. Gilmer, Esq.Hello, George. How are you?I am an attorney operating a busy solo practice in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.You don't say. Nice going. I enjoyed clicking on that "Attorneys" link on your website only to find out that you're the only one there...

Gerald Hamelburg: Douchebag at Law

Posted on June 09, 2008
Gerald Hamelburg, facing up to the law. Douchebag. Credit: Boston GlobeIs it even surprising that it appears that attorneys are the biggest abusers of using your dead mom's disabled parking tag to get free parking?He is guilty of many of the S-words often use to describe attorneys, according to the Globe article:Slippery...

Holding Pattern

Posted on June 05, 2008
Emailed NYC Job yesterday to find out what was up. Turned out it is a bureaucracy thing after all and they haven't made a decision one way or another. So, twiddle, twiddle.Ah well, I'm busy this weekend with my best friend's wedding anyways, so I'm going to go get that well-deserved massage and turn my attention elsewhere...

Here's another one...

Posted on June 04, 2008
An anonymous reader tipped me onto another $30K a year attorney job, but this one is in Buffalo and listed by a staffing agency, so you know the firm is actually offering $60K-75K. What a shame.

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Credit: JD Jiver124 of JDUnderground

Posted on June 03, 2008
Why do lawyers feel entitled to a high salary?Its not a question of entitlement, its a question of getting paid what we deserve. We busted our asses to get good grades in college and law school, to get through law school, to pass the bar exam, to find a job - and the disappointing outcome is a salary that someone with a GED can get...

A Request

Posted on June 03, 2008
This humble blogger is applying for a full-time writer position at Above the Law, hoping to highlight many of the non-BigLaw issues in the Esq. world. If anyone would like to recommend this blogger for the job, please email tips@abovethelaw.com with your recommendation...

Disenchanted with Obama, still want Hillary to quit

Posted on June 03, 2008
C'mon, lady. Have some class. Meh.I supported Obama to start, but grew tired of him; not sure of his chances against the McCainster. But I also kind of want the histrionics that a Hillazilla growling at the convention would bring. She can't be dumb enough to do that though, right?

Sweatshop LLP: Ross & Associates

Posted on May 31, 2008
When on the lookout for new Sweatshop LLPs, one thing definitely pings my radar: promises of 40-hour work weeks for a modest salary. When working at my Sweatshop LLP, I was assured of regular hours in exchange for my $50,000 salary. It turned out to not be the case, as regular readers will remember...

Help sell out your fellow attorneys!

Posted on May 29, 2008
Document Review Superstar International legal support company which performs document reviews and other back office legal work for large law firms seeks licensed attorney with a minimum of 2-3 years experience to act as in-house coordinating counsel. Position involves spending 2-3 months in India helping select and train experienced Indian lawyers who will be involved in doing document reviews and working on ongoing document reviews from India...

It's Hard Out There...

Posted on May 28, 2008
Found at Above the Law, some stellar Washington Post advice, courtesy of columnist Mary Ellen Slayter:Washington: I'm a recent law school graduate who has yet to secure my first job. I'm growing desperate. I've sent out 330 résumés to the Hill, feds, nonprofits, trade associations, campaigns and law firms...

Everyone I Know is Nerdy

Posted on May 26, 2008
65 % Nerd, 39% Geek, 30% Dork For The Record: A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia. A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one...

Steve Carell - SNL

Posted on May 21, 2008
This was fabulous!

Apparently, I'm the New Hillary...

Posted on May 20, 2008
I'm running neck-and-neck with John and Barack in this very scientific poll...I may not have bug eyes and a harpy's voice, but I can knock back the JD like Hillary, at least. Opa!

Sweatshop LLP: Schwartz Law Firm LLC

Posted on May 19, 2008
Wicked Words is going to start a new feature, exposing future Sweatshop LLPs. Now, disclaimer: I haven't worked at any of these places, so my giving out a Sweatshop LLP award is solely based on my opinion given advertisements, research, conjecture, and any number of random factors...

Every Have One of Those Days...

Posted on May 19, 2008
. . . where everything just seems to fall into place perfectly?Today is it. Hopefully that doesn't mean I have completely disjointed and chaotic days for the rest of the week! But here's what happened:1. I got a callback interview for NewYorkJob for Friday morning...

An Open Letter to Chad Schmidt of Counsel on Call

Posted on May 15, 2008
I was pleasantly surprised to see that Chad Schmidt of Counsel on Call, the focus of the Globe article that caused me so much consternation, replied to one of my subsequent posts, where his comments can be found. I'd like to share my response with the rest of my readers...

Vapidity

Posted on May 14, 2008
I'm on the BoltBus (with the wireless Internet) and the girl behind me is complete, absolute, total moron. Best of all, she goes to a fairly good Boston college. I'm so lucky I don't have to deal with people like this on a regular basis, because I would totally frigging lose it...

Manhattan Bound

Posted on May 13, 2008
Off to Manhattan for a whirlwind day of interviews. Wish me heaps of luck. After my last billion interviews, I certainly need it.

Runaround

Posted on May 13, 2008
I cancelled my lunch plans today in order to go on an impromptu interview this afternoon. Agency called at 10:30 a.m. about this sweet gig that wanted to start interviewing "as soon as possible." I told them I could be there at 2 p.m.Take the train into town, wait about 15 minutes in the lobby, then sit in with the very nice General Counsel, when he immediately asks, "How many contracts have you drafted?" I reply that while I took a drafting course, I haven't drafted any in practice...

Oh Yeah. We're Skee-rewed.

Posted on May 12, 2008
Now Philly.com puts its two cents in on the job market for entry levels, following last week's article in the Post about legal outsourcing to India. You know my feelings on this. A Q&A with Robert Denney:... Q: So, if you are not at a top law school, or at the top of your class somewhere else, what do you do? A: Other than slinging hash, you are just going to have to get by looking for temporary employment almost anywhere you can get hired...

I Can Honestly Say I Never Expected a Blog Title Like This

Posted on May 12, 2008
Eh, anonymity is overrated.A reaction piece to my letter, also found here. About this horrible Globe article.

Buh-Bye

Posted on May 09, 2008
Well, I still have over 1,000 documents to go in my queue, but I just got the call and broadcast it to the rest of the room, that when we turn in our timesheet, we should turn in our security pass and call it an extra-long weekend.We've all been wondering when this project would end, but given that we were just given a new training on these documents and I still have plenty to go, I figured I'd get another week in...

Bad Days

Posted on May 09, 2008
A couple of my friends have been having the worst days lately, immediately following a piece of good news.One: Passes a bar exam. Sick with a bug, is told that she has to clear up issues with the character and fitness committee, having a tough time with the job hunting, finds her car window broken into and has to search for a replacement as well as deal with other car issues...

Operation: Big Apple

Posted on May 09, 2008
I started sending out a host of resumes and applications to jobs in New York City, testing out my new game plan. It's exciting, though I am nervous about the cost of living there. But, hey, two incomes, right? We'd probably live in Brooklyn or somewhere outside of Manhattan in any case...

I Wrote a Letter

Posted on May 07, 2008
I was so mad about that article that I went back to my roots and wrote a letter to the Globe.It is with a dull anger that I read your article, "These temp lawyers are top-notch, a new firm in Boston promises," (May 5, 2008), which my grandmother handed to me as I was clicking on the classifieds in a fruitless effort to find an ad for a junior-level attorney...

With the Good...

Posted on May 07, 2008
J got his visa today. So he's officially allowed to come to the U.S. and stay with me for the duration of our engagement. After we're married, we can apply for permanent residency. It's the news we've been waiting for since he proposed, and I am so extremely happy about it...

Not a Blowout.

Posted on May 06, 2008
According to the results, 60.6% passed, 72.7% of first-timers. Well, at least it wasn't 80% total, like in past years, which makes me feel a bit better. Apparently they're grading tougher and passing less attorneys-to-be. There are too many of us out there.

Not Giving Up

Posted on May 05, 2008
More family members reiterated that my not taking the Mass Bar in July was tantamount to "giving up" in a Dr. Phil-style intervention. I don't feel this way at all; rather I think it's restructuring my plans and expectations.What I do know:1. The legal market here sucks...

Options

Posted on May 03, 2008
I need to run through some options about what to do next. My aunt was horrified when I told her I was considering not taking Massachusetts again in July. "That's like giving up," she told me.Is it?I suppose you could think about it that way, but I'm looking at things sensibly, to be honest...

The Letter

Posted on May 02, 2008
I failed. By two points. I did better than average on the essays, but did worse on the MBE than last time. As you know, I passed New York in July, which is rumored to be much harder exam, and perhaps didn?t study as much as I should have. In any case, I thought this MBE was much harder, and am notoriously bad at multiple choice exams...

Informational Interview

Posted on May 02, 2008
Alma Mater set up an informational interview with a grad who also happens to be a Partner at a BigFirm in Boston. I could write about it, but I think I conveyed it all in a conversation with a friend of mine:me: well, we're all screwedfriend: why?me: I don't know, this attorney sounded like a poster on JD Underground...

Great Op-Ed in the Post

Posted on May 02, 2008
Great op-ed in the Post by a Yale Law 1L, also discussed at Mel Woods:Excerpts:"During four years at Princeton University and nearly a year at Yale Law School, I have been surrounded by students who dazzle. [. . .] These youths live a life of superlatives, a life in which being No...

Massachusetts Bar Exam

Posted on April 29, 2008
This could be the week where we get our results. I'm not in a panic, like I was with New York, but I'm getting anxious. I just want some good news!I started reading a new blog by a Boston JD awaiting exam results, Girl Finding Her Way. Check her out.

Love

Posted on April 27, 2008
I love him so much. I barely talk about it here, because it's so special I almost dare not put it into words, into the public, but sometimes I think, "God, I never thought it was possible to love someone so much," and more incredulously, think "Wow, he loves me just as much!" And I'm marrying him in three-and-a-half months...

Wicked Words, Esq.

Posted on April 23, 2008
It doesn't quite feel real, but it is. Glad to finally be an attorney-at-law, even if I'm not very in love with the profession right now. I hope that my other friends who have yet to be admitted get to experience this sensation as quickly and painlessly as possible...

Albany

Posted on April 22, 2008
Last time I went to Albany, I felt like one of the cattle, being herded into the Crowne Plaza to take the New York bar exam. It was nerve wracking and adrenaline-filled, and I hope I never have that feeling again. I couldn't sleep at all the night before, really...

I Feel Like I Don't Get Email Anymore

Posted on April 18, 2008
One thing that sucks about Facebook and social networking sites is that I don't get email anymore from my friends. I used to really enjoy that email that told me what they were up to and their goals for the next year, and whether they were still with their boyfriends...

Jersey Gate

Posted on April 13, 2008
How funny is this guy? And how great is it that Steinbrenner went through all that trouble to dig up the shirt? But on a legal note, what's the criminal charge there? Trespass? Sounds like a BarBri question.

Wicked Karma

Posted on April 10, 2008
At TempJob today, I got to speaking with an '06 Grad about her law school experiences, and found out she was interested in immigration law. I told her I had quit a job at a small immigration firm just a couple of weeks ago and she was curious to learn more...

New Review

Posted on April 08, 2008
I started a new doc review today. It pays much, much better than the HorribleJob, and the hours are better. I will be paid roughly $75 more per day than Sweatshop LLP and will work 4 less hours per day. So crazy.Seems like the job should be fine, though one guy thought it was okay to take the vacant seat that was left empty precisely because his ass is almost on my lap given the weird angle of the table...

Dull

Posted on April 01, 2008
I wish I had more interesting news to report, but it's pretty much a daily diet of job hunting and wedding planning. Hopefully, I'll get a flash of creativity sometime soon.

Back to Unemployment

Posted on March 19, 2008
So here I am, back to my coffee and job-hunting mornings where I could be in my office. I really don't think they had any intention of keeping me after that deadline anyways.Honestly, I believe they lured me in with the promises of benefits and raises and decent hours, and really didn't treat me with any sort of permanence...

Another Great Craigslist Post

Posted on March 18, 2008
Associate Attorney desired Associate Attorney position desired. 0-2 years experience desired. Firm concentrates in criminal defense and personal injury law. Offering $15.00 per hour to start with steady pay raises as warranted. Willing to train. Great and exciting learning experience for attorney who wishes to gain valuable court experience and have busy and diverse case load...

Bait and Switch

Posted on March 17, 2008
Was waffling over the impending resignation and if I did resign, how I would go about it. I got my out today when I followed my man's advice and decided to ask about two big things that have been glossed over thus far: pay date and benefits.Regarding the benefits, I was given a surprised look when I mentioned them even though they were clearly a part of the discussion prior to accepting the job offer...

It was all Supposed to be Going so Well

Posted on March 15, 2008
It's easy to think about the final acquisition of an offer in the the job hunt as the last step, especially when your journey was as long as mine. But it's not. Not by a long shot. Eight days of working for NewFirm and I'm eager for the days of paper flipping...

Wicked Legal

Posted on February 25, 2008
I have decided that I need to keep Wicked Words a more personal blog while waxing on legal and political issues on a new blog at Wicked Legal. I realized that the commingling of personal introspection and legal commentary was a bit jumbled.As such, I might make this blog a private one eventually, but I haven't quite decided yet...

Wonderful

Posted on February 24, 2008
For all the complaining I do sometimes, yes, I do feel so blessed. My life could have veered off course at so many points, but it didn't.While I paid a lot for it, nobody can take my education away from me.After many romantic stumbles, I found the person with whom I want to spend the rest of my days...

Down to Earth

Posted on February 17, 2008
The shininess of all the good news, wonderful as it is, has worn off a bit, which is good because there is another task at hand: the Massachusetts Bar Exam.So I've quit lucrative doc review job (which was hard to do because the people I worked with were fantastic and the overtime was great) in order to spend the next week and a half in SERIOUS study...

OMG

Posted on February 14, 2008
This is ridiculous. But great.Today I got calls from FOUR places wanting to interview me tomorrow and next week, a couple of which could be very lucrative and interesting. These are places I applied to months and months ago. The cliche about it pouring when raining is coming true!

Changes

Posted on February 12, 2008
So much to say. So little energy to say it.I have a job. As an attorney. As an ASSOCIATE. I'm trying to muster up the excitement, but honestly, I'm a bit in shock. This search was quite overwhelming, and I didn't expect it to take so long, but I'm happy with the result...

Farewell Philly (For Good)

Posted on February 01, 2008
Back from Philadelphia, after a whirlwind week of up and down emotions. I think it all worked out for the best, to be honest. I interviewed along with 10 other prospective employees on Tuesday, got offered the job a day later, attempted to negotiate compensation, and then basically had the job offer revoked in a terse one-line email...

Road Trip!

Posted on January 27, 2008
Wicked Words is headed to Philadelphia to munch on soft pretzels, fling scrapple at the locals, and try her hand at the Job Market of Brotherly Lovin'. She then may reenact another famous journey at our nation's Capitol.Aren't you glad Wicked Words isn't usually in the third person?Anyhoo...

Absurd Commercials

Posted on January 27, 2008
Is it just me or are TV adverts getting stranger and stranger? Is this supposed to make me cry, laugh, or eat Skittles?

A Year Ago...

Posted on January 25, 2008
A year ago today, at this moment, a train pulled into the station at Newcastle and I peeked out my window to glimpse a man waiting intently, wrapped up for the cold. The only man in Newcastle wearing a Boston Red Sox cap. I straightened myself out, strolled out the door, put my bag down, and kissed him...

Setbacks Again

Posted on January 25, 2008
Finally got offered a temp job doing contract editing and review that actually paid halfway decently and was nearby. Then the bomb drops. The training is on Tuesday, the same day as my Philly interview. Can I come in on Monday, or maybe Wednesday? No, Tuesday...

Because Potty Humor...

Posted on January 24, 2008
...never ceases to be funny.

15 Things For 15 People

Posted on January 24, 2008
A friend just introduced me to Bright Yellow World which has a great post about writing 15 things you would like to say to 15 different people. Mine:1. I'm sick of you complaining what a hard life you've had, when you have far more blessings than the average person...

My Progress and an Outsourcing Rant

Posted on January 23, 2008
Things are looking up on the job front, though I dare not be too optimistic:-Investigating and interviewing for a couple of temporary jobs to pay the bills-Heading back to Philly for a permanent interview at a firm (please send good karma my way on Tuesday!)-MAY be interviewing at a very prestigious firm in Boston...

New Lows

Posted on January 17, 2008
Complaints about the legal job market?Today: A guy on craigslist from my law school (probably from my graduating class) offering to work any job in a law firm even on a voluntary basis (i.e. no compensation) just to get it on his resume.Too bad it was flagged and taken down...

Baby Steps

Posted on January 15, 2008
I really enjoyed doing the iPod shuffle. It was fun. I had my cousin do it with her iPod and it was equally funny. She got a really enthusiastic song for her funeral: "What time is it? Party time!"I have three interviews. One for a legal analyst position in MA (pay not great, but it's local), one for a document review (about an hour away and temporary) and one for a staff attorney position in Philadelphia...

iPod Shuffle

Posted on January 14, 2008
This is a good one, poached from Anastasia. I kinda had to cheat, cos then it would be all PMBR lecture tracks and what fun is that? But the others are all real, promise.1. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer...

The "Big" Help

Posted on January 13, 2008
The Boston Globe has this "Big Help" section every year that is supposedly the best Help Wanted Section of the year. In past years, I remember it being over 100 pages of broadsheet classifieds, definitely one of the most important job hunting resources in Boston each year...

Girly Detox

Posted on January 10, 2008
It's so hideously girly and cliché, but it is amazing how much a nice, long bath and some chocolate will help sooth a savage mood.

Roller Coaster

Posted on January 09, 2008
For every "good" day with hope and excitement and possibility, there's an adjacent bad day where everything seems go to wrong. People have seemed to move on from the bad luck theory of my joblessness to just thinking I'm downright stupid. A neighbor offered to get me a job as a legal assistant, and then was surprised that I'm still being so choosey about positions...

Online Selling

Posted on January 09, 2008
Very happy with the results of my law textbook liquidation! ($480, after Half.com, Amazon commissions) So glad I didn't succumb to the pressure of selling to my law school bookstore, as it's a nice (and greatly needed) windfall for me right now.Less happy with the fact that my eBay sale of my old laptop was cancelled after the winning bidder turned out to be an account that was hacked into ...

Oh, Random

Posted on January 09, 2008
Andi from The Thinks I Think tagged me to do the Weird/Random Things game. And since I did Weird Things last year, I'll do random things this year. I'm not tagging though, since honestly, I don't know too many bloggers who will post...I Got a Plastic Shovel Thrown at Me at Dunkin' DonutsYes, I did...

Pouring...

Posted on January 08, 2008
Excitement. A whole bunch of agencies that were ignoring me in October are now eager in January. Fingers crossed, this means I'll get some work and cash soon!

Parking Wars

Posted on January 08, 2008
I almost lost it when I saw this show was airing tonight. Parking Wars, an in-depth look at the Philadelphia Parking Authority:"A&E's new real-life series PARKING WARS, is a behind-the-scenes ride with the men and women of the Philadelphia Parking Authority as they manage the chaos that is every driver's greatest nightmare...

For Great NH Primary Coverage...

Posted on January 08, 2008
Visit my buddy and colleague Tony at Politizine, the only guy I know who will take his work vacation to coincide with elections, conventions, and big NH political happenings. This is the time of year when I really, truly miss journalism.

Don't Discount Huckabee

Posted on January 04, 2008
Politizine wrote a great piece on how the liberal talk show hosts in New England are giving short shrift to Mike Huckabee even in the wake of his first place Iowa caucus finish:"[Democratic Consultant Michael] Goldman starts talking about how his evangelical positions again and I counter that they are no different than Bush but that actually Huckabee is better than Bush...

Bits o' Progress

Posted on January 03, 2008
Today I've managed to:-Revamp the resume, which I'm very happy with. I've been twiddling with this thing for years, and finally I think I've got something that's visually pleasing and has the maximum amount of necessary information on one page.-Talk to a couple of scrounged up "connections" about assistant counsel positions opening up in state agencies...

Interview Fantasy

Posted on January 01, 2008
Thinking of the four hours of job hunting I'm doing tomorrow, I can't help but flashback to this recurring dream of being able to walk into an interview, cut through the bullshit and say:I don't have the best grades, the best law school, or the best summer jobs, but here is one thing for certain: I am honest, I work hard, and I learn quickly...

Happy 2008

Posted on January 01, 2008
2008, wow. I will write a Year In Review post soon, since I enjoyed doing last year's so much. 2007 has an interesting beginning and end too: January 1, 2007 - Honolulu, HI; December 30, 2007 - London, England. Hee.I feel super productive today, having listed my old computer and several law textbooks for sale I found just now that I've already sold some of them! (Ahh, blessed income, however small!) I waver each year as to whether I want to do resolutions or not, but I think this is a good year for it as long as the resolutions are reasonable and do-able...

Christmas in England

Posted on December 31, 2007
It's pretty much the same as back in the colonies, though there are way more "holiday specials" on the telly than around here. We ate puddings and sat around the fire and played games and got visits from Father Christmas. We managed to watch the first half of the Patriots perfect season closing game before we finally fell asleep...

Strange Little Anxieties

Posted on December 31, 2007
I've been lazy and tried to pay my Macy's card bill online the last couple of times only to find out I've been paying to the Visa portion of the card and not the store credit card. Given this, I've been fined $58.00 in late fees. Great. It's strange how some online payment systems are so easy (AT&T just deducts from my checking account every month, I'm able schedule my Mastercard payment a month in advance so I don't forget about it) and some are so shitty like Macy's...

Bravery

Posted on December 27, 2007
Benazir Bhutto, 54, has been killed, martyred for speaking her mind.She died using her voice, addressing the crowds at an election rally. A woman, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, so courageous to end her self-imposed exile to speak in favor of democracy for her nation...