I'm still alive

Don't worry.  I am still alive and kicking.  Just been extremely busy.  I know that I owe you all a trip report from my Vegas jaunt in December, and it will be forthcoming here eventually.  Let's just say it was a profitable trip.  I made legendary craps status twice for 50/100/50 on this silly bet.  First time I hit it, I need to roll 1,1.  Second time I hit it all I had left was 6,6.  Fitting and symmetric, so I was stoked about that little bit of yin-yang in my gambling life.

As for law school, first semester grades are in and I rocked it.  3.85 GPA.  Here's how that compares to last year's class after first year classes.  A in Criminal Law.  A in Civil Procedure.  A- in Torts.  A- in Legal Writing and Research.  I am very stoked about the A- in Torts.  I got a B on the midterm in that class, and to pull off an A-, means I must have absolutely rocked the final!  And I am very happy with the A- in Legal Writing and Research.  I did very middle of the pack on our first two graded assignments in that class as well, as I adjusted to how to properly do legal writing, and I rocked the final paper, getting the second or third highest grade in the class.

As to be expected in a competitive law school, there is a flip side to that coin.  For everyone who did well, there is likely someone who did not do as well.  And there really is no upside to disseminating your grades to others in your class.  If you did extremely well, it only breeds contempt, jealousy, and other potentially negative feelings.  If you did poorly, well everyone is going to think you're an idiot.  So if anyone asks, the best response to give is a well thought out neutral response, such as, "I think I got the grades that I deserved and am happy with how I did."  Hopefully, that's neutral enough.

I am well into my summer job search.  Given my background, I have been using a different strategy than is typical for most 1L's.  After extensive consultation with the career services offices, I have been applying for the nation-wide and very competitive diversity fellowships and patent fellowships that various big law firms offer to 1L's.  I think I have reasonable chance, but am for sure not banking on that.  I have been contacting partners directly who are in charge of the practice groups, or are big enough fish to have some clout at their firms.  I have had about a 50% response rate of some sort from all e-mails I have sent out.  I have already had one phone interview, have a second phone interview tomorrow, and an on-site interview with the same firm that phone interviewed me already on Friday, and I'm in the process of lining up another interview in Los Angeles too.  All with top tier big law firms in the intellectual property space.  So I am super stoked about that.  I'd like to have all my employment stuff wrapped up before spring break, so I can just enjoy the break and focus on my studies and finals and not worry about where I'll be working for the summer.

All right, break over.  Time to read some Constitutional Law, which by the way, is by far the most interesting class I have this semester.