Law School & Bar Exam: The Aftermath

Two weeks ago I completed the bar exam in Jefferson City.  I am still not sure if I have quite recovered yet.  I'm still getting migranes and pain behind my eyes which I never had problems with before the bar exam.  Law school and this bar exam, together, were the hardest things I've ever done to this point.  I'm glad it's in the rearview mirror and I should find out the results come mid-September.  eeek! I'm crossing my breath and holding my fingers!


Disclaimer: Law school and the bar are not at all to be confused with the hardest thing I've ever faced. (See my earlier post)


The last three years of my life have been singularly dedicated to pursuit of a law degree.  In fact, I realize now my pursuit of the law goes back many years before then.  I participated in the National Hispanic Institute YLC Debate which steered me to believe I had the talent to pursue something other than sports and that I had a voice that I could use. The fact that we won in mock trial, took home the trophy, combined with watching "My Cousin Vinny" made me think I could maybe consider law as a career. 



Furthermore, I had always read the newspaper (and never wanted to throw these historical records away - my past roomates can attest to this), watched the news, and I have been abnormally interested in politics and world events.  For a full year in 2000 I scrapped together my favorite newspaper clippings until I noticed that this put me more in line with being a serial killer or kidnapper for ransom than I would have liked. 

For many years I scrapped together newspaper clippings!

  

I came to realize that these interests had one thing in common: the law!  99% of the news is related to the law and lawmakers.  So I managed to graduate high school, study political science at KU where I learned obscure theories: Machiavellian's better to be loved than feared, Confucious' virtues, Adam Smith's invisible hand to Karl Marx' chains he wanted to lose, Hobbes and Locke, Socrates, Plato, Seneca, Liberation Theology, Arrow's Theory, Conflict Theory, Game Theory, and I think Conspiracy Theory too.  I interned in various capacities for Governor Kathleen Sebelius, Rep. Dennis Moore, and with the Kansas Hispanic & Latino American Affairs Commission. 

I went to Washington, DC to strut my stuff and put my newfound knowledge to practice.  I worked to change the world through changing laws!  While there, I worked for lawyers and worked everyday to influence lawmakers!  Unfortunately, explaining to Senator Kit Bond that Adam Smith was wrong didn't move him an inch.  The biggest lesson I learned was what really happens to good public policy...politics!



I did not, however,  lose my faith that I could influence the system and challenge the man, but I did leave the life I knew in Washington and jump with both feet into law school! I willingly decided to live in poverty, take out loans, and as a famous defense secretary once said, "you go to law school with the swag you have, not the swag you might want or wish to have." 

I'm not sure if I ever really mastered the language of the law that first year, but I did learn that this law school thing was no joke, there was no turning back, and that failure was not an option. 

Thus, I also learned very quickly the power of saying "no," and I embraced it.  I said no to most community events, restricted my traveling, did not pursue some of my greatest passions of organizing/lobbying/concert jazz flute playing, greatly limited my socializing, and did not make great efforts to make new friends, hang out with old ones. I did not seek to be popular amonst my classmates and mostly kept out of trouble and to myself.  I felt being even marginally involved with law school activities would take my eyes off the prize. 

These are 35 reasons that kept me out of trouble! (only about half of the books pictured)

Well, I did what I had to do and I'm happy to say it paid off!  I earned my Juris Doctor from the UMKC School of Law in May!

So hard not even Harry S. Truman could do it

There were moments I wondered if I'd ever have my photo appear here & I wondered if I would maintain my jet black panther hair.

Unfortunately, passing your classes and graduating only takes you so far.  The dreaded bar exam still stands in the way between graduating law school and becoming a lawyer.  No license...no soup for you!  Thus, I did what I had to do all over again: said goodbye to friends, limited my socializing to almost zero, drank 3,254,921 cups of coffee, and studied on average about 14 hours a day during the month of July.  I will post a full bar exam edition closer to results day (which I think is September 14).  Come good news or bad, I gave it my best shot!  I have used these past few weeks to relax as much as possible, read for enjoyment, and as you already know, start a blog.  I will be cold-calling friends, reconnecting with people I've neglected, getting involved, and showing my face more around this town. 

As this post is getting quite long, I'll end it by sharing with you how I recently relieved some stress.  

Kansas boy done spent too much time in Missourah!

The .22's only made it to around page 650 in case you're wondering. The shrapnel tore apart the "demurrer" and "forum non conveniens" sections so I hope I won't be needing to use those during my career...

Before



After: Felt quite good to strike back! Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (Est. 1938 - Making law students cry for 73 years) 



Lastly, went to Kanrocksas and Muse kicked ass!  I now have a resistance song (above) just in case those apes from that movie really take over!