Collaboration and Inspiration

On the home stretch with 12 days and one more assessment until exam time! (now would be a good time to change your underpants...)

Don't panic and don't forget...

Although the course wasn't perfect, the people at PLTC made up for what it left to be desired.

I find myself very observant (when I want to be) and while observing my class for the past 9 weeks, I have noticed the strong comradery that has developed.  Looking back to the first day, we were all a little bit shy, anxious, nervous, and excited to start PLTC.  It took a mere day to realize how awful it may actually be and how all we had was our classmates.  We became very close very quickly as we shared notes and complained about the assignments, readings, and upcoming assessments and exams.  It wasn't until last week that I really saw a more professional bond and mutual respect start to form.  As we got to know each other, we learned who in the class specialized in what area of law, each of our experiences, and specific topics of interest and knowledge.  Given that, when anyone had a question or concern about an area of law, we would turn to the person we knew had the most knowledge in that area.  Rather than pretend to be "better" or superior to our classmates, we recognized that each of us had an area of expertise and we utilized these people in order to grow and learn ourselves.

For example:

During the lecture on financial statements and corporate taxes, the whole class voted Chris Thompson, a highly intelligent man with experience as a financial advisor and now articling student at Thorsteinssons, to take over the lecture and teach our class.  When we did client interviews on family law, our class relied on the experience and knowledge of Sarah Webber and Celina Meghji who have been articling for over 8 months with family law firms.  This sort of collaboration happens on the daily.  It is so inspirational to see the support between the class members and soon to be lawyers.  Although the world of law is competitive, I hope that we are able to maintain the alliances we have all made at PLTC and continue to support each other throughout our long and prosperous careers.

Tomorrow is the last lecture and the last time we get to make fun of our professor for falling asleep or some of the class mates for asking absolutely rediculous questions or for Ben coming to class late AGAIN!

It is also the last chance for secret crushes to be revealed...yes I said it...there are a few! PLTC is like high-school all over again so we may as well take advantage of this last day, because next step, Adulthood!

Sweet Dreams.

Love, Me.

Shout out to Kamlooooops!

Happy Hump Day Everyone!

I'd like to begin by saying that the family lawyer who spoke to us today made a huge shout out to Kamloops for their "collegial lawyers" and his "excellent legal experience" working there before moving to Vancouver.

I am very proud to say that I article in Kamloops.  I feel confident that I have, and will continue to gain, the skills and knowledge required to face any "big city" counsel in the courtroom or across the negotiating table.

*Feeling Excited*

Family law got even more exciting today when the lecturer told a story about one of his clients.

A client came in and told him that he wanted to get a divorce.  When the lawyer asked what was going on in their relationship, the client answered, "She does not agree with my lifestyle choices."

Well, the lawyer thought that his client was going to say that he was gay and that his wife was not okay with him expressing his sexuality.  The lawyer was terribly wrong.  The client said that he was a "furry". A what?!?!

The whole class erupted into laughter, but I had no clue what was going on.  I learned the term "furry", which for those of you who don't know, is NOT a term you'd think in the traditional sense...

Furry is a person who likes to dress up in furry animal suits/costumes and go out with their friends who are also Furries... (I still think that this is a sick joke...)

Apparently this client also liked to dress up in furry animal attire in the bedroom.  Hmmmm... I love animals but I would have to agree with the wife on this one. #weirdo

I really don't think I can top that today so I'm signing out.

Love, Me.

Nobody Gets Ma Secret Sauce!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

A top solicitor from Fasken Martineau LLP (identity protected) came into class last week to speak to us about buying and selling businesses.  He has a unique practice which includes start-ups, hostile meetings between companies, and commercial real estate.  Little to say, I was in solicitor heaven!  I may or may not have been that huge dork in the class staring at him, wide-eyed, trying to absorb as much knowledge as I could in the short one-hour period.

He spoke about the importance of confidentiality clauses when negotiating a sale and made it very clear (more than..twice) that, "Nobody wants to give away their secret sauce" and that your client will say to you, "I want you to tie them up, but I want to be able to walk."

Secret sauce and tieing up... say whaaaat?!?

This guy is wild!

All jokes aside...his intelligence, air of confidence and stories about his many multi-million dollar deals put stars in all of our eyes and he soon became my idol.  I caught myself daydreaming about being the new lead on an episode of Suites and quickly came back to reality when our prof chimed in, "This is all examinable so pay attention!"

Damnit! For a brief moment I forgot about those darn exams!

PLTC in a nutshell...

Assessment, study, assessment, study, assessment, study, assessment, study, exam, study, exam.

Thanksgiving weekend was consumed with writing our opinion letter assessment... So. Much. FUN!  I think we were all lucky enough to get turkey dinner though and one (or one too many) drink(s).  The opinion letters were sent in this morning (by most of us) and please cross your fingers for us, especially since I was 600 words over.  We all know I have LOTS to say! I justify it by saying that I was being "thorough"... :)

This week is all about family law.  This is how I feel when the prof starts talking about the status quo (something I have been challenging since birth).

GET ME OUTTA HERE!

I am actually being melodramatic (shocker..) because I find family law very interesting.  There are so many juicy issues in family law! In particular, where the parties are in business together or have blended families - its like a soap opra.

PLTC also has its own drama. Imagine getting 120, 20-30 year olds together for a 10-week period of time in Vancouver. That spells trouble.

More to come about the love triangles, personality conflicts, and individual strategies happening at PLTC after the weekend, when hopefully there will be a few of us getting together to "study".

Have a great "short" week!

Love, Me.

Letters of Intent...

A letter of intent is like dating...

"You like me, and I like you and we can date, but that doesn't mean we are in a monogamous, 'binding' relationship".

- Speaker for lecture on "Agreement of Purchase and Sale of a Business"

My first question, "How many letters of intent can you enter into at the same time?"

Did I say that?!? Shocker I know.

Moving on...

In the first week of PLTC they taught us the importance of mental and physical health.  Without being mentally and physically strong, our work as lawyers will be drastically affected and we will be unable to serve the community to the best of our ability. That is almost a direct quote. So, I took this as the golden rule and used this to justify (because lawyers - and women - can justify ANYTHING!) attending class after the morning lecture...

I woke up at 8:30 and went for a 45 minute run by the ocean.  The sun was shining and the sky was blue. My whole day changed because of my choice to take an hour "mental holiday".  I still can't wipe the smile off my face and I feel recharged, motivated, and happy.  I have a study date after class and feel as if I can conquer all!

Here is the video of my run this morning. I hope you watch it and can share in my moment of peace...My "Happy Place". :)

Being a lawyer - or any career for that matter - is just one piece of (our) lives.  Although my passion for helping others, joy of arguing the law, and excitement to be a part of such a highly respected profession makes me who I am, it is still a job.  Other things in life must be taken into consideration and I am ecstatic about my choice for betterment this morning!!

For everyone, I hope you take a moment for yourself today.

Breathe in, hold, Breathe out. Repeat.

Finding one's "happy place" is sometimes like trying to find gold at the end of a rainbow.

A friend of mine in PLTC was having a bit of a moment the other day. She was overwhelmed with the course work and assessments and realizing (the same thing as everyone else) that PLTC is like the LSAT, a mental game.  If you can outsmart the game then you win.  Anyways, I told her one thing: Breathe.  It makes everything come together for a moment of pure simplicity.  Doing the thing that comes naturally and easily to you. Its like a wave of serenity washes over and life stops for a moment. That is one's "happy place".

I think throughout the crazy, driven, "need to be the best" type of world we live in, its so easy to get caught up in the rat race and forget to smell the flowers.  I have been filled with anxiety from looking so far into the future and trying to plan and design my whole life that I got lost.  Its so easy to slip back into this mentality even after you think you have everything under control (like right this second, until an hour from now, I realize how much I have to do for tomorrow and the cycle begins).

Breathe.

PLTC is a challenge, it truly is, but I'm beginning to see that this is the point... Are you ready for the world of being a lawyer? Can you find your happy place amidst the client calls, court appearances, hours and hours of overtime, working weekends, and balancing all of that with the everyday challenges of life?  If you can't then maybe working as a traditional lawyer is not for you. And that's not a bad thing. There are many professions that require a background in law that may not necessarily be working in private practice. Who knows! But all I know, is that getting this sh*t done and getting called to the bar will be worth every tear, lost hair, and wrinkle that I get from this damn journey!

With regard to last weeks' assessments: Cheers to us! I know that there was an air of disappointment and worry, but these damn things are so subjective and it wasn't even a real judge! What we must remember is even if we enter ten different courtrooms with ten different judges and the same issue, we may get a completely different ruling.  That's the reality of having one person (or a group of people) interpret the law and apply it to the facts.  

Why do you think we have a Court of Appeal and a Supreme Court!?

Get some rest on this beautiful Sunday! Sun shining and spirits up.

Love: Me

NEVER GIVE UP!

I think its official. My prof hates me.  My inquisitive mind and need for clarification has gone against me and may be my downfall at PLTC.

This week has been dedicated to contract drafting skills and a mock one-day trial on Friday. Firstly, during the drafting lecture, the professor gave us explicit instructions for the wording and clauses that need to be included in our contract assignment.  These were slightly (aka A LOT) different than the contracts I have drafted and viewed at my own firm and so I politely asked the professor about this discrepancy.  After him stating, "well the old partners at the firms don't like to change but this is the way things should be done" and "you have to recite these clauses word for word if you want to pass the assignment", I was bloody well pissed off.  In my mind, I see PLTC as a course that should teach practical skills that the students can take back to their firms and apply in order to become successful lawyers.  It DOES NOT and SHOULD NOT be a course that teaches its students what IT thinks is THE WAY to do things, when the rest of the world does not conform to these ideologies.  If I thought that I was going to be taking a course that would provide me with skills and knowledge that would be harmful to my place in the firm I call "home", and bite me in the ass later on, then I would never have signed up!

I may, or may not, have indicated my unimpressed attitude after his reply. Probably not an excellent move for the class rep...

Secondly, we are all scheduled to conduct a summary trial tomorrow based on a memo, pleadings, exhibits, affidavits, text book readings, and two (YES TWO!!) cases.  We are NOT allowed to bring in any outside law or even general knowledge and must use the facts and law provided in our "joint book of authorities".

How realistic is that?  I read the facts and the two cases and they are not complete nor do they provide enough support to adequately advocate my client's position.  In real life, I would be able to search high and low for the best possible solution and legal support for my client's case and have the means to ask questions of my client and witnesses in order to get all of the necessary facts and evidence.

I feel deflated, unmotivated, and frustrated today as I prepare for this one-day summary trial.  Maybe I am not cut out for this after-all.

I am sure that I will get my spunk and fire back tomorrow but for now, it seems that PLTC has got the better of me.  As long as I win the war right? PLTC can have this battle...

For everyone who had their summary trial today, Good Work! I hope I survive tomorrow. Fake it 'til you make it right??

A friend introduced me to this video once and I think its appropriate here (although his voice is uber annoying, it is slightly hilarious and motivating?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HluB1vPgH4U

NEVER GIVE UUUUUUPPP!!

Love, Me.

"Drunk, Desperate, Dad"

I conducted my very first closing statement in front of the whole class on Thursday! I was shaking. Out of the whole class, I was chosen... Thanks Guys (Nawt!)

I was acting for the defence.  This was my feedback:

• Don't "put it to Your Honour" (even though in our example video counsel used this phrase...)
• In a criminal trial, refer to your client by name - "Mr. Thompson" - as this personalizes him
• Do not "think" or "believe"- but rather, "submit"
• continue to emphasize your theory of the case using the facts and evidence

Celina acted for the Crown.  In her opening, she stated, "This is a case of a drunk, desperate, dad".  I almost died laughing.  Such an actress!

In the end, the "Judge" (aka chosen class members) held that my client be acquitted! Woot Woot!

The experience that the course gives its students with regards to public speaking is excellent.  I have never had a hard time with being in front of a group of people if I know exactly how things are going to unfold and I have had weeks and weeks of practice.

This isn't exactly the case in court, as was seen on Saturday... Civil Trial Day!!

I was "dummied" by My Lady!! I had good feedback at the end, but there were moments where I wanted to hide under the desk.  I think at one point, she phrased a rule in the Supreme Court Civil Rules in such a way that there was a double negative that lead to a very big misunderstanding and me, in essence, arguing against myself. Woops!

It took my amazing colleague to (in a loud whisper) state "ALICIA!! She is agreeing with you!!" he he he

In the end, we had our expert witness qualified as such and we made out only 50% liable.  Based on the facts of the case, that was pretty darn good!

Another time, her interpretation on an analogy I made required me to fight tooth and nail in order to make my point.  I think she respected my "zest" and this gave me experience respectfully standing up to a Judge.

I said, "You would not tinker with your own engine in the event it stopped working, if you've never owned a similar vehicle before and have limited experience with car mechanics. You would go to an authorized dealer and have it checked out. Otherwise, if you tinker with it, how can you blame the authorized dealer who sold you the vehicle?"

In my mind, this made complete sense. (keep in mind I was acting for the authorized dealer where a boat engine failed to work and the purchaser tinkered with it, got it started, and then took it out again when it failed the final time leading to the damage)

The Judge came back and said, "If the headlight on my vehicle went out, and I changed it and it started working, I wouldn't take it in because in my mind I fixed it."

I said that an engine and a headlight was not analogous and I think that anytime something doesn't work on a motor vehicle, that you should enquire with the vendor or authorized mechanic to fix it otherwise you risk being the one liable.

We had a bit of a back and forth, but I made my point tactfully and respectfully (I hope...).

Anyways, I was brutally ill yesterday with a migraine and nausea, so today's class is painful (hence why I cannot pay attention.  Result = blogging during class).

My Mom and Dad come to Vancouver today for a whole week!! You know what that means?  Free meals and my mamma taking care of her sick baby girl.  Love them to death.

I will fill you in on how this week's assessment goes after Friday. Right after our Civil Trial, they decided to schedule our first assessment - a summary trial.  Fantastic!  The one that actually matters and we have less than a week to prepare.  Once again, PLTC has compacted double the hours of work for half the time available - and this is calculated NOT considering the amount of sleep required of a sane person.

This is how I am starting to see graduating from Law School....

Time to sign off and pay attention. Its solicitor stuff this week and this is my shiz!

Love Always: A-Lo