LAW STUDENT STEREOTYPES

WRITTEN BY NICHOLAS

As law students we’re learning skills that will serve us well not just in a legal career, but also in many business fields and (possibly) life in general. However, there are some completely ridiculous expectations that people have of law students that no matter how hard we study, we just cannot live up to. 

Here are some of the expectations people, generally friends and family, have of me when I talk to them about my studies….

GETTING OUT OF TRAFFIC FINES

People always assume that I know how to get out of parking or speeding fines, like it’s a subject that’s offered in first year. Sure, in some circumstances there may be some mitigating factors but unfortunately, as we all know, they’re generally strict liability and if you’ve got a ticket, you’re stuffed. The only problem is how do you explain it to a tipsy uncle at a family BBQ?

DECIPHERING JUDGE JUDY

She’s a ‘judge’ and we’re law students, but that’s where the commonality ends. Sure we have comparative law subjects and we understand some of the similarities and differences between judicial systems, but none of those skills or knowledge will help you to make sense of what goes on in Judge Judy’s courtroom. The best explanation to give someone is to expect the complete opposite if they are ever going to court, or to suggest they try watching Rake instead.

AWESOME GOOGLING SKILLS

Sure, I have great researching skills – I know how to look up all Mabo decisions and the Tasmanian Dams Case – but that doesn’t mean I’m any better at Googling something. 

Probably like most of you, any searches I do on Google are just pot luck. Insert random words and hope for the best or failing that at least a funny meme. My real skill is searching through videos on YouTube. It’s amazing what you can find when you’re trying to avoid jurisprudence study.

BEING ARGUMENTATIVE

Now being argumentative is not such a bad attribute to have in law, and the ability to read between the lines to infer a certain take on something can be pretty helpful too. After all, that’s what statutory interpretation is all about.

Sometimes people always take it too far, thinking just because you express an opinion and are able to back it up, that you’re argumentative. Not to mention implying that you just love to twist words and butter people up so you can extract what you want from them. 

Personally, I take that as a compliment. It’s good to know my nearest and dearest think I will be killer at cross-examination, but it does get tiresome when people don’t realise that you can switch off your lawyer brain and that we are normal, friendly people that don’t have to have the last word.

COMPLETING A MARATHON

Finally, everyone seems to expect that just because I’ve almost survived the long haul of a law degree, I can survive the long haul of running 42.2km.

Strange how friends and family miss the stark contrast between being locked in a room surrounded by books and suffering a massive lack of vitamin D, and being outside and running for hours. Nothing I have had learned in law school has helped me with running, save that I know how to get away from an exam centre damn quick. 

These are just some of the unrealistic expectations of law students that I’ve encountered. Share you stereotype experiences in the comments section below! 

One does not simply pass the Bar !

Cheers to the set of new lawyers who passed the 2012 Bar Exam !

Click here to see the complete list of the 2012 Bar passers .

For those who didn't make it now, NEVER GIVE UP!

Remember, in life, we only have 3 choices ...

GIVE UP which I think is really not a good choice!

GIVE IN to the things you know worth trying and worth having.

and GIVE IT ALL YOU'VE GOT!

Failing the Bar Exam or other things in life doesn't mean you're a loser, it only means you tried and willing to try and try! You don't wanna waste all your sacrifices while you were still in law school, do you?

Be nice to everyone, they are fighting a battle you know nothing about ...

               Looks can be deceiving. A person may look so jolly and all but behind those silly jokes and wide smiles is a melting heart. A heart that is longing for care and love from people around her. That because she looks so strong and brave, people around her never even mind asking if she's going through tough things. That the only thing that person can do is to conceal the pain she's feeling inside and fake a smile.

               Most of the time, I feel this way. It feels like I'm always alone fighting a battle other people know nothing about. What's worse? They judge you just because they see you the way they look at you. I remember when I was still in the undergrad school, I received a letter from a friend. It was an unnamed letter. I won't disclose everything on that letter but I will tell you the most memorable thing about it. The person told me to change who I am, she said, I may be going through a lot of things but it's not an excuse to act the way I do. I want to repeat it, that person was my friend, when your friend knows what you are going through, they don't judge you, they simply understands. That person didn't know what I went through before becoming the person I am now.  I'm not saying that all my actions are pleasing nor acceptable, but we all live in a world where people want us to live the way they do, and I believe that being yourself in this kind of world is an achievement. I am living the way I want my life to   be. It's by far one of my greatest achievements.

               I want to share with you a post I read from the net. It's all the about the title of this article. I felt guilty when I finished reading the passage. I thought to myself, next time the situation is not so favorable to me, I have to think of the other people's situation first before doing any actions. They might have been going through a lot of struggles, just like me. I hope you'll also have your own realization.

Bob Ong Vs. The Legally Blunt

Originally posted here.

Bob Ong : Ang tenga kapag pinagdikit korteng puso…Extension ng puso ang tenga, kaya kapag marunog kang makinig, marunong kang magmahal


Ako : Kailanman di mo pwedeng pagdikitin ang dalawang tenga maliban na lang kung tanggalin mo, alam mo yan! at hindi porket marunong kang makinig ay marunong ka ng magmahal, saka paano naman ung mga bingi?, gusto mo ba sabihing hindi sila marunong magmahal?


Bob Ong : Ang pag ibig Parang elevator lang yan, bakit mo pagsisiksikan ung sarili mo kung walang pwesto para sayo. Eh meron naman hagdan, ayaw mo lang pansinin.

Ako : Di ka ba pwedeng maghintay? babalik din naman ung elevator, wala ka lang talagang tyagang maghintay…pagbalik nun wala nang laman, pwede ka nang sumakay…magtatalon ka pa dahil sa sobrang luwang ng elevator.

Bob Ong : Kung maghihintay ka lang ng lalandi sayo, walang mangyayari sa buhay mo.. Dapat lumandi ka din

Ako : Ang problema, kahit anong gawin mong landi eh walang pumapansin sayo…may mangyayari kaya sa buhay mo?

Bob Ong : Bakit ba ayaw matulog ng mga bata sa tanghali? alam ba nilang pag natuto silang umibig e hindi na sila makakatulog kahit gusto nila

Ako : Kung totoo man to, ibig sabihin walang taong umiibig, ganun ba? kasi halos lahat nakakatulog lalo kapag inaantok.