Comments on: This whole law school “competition” thing… http://www.lawdevnull.com/2010/02/this-whole-law-school-competition-thing/ Musings of a Computer Scientist turned Law Student Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:48:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: law:/dev/null – Musings of a Computer Scientist turned Law Student (A 1L Blog) » Blog Archive » So much for secrecy http://www.lawdevnull.com/2010/02/this-whole-law-school-competition-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1797 law:/dev/null – Musings of a Computer Scientist turned Law Student (A 1L Blog) » Blog Archive » So much for secrecy Sun, 18 Apr 2010 14:53:39 +0000 http://www.lawdevnull.com/?p=1439#comment-1797 [...] readers here at law:/dev/null know I’ve got a fairly dismissive view of grade secrecy in law school and the whole “omg we’re all competing with each [...] [...] readers here at law:/dev/null know I’ve got a fairly dismissive view of grade secrecy in law school and the whole “omg we’re all competing with each [...]

]]> By: 1Lpoet http://www.lawdevnull.com/2010/02/this-whole-law-school-competition-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1413 1Lpoet Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:52:06 +0000 http://www.lawdevnull.com/?p=1439#comment-1413 Competition is at its worst when everyone pretends it isn't real. I appreciate your honesty...I immediately tracked back to your grades to see how we compare (our strengths are each other's weaknesses). For me, the pecking part of pecking order is difficult sometimes here in the land of junior high (I mean law school). The practice of gmail assessments of every word spoken, the snotty comments like the one you got, the way so many people are acting like they are at war and the only weapon available is words...when I pictured livng the dream of law school, none of this figured in. Thanks for opening the window, so to speak. Competition is at its worst when everyone pretends it isn’t real. I appreciate your honesty…I immediately tracked back to your grades to see how we compare (our strengths are each other’s weaknesses). For me, the pecking part of pecking order is difficult sometimes here in the land of junior high (I mean law school). The practice of gmail assessments of every word spoken, the snotty comments like the one you got, the way so many people are acting like they are at war and the only weapon available is words…when I pictured livng the dream of law school, none of this figured in. Thanks for opening the window, so to speak.

]]> By: TDot http://www.lawdevnull.com/2010/02/this-whole-law-school-competition-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1409 TDot Mon, 22 Feb 2010 01:34:07 +0000 http://www.lawdevnull.com/?p=1439#comment-1409 @3L: Point taken re grade secrecy, though I'm still skeptical at its effectiveness. I realize neither my school nor my section of 1Ls are representative samples, but I can tell with a pretty high degree of certainty who the "A" students are just based on subtle behavioral changes between last semester and this one -- maybe not with certainty to wage my life on it, but certainly enough to risk a limb or two :) My suspicion is you could probably do the same (if you had any interest in doing so of course) Re the competition comments: I'd argue that I certainly *can* blame someone for thinking it's all a competition with everyone 24/7 :) Sure small/finite subgroups of students will be competing in the same area for the same opportunities as others within a given subgroup. But so many opportunities come up based on individualized circumstances (the "who you know" cliché) that even potentially alienating folks in the name of scoring a job seems like a dicey proposition; better to take a "we're all in this supporting each other" view IMO. And there's also a big chunk of students who just may not be competent for certain areas of the law, so they'll never be competing for certain jobs. I'll freely use myself as an example: I'm fairly comfortable in a courtroom, but if I were to give you an assessment today I'd be afraid for any client trying to retain me for something like contract work or doc review. Even if I aspired to BigLaw I'm not sure I'd ever be cut out for it. @3L: Point taken re grade secrecy, though I’m still skeptical at its effectiveness. I realize neither my school nor my section of 1Ls are representative samples, but I can tell with a pretty high degree of certainty who the “A” students are just based on subtle behavioral changes between last semester and this one — maybe not with certainty to wage my life on it, but certainly enough to risk a limb or two :) My suspicion is you could probably do the same (if you had any interest in doing so of course)

Re the competition comments: I’d argue that I certainly *can* blame someone for thinking it’s all a competition with everyone 24/7 :)

Sure small/finite subgroups of students will be competing in the same area for the same opportunities as others within a given subgroup. But so many opportunities come up based on individualized circumstances (the “who you know” cliché) that even potentially alienating folks in the name of scoring a job seems like a dicey proposition; better to take a “we’re all in this supporting each other” view IMO.

And there’s also a big chunk of students who just may not be competent for certain areas of the law, so they’ll never be competing for certain jobs. I’ll freely use myself as an example: I’m fairly comfortable in a courtroom, but if I were to give you an assessment today I’d be afraid for any client trying to retain me for something like contract work or doc review. Even if I aspired to BigLaw I’m not sure I’d ever be cut out for it.

]]> By: 3L http://www.lawdevnull.com/2010/02/this-whole-law-school-competition-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1404 3L Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:21:01 +0000 http://www.lawdevnull.com/?p=1439#comment-1404 Personally, I do like the system where nobody knows anyone's grades. I don't even know where my grades place me in the class, just where I am in relation to the median. And because you can grade on or write on to law review (or a combination of the two) at our school, law review membership is not even a great proxy for identifying the top of the class. It takes a lot of the stress off the table. And avoids snarky comparisons like you mentioned. But I disagree that nobody's competing. There are plenty of people with bad grades who want to be biglaw attorneys, and plenty of people with good grades who want to be prosecutors. And everyone wants a job. And very few people are hiring. So in this economy, you can't blame someone for feeling as though everyone's in competition for everything. You can blame them for being unprofessional about it. Personally, I do like the system where nobody knows anyone’s grades. I don’t even know where my grades place me in the class, just where I am in relation to the median. And because you can grade on or write on to law review (or a combination of the two) at our school, law review membership is not even a great proxy for identifying the top of the class. It takes a lot of the stress off the table. And avoids snarky comparisons like you mentioned.

But I disagree that nobody’s competing. There are plenty of people with bad grades who want to be biglaw attorneys, and plenty of people with good grades who want to be prosecutors. And everyone wants a job. And very few people are hiring. So in this economy, you can’t blame someone for feeling as though everyone’s in competition for everything. You can blame them for being unprofessional about it.

]]> By: law:/dev/null – Musings of a Computer Scientist turned Law Student (A 1L Blog) » Blog Archive » Time heals all wounds… http://www.lawdevnull.com/2010/02/this-whole-law-school-competition-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1407 law:/dev/null – Musings of a Computer Scientist turned Law Student (A 1L Blog) » Blog Archive » Time heals all wounds… Sun, 21 Feb 2010 04:00:30 +0000 http://www.lawdevnull.com/?p=1439#comment-1407 [...] had mostly forgotten yesterday’s drama by the time I woke up this morning to get ready for a trip down to Raleigh. The N.C State [...] [...] had mostly forgotten yesterday’s drama by the time I woke up this morning to get ready for a trip down to Raleigh. The N.C State [...]

]]> By: TDot http://www.lawdevnull.com/2010/02/this-whole-law-school-competition-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1398 TDot Sun, 21 Feb 2010 01:32:11 +0000 http://www.lawdevnull.com/?p=1439#comment-1398 That's part of what had me scratching my head, the effort that went into it. And outside of CrimLaw I pretty much never ask questions :beatup: That’s part of what had me scratching my head, the effort that went into it.

And outside of CrimLaw I pretty much never ask questions :beatup:

]]> By: New Kid on the Hallway http://www.lawdevnull.com/2010/02/this-whole-law-school-competition-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1396 New Kid on the Hallway Sat, 20 Feb 2010 17:07:41 +0000 http://www.lawdevnull.com/?p=1439#comment-1396 You know, it's funny, because yeah, I probably do notice if there's someone in class who asks TONS of questions, and it might come up in conversation with someone else from the class, but ranting about it to the person over gchat? I just have way more important things to do with my time! You know, it’s funny, because yeah, I probably do notice if there’s someone in class who asks TONS of questions, and it might come up in conversation with someone else from the class, but ranting about it to the person over gchat? I just have way more important things to do with my time!

]]> By: idwsj http://www.lawdevnull.com/2010/02/this-whole-law-school-competition-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1395 idwsj Sat, 20 Feb 2010 14:41:35 +0000 http://www.lawdevnull.com/?p=1439#comment-1395 Wow. Some seriously snarky comments are being tossed your way. Just say BAZIINGAH! Wow. Some seriously snarky comments are being tossed your way.

Just say BAZIINGAH!

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