Not blogging material?

So, once again it has been like a billion years since I last updated this blog! I thought I'd enjoy having a blog but apparently I'm not made for this..maybe I will give myself one more chance!

Well, I passed first semester with much better grades than I expected and was thrilled. I still want to do better, but the fact I passed at all was quite surprising considering how much of a shock I found some of the exams. So i'm all on track for the degree I want...lets just keep it up!

My next BIG news is that I got through to the final of the mooting competition! Well we considering it's a partner thing, and don't want to take anything away from my partner! We are against some third years. I am so pleased considering we were told that it was rare for first years to get through and it was all just good practice. We will be judged by an actual judge-so excited. I am thrilled, and as much as I'd like to win, even if we don't the satisfaction of just getting this far is immense!

I really don't have much other big news. I'm trying to look into doing some essay competitions. I want to practice my legal writing skills etc. I'm also hoping to start some volunteer work. There is a huge volunteer fair on Wednesday so hopefully I will be able to get some information there. Well, that's the plan for now!

Promise to keep up with this more regularly.....

LawGirl

Tired LawGirl...

I really wanted to keep this blog regular, and it is my new resolution (for November..) but I have been amazingly busy.


Since I last wrote, I have done 2 moots, 2 in house debates, visited an amazing friend in Glasgow and accidentally entered myself in a modelling competition...


Moots

moot (n)

A hypothetical case argued by law students as an exercise.

As I said in my last blog, we were encouraged to enter the internal moot competition before our examined moot, and I did just that. I got so stressed, my partner was doing my head in and I was having to read 70 page long cases. I was so tired I thought my eyes were going to drop out and I loved it. The preparation stressed me out, but I enjoyed it so much, it was worth it all. I complained like crazy, but it was the best experience. When I finally stood up and gave my speech, it was so much fun, and all worth it. I was sad when it was over. 5 days of non-stop preparation for it to be all over in a 5 minute speech. By the end of it, I was so convinced my "client" had the law behind him I would have put all my money on it. I was so dedicated to winning this case, for someone who didn't even exist, I put aside SLEEPING (I am a teenager, sleeping is my life...). It was amazing fun. The best part for me, was standing up and having to speak in a certain matter My Lord I humbly submit...My learned friends across the bench....Proving a negative is too onerous a burden... Don't even know if half of it made sense, but I felt great. I hadn't slept for ages, I was tired.. so tired and I still felt amazing. However, when as soon as I'd finished the first moot I had to prep for the examined one I really thought I was going to lose the will to live, but I didn't. I enjoyed it even more. The competition one I was with a guy who is more experienced than me, he knows the law better than me and he knew the procedure better than me. However, my partner for the internal one was more on an equal footing with me, and I had more of a chance to take control, as it were. When I stood up and said my speech, and the judge was nodding and clearly thinking about my speech I felt brilliant. I would say amazing but there's only so much you can use that word. I felt like I'd done well and it's just an amazing achievement. At the end the judge told us that he was on the side of the respondent (not the appellant as I was representing) from the beginning, but told me specifically he was surprised by how convincing my arguments were. I do not think I have ever been as proud of myself as I was yesterday. I thought I did the best I possibly could have. We will see how well that actually was when results come out... However, on the same day I found out that my partner and I got through to the next round of the internal moot competition (the first moot we did)! So I was so tired (I had even resorted to drinking coffee, which I hate) and still ecstatic. So much to say on mooting, since it's been my life for the past 2 weeks, but think I might leave it there for now...!


Debates

The in house debates there isn't much to say on. The other debaters, who are really talented and experienced people, have told me that i'm getting on really well and becoming better all the time, which is a huge compliment. I debated today, but my brain is so tired it was just off, and they said if that was me tired then I'll be fine in the competition. Which is my next news. On Saturday I'm off to my first external university debating competition! Should be good fun to see what it's like. A good friend is my partner so it should be a good laugh and an overall nice day.


Glasgow

A few weekends back I went to visit a friend in Glasgow. I had a great time, relaxed away from uni. The thing I find is, that if I lay in bed in my room, just to relax for a few minutes, I find myself looking at all the books on the shelf, and all the clothes in the washing basket, and just cannot relax. I have to do something. I don't know what's happened to me. Before uni I was too happy to just lay around doing nothing. Growing up?! Anyway, Glasgow was great fun! Hoping to go back there again soon for a visit. She is the most fun. Funny how a friend who has always been so far away, can be such a good friend! 


Modelling competition (????????)

So probably the most random news ever. How I ended up in a modelling competition is beyond me, but I did. I'm not sure of all the details yet, but I saw the pictures of some of the others who entered and they are so beautiful I don't stand a chance, but I'm going to the interview thing they invited me to the other day and see what happens. It will be a laugh if nothing else! I like to think I'm quite smart, but quite pretty isn't really my thing so we will see how it all goes! 

Anyway, 

I will keep you updated, but now I'm off to sleep!

zzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Updates from LawGirl

Hello!

Well it's been quite an interesting month, and it has flown by. It will be Christmas before we know it, and this is reflected in the colder days, darker nights and everyone going into hibernation mode! Getting so much harder to drag myself out of bed in the mornings, at least there are some interesting things going on to keep me motivated.

We have just started mooting tutorials. There is a compulsory moot we have to do as part of our exam but we've also been encouraged to sign up for the internal competition, so I have..with a good friend of course. It's going to be so fun. I can't wait to have to look into all the cases. It's amazing how much I actually love reading cases. What's worse is how much I love reading statutes. I think it's becoming obsessive! If a statute is mentioned, I'll be reading it! Back to the point, i'm really excited to try mooting! Sounds a lot of fun.

I had a relaxing weekend back at home, met up with some important friends. More interestingly met the man who I will be doing some work experience with in the Summer! He seems really friendly so that should be good, hopefully will learn a lot.

There were three assignments to do after reading week! One essay, one statutory interpretation and one online that I just completed today, so we'll see how those results go. I received the result from the case note exercise and I got a B2! Pretty happy, but plenty of room for improvement!

Anyway, off for a relax now, might watch one of the new DVD's I bought, probably never let you go. I adore that film, but planning on reading the book soon as everyone says it's much better...wait and see if I get the time...!

Summer Plans

Well, I was hoping to get some work experience this summer but after the law fair the other day I was feeling it wasn't really going to happen. Well, it has! A family friend works as an adviser in the magistrates court and they have agreed to let me shadow them for a week or so when I'm home in Wales at the Summer!

I'm so happy and excited, anything is great at this point. However, I'm hoping to get as much experience in as possible so I am still going to apply to some of the smaller firms around the town to see if I can get a week or so in working with them! I am so excited...but now I need to focus on work here really!

I had a great weekend, went out for my friend's birthday and met loads of new people. In the first few weeks at uni I was worried I wouldn't make enough friends but I'm still meeting new people, it doesn't all happen in freshers'..well hardly any of it happens in freshers' as everyone you talk to tends to be drunk and not remembering you! But I had a great time but now... back to work!

First Assignment

Well, I passed! I thought I did better than I did though and was quite disappointed with my mark. I obtained a C3 which is a 'good pass' but still, I wanted excellent! I suppose this is a big step up from school, but still, I thought I did better than that, and I vow to do so next time!

I also was voted for freshers rep for the debate union! So happy with that. Now I get to sit on the committee and represent the other new comers to the debate union. Yesterday's debate was about the ban on homosexual men giving blood. An interesting listen. I haven't debated in house yet but I have been going to the training and hope to do so soon. There are some amazing debaters though from the older years, not sure how i'd feel sitting opposite (or even next to..!!) them. I love the debate union here. Not just the debate topics and level of skill the members have but the social side. In true student style we always end with a few hours in the union bar afterwards! I have met some amazing people and it's great. It's not your typical 'get drunk at the bar' either. Whilst we do have a joke and laugh, we do continue the debate and talk about other serious subjects too. For example, yesterday we got onto the abortion discussion? Pro-life or pro-choice? It's nice to be around people who have more to say than, "another pint?" Haha.

I have tomorrow off which I can't wait for. A lie in, hit the gym (haven't for days!) and then some extra reading and note making I think! Plans for the day. I'm too tired to go out tonight but tomorrow is a friend's birthday so that will hopefully be fun.

Updates when I have some more news!

Law Fair

Well, this is my first post. I was browsing the web, researching some information on a few of the law firms that interested me at the law fair I visited today when I had the idea to start this blog about my new life at university, not just the 'what happened last night...?' Kind of things, but my development and progress as I go along.

It is only week four and I already know things that I never imagined I would, words that before needed to be looking up in the dictionary are rolling off my tongue and I have a clearer idea of where I want to be heading in the next few years.

So, the law fair. I don't know what I really expected, but it was slightly more daunting! However, everyone was very friendly and willing to help out Matt, Sara and I, the (surely bedraggled looking) first years. We got free pens though, which is always a bonus... Before today I wasn't sure I wanted to pursue a career in law after my time at university, and I'm still not 100% but (it might just be the glossy brochures and free pens..) but a career in law seems more attractive today than it has until now. These booklets tell of a career where you learn something new every day, you keep moving and changing and growing. I cannot imagine a job where you do the same thing every day with no need for change or development. Learning is my biggest motivator, my strongest passion and Law, forever changing, means that there is always something new to learn.

Sure, the money can be great, and that is another motivating factor, but it is more than that. The two law firms that interested me the most were DLA Piper and Clifford Chance. DLA Piper's brochure had a giant cookie on the front, and i'm still not sure what the biscuit idea was about (!!!) but their worldwide, business like approach was something refreshing and new. In short I was taken as soon as I finished reading the literature they handed out (and it didn't even come with a free pen..that must be saying something!).

 The second was Clifford Chance. A friend mentioned Clifford Chance to me a while ago and I did some research, interested (again) in the international feel to the business. I am particularly interested in working in an international company, after living in Spain for three years, I feel a long time living and working in the UK alone with no opportunities for travelling with work would not be to my tastes! Clifford Chance also runs workshops for first years in April. I am going to get in! I have to. I have made it my new mission! Applications open mid-December, think I might take a look at the applications for the 2nd year Winter programme. Surely they will be quite similar? I am so excited at this idea, must be my best one so far...! I suppose going to the law fair when everyone else said going as a first year was pointless wasn't such a bad idea!

Tomorrow I have my first assessment for Private Law of Scotland, hopefully shouldn't be too bad. I really don't mind the classification of property or obligations, and I really enjoyed the little bit of contract we studied, however, the list of real rights and rights arising from status are giving me a headache! For a break I'm going to order in pizza with the rest of my flat for dinner, catch up on what everyone's been doing. Then early to bed, up early for one quick last look over my notes and then..the exam! I will know my result straight after so hopefully will have something to celebrate. Hopefully will find time to update tomorrow but I have debate society-I am running for first year rep!-so that might keep me quite late!

Wish me luck!