Berekeley ASW 2011 Forum

[djfe4president]

any other opinions?

[Excellence = a Habit]

I posted a ridiculously long description of Boalt's ASW/my impressions of the school in this thread (but through the framework of a comparison with Penn): http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=152902

[BackToTheOldHouse]

I posted a ridiculously long description of Boalt's ASW/my impressions of the school in this thread (but through the framework of a comparison with Penn): http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=152902

Nice post. I've never been to Penn, but I agree with a lot of what you said about Berkeley. The point you made about no one really playing the devil's advocate or disagreeing with much of the politically motivated conversations reminded me of how I felt in the symposium on Thursday.

[Excellence = a Habit]

I posted a ridiculously long description of Boalt's ASW/my impressions of the school in this thread (but through the framework of a comparison with Penn): http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=152902

Nice post. I've never been to Penn, but I agree with a lot of what you said about Berkeley. The point you made about no one really playing the devil's advocate or disagreeing with much of the politically motivated conversations reminded me of how I felt in the symposium on Thursday.

Exactly.

[BackToTheOldHouse]

I posted a ridiculously long description of Boalt's ASW/my impressions of the school in this thread (but through the framework of a comparison with Penn): http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=152902

Nice post. I've never been to Penn, but I agree with a lot of what you said about Berkeley. The point you made about no one really playing the devil's advocate or disagreeing with much of the politically motivated conversations reminded me of how I felt in the symposium on Thursday.

Exactly.

I went to Berkeley as an undergrad, and I know this type of atmosphere is common on campus, but I was kinda hoping the law school folks would at least present the issue in a less biased way initially, then go on to make the argument they wanted to make. Does that make sense?

I guess I'd put it this way--if you went into the room as a supporter of the bill, you would not have been convinced by what the panel had to say; if you went into the room as an opponent of the bill, you would have smiled and been happy that you were in a room with a bunch of people who felt the same as you. I don't know, maybe my expectations were out of line with what the symposium hoped to accomplish.

[aesis]

I posted a ridiculously long description of Boalt's ASW/my impressions of the school in this thread (but through the framework of a comparison with Penn): http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=152902

Nice post. I've never been to Penn, but I agree with a lot of what you said about Berkeley. The point you made about no one really playing the devil's advocate or disagreeing with much of the politically motivated conversations reminded me of how I felt in the symposium on Thursday.

I'm a conservative/libertarian and I agree with these impressions, but I for one purposely held my tongue during certain discussions only because it was ASW and didn't want my first impression to be based on my politics. I will not do so when I'm in law school.

Attending a symposium on Arizona Immigration Law ... at Berkeley ... why am I not surprised that those who attended were in concordance/politically correct. It's a hot topic and no one wants to burn bridges at the onset, no? That said, I was uninterested and didn't attend.

[Rotor]

Yes, there are some things where it is agenda driven. But many of the ideologically opposed groups (e.g. ACS and Fed. Soc.) put on joint events with both views well represented. I'm sorry the AZ Immigration Bill event wasn't one of those.

I'm not going to pretend that Berk is middle of the road politically; it's not. But there is acceptance of other's opinions. (you may not change minds, but at least the other side won't hate you personally for the opinions you hold/express). Coming to LS from the military, I was really concerned about Berk's "radical" reputation and fitting in. It has been ZERO problem.

If you speak up and challenge a politically correct view, just be prepared to engage in the debate. I've found that that has really helped burnish my own opinions and why I hold them.

[Excellence = a Habit]

Yes, there are some things where it is agenda driven. But many of the ideologically opposed groups (e.g. ACS and Fed. Soc.) put on joint events with both views well represented. I'm sorry the AZ Immigration Bill event wasn't one of those.

I'm not going to pretend that Berk is middle of the road politically; it's not. But there is acceptance of other's opinions. (you may not change minds, but at least the other side won't hate you personally for the opinions you hold/express). Coming to LS from the military, I was really concerned about Berk's "radical" reputation and fitting in. It has been ZERO problem.

If you speak up and challenge a politically correct view, just be prepared to engage in the debate. I've found that that has really helped burnish my own opinions and why I hold them.

thank you for posting this! It definitely puts the political correctness in its proper context... it probably shouldn't be a deciding factor.

[djfe4president]

sick post habit...thanks

[IzziesGal]

Just wanted to respond to the part about us thinking 1L classes are a waste of time....

it's not that we don't enjoy learning the law or thinking in abstract theory. It's just that we all recognize that what you learn in law school, especially during 1L, and how you learn it, is *nothing* like actually practicing (lawyers from all schools will generally agree with this). Anyone who has finished a 1L or 2L summer internship or worked in a clinic can tell you this. Law school does not prepare you for the realities of being a lawyer, and a lot of us get a chance to practice for real (by doing clinics, externships, summer jobs, etc.) and are just hungry for more. This is a really good sign, because it means we truly love the law and are enthusiastic about the profession. I'm sorry that this was put across to you guys the wrong way. We need to do a better job of explaining things like this. I've enjoyed quite a few classes in law school, but nothing compares to being given a motion to draft during an externship and feeling the adrenaline rush of getting it finished in time to file with the court.

And to the social part....

I definitely think we're more social than other law schools, just based on comparing experiences with friends across the country. That being said, not everyone goes out all the time. If you want proof, just walk through the library - it will always be packed with 1Ls, to the point where no one else can get a seat. But seriously...if you're not the going-out-all -the-time type (and I am not), you won't ever feel like you're missing out or that you're pressured into going out. You'll likely gravitate towards similar people, and you guys will find your own things to do for fun. I can honestly say that I've never been to a single bar review, and that hasn't stopped me from still having a close group of friends to hang out with. The social element is definitely there if you want it, but you're not forced into wanting it if it's not for you.