SMU 2014 Forum

[Richie Tenenbaum]

Anyone looking to sublet their place for the summer? I'm looking for one bedroom (don't care if there are roommates--I'm pretty easy to get along with) between ~May 11th through ~August 11th as close to downtown Dallas as possible (but I'm not too picky as long as it's not too far away).

PM for more details if interested. Also--if you know anyone who will be out of Dallas for the summer--could you let them know about me? If you PM me, I can give you my email address, and I would be extremely, extremely grateful for the help! (And if anyone is trying to find a place in Austin, I know some people trying to sublet their place and I can pass along email addresses for y'all.)

[annelise88]

Can any 2Ls/3Ls tell me how screwed I am for forgetting to include the identity of the parties page in the appellate brief....?

Assuming the paper is otherwise worth an "A," (a big assumption but nonetheless) are they gonna knock me down a whole letter grade for forgetting it?

[kalvano]

It depends on who your teacher is, but yeah, you're going to get dinged. If you've got Cashen, probably pretty hard.

[annelise88]

Oh, great. Of course I have Cashen.

[kalvano]

Hey, I got a question about what classes to register for, and since I remember throwing darts at the wall, I though it might be helpful to post my answer for all to see, since you're all about to have to register.



In no particular order:

Admin Law with Kahn. It's a hard course, but I can recommend an excellent supplement, and I have a good outline. The course is hard, but it's probably one of, if not the, single most useful course I've had in law school. It will help you understand how the government works, and Kahn teaches it from a practical perspective. "If you were to have to challenge this agency's ruling, here is how you would go about doing so..." It will help you understand everything from standards of review to federal government to basically everything. Plus, I like Kahn a lot.

Con Law II with Kahn. If you can get in. The course sucks, but it's better with Kahn than just about anyone else.

ADR with Silverburg. Easy course, barely any reading to do, all but guaranteed B+ to an A.

Con Crim Pro with Turner. She's my favorite professor, and the class is super interesting. She's engaging and smart and loves to teach, and will really go out of her way to help you if you ask her to. Even if crim law isn't your thing, it's the class you should take in place of Criminal Law 1L. It's all about illegal searches and Miranda and all the TV stuff. Thornburg calls it the "cocktail party" class because whenever you tell people at a party you're a lawyer, they will inevitably launch into something from some Tv show about a criminal something or other, and this class will let you answer those questions. Of course, it will ruin TV shows for you, but hey. She only teaches it in the fall, I think.

Conflict of Law with Coleangelo. Never taken it, but heard from tons of people that he's a great professor.

Creditor's Rights with Hale. I hear good things, I might be taking it. It's basic bankruptcy, so you should probably take it at some point.

Family Law with Thomas. Not taken it, but some friends are in it and she's apparently a good teacher (she's a judge in town) and the class isn't too terribly difficult.

Evidence. If you want to litigate, it's a must have. I have no idea about Jenks, I'd hold off for Bellin or Moss.

Role of the General Counsel. I hear it's really good. Hard to get into though.

Sports Law. I might end up in that one, too. I hear it's kind of hard, but an interesting class. Only offered in the fall.

Texas Crim Pro. Had some friends in it, said it was OK. Udashen is a defense lawyer and tends to rant a lot. Good class, sort of like Con Crim Pro but Texas-specific. I'd take Con Crim if it were between those two.

Texas Pre-Trial Procedure. Civ Pro for Texas. Not terribly hard. Up to you. I took it with Thornburg, and she's really nice. I liked her a lot. Dorsaneo and Cross teach it too, and they all teach the same stuff and have the same test.

Legislation with Cortez. Had a friend who took it. Cortez is pretty awesome, and a great teacher.


That's all I can spot off the current (shitty) schedule. If you have any specific questions about classes or profs, let me know. I'm thinking about taking Consumer Law, Employment Law, and probably Sports Law and ADR.

I would put Admin and Con Crim Pro at the top of your registration list. They aren't easy classes, but they are interesting and very practical, particularly if you ever want to do any type of government work or internships at all. Plus, Kahn and Turner are well worth taking. I will take pretty much any class offered by Turner.

[ClutchCity24]

I am really enjoying seeing that the classes I want to take all conflict. Well done administration.

[kalvano]

I am really enjoying seeing that the classes I want to take all conflict. Well done administration.

I have 4 different classes I would like to take, and they are all Monday/Wednesday at 6:00PM.

Also, near as I can tell, they are just throwing in the towel on the day program and having all night classes.

[swilson215]

I am really enjoying seeing that the classes I want to take all conflict. Well done administration.

I have 4 different classes I would like to take, and they are all Monday/Wednesday at 6:00PM.

Also, near as I can tell, they are just throwing in the towel on the day program and having all night classes.

Yep, my preferred schedule means that I can sleep in until 3:00 if I want (I don't, don't worry), but I'll be at school three or four days a week until at least 9. Blech.

[holdencaulfield]

I am really enjoying seeing that the classes I want to take all conflict. Well done administration.

Sounds like nothing has changed since I graduated. Enjoy clicking like hell trying to get the classes you want at 12:01 pm or whatever time they open up classes.

[annelise88]

does anyone know how long we actually have to stay at this DAYL orientation thing?

[kalvano]

does anyone know how long we actually have to stay at this DAYL orientation thing?

I stayed until the end, met a few judges, got my internship from that.

[FromTennessee]

Hi! (I wasn't sure where else to put this!) I'd like some input. My wife and I are moving to Dallas this summer. She'll be applying for SMU class of 2016, but since we're moving soon, we are looking for a great flat style community close enough to the school. We're artists and looking for a creative community. I've looked into Dallas Power and Lights but it seems the management is poor. Any other suggestions? I'll be working in Plano but we are not suburbanites.

Thanks!

[kalvano]

Hi! (I wasn't sure where else to put this!) I'd like some input. My wife and I are moving to Dallas this summer. She'll be applying for SMU class of 2016, but since we're moving soon, we are looking for a great flat style community close enough to the school. We're artists and looking for a creative community. I've looked into Dallas Power and Lights but it seems the management is poor. Any other suggestions? I'll be working in Plano but we are not suburbanites.

Thanks!

Somewhere near the Bishop Arts district in Oak Cliff.

[swilson215]

Hi! (I wasn't sure where else to put this!) I'd like some input. My wife and I are moving to Dallas this summer. She'll be applying for SMU class of 2016, but since we're moving soon, we are looking for a great flat style community close enough to the school. We're artists and looking for a creative community. I've looked into Dallas Power and Lights but it seems the management is poor. Any other suggestions? I'll be working in Plano but we are not suburbanites.

Thanks!

Or check out some of the new lofts going up in Deep Ellum. I have a few artist friends moving into that area. I guess it's up and coming.

[Burgstaller04]

What's everybody up to this summer? (you don't have to be specific if you're worried about people finding out who you really are)

I'm working for a firm in downtown.

[swilson215]

What's everybody up to this summer? (you don't have to be specific if you're worried about people finding out who you really are)

I'm working for a firm in downtown.

Working for a boutique firm first half, texas court of appeals the second half.

[swilson215]

so, looking at years past, we should hear back about LR write on around the first half of July?

[kalvano]

so, looking at years past, we should hear back about LR write on around the first half of July?

That sounds about right. Last year, invitations started going out around the 9th of July and continued on through about the 13th. Don't despair if you aren't in the first wave, but if you haven't heard back within about 4 days, you're probably not on.

All three reviews will be good this year, good folks on STLR, and International has some great people on the e-board. If anyone has questions about specific reviews, let me know.

[bass08]

Kalvano--can you weigh in on how OCI went for your class and just hiring in general for this summer? Curious to see whether hiring has recovered from the prior couple of years.

[kalvano]

Kalvano--can you weigh in on how OCI went for your class and just hiring in general for this summer? Curious to see whether hiring has recovered from the prior couple of years.

Strict OCI success was basically limited to the top 25% or so. A few outliers at either end, but if you aren't top quarter, I wouldn't count on OCI. However, between August OCI, Fall Phase II, and then Partner to Practice, pretty much everyone I know has some form of paying work this summer. It may not pay great, but something is better than nothing.

But you all have had much more paid 1L stuff available than we did, and we had more stuff than Class of 2012. I think things are trending (slowly) upward.

I also like how SMU apparently just randomly decided with my class to start strictly enforcing a 3.0 curve. Jackasses.

[SMU2013]

Waiting for a month and a half to hear about Journals is annoying.

[kalvano]

So is grading the submissions.

[SMU2013]

So is grading the submissions.

Touché

[bass08]

I take it offers should go out next week at some point?

[kalvano]

Yeah, about then. I'd tentatively plan on having your phone with you next Saturday-ish (the 14th or so).

It has to be before OCI bidding begins, at least.