UVA Law Students Taking Questions Forum

[smile0751]

What does Balnave's PR final look like? Are you expected to cite the random squib cases he sometimes mentions in class? Is there any information you pick up from class which comes in handy on the final?

I'm trying to figure out what's the benefit, if any, of actually going to class. It just feels weird to do so little.

Also, any good supplement or outline suggestions?

[anon sequitur]

Don't go to Balnave's PR class, that's the whole point of taking it with Balnave. Go to the last class if you want, he'll do a little review/preview of the test. I went to that, otherwise missed all but the first two weeks. I just used one of the outlines from the SBA outline bank, an hour or two of review was enough for a B+.

[Yardbird]

What does Balnave's PR final look like?

No cases, you just need to be able to look through the model rules. Can’t give away more online.

Are you expected to cite the random squib cases he sometimes mentions in class?

No. Only the model rules matter.

Is there any information you pick up from class which comes in handy on the final?

No. I just studied for a day before the MPRE and then used the barbri MPRE outline on his exam a month later on one day’s review (he allows any materials).

I'm trying to figure out what's the benefit, if any, of actually going to class.

No benefit, I can’t remember if I ever went

It just feels weird to do so little.

Focus on your other classes

Also, any good supplement or outline suggestions?

Use the barbri one or one from the outline bank

[5ky]

i didn't take balnave but i'll chime in to say that unless you're taking cohen, the only thing you need to "outline" are the model rules + notes.

i actually went to like 75% of my PR classes, but didn't do the reading or take notes, generally. i took the MPRE the same semester so had already studied some, then outlined for 3 hours, did the few practice questions that the prof assigned, and did well enough to get an A somehow. i feel like the bar is really low in PR (and having studied for the MPRE 3 weeks prior was quite helpful, since that entailed a 3 hour barbri video and a bunch of multiple choice questions)

[defdef]

I bought the hype about Balnave last year and went to about 25% of classes and ended up paying 0 attention for those I did go to. I did not buy the book and therefore never read. I bought the digital version of the model rules and studied for two days prior to taking the exam. Took the final and walked out thinking I did terribly. Got a B+. Should have gone to even less class. Just enjoy it.

[20170322]

OK, so I'm an applicant this year and UVA is my top choice. I have a bunch of questions.

1) Best place to live?
2) Best place to workout?
3) Best place to study?
4) Best clinic?
5) Best (fun) extracurricular?

[First Offense]

OK, so I'm an applicant this year and UVA is my top choice. I have a bunch of questions.

1) Best place to live? Jeffersonian is probably best, or other non-Pavilion apts. on Arlington are the best combination of cost + location.
2) Best place to workout? North Grounds Gym is fine.
3) Best place to study? Kind of a personal question. I studied at home. Others study in the library.
4) Best clinic? Depends on your interest. Most "prestigious" is definitely the SCOTUS lit clinic though.
5) Best (fun) extracurricular? Softball

See Redline.

[20170322]

So, I've scheduled a visit for November. I'll be staying for 2 days, and I was wondering if y'all had any advice on what to do while I'm there! I'm above both 75ths, and UVA is my #1 choice by a mile, so I think it's very likely I end up attending. What can I do to get the most out of my trip?

[Go Nats!]

Drink at the Biltmore and take a walk down the Main Campus. That spot is beautiful.

[SeewhathappensLarry]

So, I've scheduled a visit for November. I'll be staying for 2 days, and I was wondering if y'all had any advice on what to do while I'm there! I'm above both 75ths, and UVA is my #1 choice by a mile, so I think it's very likely I end up attending. What can I do to get the most out of my trip?

Visit Monticello and try to visit a brewery or winery. The mountains surrounding Charlottesville are beautiful and most of the breweries and wineries are there. Blue Mountain Brewery is a favorite spot. Within Charlottesville check out the Downtown Mall (lots of great restaurants, bars, bookstores, etc.) The law school itself and North Grounds where it is located are, in my opinion, not that great. But check out Main Grounds, especially now that the Rotunda construction is over.

UVA is just an awesome place so I'm sure you will love it.

[20170322]

So, I've scheduled a visit for November. I'll be staying for 2 days, and I was wondering if y'all had any advice on what to do while I'm there! I'm above both 75ths, and UVA is my #1 choice by a mile, so I think it's very likely I end up attending. What can I do to get the most out of my trip?

Visit Monticello and try to visit a brewery or winery. The mountains surrounding Charlottesville are beautiful and most of the breweries and wineries are there. Blue Mountain Brewery is a favorite spot. Within Charlottesville check out the Downtown Mall (lots of great restaurants, bars, bookstores, etc.) The law school itself and North Grounds where it is located are, in my opinion, not that great. But check out Main Grounds, especially now that the Rotunda construction is over.

UVA is just an awesome place so I'm sure you will love it.

Thanks!

[20170322]

Just got my scholarship info and I've decided to attend!

Because I'm neurotic, I have a million questions! If y'all could answer one or all, I'd be very appreciative.

1. I want a fully furnished 1 bedroom close to campus. What's my best bet?
2. What are the options for moot court as a 1L? I know that the biggest one is reserved for 2L's, but are there any opportunities for oral advocacy during the first year of law school?
3. How does softball work?
4. I'm interested in doing a bunch of clubs (Democrats, Libel Show, Moot Court, Wine Club) but I know that 1L's should keep their plates light. What's the max amount of stuff you would recommend?
5. Any hidden gems at UVA law to know about? Cool spots, great classes, restaurants-- anything you wished you knew as a 1L.

Thanks y'all, and go Cavs!

[Mia93]

Does anyone know if Arlington Court Condos allows pets? Thanks!

[BigLawer]

Does anyone know if Arlington Court Condos allows pets? Thanks!

Those are mostly individually owned and depends on the owner. When I rented one of them, the owner said no pets... then we discussed a pet deposit and she allowed it. Best place to live for law student I think.

[Specter1389]

I deferred my admission to UVA for a couple years and am considering buying a house to use as an income property until I move to Charlottesville, at which point I would move into the property. Does anyone have any recommendations on what parts of town to focus on that are both decent neighborhoods and would be easy to rent out? Thanks.

[jkpolk]

Just got my scholarship info and I've decided to attend!

Because I'm neurotic, I have a million questions! If y'all could answer one or all, I'd be very appreciative.

1. I want a fully furnished 1 bedroom close to campus. What's my best bet?
2. What are the options for moot court as a 1L? I know that the biggest one is reserved for 2L's, but are there any opportunities for oral advocacy during the first year of law school?
3. How does softball work?
4. I'm interested in doing a bunch of clubs (Democrats, Libel Show, Moot Court, Wine Club) but I know that 1L's should keep their plates light. What's the max amount of stuff you would recommend?
5. Any hidden gems at UVA law to know about? Cool spots, great classes, restaurants-- anything you wished you knew as a 1L.

Thanks y'all, and go Cavs!

If you don't care about a $400/month difference, Pavilion is the easiest and fine. Other places are better value but you'll have to actually get down there and walk around.

You're excited - that's good. Go to the events, meet your section, have a good time. Especially at the beginning it's very open and easy to make friends - that's the best thing about UVA law. I can't speak to oral advocacy - other than to say you learn how to do it in legal writing and there are $ prizes for people who do well. If you're into that sort of thing gun away.

My advice is to let things come to you. First semester: relax, play softball with your section, learn what the professors teach (and no more), keep your ears open and try to say yes to new experiences. Afterwards, if you feel you're pretty good at the basic law school process (don't sweat the small stuff, don't over complicate it), then do more. There's no reason you couldn't do clubs/whatever 5 nights a week in the spring - but make sure you can handle the basic process before diving in.

Gems...In school I tried a new restaurant each week with the same group of friends. That was a lot of fun and gets you out of the ruts. There's the Virginia film festival in the fall, big name pre-release movies making the rounds through festivals (be quick on tickets if you want something particular, gotta spam the website as they come out, also going to random titles is fine). There's an ice rink that has curling lessons for beginners in the winter. There's a beer festival that's very popular (which I went to twice but remember no details but good vibes). UVA Basketball is very convenient and exciting, UVA Baseball is very relaxing in the spring. Plenty of nook and cranny local places if you're an explorer.

[albanach]

Anyone here have experience moving to Charlottesville with an SO looking for local employment? UVA's pretty high on my list right now, but the small economy is kind of a concern for her job search. She's in marketing btw.

This is from a post I made in this thread in 2012. I think all or most of these are still in the area:

Charlottesville has a university you may have heard about. They have been known to employ graduates.

There's also GE, Northrop Grumman (who just laid off staff), Crutchfield, the UVA hospital, another hospital (Martha Jefferson), Lexis Nexis, the CFA Institute and the National Ground Intelligence Center.

[UVA2B]

Just got my scholarship info and I've decided to attend!

Because I'm neurotic, I have a million questions! If y'all could answer one or all, I'd be very appreciative.

1. I want a fully furnished 1 bedroom close to campus. What's my best bet?
2. What are the options for moot court as a 1L? I know that the biggest one is reserved for 2L's, but are there any opportunities for oral advocacy during the first year of law school?
3. How does softball work?
4. I'm interested in doing a bunch of clubs (Democrats, Libel Show, Moot Court, Wine Club) but I know that 1L's should keep their plates light. What's the max amount of stuff you would recommend?
5. Any hidden gems at UVA law to know about? Cool spots, great classes, restaurants-- anything you wished you knew as a 1L.

Thanks y'all, and go Cavs!

1. Pav is the easiest, but you're entirely likely to look for something else in 2L because it's a lot of surface and very little substance. I don't know anyone upset about living at Pav, but I know plenty who are looking for other apartments for 2L.
2. You will start thinking about EC involvement during fall of 1L, with tryouts, etc. It's still incredibly important to remember that you're balancing a whole new brand of studying combined with an uncertainty of how to properly study in this environment. It's truly unique from an UG regimen.
3. Softball is so much fun. You'll be in a section of 30, and you'll be required to field a team as a section. Basic requirement is minimum 3 women and 6 men, but you can also have 4 women and 6 men to cover more of the field. You'll have a 1L tournament early in the semester between sections, but that'll be the intro to softball at UVA. After the initial tournament, your section will have a team you need to field (it shouldn't be hard, people really enjoy the reprieve generally). You'll have a game once per week against another 1L section, which is competitive but mostly fun. Then you'll come to the fall tourney, which will be 1L sections combined with other affinity groups, previous year sections that wanted to keep a team together, etc. NGSL will drive the entire schedule, so all you have to worry about it making time in your study schedule to play some softball. In the spring we get serious, because NGSL will be hosting a softball tourney with other law school teams. NGSL will be scouting talent in the 1L sections, hoping to amass the best team possible for UVA.
4. This question is largely subjective, because no two perspectives are unique. Thankfully, the answer is pretty simple: take on what you feel you can personally handle. Most of the student orgs won't have heavy time involvement outside critical times (Libel, for instance, won't be much more than an interest in the fall). With that being said, you don't want to overextend yourself. Pick the groups you find a personal connection with and run with those groups. They will appreciate your involvement, and when you're particularly passionate about a group, it'll show in your involvement.
5. Too many to count. Cville in general is a bright spot of academia in the heart of VA, and it'll entirely depend on your interests. It'll never be a big city, and as such the experiences will be somewhat limited, but Cville in general is a literal gem. Give your interest, you can get 5-10 recs about it. For instance, you have interest in the wine club. VA has an awesome wine scene, and there are tours and tastings that will allow you to taste the best of central VA wineries. It's pretty common that groups get together and hit a wine tasting at a given winery. Everyone has fun, and the wine is wonderful. I gave my SO a wine tour in the area for our anniversary, and we had a fabulous day. VA is the East Coast version of wine country in CA. It's not as impressive, but Central VA creates some solid wines.

I'd be happy to expound on any of this if you're interested, but regardless, welcome to Wahoo Nation!

[20170322]

How does tuition work in regards to J-term/hours taken? Is it a flat rate, or does it vary?

[20170322]

Just got my scholarship info and I've decided to attend!

Because I'm neurotic, I have a million questions! If y'all could answer one or all, I'd be very appreciative.

1. I want a fully furnished 1 bedroom close to campus. What's my best bet?
2. What are the options for moot court as a 1L? I know that the biggest one is reserved for 2L's, but are there any opportunities for oral advocacy during the first year of law school?
3. How does softball work?
4. I'm interested in doing a bunch of clubs (Democrats, Libel Show, Moot Court, Wine Club) but I know that 1L's should keep their plates light. What's the max amount of stuff you would recommend?
5. Any hidden gems at UVA law to know about? Cool spots, great classes, restaurants-- anything you wished you knew as a 1L.

Thanks y'all, and go Cavs!

1. Pav is the easiest, but you're entirely likely to look for something else in 2L because it's a lot of surface and very little substance. I don't know anyone upset about living at Pav, but I know plenty who are looking for other apartments for 2L.
2. You will start thinking about EC involvement during fall of 1L, with tryouts, etc. It's still incredibly important to remember that you're balancing a whole new brand of studying combined with an uncertainty of how to properly study in this environment. It's truly unique from an UG regimen.
3. Softball is so much fun. You'll be in a section of 30, and you'll be required to field a team as a section. Basic requirement is minimum 3 women and 6 men, but you can also have 4 women and 6 men to cover more of the field. You'll have a 1L tournament early in the semester between sections, but that'll be the intro to softball at UVA. After the initial tournament, your section will have a team you need to field (it shouldn't be hard, people really enjoy the reprieve generally). You'll have a game once per week against another 1L section, which is competitive but mostly fun. Then you'll come to the fall tourney, which will be 1L sections combined with other affinity groups, previous year sections that wanted to keep a team together, etc. NGSL will drive the entire schedule, so all you have to worry about it making time in your study schedule to play some softball. In the spring we get serious, because NGSL will be hosting a softball tourney with other law school teams. NGSL will be scouting talent in the 1L sections, hoping to amass the best team possible for UVA.
4. This question is largely subjective, because no two perspectives are unique. Thankfully, the answer is pretty simple: take on what you feel you can personally handle. Most of the student orgs won't have heavy time involvement outside critical times (Libel, for instance, won't be much more than an interest in the fall). With that being said, you don't want to overextend yourself. Pick the groups you find a personal connection with and run with those groups. They will appreciate your involvement, and when you're particularly passionate about a group, it'll show in your involvement.
5. Too many to count. Cville in general is a bright spot of academia in the heart of VA, and it'll entirely depend on your interests. It'll never be a big city, and as such the experiences will be somewhat limited, but Cville in general is a literal gem. Give your interest, you can get 5-10 recs about it. For instance, you have interest in the wine club. VA has an awesome wine scene, and there are tours and tastings that will allow you to taste the best of central VA wineries. It's pretty common that groups get together and hit a wine tasting at a given winery. Everyone has fun, and the wine is wonderful. I gave my SO a wine tour in the area for our anniversary, and we had a fabulous day. VA is the East Coast version of wine country in CA. It's not as impressive, but Central VA creates some solid wines.

I'd be happy to expound on any of this if you're interested, but regardless, welcome to Wahoo Nation!

Great info!!!! Really appreciate it.

[anon sequitur]

j-term classes are free, or zero marginal cost at least. It's a good experience, I did it twice.

[Varrus]

Looks like Order of the Coif notifications have gone out for c/o 2016. Anyone have any information on what the GPA cutoff was this year? Thanks.

Bump.

Sorry to be That Guy. Anyone have any information on this? Many thanks.

[First Offense]

How does tuition work in regards to J-term/hours taken? Is it a flat rate, or does it vary?

Flat rate. Take them 2L and 3L - great experience and easy credits.

[20170322]

What's the deal with alternative spring break/UVA's pro bono challenge?

[MAPP]

Do any law students rent at Cavalier Crossing/Eagles Landing? They're not right next to the law school but they're pretty nice for ~$500 a month