Yesterday I attended "commencement" ceremony at UVA Law, got a piece of paper with some caligraphy on it, and officially graduated. Since we all know that relationships make an experience even more memorable, I thought I'd take a moment to reflect on the men of my law school career.
1L: Roger Strawback - This little asshole hurt his brain in a high school football game and the school didn't want to let him play anymore because if he injured himself again he could die. Roger was a great athlete, with prospects of playing college ball, and sued the school under the Americans with Disabilities Act to let him play. The first semester we had to write a memo analyzing Roger's claim for a partner in the firm. The second semester we had to write a brief on behalf of the school board telling the court to rule for them. After that we then had oral arguments, or as I like to call it, the worst moment of law school ever. By the end of the year, we all loathed Roger (frankly, I still do), and hoped the little shit would die. The night before briefs were due several members of Section L emailed the listserv with additional "facts" for the file which were hilarious but which I cannot recall at this moment.
2L Stanley Greene - Stanley Greene was charged with assaulting his girlfriend after she walked in on him canoodling with another lady-friend. Andrea and I were given the task to defend him at trial. We got a hung jury, which essentially was a victory for us, and contrary to oral arguments, trial night was one of the best moments of law school. Stanley, I ain't mad at 'cha, and I totally believe that bitch threw a picture at you.
3L Frank Hyde - Frank and I only got to know each other over the course of a week, but in that time I came to realize that dude had a death wish. He got fired from his job, went on a bender, and with .13 BAC ran his car into a tree. Insurance company said suicide, but his wife said DUI. Our jury said Niki and Trevor win! Frank seemed ok, I guess, but in real life I don't think he and I would've been friends. He was very needy - made me think about him all day and all night for a week straight until the trial advocacy college was over. By the end of that week, it didn't matter whether he ran into the tree intentionally or not - I wanted to kill him myself.
The inspiration for it all: Robert Kennedy - in college I took a class called "History of US Culture and Society from 1960-1980." That class rocked, one of the best I've ever had. In that class we learned about RFK, his fight for civil rights, and his tragic assassination. At that moment I fell in love with his ideals and have been hoping to have another leader like him ever since. He has absolutely been an inspiration to me, and it makes me very happy to know that he, too, graduated from UVA Law. If I can at least attempt to serve the greater good as he did, then these three years (and putting up with the three aforementioned thorns in my side) will have all been worth it.
"We will not stand by or be aloof. We will move." - Robert F. Kennedy, 1961
3 comments:
CONGRATULATIONS! You are already doing wonderful things for the greater good, and I can't wait to see what more you will do!
Thanks, Jenn :) You're doing a pretty damn fine job yourself.
This is hysterical! I feel similarly about William Styron (author of Sophie's Choice)and Jonathan Franzen (The Corrections. I'm so proud of you for making it through all three years! You're going to change the world - I have no doubt. CONGRATS!
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