In the weeks leading up to the beginning of my 1L year, I worked to form habits I believed would help me succeed in my new environment. Going to bed at a reasonable time, cooking meals, and exercising regularly were among my priorities. Upon reflection three weeks into the school year, I am pleased to feel that my efforts to develop productive practices have been validated.

Sticking to a routine for meals and sleep and exercise has proven helpful in maintaining an appropriate study schedule, but the primary benefit I have experienced is a stable mind. Sources of anxiety in law school are of a particularly nasty nature: their presence is constant and their composition is ever-changing. As a lifelong worrier, I sense that my environment can easily become and overwhelming one. Solidifying aspects of my life outside the classroom reminds me to focus on what is in my control. Moreover, the consistency I have found–even in acts as mundane as cleaning—maintains my level of performance in what matters most.

In considering the suggested metaphor of keeping one’s head above water/swimming/drowning, my mind settles on the image of a swimmer in breaststroke. Sometimes my workload feels too heavy or a lecture incomprehensible, but even then I am still able to recognize that my efforts propel me forward. To continue the metaphor, the swimmer’s head occasionally bobs below the surface of the water, but progress toward the pool’s end never halts.

When I think about whose opinions I would trust most in gathering ground-truths on my status thus far in 1L, my mom and college friends are the obvious answers. Fortunately, I have spoken to all these people, and continue to do so regularly. To them, especially, I feel no reason to curate the truths I share. If asked, I imagine them telling me that I have reported a demanding academic load but presented a persistently optimistic outlook. I remain active among friends and family and (crucially) feel confident that I am able to live my normal life as a law student.

Thank you for reading my reflection.

Law school and its expectations have not waned in their ever-presence. Indeed, they’ve probably intensified. As such, mistakes made and hard days tend to stay top of mind—the consistent context I inhabit makes ideas and experiences linger. In response, I have pushed myself to keep my eyes and thoughts on the future. Academically and professionally, I am aggressive in staying ahead of the game. Socially and personally, I plan as much as I can. By constantly having something to look forward to, I reduce the weight of the present moment and what stress it carries.

As part of my strategy of staying ahead, I made a point of preparing myself for receiving feedback for the first time. Given the amount of effort I put into law school, I yearn for signs  of perfection. I reminded myself that I would see no such descriptor in my CIA feedback. Instead, I resolved to treat my feedback as a guide to improvement, not a generator of motivation. When I finally received my CIA, I was glad to have prepared: I immediately felt a wave of disappointment. Once it subsided, the truth reemerged. I did as well as I could, I maintained my healthy and balanced life, and I was directly instructed where I can grow.  I am confident that keeping these three points in mind as I approach each day will keep me on the track toward success.

Thank you for reading my reflection.

What comes to mind first as I reflect on the semester is how much I’m looking forward to a real break. I can hardly wait to destress and recharge my mind and body. I look forward to celebrating the semester with my family over the holidays and by treating myself to some time off. Ideally, I’ll spend time reading for pleasure, planning for the months to come, and relaxing with friends.

I am also cognizant of the fact that I will receive my first semester’s grades in the coming weeks. Though I’ve struggled with the infrequent feedback law school affords, it has been a relief to push my anxieties about receiving grades until the semester’s end. Lately, then, I have begun to worry about how my grades will impact my search for work. I try to remind myself, in those down moments, that I offer much more than a couple of letters and numbers seem to suggest. I’ll take my marks, as they come, with calmness and context. This semester’s lessons in patience, in trusting myself and my professors, and in being kind to myself will all likely be important as grades are returned.

As for the approaching the future, this semester has been invaluable. Not only do I feel more confident studying the law, I am also increasingly aware of what practicing law actually means. Ultimately, it is this combination of learning more content and seeing brighter light at the end of the law school tunnel that excites me for the Spring.

Many thanks to you, Professor Whetstone, Sarah, and Addie, for your respective roles in making this semester impactful, insightful, and comfortable. I look forward to continuing our work in January.

One consideration I have come to appreciate is my personal battery. Especially now that I am taking five courses, I find that my energy is substantially reduced at the end of each week compared to its beginning. Reading on Friday is massively more difficult than on Monday, for example. My primary strategy in managing my battery is planning ahead, to the degree that I am able. Front-loading my reading assignments to the weekend, such that I can focus on tasks as they arise throughout the week, has been particularly helpful. Getting to bed earlier during the first half of the week has also shown dividends.

A second lesson I have gleaned from my law school experience thus far is the importance of saying yes, especially when it feels most difficult to do so. After a long week, my impulse when asked to socialize is almost always “no.” But if there is ever a time to push through physical exhaustion, I feel, it should be for that exact purpose. As a law student, I see no shortage of opportunities to work longer and harder, but proper chances to spend time with people whose company I enjoy are more difficult to find.

My final lesson is that comparison is the end of contentedness. Those moments I feel most vulnerable and upset are when I am engaging in internal comparison. This is perhaps the quickest way to disrupt slowly-built cairns of calmness, contentedness, and confidence. Nipping this tendency at the bud, whenever it arises, I find, is the best course of action.

Thank you for reading my reflection.

Observing the competition allowed me to see the level of formality expected of advocates in judicial—or, as here, faux-judicial—settings. I appreciated how this formality created a respectful and serious environment among those involved in the competition. Moreover, the attentiveness the competition’s participants demonstrated toward procedural niceties was highly impressive. These norms, like frequent interruptions and strict time limits, often seemed at odds with the competitors’ attempts to make their arguments. 

Despite these demanding conditions, the participants remained convincing. Their performances offered much by way of modeling best practices. Among other techniques, use of varied rhetorical devices, extensive reliance on and invocation of relevant cases, and deployment of the rule of three stood out in my memory.

There are three main takeaways I derived from observing the competition that I hope will improve my preparation for and performance in oral arguments. First, I am reminded to dig deeply in my analysis of cases that will likely prove relevant during arguments. As evidenced, judges are likely to probe deeply in their questions about relevant law; parties need to be prepared to face these prompts effectively and in-stride. Second, I think I would benefit from practicing closing, especially during and after questions. The competitors all did a strong job of returning to the highlights of their arguments frequently, thereby leveraging questions to reaffirm their points. Finally, I need to converse with judges professionally, yet remember that they are human. The participants modeled communication that is both credible and accessible on an emotional level.

Thanks!

Commonwealth v. Scott Fontaine

On appeal from Bristol Superior Court

# 25P0589 

Defendant was convicted of indecent assault and possession of child sexual images based largely on a photograph depicting his child’s exposed bottom. Related testimony and messages were excluded by the trial judge because they were deemed prejudicial. 

At issue was whether the evidence allowed by the trial judge was sufficient to support convictions, where the Commonwealth relied primarily on a single photograph. Also important was whether the appellate Court’s review may consider contextual evidence rather than limiting the analysis to the four corners of the image.

The oral argument concluded in submittal.

Stephen C. Nadeau for the Commonwealth and Kathryn Blythe for the Defendant. 

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Commonwealth v. Lovant Wheeler

On appeal from Suffolk Superior Court

Police stopped Defendant and asked to search his car. Defendant initially gave consent under circumstances the lower court found coercive. Officers searched beyond the scope Defendant allowed and continued searching after he attempted to withdraw consent. Evidence discovered during the search was used against Wheeler.

At issue was whether the lower court correctly concluded that Defendant did not voluntarily consent to the search of his car, meaning the scope of his consent was limited and some evidence used at the lower trial was inadmissible. 

The oral argument concluded in submittal.

Kenneth E. Steinfield for the Commonwealth and Caroline H. Howe for the Defendant.

Recording of the session can be found here.

Taking the trial brief and trial motion oral argument seriously was central to that effort. By becoming comfortable with the details of Mr. Walters’ case, as well as the kinds of arguments it lent itself to, I felt that my preparation for the appellate oral argument began quite early, and that, by the time the appellate argument came around, I was fluent in my knowledge of the facts.

Once all was said and done, I was (and am) pleased with how my appellate argument went. I feel that I performed as well as I could have expected myself to, and am glad I prepared to the lengths that I did. When questioned by the panel of judges, I remained poised and delivered the best answers I could. Although I wish I would have answered slightly differently in certain instances, I recognize that such regret is not productive.

Independent from the content side of the appellate oral argument, I greatly enjoyed the assignment as a creative exercise. I appreciated learning about and implementing the formalities of oral argument and had fun listening to my peers engaging with the panel of judges. I hope that recognizing the lighter side of the exercise—and my overall enjoyment—will reduce my concerns going into oral arguments in future.

Ultimately, I am appreciative that the Fundamentals of Lawyering curriculum prioritized oral arguments for this semester, as I feel an important tool has been added to my lawyering toolbox.