Let ‘er rip, Andrew:
Dear Diary,
This past weekend, I attended a cousin’s wedding, and, as a result, I got to talk with quite a few family members I hadn’t seen in a long time. Predictably, many of those conversations turned to my experience in law school and the impending bar exam. Generally, I’d rather get beat in the stomach with a wiffleball bat than talk about my experience in law school, but as the night went on, the Sisyphean despair I usually feel when talking about it gradually lifted. I realized this was because none of the people I talked to were lawyers.
As non-lawyers, their feelings about law school and the bar could be summed up with one or two-word adjectives — i.e., law school is “hard”; the bar exam is “really hard’; and lawyers are “overpaid liars… except you, of course.” This was pretty refreshing… or at least not overwhelmingly depressing.
My favorite conversation of the night involved me explaining to my uncle what I’m doing here, blogging for Above The Law. Now please don’t rip me for bragging because I didn’t — not even a humblebrag. It turns out my mother was proud of me for graduating law school… but even prouder of me for getting my bar prep for free, and so she told a few people. (My mother on Above The Law: “So I read that website you’re writing for . . . I don’t really get it. I suppose you have to be a lawyer… and really bored.”)
When my mom isn’t freaking out after reading BikeDude comments, she says the same thing. ANYWAY…
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The conversation went like this: “So, your mom told me you’re writing for a website?” “Yeah, it’s like a legal blog.” “But I thought you had a job? [I know… kind of a humblebrag.] Why would you want to be a writer?” “Oh no, it’s not like that―I’m just journaling my bar exam experience. I won a contest.” “A contest? Who would have a contest for that? And who would want to read that?” “Well, I paid for a bar review course from the company that sponsors it. For winning, they actually refunded my money.” “Wait, so you had already paid them?” “Yeah, almost everyone taking the bar pays for some kind of course.” “Yeah, but you already paid them… and then they gave you your money back?” “Yeah, that was the contest.” “Do the readers know you’re a shill?” “There’s a disclaimer.” “Yeah, with lawyers involved, I’m sure it’s at the bottom in real small print.”
With that ringing endorsement, onward to the first official week of bar study.
For what it’s worth, our diarists are not shills. They can say whatever they want. And, no offense, but I beg to differ with your uncle. Free is free, right?
Until next week folks, play us off, keyboard cat disclosure notice…
Disclosure: This series is sponsored by Themis Bar Review, which is an ATL advertiser.