The Alledger Volume 09, Number 07 the Alledger

Boston College Law School Digital Commons @ Boston College Law School The Alledger Law School Archive 2-23-1989 The Alledger volume 09, number 07 The Alledger Follow this and additional works at: https://lawdigitalcommons.bc.edu/alledger Part of the Legal Education Commons, and the Legal History Commons Recommended Citation The Alledger, "The Alledger volume 09, number 07" (1989). The Alledger. 147. https://lawdigitalcommons.bc.edu/alledger/147 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Law School Archive at Digital Commons @ Boston College Law School. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Alledger by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Boston College Law School. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Client Co_unciling ChaIDpions: Tan and Well Rested by Jan McNitt on that for the next round and -"simulcast" of the competition fi to recognize those who are good On a sunny Sunday afternoon really try to wow the judges nals broadcast to room 411. at it, and promote the view that while the rest of us were study although, we sometimes ended After being declared the win a balance between analytical and ing, four 1-L's were vying for the up doing worse on techniques we ners, Waxman commented, "Say other lawyering skills is impor championship in the 12th BCLS had done well on before.'' we were tan and well-rested. tant to being an effective practi Client Counseling Competition. The techniques of Waxman [David] Letterman says that's tioner," Smith said. Winners Michael Waxman and BCLS's record at Regional Lawrence Jacobson, who said competitions has been strong, they originally entered the con and the team usually gets to the test "on a goof," will represent regional finals, Smith said. the law school at the Regional The Moot Court and Mock Tri competition in March at the al teams have done somewhat University of Bridgeport, Con better in inter-school competition necticut. Winners of the twelve but when you consider that for regional competitions will go on Client Counseling our tradition to the National finals at the ally 1-L team can face 2-L and University of Baltimore School 3-L teams from other schools, . of Law, March 30 - April 1, 1989. Smith said. "They have done This is the 21st year of the really well." American Bar Association spon No allowance is made during sored activity. The competition is Larry Jacobson (left) and Michael Waxman (right) are the winners of the regional competition for the funded by the ABA 's Law Stu this year's Client Counseling Competition. level of the student. A first year dent and Young Lawyer division. student may be at a slight disad "We found the critique [of the vantage due to knowing less law, judges'] very helpful," Waxman and Jacobson, along with how to reply when interviewed." Smith observed. "That is less of said. "After each round we would runners-up Alison Kaminski and Dean Robert H. Smith, will act an issue than the fact that a first change our strategy according to Leonard L. Spada, could be ob as the winning team's coach for year student has only simulation the judges comments. If we were served not only by the judges but the regionals. weak in an area we'd concentrate to whoever cared to watch a "Oral competitions are a way (continued on page 3) The Honorable Barbara Dortch: BCLS Alumna 1st Black Woman Appointed to Mass. Superior Court By Mike Klein pointed to the small number of to find them and encourage She described opportunities Because of her ''appeal,'' Judge minorities as a factor in making them." that students could pursue in the Barbara Dortch will soon be th~ transition from Brandeis "I'm not saying that is not state judicial system. "Last year changing venue. The 197 4 alum University, where she was a po happening," Dortch continued. we were looking for Boston Col na of Boston College Law School litics major, to BCLS a difficult The judge keeps in touch with lege students to work in the will be sworn in as a state Superi one. "Law school was more com BCLS's recruitment efforts courts. We didn't have a full-time or Court judge on February 22, petitive and rigid compared to through the Black Alumni clerk until last June, and we becoming the first black woman being an undergraduate, when Network. hired some students from North to be named to that court. the only one you were competing As a result of her nomination eastern who received grants from Dortch has served the last five against was yourself. I can't say to the Superior Court and her their school to work year-round." years on the bench.of the Boston that law school was harder be status as the highest-ranking Although funding is not always Municipal Court, the largest dis cause there were fewer minori black woman among the state's available for clerks, "If a student trict court in Massachusetts. ties, but if there were a larger judges, Dortch hopes that law can afford to work for $200 a Dortch looks forward to the number, the atmosphere might students, particularly minorities, week or less, it's a marvelous ex promotion, saying, "This is not have been more comfortable," will be inspired to practice pub perience," she said. "They can something I was determined to she said. lic interest law. "I hope they are get a practical look at courts and do, but it is a natural progression The Memphis native chose encouraged to pursue public in work closely with judges, who after · five years. The Superior BCLS largely because of the at terest at its highest level," she are a collegial group." Court is an arena that has- more tractive three-year scholarship it said. "I hear that law students significant cases [than the dis offered. "The scholarship was don't want to pursue public in trict court], · and they can set persuasive, and being recruited terest law- it doesn't pay the big Students interested in such po precedent for the Common made me feel good," Dortch ex- money··or have the prestige of sitions for the summer can con wealth.'' , plained. "The school was offering practicing in a large private firm. tact Judge Sally Kelly, the hiring It might be heartening to learn the kind of assistant that minori But judging has its rewards. To coordinator for Boston Municipal that the judge setting that prece ties needed, and it was nice to move up one step means to me Court. If no positions are availa dent described her first year of see. It was an incentive that ad that I've been rewarded. Stu ble in Boston, other courts which law school as "a shock, although ded to BC's reputation as a good dents can see that and be en serve large areas, such as Cam less of a shock than it might have school.'' couraged," she said. bridge, might have openings. been at some other law schools in The recruitment of minority Dortch herself will probably the area. First year was hard," students is something that Dortch spent much of her own serve o:qe of the larger superior she said. "After first year, I be Dortch thinks must be intensi career in the public sector. After courts. "Newer judges are usual gan to like it. In second and third fied. "It is important for law handling the foreign distribution ly put in the larger courts, so I '11 years, the teaching style became schools to make an all-out effort. contracts for a Memphis record probably be in Suffolk County," more relaxed, and the students I understand that fewer minori ing company, she later worked she said. She begins her new post were treated more like ·adults." ty students now are applying to with the legal staff of the U.S. February 27. The Socratic Method wasn't undergraduate and graduate Department of the Interior, the the only thing Dortch had to get schools than in the '70's. This is Massachusetts Bay Transporta used to. She was one of only 12 troubling. To get those interest tion Authority, and the Mas blacks in a class of 200, and she ed in law to apply, it's important sachusetts Port Authority. Page 2 I ALLEDGER / Fel;>ruary 23, 1989 A Firsthand Review of the 1st Year Curriculunt By Mark Cohen morning in Barry Pavillion. Here The course met four times a her. We have had a couple of Many second and third year we would listen to Dean DiLuna week. It was taught by Brodin . months off until our future in students have expressed curiou talk about 16th century law or (Section 1) and Bloom (Section 2). terests in this course vests in late sity and confusion about the new Dean Smith (who some claim is To tell you the truth, I'm still not February when it restarts. We first year curriculum. This is the evil mastermind behind the sure which professor I had. will then meet three times a week probably because the curriculum new curriculum) tell jokes about Contracts (Torts) began in Sep in this course until May. is curiously confusing. the Red Sox. Every once in a tember and ended in February as LR& W follows exactly the We members of the first year while, someone from Admissions well. These courses were sup same schedual as Property. It is class at BCLS (affectionately would come in, tell us how good posed to meet four times a week, now a year long course.

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