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George Washington University Law School Scholarly Commons Nota Bene, 2009 Nota Bene, 2000s 2-11-2009 Nota Bene, February 11, 2009 Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.gwu.edu/nota_bene_2009 Recommended Citation George Washington University Law School, 23 Nota Bene 9 (2009) This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Nota Bene, 2000s at Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Nota Bene, 2009 by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Tin GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY Nota Bene A Forum for News, Features & Opinions in the Law School Community W AS JI I N I. I O N D€ Wednesday, February 11, 2009 Vol. 23, No. 9 Administration Looks to Add Students Environmental Law Journal Baffled By BY CLARE CAVALIERO Late Grade Features Editor The law school may be welcoming a aspects looked into when Dean Paddock done at GW, although, as Dean Paddock Returns new environmental law journal in the near and the others involved were drafting their explained, "there are a great number of future. While nothing has been finalized, proposal. environmentally-focused students" at the BY TIMOTHY FREY Dean Paddock is working diligently to Currently, the proposal is under law school. The school wants to ensure Staff Writer provide GW Law students with another review by the energy faculty and they are that it has found an appropriate niche -we opportunity to participate in a law journal. looking into the marketing strategy of would hate for the publication to be one We are now entering Week Six of Dean Paddock joined the faculty a year the journal. Once the feedback from the of many. The environmental law journal Spring Semester. The especially avid and and half ago and part of the reasoning energy faculty is assessed, the proposal needs strong authors as well as substantial motivated among us are already putting behind creating his position as Associ­ must receive approval from the curriculum readership in order to be successful. together course outlines and scouring ate Dean for Environmental Law was committee. Then, the final step is for the In addition to these concerns, how­ Wash Law for the perfect supplement to to emphasize building programs in the faculty to vote in favor of the journal. ever, are also many potential advantages. get through the Spring Exams looming environmental area for JD students. Dean Dean Paddock noted that the focus of Few journals focus in this area, and its on the horizon. Unfortunately, some Paddock explained the current posture of the journal would be energy and climate success would improve the reputation of students do not yet know how their study the proposed journal and what musi be related and article subject matters would GW in the professional community. It tactics worked out last semester; they are completed in order to progress through include next generation energy issues like would also provide students with addi still waiting for their grades. the preliminary stages of development. alternative sources of energy, energy in tional opportunities to gain law journal While the majority of grades were Students (especially the SBA and climate legislation, critical issues in the experience, which is valuable in itself as published in the last several weeks, at the Environmental Law Association) have Clean Air Act that have not yet been re­ well as when applying for positions, as any time this article went to press at least two demonstrated great interest regarding solved, carbon sequestration and liability, expertise in this area would be impressive classes, a large International Law class this possible addition, as have Dean and other newer issues pertaining to these on a resume. Also, the GW community and a small Higher Education Law class, Lawrence and Professor Schooner. There important topics. has many masters students who write were still waiting to learn how they per­ are, however, a few stages to this process. There are some concerns that ac­ theses regarding the environment, and formed last December. 2L Kevin Inman In order to establish a new journal, GW company this potential new addition. the journal would provide an outlet for is one of the students from the Interna­ needs a partner and although a party is Particularly, there is uncertainty as to the high quality papers. tional Law class that is still waiting on interested, nothing has been formally whether enough student interest exists SBA President Brett Sheats has his grade. Inman notes that "my resume agreed to. Also, the new journal must to sustain another journal, as GW Law submitted a letter to the GW Law Cur­ looks a little different than it would if I have some circulation outside that of a is home to six other journals currently. riculum Committee on behalf of the law had all my grades." Fortunately, Inman's normal journal and we must show its The new prospect should not water down prospective employer did not mention his long-term viability. These were the main the quality of the journal work already See Journal on Page 5 lack of grades, although he has not yet had to turn in a transcript. Other employers are not being as pa­ tient. Another 2L, Stephanie Patton says Law Students Speak Out: that her summer employer has already contacted her twice asking for a copy of her most recent transcript. According to The Myth of the Journal Patton, "although the transcript is not due until March 2nd, they're already inquiring BY KATIE EARNEST as to my grades. They've made multiple Editor-in-Chief queries." Patton had been waiting on her Communications Law grade until last week. For 2L Denise Turner, it all started at GW Law, the journal competition is Potential participants encounter a 2L Christina Totino can sympathize. during 1L year. "I heard it from older limited to 1L day students, 2L evening stu­ number of opinions about journal, some Torino did not get her Criminal Procedure students...I mean, it's just one of those dents, and 1L evening students transfer­ of them common and others controversial. grade until last Tuesday and, although ring this semester to the day division. This Even for this article, some students inter­ 'staples' of the legal community. I remem­ already employed for next summer, sees year's competition runs from Thursday viewed asked not to be identified, fearing ber one of the attorneys I worked for over several potential problems with the speed February 26th through Monday March the possible stigma of speaking frankly the summer said, you're a really good with which students receive their grades. 2nd. It is a "closed universe" problem, about the pros and cons of journals. "As writer, you should try to get on a journal Totino states that "because many people involving a packet of sources that are kept a 1LI was clueless about journal," one 3L like it's some right of passage for lawyers at other schools already have grades, I confidential until the day of the competi­ on AIPLA said, "I knew it was something or something." think it puts people at a disadvantage tion. Students are required to Bluebook I had to do. I ranked AIPLA QJ first be­ As the spring journal competition with jobs, especially when employers are and use for a short case note with an cause my Dean's Fellow pointed out that approaches and the law school looks to considering two candidates - one with objective and subjective analysis. AIPLA QJ based its entire membership possibly expand our number of journals, her grades and the other without." She Once journal boards make their on the writing competition only. Not many students are starting to question notes that "even students \yith really good decisions on membership, students do not knowing what my second semester grades the true value of journal membership. grades are put at a disadvantage because have any subsequent opportunity to join, would be -1 gamed the system." For years, law students have encountered you can't know your G.P.A. until that last the Myth of the Journal - a collection of adding to the stress of the competition. As students interviewed for this one comes in." 1L Joon Song noted, "Journal seems to be article noted, there are several positive beliefs that characterize membership on While David Mitchell agrees that an academic journal as the ultimate law a rite of passage for lLs, so important in aspects to journal, including learning legal it is important for students to know fact that it requires us to spend half of our research and writing skills, and making school prize. their grades when applying for jobs, he An annual contest for membership Spring Break holed up in the library-as if See Myth on Page 4 on one of the five academic journals the rest of the semester is not enough." See Grades on Page 5 NEWS FEATURES OPINION With Economic Stimulus, Congress Ignores Page 2 Law Revue Cast Prepares Page 4 SBA Corner Page 3 Costly Lessons for Annual label Show Page 6 Restaurant (and Wine) Week in the District With Herring, the Supreme Court Bleeds Page 7 De Novo Days the Fourth Music Review Testing Times, and Hypocrisy Page 2 Nota Bene February 11, 2009 NEWS NOTA BENE 2008 G STREET, N.W. WASHINGTON, DC 20052 [email protected] NOTA BENE IS A BI-WEEKLY STUDENT PUBLICATION AT THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL. NOTA BENE SERVES AS A FORUM FOR NE WS, FEATURES & OPINIONS IN THE LAW SCHOOL COMMUNITY. WE SEEK SUBMISSIONS FROM STUDENTS AT GW LAW SCHOOL.

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