So I've completed my first 3 weeks at Columbia Law School. Well, three things have become obvious.  The type of learning is unfamiliar to most if not all; the workload and fast and furious; and the LSAT process does have some impact.

First off, Columbia Law School is unique in it's initiation to the legal process.  Most schools in North America start in September. CLS begins August, with an intense training in the nuanced methods of engaging "The Law", from reading cases and statutes to understanding the rationale underlying case law.  Now there are about 350 of U.S., from all over the U.S., with a small but distinct group of Canadians. In about classes of 80-90, your pictures are in thumbnail form in front of the professor. Who warms you up with anecdotes for the first few minutes, then launches into a brief lecture, followed by exceptionally scary questioning of the students around you. Most people sound very smart when they answer, meanwhile I'm sitting there wondering--did I really read the same case.  This doesn't last long, only about 6 hours every day for the next month.  In hindsight, i was far more scared than I should have been, but I still don't know how some of my colleagues weathered the blistering disection the professor performed on their always less than adequate response.  It's difficult no question, but like much of undergrad, it's a game...you just have to play it much better and exponentially quicker.  It's great prep for the rest of the first, and confidence builds over time. 

The workload is consistent and substantial.  Much of what you do in your free time (not in class, eating or sleeping) is reading.  Informal clusters of 1ls appear all over the school, with various 500+ pages text books with red patches on blue-hued texts. Sadly, areas reserved for socializing, like cafes and lounges--when inhabited by law students--become quiet dens of knowledge absorption.  Highlighters, laptops and whispers are the only signs of life, but such is the life we live. These day-long reading ceremonies are broken up with food (mostly free) and receptions, speakers and drinks, lots and lots of drinks. New York City has happy hour on every block, literally, at least 2 bars/pubs have a happy hours, and in the early weeks, floods of fleeing 1l rushed to drink $2 and $3 pints. But now, we wait till Thursday...I just observe and smile, happy to survive another week.

Finally, I never thought I'd say this, but much of issue-spotting in law school, summarizing cases and trying to hone in on the point of the cases we read is so similar to the LSAT. I would say this, taking courses, if anything, is great practice for drilling to the core of every case in the school. I've been a pretty good at assimilating information whenever I read. But there is a nuanced manner here at CLS, and i'm sure at every other law school. While I struggled in parts of the LSAT, persistence and practice, at least to gain confidence is key. 

Most of my colleagues come from the brand name universities here in the U.S., and while it's intimidating at first, I have some confidence that the recruiters and admissions folks knew what they were doing. Work hard, play hard, and remember the goal of law school was helps keep me grounded. At the end of the day, marks, while important, don't signal who I am as a person, and definitely don't denote the sum of my capabilities. I use a bit of the other skills, both hard and soft to find my way.
I'll keep you posted....
Kwame L. Dougan,
Columbia Law School, 2010 JD candidate

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