DUE PROCESS | NEW ENGLAND LAW | BOSTON!
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JANUARY 28, 2013
DUE PROCESS Campaign for Positivity Pillar III – Prepare to be Positive by Genevieve Burguieres, ’13 Welcome back students and Happy New Year! As promised, I have learned another pillar of positivity that I believe helps strengthen and continue the yearlong Campaign for Positivity. I learned this pillar over the past few months, when dealing with unforeseeable attacks, and generally unpleasant situations. We have all been the target of some of these attacks and while I recognize the reality of such things, I think the way to get through it is to be positive, recognize the positive by posting and pledging it, and to be prepared to handle anything positively. The third pillar of planning to be positive hearkens back to something my dad always used Photo courtesy of Peter Kohler to say: “Be prepared, be on time, and take notes.” Thanks dad! But in my inquisitive lawyering way, I will now pick apart your advice. In the real world, you are not always going to benefit from taking notes. And, let us face it; everyone is late now and again. What is true from dad’s old adage is that there is no substitute or excuse for being prepared. As law students, we know the value of preparation. It is
essential in the legal profession to be prepared in our practice. However, being prepared to be positive is what could get you that job, get you through that project, or help you win that case. Through this learning experience, I noticed that being prepared to positively handle an interaction, endeavor, or adventure helped tremendously. Preparing to be positive can include making a list of things to get done, or things to say, and sometimes just meaning to take a deep breath and reminding yourself to be positive before you walk into a room. Being positively prepared allows you to anticipate future events with excitement rather than fear them with anxiety. Be prepared for diversity and be prepared to accept it. There are negative people in this world. They may not even benefit from a campaign for positivity because they insist on being negative. Be prepared for those people. Some of them could use a smile; some of them would rather you not smile. They are not you and if you are positively prepared to deal with people, your outcomes and interactions will benefit. Post positively; pledge to be positive, and be prepared to be positive, and you will be three quarters of the way to operating on all four pillars of the Campaign for Positivity! I look forward to learning the fourth pillar with you and sharing it in my next article for Due Process. Happy Spring Semester 2013! I would like to thank Erik Hagen for kindly pointing out to me that ‘positivism’ is a philosophical theory and the campaign I am running is more akin to a campaign for ‘positivity.’ That is why I welcome this friendly correction and the campaign will continue in 2013 as the Campaign for Positivity.
ESQUIRE – TO BE… by Patience O. Babajide, ‘13 Editor-in-Chief, Due Process As you read this editorial, begin to answer a couple of important questions for yourself—“what is my unique brand? My selling point?” There exists a plethora of unique factors that one must consider as they embark on any journey; the most important of which, I believe, is the journey itself. As a law student it can be easy to forget that there is life after law school, and that it is our successes and failures in law school that become our brand upon graduation. That being said, taking the following into consideration will positively impact your brand and make clearer your selling points. First and foremost, take ownership of your legal education. You’ve taken the first step by electing to attend New England Law | Boston (NEL|B); a school known for its competitive bar passage rate, skilled professors and staff, renown clinical and study abroad programs, close proximity to the city’s top firms and businesses, and strong local ties. However, taking ownership transcends this relatively small step that you have taken in the right direction. Next, you must choose your courses wisely (when you have the opportunity to do so—sorry 1Ls), and distinguish yourself by becoming an expert in that area of law that intrigues you. Secondly, it is important that you determine your purpose, and stick to a plan. Law school can be quite daunting if you intend to go through it aimlessly,
TABLE OF CONTENTS Message from Dean O’Brien!
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My Letter to the Boston Globe! ! by Wendy L. Hansen!
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Keep Calm and Carry On! ! by Simon Caine! ! Calendar of Events! !
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Oh’Brien!! ! ! by Thomas J. McKinnon! page 4 Black History Month Calendar! page 4 The Value of Laziness! ! ! by Naitasia Hensey!
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Ode to Pennoyer! ! ! by Alison R. Ver Schuer! page 5 A Summer Abroad ! by Tiesha Fields! ! page 6 Center for Business Law Spring Conference ! by Gary L. Monserud! A New Dialogue
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by Amin Ganjallzadeh!
Torture Worked ! by Brendan Gupta!
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Ask Amanda Anything! !
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achieving only the bare minimum. I came to law school knowing that I wanted to someday become a government lawyer. With that goal in mind, after my first year I obtained an internship working in the Legislative Research Office of the Boston City Council. That was a phenomenal experience for me, and I was able to build a network through that opportunity that led to my next internship at the City of Boston Law Department. When you know your purpose, you are better able to see every experience as an opportunity and take advantage of it. Thirdly, think ahead. This means looking at the facts, determining how those facts may affect you, and doing everything conceivable to limit any possible negative impact. For example, according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were approximately 760,000 practicing lawyers in the United States as of 2007. This figure should leave you with some impression as to how hard you should be working right now to ensure that you are making proper networks to guarantee your future job search success. If you haven’t already, seek out a person whose professional accomplishments and expertise you admire and request that they become your mentor. Finding a mentor is one of the greatest ways, in my opinion, to begin building your network. Finally, remember that your brand matters. As I like to say, you’re an Esquire-to-be, and that alone is a great accomplishment. Whether or not at the end of this journey you plan to become a practicing attorney, your legal degree will always be an asset to you. Your brand encompasses this and all that I have discussed above—your successes, your failures, your knowledge, your expertise, your experiences, and your network. Rather than have the world determine your brand for you, take the opportunity right now to begin to formulate one for yourself. So, what’s your brand—YOUR SELLING POINT?
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