Happy Canada Day!!

It feels good to be back in the country. Toronto is busling with festivals, parades, and events. On my way to work yesterday (yes, I could only stand to do nothing for a few days) I passed by a Canada Day celebration handing out Beavertails. They're like sweet pieces on nan bread dipped in cinnamon and/or with apples. Isn't it funny how food tastes better when it's free? :)

I'm working for a lawyer who has a big case. He needs help organizing boxes and boxes of documents to prepare for the "discovery" process. Nice guy. Osgoode grad: LLB/ MBA. We were talking yesterday about the merits of getting an LLB versus getting a JD. We agreed that for individuals who might go south, a JD (as offered by UofT Law) is more useful. However, old profs who are stuck in their ways advocate the value of an LLB. Honestly, I'd prefer if all Canadian school switched to a JD. For all the work I'm putting into this, I'd prefer to get more than just another bachelor's degree! Maybe I'll talk to our new dean ...

Herstmonceux: Cheerio!

In the last 2 weeks, we've gone through our second round of law school exams, said many goodbyes, and left Herstmonceux Castle. It's been a wonderful, memorable two months.

The second round of exams was much easier than the first. Or, at least, the stress level at the castle much lower than the first round in Kingston. There were no tears. There was more celebration. 2 hour exams instead of 3. Furthermore, if the grades that will be dolled out this year are like the results last year, then none of us will "bomb". Take a look at last year's grade distribution (pdf file). Especially compared to the grade distribution from the winter 2005 semester.

A sore point among the Law '07 group is the inequality of grades among the small sections. For non-Queen's law readers, take a look at the courses labeled "Crs Type" = S (120B, 120D, 121A, 121D, 123B, 123C, 123D, 123E). There are 8 small sections. Of those, 6 were assessed on a "B+ curve" while 2 were graded on a "B curve". If only grades didn't matter...

Grades

Well, our grades from our first year at law school have been tallied and they're official. Personally, I didn't do badly, but my grades aren't stellar either. Two grades were higher than expected, one about what I expected, and 2 were lower than anticipated. I suppose, all in all, it evened out. As one friend noted: this is the nasty reality of riding the B curve.

Already, some of the consequences of our grades are being felt. Two students were accepted as transfer students into UofT Law. Another is still waiting to hear from McGill. And, I suppose, there will be some new faces in the fall from transfer students who will come to Queen's.

Wow - I was just having a flashback to before law school when I was reading The Tiger in Winter blog. It was shortly after this posting that he started to write about leaving law school:

Tuesday, June 01, 2004

Grades, grades, grades...

Well, they were up as of last Saturday -- I ran off from my friends at the 35th reunion tent (they had good beer and good music) to check my grades at the Edwards computer cluster at around midnight, EDT.

Not so shining, although I've yet to see the exact numbers (which may be more or less discouraging).

The final tally:
Criminal: C+
Contracts: B
Legal Research & Writing: B+
OTL: P (Pass/Fail orientation course)
Property: B
Public Law: C+
Torts: B

So, yeah, I'm an average law student. Slightly below average, possibly, depending on the exact numbers.

And that means that I've officially lost the Law Foundation of Nova Scotia scholarship, too. Full fare tuition to be paid by me, next year, not by the Law Foundation. It was nice to have, when I had it.

I have some darn smart classmates.

Unlike Ben, I'm not going to share my grades with the world. But I will agree with him: I too have some darn smart classmates.
:)

Highlights from the Castle

Wow, time flies over here. I realized that I haven't added a posting in a while and you're not getting a good sense of what life is like at the castle. Here are a few highlights (in random order):

- During karaoke night, profs and students alike got up and put their heart on stage. A group of undergrad girls showed up wearing togas and won the prize for the best costumes.
- The local security guard was passing around photos of the resident castle ghosts. For the believers: silhouettes were clearly visible. For the non-believers: they looked like black blobs.
- Students hauling cart-loads full of beer from ASDA (the British version of Wal-Mart) and enjoying it pre-pub or at "Stump Henge".
- Meals are a constant conversation topic. Their French menu went over well while the recycled sausages for breakfast, lunch and dinner were not so popular.
- Sports have also been a staple. Ultimate frisbee is huge. Ping-pong and basketball are played regularly. I can't say that any one event stands out, but I'll say this: don't underestimate the women.
- Dr. Bader came and gave a candid talk about how he built his company and made his dosh.
- In Geneva, the IPL students got to meet Louise Arbour and talk about leaving the SCC.

As far as stories from our time on the continent, let me put it this way:
"What happens in Amsterdam, stays in Amsterdam".

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Cool - I noticed that someone from Trinadad & Tobago is reading this blog. Awesome.