Just A Reminder Folks!

If you are studying for the LSAT or plan to start soon, then don't forget to order previous LSAT exams from lsac.org. These are actual LSAT administered and will help prepare you for the upcoming LSATs. The exams are dated from June 2003 until June 2008. I am currently studying for the LSATs and these exams are truly helpful and one of my best resources.

I posted the direct url to the website. The tests are affordable and worth every penny. Currently the price of the exams range between $8 to $20 each.

https://os.lsac.org/Release/Shop/Shop_Books.aspx?po=Y

Happy Birthday To Me!

TODAY IS MY 21ST BIRTHDAY!!!!
Hmmm...what should I do...suggestions? lol

Enjoy The Show!!!!

Prep Courses 101

Hi Friends!

So I was browsing a certain forum, for no reason in particular--just bored, and I noticed that many prospective law students had questions regarding which prep courses should they take? Some of my friends recommended Kaplan because they said it actually helped them and they enjoyed the course. However, when I was on this forum, many of the students had negative comments about Kaplan. There were barely any positive statements.

I wanted to know if what other courses are students considering? Have they actually taken a Kaplan prep course or are these comments based on word-of-mouth? So I asked, have they already taken alternative courses? Not planning to take but have actually taken the course?

Most importantly, I want to take the BEST course that will help prepare me for the LSAT. I don't care about the cost either, so I wanted to know what factors because I know for some they have to limit their choices because of financial reasons. My point of this is what courses are you planning to take or have taken?

Thoughts?

Cracking the LSAT* 2009 Edition

A few weeks ago, I bought The Princeton Review's Cracking the LSAT* 2009 Edition from Borders. I have not finished reading all the chapters however I am truly impressed. The book is only $21.00 and is worth every penny. The book offers tips for cracking the test. Included are three full-length practice exams in addition to detailed explanations for each type of question, hints and strategies. On princeton-review.com, you can register with a code for an online practice exam. The website keeps score of your practice exam results, discussion area to meet other students who are also preparing for the LSAT, "Advice Library," and more!

The explanations are very detailed with explaining how to attack each question. For example, here are four steps used when answering a question:

Step 1:Prepare
Step 2: Assess
Step 3: Act
Step 4: Answer

Here are some techniques found in the book:

1. Don't rush through the exam
2.Fill In Every Bubble
3. Use Process of Elimination
4. Be Prepared for Anything
5. Practice Consistently, On Real LSATs
6. Choose Your Battles
7. Keep your Pencil Moving

If you have any prep-LSAT books that you have or are using, feel free to share your thoughts.

Another State Supreme Court Has Legalized Gay Marriage.

California and Massachusetts are no longer the only states where same-sex marriages are legal. Today Connecticut's Supreme Court ruled, in a 4-3 decision, that same-sex marriages have a constitutional right to marry. A state law which limited marriage to heterosexual couples and civil unions with the same rights to same-sex couples violated the guarantee of equal protection. This ruling will take effect on October 28. In the majority opinion, Justice Richard Palmer wrote;

“Interpreting our state constitutional provisions in accordance with firmly established equal protection principles leads inevitably to the conclusion that gay persons are entitled to marry the otherwise qualified same-sex partner of their choice,” Justice Palmer declared. “To decide otherwise would require us to apply one set of constitutional principles to gay persons and another to all others.”

Conneticut Governor M. Jodi Rell said she disagreed with the ruling but will uphold it. “I do not believe their voice reflects the majority of the people of Connecticut. However, I am also firmly convinced that attempts to reverse this decision, either legislatively or by amending the state Constitution, will not meet with success.”

Many same-sex couples are overjoyed with the court's decision. One same-sex couple said they have been engaged for over 20 years and now can finally tie the knot.

Does Affirmative Action Help or Hinder Black People Who Want To Become Lawyers?

I found an interesting article by Carol J Williams, a journalist for the Los Angeles Times, based on a study by Richard Sander, a law professor at UCLA. I decided to share the main facts and arguments from the article. If you want to read the entire article, I posted the link at the bottom.

According to Richard Sander's research study, he released two years ago, the difficulty many black lawyers face when trying to make partner are due to law firms' racial preferences. The study also suggests black lawyers are hired under-qualified, compared to their white colleagues, and often fail when there is a credential gap between them and white lawyers.

Now Sander is back with another study, this time whether law schools set up many affirmative action beneficiaries for failure by admitting them into rigorous academic environments in which they are ill-prepared to compete. Sander wants to show that affirmative action hurts the very people it was intended to help in the hiring and admissions preferences.

Using records from the Bar Association of California, Sander hopes to prove why blacks are four times more likely to fail the bar exam on the first try.

The Bar Association of California has denied Sander access to it records. Sander has filed a lawsuit against the association claiming the association is a publicly funded institution whose records should be open to scrutiny by legitimate researchers.

Supporting Sander's study, Douglas Williams, an associate professor of Economics, believes the the study will help explain why there are racial gaps in law school graduation rates and bar passage.

Harvard Law School graduate, Deborah Waire, argued "What this suggests is that Richard Sander is not studying affirmative action or diversity policies; he is marshaling evidence to show that blacks do not belong in elite schools or elite firms."

Thoughts?

Source:
www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=c/a/2008/09/14/MNGK12Q663.DTL

Time For Trivia!!!

Which President was also a member of the U.S. Supreme Court?

What was the crime for which Socrates was put on trial?

Back in Session: The US Supreme Court

As many of you already know, it's almost time for the US Supreme Court to begin a new session. The US Supreme Court is in session from October through April. Can you name all the Supreme Court Justices without cheating? Don't worry I posted the answer at the bottom. I was reading an article, "Cases To Watch" on New York Times website today and decided to share some that I found interesting.

"In Ashcroft v. Iqbal, No. 07-1015, the court will consider whether Muslim men who were rounded up and subjected to harsh treatment after the Sept. 11 attacks may sue John Ashcroft, the former attorney general, and Robert S. Mueller III, the director of the F.B.I."

"Foreigners who fear they will be harmed if they are returned home can seek asylum in the United States, a federal law says, but only if they have never persecuted others. In Negusie v. Mukasey, No. 07-499, the court will consider whether Daniel Negusie, who says he was forced to mistreat prisoners in Eritrea under threat of execution, may apply for asylum because he only persecuted others under duress."

Here's the link to the page: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/s/supreme_court/index.html?scp=1-spot&sq=supreme%20court&st=cse

Check out the page and let me know which cases you are interested in. Also, if there is a case from the previous session you would like to discuss, feel more than welcome to share your thoughts on the Court's decision.

Answer:The US Supreme Court Justices: John G. Roberts Jr., Samuel A. Alito, Clarence Thomas, John Paul Stevens, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Anthony M. Kennedy, Stephen Breyer, David Souter, and Antonin Scalia.

Welcome Back!!!!

I'm back! *applause* These past couple of weeks have been very hectic for me. This week is no different, but I miss blogging :) I have three mid-terms and a paper, ugh! Luckily, next week is Fall Break so a little time for relaxing--not really, two of my three mid-terms are take-home and I still have not completed the mandatory 20 hour campaign work for any candidate running for office in this upcoming election. Having said this, I plan to devote my time over break for completing midterms and finishing my 20 hours. Hopefully, I complete these by the time break is over. Keep your fingers crossed for me :)