Outsiders and the Legal Profession

The way outsiders view lawyers and the legal profession remains a constant source of amusement to me. Setting aside all the lawyer jokes and blood-sucking lawyer references, people often seem to be under the impression that lawyers can do magic, making problems go away with some carefully uttered magic words in exchange for a large check.

More than once, even as a lowly law student, I have been asked complicated legal questions by people who expect me to know the answer off the top of my head, as though law school teaches the solution in detail to every legal problem or issue that can ever arise under the sun. I think it's somewhat akin to medical students getting asked about all their relatives various health problems.

The truth of the matter is, this is not what lawyers do. Our job is to zealously resolve the legal problems of our clients and as quickly and as efficiently as possible, but that process doesn't happen in the blink of an eye. Lawyers are trained to do several things when someone brings a problem to them. Once the issue is presented, a lawyer's mind starts working for possible solutions, doing research (often long hours of it) on the law and its meaning trying to come up with various approaches and strategies, like examining the possible moves in a game of chess. These options then have to be discussed with the client, and the client has to be convinced why one may be better than others, even if it doesn't appear that way. All of this takes time, and it is what lawyers are trained to do. In some ways, lawyers are like engineers in that they are trained with a specific skill set necessary to solve certain types of complex problems ... it is just that our problems are legal, not structural or mechanical or mathematical.

As a result, when anyone asks me about a complicated legal issue, my first answer is almost always "maybe" or "it depends" because there is no magic to do, only research and time and mental legwork.

On the Virtue of Cheap Wine

So the Boston snowpocalypse 2010 amounted to nothing. In the end, all we got was a light dusting, but I'll take the evening of no class and not ask too many questions. That gets me to this Friday afternoon, where I'm attempting to be productive at home, but instead find myself marveling at the virtue of cheap wine. Yes, you heard that right. I just poured myself a glass of Velvet Moon Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, which on top of coming from Trader Joes at a respectable price of around $5.00, was opened last night and left unrefrigerated.

Now some people really have a fine palate for wine, and at times I do enjoy fine wine. For the most part, however, I have neither the wallet depth or patience to sip expensive Bordeaux. That's when the cheap stuff really shines. It doesn't taste like gasoline (I'm looking at you, Magnum Steel Reserve), and often can be quite drinkable. I feel that cheap wine doesn't get its due past college. It's like that person that you secretly enjoy hooking up with but would be embarrassed if your friends saw you with. Cheap wine, I salute you!

Snow In Boston

My first post seems a good opportunity to remark on the weather, that stereotypical opening line  and awkward conversation starter of introductions the world over. This is a blog, not a chance meeting in a cafe, but there isn't any reason I can't make courting new readers just as hilarious and somewhat awkward as meeting strangers. I'm also watching it snow out the window, and it's what's on my mind right now.

So the mid-atlantic is being hammered by snow, and DC is mostly shut down. For the most part, Boston has escaped the onslaught. However, the experience down south and Boston's past history has left everyone a little on the nervous side when it comes to snowstorms. Three years ago, Boston fell victim to a sudden snowstorm around 3pm. It wasn't particularly heavy, but the mayors office decided to advise everyone to leave work early so they wouldn't be trapped if it got worse. The result was that everyone in the city poured onto the streets right around the same time the heavy snow began. One can imagine the end result; heavy traffic ended up preventing the snow plows from getting out right as the snow began to accumulate. In the end, the result was a rush hour disaster. It took me 4 hours to get from Newton back to Brighton, and took many people 8 hours to get from downtown out to the suburbs.

Fast forward to yesterday and today. The weather forecast was for a heavy snowstorm to hit around 3pm today. As of this morning, BC had already cancelled all classes after 3pm, most people who can decided to work from home, and everyone else is getting released from work early at staggered intervals. It seems the city learned its lesson well. I drove out the BC this afternoon for something at 2:30 and the roads were almost empty of traffic. Still, it seems like everyone jumped the gun a little, as the snow still isn't really sticking and the storm appears to be delayed. All the same, I think its better to be cautious rather than suffer a repeat of 3 years ago, especially in light of the absolute blizzard that has engulfed the mid-atlantic.

For my part, I'm going to get out of here, head home, pick up some delicious beer (I'm feeling imperial stout), and get cozy for the Duke vs. UNC game tonight. Go to hell, Carolina, go to hell!