Wednesday, October 10, 2007

I don't know if I received good news today, or not so good news.

About a week after the Bar Exam concluded I sent an application to the Los Angeles County DA's office for a Senior Law Clerk position. Apparently they take applications until they fill all the spots then they freeze everything for a while until they need to hire a bunch more.

I was told that they were going to be scheduling interviews in November and they would notify me at least two weeks in advance of my interview date. The job description says that the Senior Law Clerk position is intended for people who've graduated but have not yet passed the bar exam. As you might imagine, it has occurred to me that by the time they got around to interviewing me I might be more interested in a Deputy District Attorney position.

Well, all of that is moot now because I received a letter today advising me that they have indeed filled all available positions for 2007 but I can rest assured that when they restart the process early in 2008, I'll be getting my interview. The problem is that I'm not sure I'll be interested in the job when that time comes. I'm very much hoping that I'm so busy with one or the other of my jobs that I'll not have the time or the inclination to switch employers.

There is, however, something to be said for a work-a-day job with a steady salary. The only problem with that kind of job is that it'll probably take me forever to get out of debt. I'm not making very much progress on it right now but my prospects are good.

I'm satisfied just to be working at the moment but I'm sure that satisfaction is not going to last if I can't find a way to increase my earnings. However, it's very, very early in the process at this point and while I am an impatient guy, I do know that everything matures in its own time. After all, it was only just over two months ago that we walked out of the Convention Center on the last day of the exam. That whole experience seems like it happened a lifetime ago. I sure hope I don't have to go through it again. I sincerely appreciate all the kind words from those of you who have expressed optimism regarding my results. I hope you're right. I won't be shocked if I don't get the minimum score but I'd rather not contemplate that possibility until I must.

Speaking of contemplating... Results are out in 37 days.

It's hard to comprehend that the end to this long strange trip may only be 37 days away. I remember my first days of law school like they were just... well, not yesterday; but they don't feel any farther back than the bar exam does now. I wonder where I'll be in a year?

On a lighter note, it looks like the BigLaw firms really do treat us newbies like kids. Apparently Biff has been issued a box of colors and is expected to make pretty designs on his articles. I don't know what an "article" is, but whatever it turns out to be, I know it has to be much more pleasing to the eye after he finishes with it. I never imagined that all this hard work in law school would land someone a job as an artist. But judging by the looks of the place where he works, a little color could only help! That and a few fly strips.

6 comments:

biff said...

I have started to sniff the hi-lighters. I'm addicted.

I miss law school. It was very exciting emotionally. Everyone's life was so closely tied. Now people have their own lives. The only people I talk to are the people on my case.

The Grand Poobah said...

Biff: It looks like you've settled nicely into your new life. The first thing a new associate needs to do is figure out what substance they're going to become addicted to. It sounds like you're well on your way to a successful vice. Congratulations! Actually, it appears that you've picked up two vices. I forgot to mention Taco Bell. Congratulations are indeed in order.

(;-)>

I miss school too. Life had a purpose back then. Now all I do is work, and wait. Blah.

But at least I'm being productive. This sure beats stressing out about an Evidence or Con Law essay. And I'm putting a little money in the bank each month. Of course, on the money front I wish I was you. But I'm being patient for now.

biff said...

You must remember that you own your own home in California.

The Grand Poobah said...

Ah yes. There is that. As you might imagine, there was a time when I thought home-ownership was way out of reach for me. Especially back in the Jimmy Carter era when interest rates on homes were in the mid-teens. Despair was my middle name back then. Or perhaps it was "malaise", I don't recall, exactly.

I'll create a new post tonight about how this (my law degree) was made possible.

biff said...

Did you win the lottery? And who's this Jimmy Carter?

The Grand Poobah said...

Yeah... you might say that.

Jimma' Cahtah? Why, I seem to have forgotten much about him. But what I do recall is that I didn't like the bugger very much.