The Jeffersonian

This is the time of year when people start getting antsy with their current lease and begin thinking of where they want to live next year.  Here to tell us about an option TJSL students should consider is Stephon.  Stephon?  “San Diego’s hottest new apartment complex is The Entrada.  It has everything, a walkable commute to TJSL, multiple floor plans, and it allows pets.”  Is that all Stephon? “Yes.”  Alright thank you.  Stephon, “well actually I have one more thing.”  What is it?  “It also has a sun deck for tanning, and a trolley stop.” Now here’s what your fellow TJSL students, and Entrada residents, had to say.    

Jamie Moss, 2L, chose to live at the Entrada because of the proximity to the new campus and the fact that Thomas Jefferson took an interest in the property.  She says, the "commute" to school is undeniably the best benefit of living at the Entrada.  She also loves her spacious apartment that has a great view of downtown.  The “spacious apartment” is a large studio.  The building is mostly comprised of 98% studios.  There are also one, two, and three bedroom units.  She likes the fact that many TJSL students already live there, and plans to keep her lease through graduation.   Britney Hamilton, 1L, likes the central courtyard, and that she can walk to a lot of places downtown.  She also likes that Entrada has its own gym, and the security.

Lindsay Demery, 1L, likes the building because it is new and it is close to FIT.  She chose to live there because she has a dog and the Entrada allows pets.  Not that many places downtown allow pets, or if they do not many allow dogs.  

Dean Beth Kransberger explains that TJSL wanted a way to help ease students’ transition into law school and San Diego by providing low maintenance, high quality living.  Other law schools in metropolitan areas offer housing grants, and Thomas Jefferson wanted to stay competitive.  Since taking over the master lease in December 2010, TJSL has hired San Diego’s top management company to achieve this goal.  She sees it as an ideal building for law students.  The Entrada consists of 172 units, 132 of which are available for rent to TJSL students.  Right now 54 TJSL students live there.  Each unit has washer, dryer, dishwasher, as well as all the standard appliances.

Student discounts: TJSL’s long-term goal is to offer housing grants, need based and merit based, for students to apply towards the Entrada.  Currently when a large bulk of units become available at the same time the school offers discounts and move-in specials.  As non-student tenants leave, law students come in.  The goal is to rent all 132 units to TJSL students so TJSL can provide housing grants, need and merit based, to students.  

The Entrada does seem to have it all.  Imagine not paying the $80 per month to park at the Padres Parkade, and never moving your car for a Padres game. Imagine not taking the trolley to school every day.  Imagine walking from your home to class, to your internship at a courthouse or law office downtown.  Imagine walking your dog around the neighborhood then going to FIT in the evenings.

How to apply for an apartment: There are about 980 TJSL students and 132 units at the Entrada.  About 6 – 8 units become available each month.  To get on a wait list for an Entrada apartment, email Assistant Director of Admissions, Justin Cruz, at jcruz@tjsl.edu.  

I’m what the tech-blogs and forums have dubbed an “Apple fanboy”. When Apple unveiled the iPad on January 27th, 2010, I wanted one instantaneously. I had no use for one back then, but still I had a desire to acquire. The common criticism of the iPad is that it is simply a “bigger iPod touch”. Yes, superficially that is true. But the iPad is a “bigger iPod touch” in the same way a 60-inch HDTV is a bigger 32-inch HDTV. If you own an iPhone or iPod touch and then play around with the iPad, you’ll immediately notice that they are not the same in terms of functionality. The bigger screen changes everything. Every single application that has an iPhone counterpart feels different and gives you a different experience than what you may expect.

So how was I going to justify getting one? By telling myself that I needed it for law school, duh! The iPad is the king of convenience. Most of the time, it is the only thing I bring to class. I purchased a stylus from Amazon that lets me annotate directly on my briefs. I can highlight points the professor covered in class, cross-out the insignificant facts, and write any supplemental notes at the bottom. Everyone has their own method of studying and being engaged in class, but I find annotating on my briefs more effective than typing out notes in class. The app I use for annotating is called iAnnotate PDF and costs $10 in the App store. After I annotate, I can email the briefs (along with the annotation) to myself or transfer them to another application called GoodReader. GoodReader is a document storing, managing, and reading application that gives the iPad a classic “file management” system that you would expect from a traditional computer. GoodReader also lets you annotate on documents, but I find the experience is not as smooth as the iAnnotate PDF application. GoodReader costs $5 in the App store.

While I’ve only touched upon a couple of applications, there are many other productivity-boosting apps in the iPad’s catalogue. But I must confess, I don’t just use the iPad for school. I use the iPad to check Facebook, check my email, check what’s going on in the NBA, check what the weather is, read a book, watch Netflix, listen to music, and well, you get the picture. I know what you’re thinking at this point: “Oh Karan, but you don’t need an iPad to do all those things”. Yeah you’re definitely right about that, and that’s the crazy part! At first glance, the iPad is the device that appears to serve no purpose if you own a laptop and a smartphone. After all, it’s not replacing your laptop and it’s not replacing your smartphone.

But Apple did not design the iPad to replace your smartphone or laptop. The iPad was designed to bridge the gap. That’s part of the reason netbooks got as big as they did. But you’ll notice that you hear very little about netbooks since the iPad’s release. We are now in the age of tablets, with the iPad leading the way. It’s hard to define the purpose of the iPad, or the modern tablet for that matter. For example; when you buy a smartphone, you know that you’re going to use it to make phone calls. When you buy an iPad, you can use it for whatever you like. It can be your toy, your tool, or your guide to becoming a lawyer. For me, it’s all three.

Looking at one of my typical days is a bit disheartening. Not in the sense that I do not appreciate where I am, what I’ve overcome, my daily activities or such, but rather disheartened at how I accomplish obtaining knowledge. Specifically, I am talking about how I spend so much of my time trying to be “in the know,” and up to date on as much information as possible.

A typical day starts by grabbing for my Blackberry. It doesn’t matter if the alarm is going off or not, but in this day and age my Blackberry is my lifeline to what is occurring in the world.   I quickly glance through my e-mails, not necessarily reading them but rather searching for anything apart from the usual.   Typically my morning e-mails are the same; messages from the school or affiliated organizations, groups, or mailing lists that I am on.  All of these e-mails get little more than a cursory glance.

I finally get out of bed and go to the living room where I promptly turn on the television. I either turn on local news, CNN or The Today Show.  This need to be informed upon waking up is all in an attempt to be ready for the day, as though everything that happened between when I went to bed 7 hours ago until now will drastically affect the rest of my life.  Each morning I typically take in about 20 minutes of news until I realize that it is time to prepare for work or school.

After arriving at work, I pull up multiple sources for even more information.  My homepage is set to CNN and most of my bookmarks are all information related.  These include local news, regional news and national news.  After pursuing all of these sources; CNN, Yahoo, MSNBC, ESPN, Seattle News, San Diego News, Bellingham Washington News, TMZ, and such I come to the same realization that I do most days: why do I constantly spend so much time focusing on the world around me, but not the world within me?

My information obsession does not end with my morning news fix.  Throughout the day I am constantly refreshing my homepage waiting for a new story, waiting for something to change.  The minute I am idle I have my Blackberry in hand reading the news.  With live reports and information streaming instantaneously, the need to know is difficult to overcome. We have become accustomed to having information at our fingertips, everything accessible in an instant, and multiple sources to compare stories.  This need to know is almost like an addiction.

In the evening, I can’t help but watch the nightly news.  Often times I am caught commenting on how their story is “old news” and that nothing new has happened since that morning.  Regardless, at the end of the day the story is mostly going to be the same and 5 years from now when these stories are history, their impact will be known.  As such, I believe that as a society we should be “in the know” with our communities and “in the know” with what is pertinent to our lives.  Knowing everything happening around us or in the world, although helpful, is not as valuable as the time, resources and effort saved by overcoming this information obsession.

I am a chunky monkey.  In case you’re confused, I have a long list of ways to describe different levels of larger-than-“normal” body types. It ranges from thick to chunky to BIG, etc. Recently, I reached a weight that I will not publicly disclose, and it became a wake-up call to the toll law school was taking on my body, and subsequently my emotional and mental states. The last two years of law school made me fat and old, and I let it.

Law school is a stressful time in our lives. If you’re anything like me, this means erratic hours, lack of sleep, and little to no time to cook or clean. For the first two years, I was lucky to have more than one meal on most days. Even then it was rarely, if ever, healthy. As we entered into a new calendar year (and the last year of my academic legal career), I vowed to be healthier. I believed I would have the time to be better to myself because I was moving from full-time to part-time status. Progress has been touch and go. Even with less time dedicated to the classroom, my schedule seems to fill itself, and some days old habits rear their ugly head and I think about how easy it would be to stop by Del Taco before heading onto Highway 163. I have spent the last few months working very hard to not cave into what’s supposed to be easier, and being in this new building has made a healthier lifestyle a little easier.

When this school first pitched Fit Gym, I complained – a lot. I already had a gym membership that cost half what the school was paying and was available nationally. I didn’t see the point in having a membership to a posh gym downtown when 24 Hour Fitness was only a few blocks away at Horton Plaza. In all honesty, I don’t remember the last time I used my 24 Hour Fitness membership, and having Fit only a few steps away from campus has made life a lot easier. I get to the gym Monday through Friday, fitting in cardio and weight training between classes and other obligations. With hindsight being what it is, kudos to the administration for putting it together.

Another feature the school provided that has made transitioning into a healthier lifestyle easier is the refrigerators. I didn’t eat during the day because I didn’t bring food, and by the time I left I was in no mood to cook. My refrigerator at home was a barren wasteland. Having refrigerators on campus to keep food has been immensely helpful this semester. I keep thinking back to the days of the Old Town building, and I realized that my personal care was the same as the care for the old building. Things were breaking down, out of place, and I ignored them. Some bad habits still carry over, though. Every meeting still has pizza. It may not be Papa John’s or Pizza Hut, opting for meetings at Basic instead, but it is still pizza. It’s tough to avoid.

The point of all of this is to highlight what we let ourselves get away with in law school because of the stress. It is kind of like the freshman fifteen in undergrad. For us slightly older students, the stress adds more weight to us, and the fatigue makes it less likely that we will treat ourselves properly. Not only in eating right or exercising, but also in getting out and doing things that make us happy. The focus of health for law students is usually the attention paid to alcohol and substance abuse within our profession and I think it is because we get to a point of no longer having the energy to do what we love. I love food and with my recent changes in my lifestyle, I cook a lot. I initially began this change to lose weight and be thin, but the more I go through it the less I care about the physical results because I see myself becoming a happier person. 

I applied to be the 1L Manifesto writer in 2008. I felt like the column would be reminiscent of Carrie Bradshaw’s column in Sex and the City, except without the sex.  However, if I wanted I could write about any topic, so usually I did.  From test freak outs to attempting to try out for the Charger Girls cheerleading squad, I loved that column.

I wrote the first 2L Manifesto column last year, although due to the increase in my comfort level, my articles were often deemed to “racy” or “inappropriate” and remain on my computer hard drive. (BTW – ask me about my Sundance and Pizza Nazi articles, they are amazing!)

Naturally, when running for SBA VP as a 3L, I knew that I could finally have some control over the paper. I had planned all along to write a “3L Manifesto” but, because of limited time, I have only been able to focus on putting it together… until now.

I cannot believe that I am graduating law school. I’m only 24 and I will have a “J.D.” after my name. So now, while I worry about my $300,000 debt just as much as teenage boys dream about female anatomy, knowing that I’m about to graduate law school is the (small) silver lining. Sure, I won’t be able to afford a Lamborghini as fast as I would like, but that is not going to stop me from getting one eventually. (Purple, Convertible).

On top of the crushing debt, the biggest hurdle is the bar exam. Piece of cake – literally. I am likely to get really fat from eating desserts, I may be unrecognizable come August when I turn 25. This is okay! I’m the first person in my family to go to college and the first out of 15 cousins on one side to attend law school (possibly any graduate institution). Further, I come from a group of “large” Italians, so I’ll fit right in with my cake tummy. Luckily, our membership at FIT sustains us through bar study and so hopefully, I will just maintain my weight. If you see me in the gym between May and July, I recommend you just don’t even say anything to me, unless you have a Babycake cupcake in your hand.

After all that, I have to wait until November to find out that I passed, (I better, I’m not giving myself any other option). Then, I’ll be an “Esq.” Now, when I watch Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, hearing “Bill S. Preston, Esq.” say his name will mean so much more to me (and be even funnier).

So for my last manifesto ever -- Sayonara! 

We all remember being in elementary school, anxiously waiting the few precious months with no school, no responsibilities. We’d sleep until noon, swim all day, eat popsicles and play in the sun. So now that we’re supposed to be responsible adults our days certainly can’t be filled with pure fun, games, and relaxation. Right?

Right. It’s time to buckle down and begin, or continue, to lay the groundwork for what you plan on doing with your career. Not all students have job opportunities lined up and the job market is competitive. Don’t worry if you won’t be working in the legal field this summer, there are many other opportunities for law students.

A great place to start is with Thomas Jefferson alumni. TJSL’s Career Services or Alumni Relations offices can help you set up informational interviews with alumni doing the kind of work you’re interested in.  Stuck on what exactly to ask the alum? Symplicity has an online networking handout with great tips.

Take a trip to the courthouse, any courthouse will do. Stop by the information desk to find out which courtrooms have trials in session and introduce yourself to the bailiff when you enter. The judge may make time to speak to you on a break so remember to dress professionally. Numerous 1L legal writing classes recently visited appellate courtrooms for a chance to sit in on oral arguments. “It was cool seeing how one on one the appellate court was between the judges and the attorneys,” said 1L Richelle Menezes.  “We got to experience how it was more about how well, or sometimes not so well, the attorney could present their argument.” The Career Services office also offers self-assessment exercises to help students determine their strengths and interests. See them for information and advice on these assessments.

San Diego County Bar Association has numerous groups which offer a lot of networking opportunities.  If you join as a student member you can attend bar association events, join a committee, or even get a mentor. You can also offer to write an article for a legal magazine or newsletter, something often published by bar associations.  These associations also have sports leagues that offer you an opportunity to get to know attorney’s in a relaxed setting. 

Volunteer as much as you can.  Having volunteer experience, no matter what the setting, looks great on a resume. Nonprofits that provide legal services are a great place to start. The Career Services office offers Work Study and Volunteer Opportunities handouts that can give students good ideas for volunteering.

With all the extra time off, read as much as you can. It’s often said that reading more translates into being a better public speaker. Furthermore there are a lot of books that can help you gain some insight into the legal profession. For more information about different practice areas, insight into what a typical day as an attorney is like, and the skills needed for and advice getting into a particular area, pick up The Official Guide to Legal Specialties by Lisa Abrams. Another good read for law students is Guerrilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams by Kimm Alayne Walton.

Study abroad. TJSL offers two study abroad programs. Students can travel to Hangzhou, China or Nice, France; some even participate in both programs and travel to both countries. Professor Susan Tiefenbrun, Director of the Center for Global Legal Studies is the head of both programs and holds numerous informational sessions on the programs. The programs are filling quickly so interested students should inquire and apply soon.

It’s important, however, to remember to take some time and eat a Popsicle outside, swim in a pool,  and have a margarita. You can fill your days with great resume boosters and be productive right along with the best of them. But when it comes down to it, we all still need to indulge the elementary school kid inside of us just itching for summer break! 

Over the past 10 years, research scientists have made illuminating discoveries about the geography of the typical criminal mind. Recently in one such study, scientists observed a group of 21 people, all of whom were characterized as having “antisocial personality disorder,” a condition often found in criminals. People with the disorder are described as those who “may often violate the law and the rights of others," and "typically have no regard for right and wrong.” When compared with a control group of individuals who did not have a personality disorder, brain scans of the antisocial group showed on average, an 18% and 9% reduction in the volume of two particular frontal brain lobes.

Though intriguing, this is not a ground-breaking discovery. In 2009, another study compared the brain scans of 27 psychopaths, people who have severe antisocial personality disorder, to the brain scans of 32 control individuals who did not exhibit psychopathic tendencies. [In 1980, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM III) changed the term psychopath to “antisocial personality disorder,” but essentially the terms characterize the same behavior; an abnormal lack of empathy, extreme egocentricity, irresponsible and impulsive conduct and an ability to appear outwardly normal.] The study revealed that the individuals with severe antisocial behavior had deformations in their amygdala, the part of the brain linked to motivation and emotions such as fear and pleasure. The psychopaths showed an average of 18% volume reduction and dramatic thinning of the cortex.

In 2005, Adrian Raine Ph.D, former professor of psychology at the University of Southern California and current chair of the Department of Criminology at the University of Pennsylvania, conducted a study that compared the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) data of a sampling of 52 individuals that yielded similar results. Raine and his coworkers used five Los Angeles area temporary employment agencies to seek out subjects for the study. In order to determine whether the subjects demonstrated any psychopathic tendencies, and if so, to what degree, they administered various tests including the Psychopathy Checklist–Revised, Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV Mental Disorders (SCID I), and SCID Axis II Personality Disorders (SCID II). Guaranteeing confidentiality, the researchers also sought to compile information about the criminal history of each subject by way of interviews and criminal records searches. Eventually the researchers ended up with a group of 52 individuals. 13 of the 52 demonstrated high psychopathy scores and had been determined to have escaped detection for their crimes, while 16 had high psychopathy scores and had been convicted for their criminal acts. The remaining 23 served as control subjects. The MRI data indicated that volume of prefrontal matter, a region of the brain involved in judgment, planning, and decision making, was on average 22% less in unsuccessful psychopaths than in the control subjects. The prefrontal cortex of psychopaths who had avoided criminal detection was slightly smaller than those who had been detected but the difference was not nearly as significant.

The studies can be characterized as improving understanding of criminal behavior but their increased presence in scientific publications raises the question, “how should we use this information?” The results pose serious questions, the answers of which transcend mere issues of predicting and minimizing criminal behavior. If we can in fact, identify, study and predict criminal behavior, how should we integrate this information into our foundational beliefs surrounding the application of guilt and conviction? Criminal law has taught us that in order to be guilty of some particularly heinous crimes, the requisite mens rea is intent. For inherently dangerous crimes, especially those that demonstrate intent and premeditation, we as a society punish people who in theory, were aware of the gravity of their actions, but committed the crimes regardless. However, these studies indicate that certain individuals with predisposition for criminal behavior have reduced capacity for judgment and decision making. Is it appropriate to convict these individuals when we know they may not have the capacity to make the intentional decisions we accuse them of making?

The ALI Penal Code dictates that a person is not responsible for their criminal conduct if at the time of such conduct as a result of mental disease or defect he lacks the substantial capacity either to appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct, or to conform their conduct to the requirement of the law. A strong argument can be made that this definition is on point in describing a psychopath and their behavior. In one illustrative case, a convicted murderer struck a plea bargain in which the sentence for killing his wife was reduced to only 11 years based on brain scans that revealed a large cyst that was thought to compromise his cognitive abilities. "Imaging was used to reduce his culpability, to reduce his responsibility," said Raine. "Yet is that not a slippery slope to Armageddon where there's no responsibility in society?"

However, if we are hesitant to convict those who do not understand the gravity of their actions, how do we protect an innocent society from the danger their behavior poses? As future law makers and advocates, these studies pose endless ethical questions and the dilemma is anything but new. Consider Cesare Lombroso, a man who was convinced that physical anomalies and physiognomy could lead to predictions about criminal behavior. He supposed that people were simply born criminals. His theories of criminology were echoed by Hitler as a basis for genocide. It is crucial that we tread carefully when applying the results of these studies.