The work has been challenging, interesting, and enjoyable. It was nice to work with a professor who’s work aligns so closely with my own interests, on a subject about which I was already interested before the work began.  It was also nice to recently see some of the results of the work be made public.  The professor posted a series of videos on YouTube, which coincide with an article he is preparing to publish.  Watching the videos and reading the article, it was nice to see that my work contributed to the analysis.

The selection process was based on a write-on competition. I picked-up the instruction packet last week and gave it a try, despite being a little unsure about my chances as a 1L. The competition required the completion of a case summary and a short quiz on Blue Book citation.

The case summary was the most challenging but also the most enjoyable part. We summarized Zomba Enterprises, Inc. v. Panorama Records, Inc., which evaluated a fair use argument as put forward by a karaoke disc manufacturer. 491 F.3d 574, (6th Cir. 2007). Even if I hadn’t gotten on the journal, it would have been worth the effort. It was a good exercise and the case was interesting. But seeing as how I did get on, it definitely was worth it.

Mr. Brown, to whom I was first introduced by the consistently excellent This Week In Law podcast, also makes an appearance in this Chicago Tribune article about lawyers and social networks. He makes the astute observation that lawyers are just like any other group, in that there is a spectrum of comfort with and adaptation of new technology. For a more humorous take on this issue, see his April 1st post about technology ethics and responsible telephone use.

The summer break is almost here, but before that gets here I have to deal with a big trial brief and three finals. I feel good about where I am, and I’m sure the next few weeks will fly by, but that is a lot of work to do before it is all said and done. Time to dig back in. I’ll see you on the other side.

In other news, I am considering applying for the joint J.D./M.S. degree program. I spoke with a recent graduate who went through it and recommends it highly. It got me thinking. The downside would be an additional year of school. (Though, if the job market doesn’t turn around quickly, another year out of circulation wouldn’t hurt.) The upside would be that I would become eligible to take the Patent bar, and would theoretically be more employable upon graduation.

Another factor pushing me in that direction is my newly rediscovered enthusiasm for school. Having spent a good seven years out of school and in the working world, I came to law school with a renewed enthusiasm. I have always enjoyed learning, so it’s not terribly surprising that I would be having this much fun. But I never thought that I’d be so enthusiastic that I would be considering going for another degree. As recently as the summer before law school started I had no interest in the joint degree program.

I haven’t made up my mind yet, but I’m going to talk to the people who run the program to find out if I will be a good fit. I’ve got a couple of months to decide, and as the recent past has illustrated, anything can happen in a couple of months.