law firms take over student activities fair and hold out on the hot dogs.

[abony holmes]

What does a blogger with writer’s block do? Complain. Today I’m complaining about last week’s “Student Activity” fair at Boalt, which featured, embarrassingly, law firms hawking schwag and depriving me of hot dogs unless I feigned an interest in their brightly colored brochures.

As a member of various campus organizations, I was more than a little perturbed that our spotlight was stolen by law firms with way cooler toys (we had flyers, they had laptop sleeves) and more substantial vittles (we had cupcakes and brownies, they had Top Dog). I won’t comment on how appalling it was to witness law firms speaking to (dare I say recruiting) 1Ls that were rightfully ours to recruit. I won’t even comment on the transparency of using the Law and Technology journal as a cover for their presence there (oh right, the tech journal invited you so you’re totally cool). I’m being so generous by not remarking on the fact that they were given the nice shaded area of the courtyard, while the students were relegated to the hellishly hot section (and pretty tightly squeezed in, I might add).

What I am going to complain about is the hot dogs. It was patently unfair that I had to talk to the firm in order to get a “hot dog ticket.” If the firms want to give us hot dogs, so be it. If they want us to talk to them, they should put lots of mini staplers and Nalgene bottles on their desks. But the sheer embarrassment of ending my awkward conversation with a law firm representative by asking for a hot dog (for my troubles of course)… well, that was too much to bear. Let me regale you with my exchange with an unnamed law firm:

Me: I don’t know anything about your firm.
Law Firm Guy: *confused stare*
My Friend: Uh, do you need a technological background to work in your IP practice area?
Law Firm Guy: Blah blah blah.
Me: *confused stare*
My Friend: What other offices do you have in the California Area?
Law Firm Guy: Womp womp womp womp.
Me: *hungry stare*
My Friend: How large was your summer associate class this summer?
Law Firm Guy: Dobedobedo…
Me: *bored stare*
Law Firm Guy (at me): Do you have anymore questions?
My Friend: No, that’s it!
Me: Ahem, actually, no I have one. Can I have my hot dog ticket?

This kind of exchange was to be heard far and wide throughout our “activities fair.” I heard tales of a spunky 1L who simply walked up to a law firm and asked for “a meal ticket.” Wise beyond his years, that fellow.

But what the 1Ls don’t know is that things weren’t always like this. There was a time, long ago, back in the days of Ortiz and the locker room, that the student activities fair featured only (gasp) student activities! In fact, the food for that fair was provided for by the school, and the students (the vast majority of whom were 1Ls and transfers) were encouraged to browse student tables and select the people they’d spend the next two semesters complaining about cite checking with. Not so this year. I’ll never know why. But I do feel sorry for the 1Ls. I was lucky enough to stroll about the activity fair last year in jeans and flip flops, a bit of chocolate on the side of my mouth, and a naive and innocent ignorance of the sultry temptation of firm life. Oh, how the times are a-changing…

Comments

[Matt]

Yeah. That was put together poorly. Who is in charge around here now, anyway?

[Abony Holmes]

I don't know. Dean Edley has been suspiciously absent of late. I've gotten two emails from the former interim Dean Berring. Methinks a conspiracy is afoot.

[BCLT]

I'm pretty sure the BCLT career fair just happened to be scheduled on the same day as the activity fair. They were separate events in the same place. The hot dogs were provided for BCLT members who were attending the career fair. Don't complain because you had to feign interest to snag one. Free lunch is free lunch. The only possible thing to complain about is the school failing to schedule these two events on separate days so we can spread out the treats a little. There was no shortage of 1Ls at the activities fair. It was completely crowded.

[Abony Holmes]

I reserve the right to complain about any and everything all the time. KThx.

[San Antonio Lawyer]

I agree, BCLT. You reserve the right to complain about everything anytime!

[big ticket item]

selling big ticket items is profitable

[flashqa]

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