On Monday, I finished up a Motion to Compel for partner Patrick Delaney. I was happy to receive a quick turnaround for some minor revisions. The process of listening to his feedback helped me understand more about objections to evidence. It is also always nice to have brief chats about what the attorneys are working on and how they handle different challenges. I have since been using that motion for reference on another Motion to Compel I am working on, and it is great to use and tweak helpful language to save time. Later Monday afternoon, associate Samendio Mathieu invited Coleman and me to sit in on one of his depositions. What we expected to take roughly an hour, turned into over three hours! It was pretty fascinating, and I really enjoyed listening in, learning about the case, and being able to anticipate the relevant objections and explanations. Sitting in on multiple depositions really helps me to feel more prepared for curveballs that may be thrown, recognize that other people experience them too, and learn from the way that the attorney handles what comes their way.
On Tuesday, I wasn’t feeling too well, but the firm was extremely accommodating, and I was able to work from home which I appreciated. I worked on my GOAA project and prepared for the Summer Associate Motion Hearing Workshop, as well as the deposition workshop. On Wednesday, I was back in action at the office, and I continued working on a project for partner Dan Gerber. As much as I enjoy the act of researching, synthesizing the research into a written product is my favorite – I just like writing, what can I say? I also finished work on a Motion in Limine for associate Graham Marcus. It is nice to be a part of not only smaller research assignments, but actually get to apply the work to a motion and follow the research through different stages of the litigation process. I am still learning how to curb research until it is needed at various stages in the process (for example, how much is needed for initial research, or at a motion stage, or additional research for a motion hearing). However, I know it is just part of the learning process, and I am getting better at limiting research to the present needs instead of anticipating future needs.
Thursday was the Fourth of July—Happy Independence Day! The short week was nice, but it meant a bit of additional crunch for existing deadlines. As such, I did end up spending a bit of time working on a couple of assignments on my day off, but I was still able to enjoy the holiday.
On Friday, there were not many of us in the office following the holiday. However, those of us that were in the office received a surprise pizza party as a treat! I enjoyed getting to chat with partner Jennifer Smith Thomas and Chief Financial Officer Margaret Herod about different projects we are working on and life in Central Florida. The mock trial problem was released at the end of the week, and I am excited to wrap up some of my assignments and transition into mock trial preparation mode. After some discussions around the office, I am really excited to use the mock trial as an opportunity to experiment with different tactics and try new things. Speaking of new things, I am looking forward to all of what is in store next week! Stay tuned.
