Sea Dogs Game July 17th - Join the Gang!

UPDATE: THE "NLS" OPTION ON THE DROP DOWN MENU IS NOW WORKING. BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!

The annual Sea Dogs game get together hosted by yours trulies (the NLS) will be on Thursday, July 17th at 7 p.m. Ticket prices are $24/person and include the following: a ticket to the game in the Picnic Area, which contains both stadium style and picnic table seating and unlimited hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, coleslaw, beans, assorted Coca-Cola products and Sea Dogs Ice Cream Biscuits (veggie burgers are also available upon request). Food will be served from one hour prior to the game until one hour after the first pitch. To purchase your tickets click on "NLS July 17," and select either NLS option in the Ticket Type drop-down menu via this link.

We'll see you on July 17th!

Fuel Cost - is it on your mind?

Maine is a large state with little public transportation so commuting and off-site meetings usually require some amount of driving. How are you dealing with the rising gas prices? Are you cutting back on off-site meetings? Do you still rely on the firm's mileage reimbursement programs? Are these programs being cut at all? How about commuting? Have you broached the subject of working from home a few days a week? Are you car-pooling?

It seems as though the Marginal Way commuter lot in Portland is getting more use these days and the nightly news certainly keeps us abreast of (if not panicked by) the rapidly rising fuel costs. So, Maine lawyers, how are you dealing?

Poll 3: Your Wish Granted - You Win!

31% of you now have the numbers needed to win the lottery, but for those of you that watch Lost, you know that having the right numbers is not always enough to win your heart's desire. . . but is usually enough to defeat a smoke monster.

25% jumped straight to a spending spree, and decided to jetset around the world. Bravo. Enjoy some sushi in Tsukiji for us during your Tokyo stopover en route to the Beijing Olympics.

Struggling Nerds and Artists split the next categories, with 12% interested in more assignments to make their billables and 12% absolutely ready to take their turn on the CW red carpet.

A resolution to rising gas prices would be soul-stirring for 6% of you, and at least 6% of you are fashionistas for whom a new work wardrobe would be tops. 6% of you are willing to share your dream with us in comments to this post ("Other"), and finally -- no one cares that much about a widescreen TV or visiting Presque Isle, perhaps because a chunk of you are watching yours in 'Almost Island' as we speak.

Law Court On Husson Law: Thumbs Down for Now

For those of you following this issue, on June 3rd the Law Court denied the Husson College School of Law Petition to allow its prospective graduates to sit for the Maine State Bar Examination. The Court identified three major defects in the Petition at this time, but did not foreclose the possibility that a future petition that remedies these defects could overcome the Court's concerns. The three major gaps in Husson's proposal were:

1. Lack of track record to provide a basis for evaluating the quality of the legal education offered. Cf. Massachusetts School of Law, which had been open 8 years before its Law Court petition.

2. Unaddressed concerns about the pedagogical method to be used at the school -- a core group of professional law professors using law school methodology may be required. The current proposal does not address concerns about teaching method and credentials of faculty raised by the Maine State Board of Education review team.

3. There should be a law-school-specific alternative to ABA accreditation, more than mere NESC accrediation, as a baseline requirement. Cf. Massachusetts School of Law review by the Massachusetts Board of Regents of Higher Education (specifically reviewing the level and quality of instruction, the quality of full-time faculty, the size and depth of the library collection, and the qualifications of the law librarian.) The MSBE has no such jurisdiction, but expressed concerns about the Husson proposal along these lines. No review can occur in any event before there is a class that has begun instruction at Husson College School of Law.

There are some interesting reader comments on the Maine Today site related to this case. Also, feel free to comment here!

Type or Write the Maine Bar Exam?

This just in from an anonymous blawgger:

"Thank you for the useful link [to the Maine Bar Review Podcasts on the Maine Law Website]. I am going to take the ME Bar Exam this summer and was curious if there was a strong preference for typing over writing? I recently took the MA Bar Exam where everyone had to write the essays. Since I was successful, I thought I might write the essays for the Maine Exam but was wondering if this would be a great disadvantage. Also if one chooses to write the exam, are they placed in a separate room than the typers?

Thank you in advance for your help."

Comment to this post and let him/her know about your recent experience, or thoughts on this. . .

CLE sale at the MSBA

The Maine State Bar Association just announced a 50% off sale on continuing legal education products if you pay for them by Monday, June 2nd. Even though MSBA Practice Series Publications and Title Standards are not included in the sale, a lot of people are trying to clear out their CLEs by August and if you're strapped for cash it is good to consider taking advantage of the discount. . .

Poll 2: As "Faux" Lawyers Go, You Say Denny Crane is Tops

You were asked to identify your favorite "faux" lawyer on TV. The votes are in and William Shatner (31%) seems to have it going on for the bare majority of you. Jason Bateman (26%) came a close second and took the silver, with Jeremy Piven grabbing Bronze (21%). Calista was a ways back (10%) with very little support for the Prosecutors of Law and Order (5%) or Nancy Grace (0%). The latter done got a whuppin' by "Other" (5%).

So anyone that wrote "other," tell us who it is and why! Just add a comment to this post.

Successful Feb 08 Maine Bar Exam Applicants Posted Today

For those of you with friends or rivals that sat for last February's Maine Bar Examination, the results are in.

Congratulations also to Kevin J. Crosman who took this Feb's Clegg Award for the highest score among the first time takers at that sitting.

Join our group on LinkedIn

The New Lawyer's Section of the Maine State Bar Association has indeed created a group where you can get LinkedIn!

Members of our Section know that networking can be even more fun and effective when you add 21st Century tools. . .

If you are already an NLS member -- we'll approve you immediately. If not, go to the Maine State Bar Association Website and become an MSBA member now - if you're eligible to join our Section, we'd be glad to get you LinkedIn ASAP.

So who is eligible to join the NLS? Any Maine attorney with an active bar license issued within the last five years. Even if you've practiced longer than five years you are still eligible so long as you are under 36 years old.

Poll 1: Do You Like the "Idea" of Being a Lawyer?

The results are in: minimalist expression reigns supreme here in Vacationland.

It makes me cringe: 17%
Ayuh: 58%
Always have always will: 17%
It's not an "idea," it's a way of life: 23%

Make sure to weigh in on Poll 2 . . ."Faux Lawyers" . . .and Poll 3 "Your Specialities" over there in the right column -->