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LSAT Course Comparison

An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) consisting of a 2.4 miles (3.86 km) swim, a 112 miles (180.25 km) bike and a marathon (26 miles 385 yards, 42.195 km) run, raced in that order and without a break.

- Wikipedia

My sister’s ex-husband was into triathlons at the time, and he invited me to drive up to Orlando with them to watch his “streak ending” race aka my first race period. According to my recollection, he signed up for the “Olympic” race. Review the chart below to see the distances.

It was great. I was hooked the second he finished the race. The sense of accomplishment he must have felt crossing the finish line – setting a goal  of that stature and seeing it through. He didn’t wake up one morning and say, “I think I’ll run a triathlon next month”. He researched, analyzed his timetable, registered, set a training schedule, developed a new diet, exercised, did more research, pushed his ceiling or “Wall” further back with every workout, and so on.. up until the day of the race, when the gunshot rang in his ears. He applied everything he learned in one seamless run. All those months of progressive training build up to the only final few hours that determine whether his definition of success was met, because in the end you’re not racing the people next to you… you’re racing yourself. One doesn’t go through all that hard work to get a self-esteem boost from crushing the competition (that’s just a bonus). It’s about pushing the limits, one’s own limits – physical limits, mental limits, habitual limits… one’s own limiting beliefs. It’s about remembering, once again, that the only thing  that’s ever really in one’s way is one’s self.

Moving on from that “Anthony Robbins” speech, the reason I didn’t get on a bike since, was because I overworked my muscles in the first month of training. I went from beer runs to running 7 miles, from poolside kegs to swimming .5 miles, from re-cycling 24-packs into furniture into cycling 30 miles, and did so every weekday! A little extreme, I know, but it bit me in the gluteous maximus eventually (Left cheek to be exact). One day I woke up and couldn’t get out of bed for the life of me. I stayed in bed for the 2 weeks, on and off the 1 month. I talked to doctors but they all said to take some ibprofen for the swelling and the pain – it was just a swollen, over-worked muscle. I never trained that hard again, and forgot about the Ironman for my own wellbeing, so I told myself.

Anyways, my older brother decided to get his bicycle fixed recently so I had to give it a try after all these years. On Sunday, I rode it to my TestMasters course at L’Enfant Plaza, and today I decided to ride it to my paralegal course in Friendship Heights. I live by Lincoln Park (by Eastern Market). Judging by my time/distance ratio on the L’Enfant trip and the Google Mapped distance to Friendship Heights, I figured the 7.8 miles would take me about 1 hr – 1.5 hrs to get to my last paralegal class of the program (interships, independent studies, and finals will follow). Mind you I’ve never traveled to Friendship Heights above ground. If you’re familiar with DC’s topographic mapping you most likely know that the entire ride is uphill! That last stretch on Mass. Ave reaching Wisc. Ave was brutal! I tried to distract myself with the Embassies, but eventually I hit my wall on my last 200 ft of that hill. Fortunately, the bit that followed was mostly downhill and I got to class just in time for my last quiz. Here’s a Google Mapping of my route there and back. You’ll see I made a detour to the river on the way down.. I met up with my brother for lunch.

View Larger Map

Total Distance: 17.8 miles    Total Time: 2.5 hrs

So what may an aspiring Georgetown Law student retain from all this?

1) Train Progressively – Taking an LSAT prep course, interships, paralegal/legal assistance jobs are your training. Researching, analyzing your timetable, committing, setting a schedule, developing a new lifestyle, doing exercises, doing more research, pushing your ceiling or “Wall” further back with every excercise, and so on.. up until the day of the “race”.

2) Don’t Overdo It – Don’t swamp yourself with so much work that you become counterproductive.

3) Research - Don’t just jump into a:  law field, law firm, law school, or anything for that matter without investigating first. Knowing more than you need to know can’t hurt; not knowing enough can and will hurt.

4) Never Too Late – It’s never too late to get back into what you love, whether it’s law or music. Just make sure you know do your research beforehand to prepare accordingly.

5) You’re Your Own Worst Enemy – If you think you CAN’T do it… you’re probably right. If you think you CAN do it… ‘nough said. So KNOW you WILL do it. From that point on it’s just a matter reaching the finish line.

Feel free to share your interpretations…

The district courts in the federal court system have original jurisdiction of actions involving a “federal question” (such as breach of a federal statute or regulation or a violation of the provisions of the Constitution of the United State) and of all criminal actions where the defendant is charged with a federal crime (a crime defined by Act of Congress). Some examples of federal questions or issues are admiralty, maritime, or prize cases; poor bankruptcy proceedings; interstate commerce and antitrust suits; patent, copyright, trademarks, and unfair competition lawsuits under federal acts; civil rights cases based on federal statutes or the Constitution of the United States; and those claims arising out of and under the federal labor acts.

Special federal courts are courts of “limited jurisdiciton’ and as a general proposition of law you must spell out, with statutory specificity, the authority of the court to hear the matter. These courts were created by federal statute.

Note: Failure to state and prove facts establishing jurisdiction may subject your claim to an automatic rejection at any given point of the proceeding up to and including the appellate hearing. As the legal assistant, therefore, you should read the United States Code, Title 28, Sections 1331 and 1332 and the citations for special federal courts. These U.S. Code sections set forth the conditions under which a case can be filed in federal courts and are the statutory authority giving the federal court jurisdiction to hear and determine the claim. See the annotated statutes to find cases interpreting the Act, such as 28 U.S.C.A 1331 and 1332.

Paralegal Practice and Procedure: A Practical Guide for the Legal Assitant, 3rd Edition

United States Code Title 28

Section 1331 – Federal question

      The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of all civil
    actions arising under the Constitution, laws, or treaties of the
    United States.

Section 1332 – Diversity of citizenship; amount in controversy; costs

  (a) The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of all
    civil actions where the matter in controversy exceeds the sum or
    value of $75,000, exclusive of interest and costs, and is between -

        (1) citizens of different States;
        (2) citizens of a State and citizens or subjects of a foreign
      state;
        (3) citizens of different States and in which citizens or
      subjects of a foreign state are additional parties; and
        (4) a foreign state, defined in section 1603(a) of this title,
      as plaintiff and citizens of a State or of different States.

    For the purposes of this section, section 1335, and section 1441,
    an alien admitted to the United States for permanent residence
    shall be deemed a citizen of the State in which such alien is
    domiciled.
      (b) Except when express provision therefor is otherwise made in a
    statute of the United States, where the plaintiff who files the
    case originally in the Federal courts is finally adjudged to be
    entitled to recover less than the sum or value of $75,000, computed
    without regard to any setoff or counterclaim to which the defendant
    may be adjudged to be entitled, and exclusive of interest and
    costs, the district court may deny costs to the plaintiff and, in
    addition, may impose costs on the plaintiff.
      (c) For the purposes of this section and section 1441 of this
    title -
        (1) a corporation shall be deemed to be a citizen of any State
      by which it has been incorporated and of the State where it has
      its principal place of business, except that in any direct action
      against the insurer of a policy or contract of liability
      insurance, whether incorporated or unincorporated, to which
      action the insured is not joined as a party-defendant, such
      insurer shall be deemed a citizen of the State of which the
      insured is a citizen, as well as of any State by which the
      insurer has been incorporated and of the State where it has its
      principal place of business; and
        (2) the legal representative of the estate of a decedent shall
      be deemed to be a citizen only of the same State as the decedent,
      and the legal representative of an infant or incompetent shall be
      deemed to be a citizen only of the same State as the infant or
      incompetent.

      (d) The word "States", as used in this section, includes the
    Territories, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of
    Puerto Rico.

General Paralegal Duties

• Conduct interviews with clients to gather background information.
• Draft pleadings and documents.
• Organize and maintain files.
• Index or summarize documents or transcripts.
• Prepare clients for court hearings.
• Update and maintain library materials.
• Review legal periodicals and materials relevant to particular areas of law.
• Maintain calendar or tickler system.
• Be responsible for office administration or personnel.
• Conduct legal research, including procedural, administrative and case law research.

Bankruptcy Paralegal Duties

• Interview client to obtain information for filing petition and schedules.
• Confirm amounts owed to creditors and verify dates incurred.
• Identify secured and unsecured claims of creditors.
• Draft and file petitions, schedules and proofs of claim.
• Obtain case information from United States Bankruptcy Court Clerk.
• Check UCC filings, real property records and taxes owed.
• Identify exempt property.
• Maintain contact with client/debtor and verify compliance with instructions to debtors.
• Draft, serve and file complaints in adversary proceedings.
• Correspondence with creditors, creditors’ committee chair, creditors’ committee attorney, trustee and client.
• Prepare applications and orders including enforcement of stay, restraining sales, reinstatement of utility service, venue, avoiding liens, approving reaffirmation or redemption and abandonment.
• Prepare prefiling letters to creditors.
• Draft and file applications and orders to employ professional persons.
• Prepare motion to allow claim or objection to claim.
• Draft and file attorneys’ fee applications.
• Attend Section 341(a) meetings and Chapter 13 Plan confirmation hearing.
• Maintain log to check off discharge and status of bankruptcy.

Business / Corporate Paralegal Duties

• Check availability and reserve corporate name.
• Draft and file articles of incorporation.
• Complete and file qualification of foreign corporations.
• Draft certifications of authority for foreign corporation.
• Obtain good standing certificates from Secretary of State.
• Draft bylaws, notices and minutes or consents for organization meeting.
• Draft subscription agreements, stock certificates, investment letters and banking resolutions.
• Draft shareholder agreements, buy-sell agreements, employment agreements and stock option plans.
• Complete and file any assumed name certificates.
• Draft and file certificates of designation for preferred stock issuance.
• Complete and file election by small business corporation and subsequent shareholder’s consents to such election.
• Complete and file application for employer identification number, workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and employer withholding tax registration.
• Complete and file application for appropriate licenses to operate specific businesses, trade name applications, copyright applications and financing statements.
• Order minute book, stock book and seal.
• Draft and file application for proper licensing when forming professional or special purpose corporation.
• Draft response to auditors’ information request, prepare for audit.
• Complete reporting and compliance requirements for multi-sate corporations including qualifying corporation under state law.
• Secure licenses and permits, e.g., liquor, sales tax, health department and building permits.
• Complete change of agent/address forms.
• Prepare and file annual reports.
• Maintain a tickler system for annual meetings, payments of bonuses to offices, contribution to pension and profit-sharing plans, exercise of stock options and filing of annual reports.
• Draft notices, proxies, affidavits of mailing, agenda, ballots and oaths of judges of election, for annual meeting.
• Draft shareholders, and directors’ minutes.
• Draft written consents in lieu of meetings.
• Draft plans and/or resolutions of liquidation or dissolution including required state forms to effect dissolution.
• Draft articles of merger and plan of merger.
• Draft closing checklists and closing memoranda.
• Assist in closing, managing assembly and execution of documents.
• Prepare closing files and bound volumes.
• prepare and file financing statements, UCC agreements or amendments.
• Obtain consents to assignments, releases, and signatures on consent resolutions.
• Draft articles of dissolution.
• Conduct due diligence investigation.
• Compile and index documents in corporate transactions.
• Draft partnership agreements including non-competition assignment of interests, and approval of substituted partner.
• Draft certificates of limited partnership.
• Draft and file trade name documents.
• Draft amendments to partnership agreements, certificates of amendment to certificates of limited partnership and amended trade name documents. Draft certificates or cancellation of certificates of limited partnership, trade name withdrawals.
• Draft business organization federal and state tax returns.

Foreclosure Paralegal Duties

• Order foreclosure report and review with respect to priority of lien holders and parties to be served.
• Locate addresses of parties to be served, draft foreclosure complaint and arrange service.
• Draft motion, order of default, judgment and decree of foreclosure.
• Draft motion and supporting documents for summary judgment.
• Draft subpoenas, notices of deposition, requests for production and prepare for trial if necessary.
• Draft pre-sale documents to begin execution including writ of execution and Draft Bid Sheet for sale.
• Draft post-sale documents including motion confirming sale, directing sheriff to execute deed and writ of assistance. Draft deed in lieu of foreclosure.
• Draft appointment of successor trustee, notice of default and election to sell, and trustee’s notice of sale.
• Set sale date and docket statutory deadlines to be met.
• Record notice of default and appointment of successor trustee.
• Prepare, serve and arrange publication of trustee’s notice of sale on grantors, occupants, and subsequent lien creditors.
• Record all proofs of service, affidavits of mailing and publication prior to sale.
• Check for federal tax liens 30 days prior to sale and prepare and serve IRS with notice of nonjudicial sale if necessary.
• Prepare memorandum of amount due on sale.
• Prepare trustee’s deed, certificate of non-military service, and post-sale memorandum. Record deed and certificate.
• Appear at time and place set for sale to postpone sale.
• Draft and record trustee’s deed after sale.
• Take possession, satisfy and transmit promissory note and origianl trust deed to trustee.

Intellectual Property Paralegal Duties

• Prepare patent and/or trademark status summary reports.
• Docket and/or maintain docket system for due dates for responses, renewals, oppositions, Sections 8 and 15 filings, use affidavits and working requirements.
• Docket and/or maintain docket system for payment of patent annuities in foreign countries.
• Conduct patent/trademark searches.
• Conduct online computer informations searches of technical literature for patent/trademarks.
• Draft trademark registration application, renewal application and registered user agreements.
• Draft power of attorney.
• Draft copyright applications.
• Research procedural matters, case law, and unfair competition matters.
• Conduct factual investigation using magazines and trade publications.
• Conduct prior art search.
• Conduct patent/trademark searches.
• Assist in opposition, interference, infringement and related proceedings.
• Arrange for visual aids/models/mock-ups for trial use.
• Maintain files of new products and invention development.
• Review patent filings with engineers.
• Draft licenses/agreements regarding proprietary information/technology.

Real Property Paralegal Duties

• Draft subdivision, condominium and timeshare registrations for in-sate and out-of-state registrations.
• Draft registrations of recreational subdivisions for federal registrations.
• Organizae recording procedures for large-sacle recordingand prepare draft of opinion letters.
• Prepare transaction books.
• Perform financial calculations (amortization, present and future value, discounting, APR).
• Maintain current records regarding CPI, APR, Federal Reserve rate and residential/commercial interest rates.
• Draft Truth-in-Lending Disclosure statemtns.
• Draft and review permits.
• Draft and review easements.
• Review surveys and run out legal decriptions to calculate acreage/square footage, locate easements and determine acuary and adequacy of descriptions.
• Draft trust, warranty, bargain and sale and other deeds.
• Draft notes, mortgages and contracts of sale.
• Draft leases, assignments, extensions, amendments.
• Draft purchase and sale agreements, letters of intent, earnest money agreements and addenda.
• Draft UCC filing, continuations, amendments, extensions, and terminations.
• Draft security agreements.
• Order and review title reports including review of underlying encumbrances and exceptions and endorsement requests.
• Draft escrow instructions and preliminary closing statements.
• Review closing statements and documents prepared by escrow officer.
• Review loan pay off documentation and coordinate disbursement of loan proceeds.
• Prepare closing memoranda and organize/manage complex closings.
• Analyze conveyance, security and lease documents.
• Review BLM and county records to determine validity of hard rock mineral claims.
• Review and analyze abstracts of title and chain of title to draft title opinions.
• Obtain lien waivers and certificates of completion for new construction.
• Check and review zoning and comprehensive plan designations; obtain letters on designation as closing requirement.
• Obtain and analyze appraisal information based on market, income and cost approaches.
• Obtain cancelled note, deed of trust, releases and recorded original documents.
• Review title policy, insurance policy, closing statement and other closing documents after closing and request corrections/revisions.
• Perform/order UCC and litigation searches at county or state level.
• Obtain real and personal property tax information for proration and in preparation for appeals to Board of Equalization and Department of Revenue.
• Research state laws relating to conveyancing, recording and financial statements.
• Maintain current zoning ordinances, comprehensive plans, real estate-related form file, and computer databases.
• Research county records to develop abstracts of title.

Securities/Municipal Bonds Paralegal Duties

• Draft registration statements, prospectus offering memoranda and amendments.
• Organize filing of registration statement including coordinating with printer, assembling appropriate copies and preparing transmittal letters.
• Monitor distribution of offering memoranda.
• Draft 1934 Act reports
• Draft questionnaire for officers, directors and principal shareholders.
• Draft promissory notes, underwriting agreements, trust indentures and bond purchase agreements.
• obtain CVSIP number, NASDAQ, Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s Securities Manual listings.
• Draft Blue Sky memoranda and applications for exemption.
• Draft legal investment survey.
• Draft Blue Sky registration.
• Draft and file applications for registration including uniform consent to service of process, powers of attorney, and uniform form of corporate resolutions.
• Notify state securities administrators of SEC effectiveness.
• Draft and file dealer and/or salesmen registration documents.
• Perfect securities or dealer exemptions.
• Research and prepare documents for after-market trading exemptions.
• Draft and file documents for registering broker/dealers and/or salesmen with NASD, SEC and state securities commissions.
• Draft and file documents for renewing or withdrawing the registration of broker/dealers with salesmen.
• Qualify dealer corporations  where applicable.
• Draft portions of Forms 3, 4, 8, 8-K, 10, 10-K, 10-Q, 13D and 13G.
• Prepare drafts of proxy and proxy statements.
• Prepare “inside trading” precautionary memo to employees.
• Prepare stock exchange listing application.
• Draft and file Form 144 and related documentation.
• Draft exhibits to private placement memorandum including offeree questionnaire and subscription Agreement.
• Prepare and file notice of sale of securities.
• Prepare and file for tax shelter registration numbers.
• Draft lease agreement, loan agreement, agreement of sale, facilities financing agreement ordinance or contracts.
• Draft indenture.
• Draft security agreements (deed, guaranty, mortgages).
• Review bond purchase agreement or underwriting agreement.
• Draft summaries of documents for use in preparing preliminary official statement and official statement.
• Coordinate with underwriter the accuracy of the statements.
• Finalize basic documents and distribute for execution.
• Draft petition and complaint, notice to the public, notice to the district attorney, rule nisi, answers and validation order.
• Draft necessary resolutions authorizing the issuance of the bonds.
• Calculate debt borrowing base, debt service for financing bond issue refunding studies and conventional mortgage payout schedules.
• Send bond form to printer.
• Proof first gallery of the bonds and check manufacturing schedule, coupon amounts and CVSIP numbers.
• Check bonds at time of closing and read bond numbered 1.
• Draft closing papers for issuer including authorizing resolutions, authentication order to trustee, incumbency certificate, nonarbitrage certificates and CVSIP numbers.
• Draft company authorizing resolutions and officers’ certificates.
• Prepare tax election (if applicable) and arrange for appropriate filing.
• Draft recording certificate.
• Draft financing statements.
• Attend closing, checking all certificates and opinion, insurance policies, legal descriptions.
• Compile the closing transcript.

CONSUMER FIREWORKS

Specifically Permitted Toy paper caps containing not more than 0.25 grain of explosive composition per cap, sparklers less than 20”in length, torches, box fire, fountains, cones, dip sticks, non-poisonous snakes, novelties, and colored lights.

Specifically Prohibited Firecrackers of any kind of description. Any fireworks that explode, (cherry bombs, salutes, roman candles, floral shells, artillery shells,) or intended to move after the piece is placed and fires (bottle rockets, parachutes, buzz bombs, pinwheels, helicopters, jumping jacks.) Sparklers more than 20” in length that contain dangerous chemicals, or any highly oxidizing agent. Fireworks having a side fuse, or a fuse inserted at any point along the length of the firework, and any firework found by the Fire Chief to be dangerous to the safety of any person or property.

DISPLAY FIREWORKS

Display Permit Must be approved by the Fire Chief, Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness, Corporation Counsel, and Director of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.
Insurance Required: $1,000,000 Min. to $3,000,000 Max.
Operator License specifically required in city law.

MANUFACTURE, STORAGE, TRANSPORTATION

Apply to Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs for storage permit. Manufacture and storage of banned fireworks prohibited.

LICENSING

Apply to Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs for wholesaler or retail license. Minimum age for wholesale license 21 years.

ENFORCING AUTHORITY

Fire Marshal D.C. Fire Department Fire Prevention Division
441 4th Street, NW, Suite 370-N
Washington, DC 20001 202-727-1614

LAW NUMBER

Title 7, Chapter 10, Section 101
BOCA 1996

provided by: www.fireworks.com

I landed in DC at the end of May setting foot on the path to Georgetown Law with a 2.4 GPA and 0 experience under my Urban Outfitters belt, however long the path may be. I went from Marketing to Law, Miami to DC, from social media entrepreneur to aspiring law student – all within a single month. A  month ago I didn’t know you could master a law degree. Pathetic!! Maybe that’s where you are. Maybe you’re in your last year of law school. And maybe you’re a well-established lawyer that stumbled onto this site. If your hiring… shoot me an email (if you need a paralegal in about 10 weeks). Regardless of your current situation, you’ll find something of interest here (if I do my job right).

I’ve been doing some research since I moved here and determined 3 things:

1) I want to go to Georgetown Law (Harvard/Yale Education + Washington, DC = #1 Law School)

2) That’s never going to happen (2.4 gpa, zero experience).

3) I’m going to make it happen (no matter what).

Once I had all that out of the way I thought of #3 long and hard and made list of  things I need to be considered for Georgetown Law:

1) Amazing LSAT – 99th percentile (172 – 180)

Georgetown – Entering Class Stats

The JD class entering in Fall 2008 represented 218 colleges and universities and 45 states, as well as 23 foreign countries. Of the students matriculating, 49% were women and 29% were minority students.

2008 Entering Class Student Profile

2) Experience – Internships, Legal Assistant, Paralegal

Having ZERO experience as a paralegal, and little administrative experience getting some kind of experience was dire, especially in this economy. So I googled “DC Paralegal” to get the broadest search results with the highest ranked and most relevant sites and found The Paralegal Institute of Washington, D.C. ranked 2nd after Craigslist.

3) Money – Loan + Job

Georgetown Tuition

Tuition for the 2008-2009 academic year is $42,065. for full-time JD students, $1,545. per credit hour for part-time students.

4) Active in Law Community – Networking

I looked up national and local bar associations, and registered as an associate – you don’t have to be a lawyer, or law student to register. Law students get the biggest discounts usually around $20 bucks or so. I found the Hispanic National Bar Association and the Hispanic Bar Association of D.C.

5)Networking – Meet with Everyone!!!

I am fortunate enough to have a brother working on the USS Sequoia Presidential Yacht.  Aside from the obvious benefits of working as a part-time employee for the yacht, they recently had the Georgetown deans and senior staff members on board as part of a retreat. I talked with the owner of the boat to make sure I was on board and off the clock during the event. I mingled and shook hands with the administrators making sure I at least walked away with 1 business card. But I had my eye fixed on the dean, who was probably wondering what I was doing there ’cause I wasn’t with Georgetown and I wasn’t working for the Yacht with a drink in my hand. At the end of the trip I “stirred” up the liquid courage to be introduced to Alexander Aleinikoff, dean of Georgetown Law. Dean Alex was exiting the yacht when we got a hold of him. I was quickly introduced as an employee of the Sequoia and an aspiring Georgetown Law student. He looked at me and it was like the spotlight was on – so I gave him the most nerve racking 15 second pitch on how much I love Georgetown and how meeting everyone reinforced my decision. He wished me luck with that, looked down at my mimosa and commented through his smirk “So they let employees drink on the boat”? Taken by surprise, I said as quippy as possible “I’m in charge of quality control”. He laughed… and I masked my sigh of relief with a lol.

6) Law 2.0 – Social Media

Twitter, LinkedIn, blawgazeen, etc…

7) Do something AWE-inspiring – aka Divine Intervention

to be continued…