Interview 4 Reflection

Well, this was my last interview of this project and it has finally come and gone!

Here is my Interview 4 audio.

Here is my Interview 4 transcript.

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?  


The most important thing I learned from this interview was the fact that attorneys used motions as a form to rack up fees and incorrectly represent their client at an economic level. It was also surprising that it is seen as a form of protection for the client. 

2.  How will what I learned affect my final lesson?

From what I have learned from this interview, I feel I will include the part about the attorneys and motions. This does slightly affect how I will talk about motions. I thought they were a good answer to ending trials, but not at the expense that the client will be run dry of their money because of it. 

Blog 20 - Fourth Interview Questions

Well, it's the last interview and I think I'm getting better at this "interviewing" thing.

1.  Who do you plan to interview?  What is this person's area of expertise?

I plan to interview my mentor again as I feel he is the best fit to help me find more information on my final three answers to my essential question. As previously mentioned in my Blog 2, "He is great at what he does. He completed his undergraduate studies at Azusa Pacific University and received a Juris Doctor at the College of Law at the University of La Verne. He specializes in conservatorships, guardianships, and civil and business litigation. He is frequently appointed by the court to advise and serve as a PVP in cases concerning conservatorships and guardianships.  He also has conducted several seminars on Special Needs Trusts for the mentally disabled and has drafted many (and I mean many) such Trusts. Aside from this, he has been an instructor of Business Law at Citrus College."

2.  Post 20 open-ended questions you want to ask an expert in the field concerning your senior project. Your focus should be finding answers to your EQ.

1. What information should a client know and understand before going to trial?  
2. How do you explain to your client about the alternatives to trial?
3. How many times, on average, is your client's case settled prior to going to trial?
4. How would one go about informing the public of alternatives to going to trials, such as mediation and arbitration? 
5. Would you say that alternative dispute resolutions are an effective form of avoiding trial? Why or why not?
6. How do you prepare for mediation?
7. How do you prepare for arbitration?
8. Do you feel that arbitration is more effective than mediation or vice versa and why?
9. Do you normally write up pre-trial motions for the trials you deal with?
10. How do you normally describe pre-trial motions, or motions in general, to your clients?
11. How do you go about preparing for submitting a pre-trial motion?
12. Would you say that pre-trial motions are effective most of the time in avoiding a trial? Why or why not?
13. Would you consider pre-trial motions as a good way to settling a case quicker and why or why not?
14. Would you say that a good relationship with a client and their attorney is key when going through a civil procedure? Why or why not? 
15. How would you describe the "perfect" or at least "ideal" relationship between an attorney and their client?
16. Would you agree that a good relationship with the opposing counsel will help for an easier settlement? Why or why not?
17. How many times, on average, would you say you get along with your opposing counsel?
18. How would you describe the ideal relationship between opposing counsels?
19. Are good relationships within the law community an advantage when proceeding to trial? Why or why not?
20. Based on the questions that I have given, what do you believe is the most effective way of avoiding a trial?

Blog 17 - Interview 3 Reflection

Interview 3 Audio:

https://soundcloud.com/karla-milicich/interview-3

Interview 3 Transcript:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bJFKVyjKHcuh3CCdFC91NGGHqFlJwNAFy0oqaYTyrCQ/edit?usp=sharing

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?  

The mot important thing I learned from my interview was that the alternative dispute resolutions seem to be the best forms of avoiding a trial or reaching an immediate settlement. 

2.  How has your approach to interviewing changed over the course of your senior project?

My approach to interviewing has changed over the course of my senior project in the sense that I feel more comfortable talking with those I interview. I also know now what questions to ask and how to get the best answer possible. By this I mean that I try to word the question as best I can to get the best answer. 

Blog 14: Interview 3 Preparation

It's Interview 3 already!?! Wow, time flies fast!

1.  Who do you plan to interview?  What is this person's area of expertise?

I plan to interview a paralegal at my mentor's law firm. This person specializes in assisting attorneys with legal cases that go to trial. She normally helps my mentor prepare for trials, contact clients on their behalf, file and send important documents, and with any other matters concerning cases or in a law firm. 

2.  Verify that you have called your interviewee to schedule an interview.  What is the date and time of the interview? 

I plan to interview my interviewee in two weeks.

3.  Phrase an open-ended question that will help you find research resources that would help to answer the EQ.

What do you think a client needs to know when their attorney is trying to avoid a case from going to trial?

What information should a client know and understand before going to trial?  

4.  Phrase an open-ended question that will help you think about other useful activities you might do to help you answer the EQ (IC2, possible experts to talk to, etc).

How would one go about informing the public of alternatives to going to trial, such as mediation and arbitration? 

Who do you believe I should interview in regards to avoiding trials? 

5.  Phrase two open-ended questions that help you to understand your interviewee's perspective on an aspect of your EQ. 

Would you say that pre-trial motions are effective most of the time in avoiding a trial? Why or why not?

What do you believe is the most effective way in avoiding a trial?

Blog 10 - Interview 2 Reflection

Interviewing my Mentor

Here is a link to the Interview 2 Audio: 

https://soundcloud.com/karla-milicich/interview-2

Here is a link to the Interview 2 Transcript:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/17cv7VnQcwgXuJxyfPMm73YRcZVhygj6AyH2kiDDexMY/edit?usp=sharing

1. Please explain how you are spending your mentorship time (Is it at a workplace or somewhere else?  Are you shadowing?  Are you able to do tasks that are meaningfully related to the topic?  If so, what?  Are there other people who are experts in the location?  Etc...)

I am spending my mentorship time doing tasks for my mentor that pertain to some of his cases or cases that other attorneys in the firm are working for. Some of what I do is write deposition summaries, make copies, fill out subpoenas, and organize case files. There are other experts in the law firm. There are four other attorneys in the law firm, however one three are work for Driskell & Gordon. The other attorney works for his own practice. He has three assistants. The law firm also has two paralegals and myself. My mentor introduces me as his assistant.

2.  How did you find your mentor?  How did you convince this person to help you?  

My mentor is my sister's boyfriend's uncle. I had met him once before at one of their family reunions and when I was looking for a mentor, I thought I might as well ask my sister if he could help me out and become my mentor. He said he would help me out, and I've been mentoring with him ever since. 

3. How would you rate your comfort level with your mentor at this point in your relationship?  How does this relate to the time you've spent so far at mentorship/with this person?

From a scale of one to ten, I would rate my comfort level with my mentor at an 8 at this point in our relationship. I've gotten really close to my mentor and I sometimes call him Uncle Jack. He is a really neat person and I have enjoyed mentoring with him. He is a very respected individual and very professional. If ever I had any legal issues in his expertise, I would not hesitate to contact him. 

4. What went well in this interview?  Why do you think so?  What do you still need to improve?  How do you know?  How will you go about it?

This interview started off well. My mentor likes to talk in detail so I know I learn a lot from what he said in this interview. I do however feel awful that during the last few minutes, my parents had been calling me non-stop and it did affect the audio. Aside from this, the interview did go well. Next time, I will make sure to contact my parents beforehand and let them know that I'm going to be in an interview. 

I have also become more certain about my questions and a bit more confident with asking them. I try to speak clearly and ask my questions accordingly, trying to make it seem like a casual conversation. I do still have to work on the way I phrase somethings, but other than that I am doing alright.

Blog 7-Second Interview Preparation

It's time for my second interview and this time, I'm going to interview my mentor! 

Can't wait!

1.  Who is your mentor and where do they work?  If their workplace does not reflect their expertise, what makes them an expert?

My mentor is Mr. John L. Gordon and he works at a law firm that he helped co-found named Driskell & Gordon. 

2.  What five questions will you ask them about their background?

1. What interested you in pursuing a career in law?
2. What were your goals prior to becoming a lawyer?
• Do you believe you have now accomplished those goals? 
3. Now that you have been a lawyer for some time, is there something else you would like to pursue in the field of law? Why?
4. What are some examples of your involvement in the law community, such as seminars, teaching classes, writing books, etc.?
5. Do you feel that if you could go back in time to when you first started law school, knowing what you do now, would you have still entered law school and saw it until the very end? Why? 

***Additional questions to ponder:

1. Where did you complete your undergrad? 
• What did you major in? 
• Looking back now at what you have done and knowing what you do now, would you have changed your major? 
2. What Law School did you go to? How long were you there?
• Did you enjoy studying there? Why or why not?
3. Would you recommend either school? Why or why not?
4. How did you come to the decision of starting up a law firm?

Blog 5-Interview 1 Reflection

"From a trickle to a roar!"
This has been the first interview and one of the first stages of the senior project. The first stage has begun with a trickle, literally! The rain we saw this week will only be the first in many more to come--hopefully. Of course, now we wait for the second stage and eventually...the roar. 

For the audio file of Interview 1: 
            https://soundcloud.com/karla-milicich/interview-1

For the transcript of Interview 1:
             https://docs.google.com/document/d/1soLpFMqsRItBR6yh0y2U5DMXU_i_eHcto-bRec6kk_A/edit?usp=sharing

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?  Is there anything I would do differently for other interviews?

        The most important thing I learned from the interview is that English is very critical to an attorney's schooling and career. I am specifically referring to critical reading and critical thinking. Mr. Driskell, the person I interviewed, advised me to take English in college because of the advantages he saw that English majors had in law school. Lawyers need to be critical thinkers when it comes to cases; therefore, majoring in English may not be so bad. 

      There was one more important thing I learned that I must definitely change in my next interviews, and that is the fact that the first part of the interview include the asking of permission to record because, as I found out, if this is not done, you are committing a felony. I thought this was very important and should be something I should include in my next interviews. 

      I would also like to change how I asked the questions. I hope to ask more questions in the upcoming interviews and questions that really get into what I want to know. Of course, hopefully by then I will have decided on my essential question.  

2. Did I get additional resources and contacts?  What is the most useful?  Why?

     I did get additional resources for my research. Mr. Driskell had advised that I create a list of five to ten cases written by the best legal thinkers. This could serve as very helpful for my research of my senior topic and for narrowing down my essential question. 
     I was advised by Mr. Driskell to seek out lawyers from small firms that deal with defending insurance companies. I would like to look into this because my first interest for the senior project had been leaning towards this, but as I found out, Civil Litigation also included business law and personal injuries cases. I do know a personal injury attorney and plan to interview her for my next interview.
     I feel that the advise concerning the researching of the cases written by the best legal thinkers was the most useful because the information provided by those cases may give me an insight on what to decide for my essential question.

3. What makes my interviewee qualified to help me? 

      My interviewee was more than qualified to help me. He is the co-founder of the law firm in which I have my mentorship at. He has been a lawyer for more than thirty years and is well-known and liked in the legal community. He specializes in the areas of litigation, real estate, and business transactions. He has represented many large business clients, including airlines, shipping companies, and the oil industry. He graduated from Loyola Law School in 1976 and has been a lawyer ever since. 

For more information on Mr. Driskell visit: http://www.driskellgordon.com/?page_id=67

Blog 3 - First Interview Preparation

1.  Who do you plan to interview?  Why?

I plan to interview a attorney in the firm that I am mentoring at. I decided to not interview my mentor because I feel that I need someone else's perspective in regards to the type of questions that I am going to ask.

2.  Five questions will be assigned to all seniors to ask.  What additional questions do you plan to ask?  Ask open-ended questions. 

• What inspired you to become an attorney? or Why did you decide to become an attorney?
• What are your specialties?
• What kind of environment do you think should a law firm have?
• How should attorneys be towards their clients?
• What do you believe to be the most important factor to maintaining a good relationship with your clients?
• Have you ever had bad experiences concerning your relationship with a client? (You don't have to tell me the details of what happened. This could be a generalization and does not have to pertain to specific clients.)
• What, in your opinion, would lead to a fast and easy decision on a case?
• Would you say that a good relationship with the opposing counsel would be better for your case? Why?