Blog 8: Independent Component 1 Proposal

The scene this image was taken from was during a trial, hopefully that's enough to capture your attention!

What is my Independent Component 1 idea?  I would like my Independent Component 1 to revolve around a case that was supposed to go to trial, however it was settled before the trial date and therefore, did not go to trial. 

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

I had helped my mentor with preparation for the trial including being present at a deposition, writing a deposition summary, filling out court subpoenas, organizing the exhibits (evidence), and organizing the case file. I was supposed to take notes during the trial of how it was carried out, but instead I read through and took notes on a packet handed to me by my mentor by the LA Superior Court that explains the Joint Trial Statement. My mentor had also discussed with me how settlements are carried out. 

Of course, this was not enough for the requirement of 30 hours; therefore, I also wanted to include the Mock Trial we had in class as part of my independent component. I understand that whatever paper I filed or anything I worked on during the preparation and during the settlement of the case during my mentorship was confidential; therefore, I thought that anything I used during the preparation of and during the process of the Mock Trial, would be perfect for this Independent Component 1. Anything I had done during my mentorship could be applied to the Mock Trial. I came up with the idea of creating a case file for the Mock Trial and all the hours I did were documented on a spreadsheet that is linked on my blog. 

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

I have decided to create a spreadsheet in which I explain everything I did within the allotted time specified in each session I worked on the independent component. 

3.  Explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

I feel that research I will be doing alongside the Mock Trial will help me understand how trials are carried out, not necessarily that of civil, but of criminal. I was thinking of creating an essay identifying the differences between the preparations of both criminal and civil trials based on what I've experienced and the research I do to better understand my topic and how it differs from criminal litigation. 

4.  Update your Senior Project Hours log.

**Posted on Blog, under "Senior Project Hours"

PS: I would like to be advised any other ways of documentation, because I feel that spreadsheets explaining what I did on a day by day basis is not enough. I was possibly thinking of making a short film, maybe a minute or two long, demonstrating what one does during trial preparation. (However, I believe that this might be a good idea for a independent component 2.)

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 6-Advisory Prep

The senior project hasn't been so difficult, but now I've reached a bit of a bump in the road. Hopefully, I will be able to get over it soon.

1. What has worked well for you concerning senior project this year?  What has made it a positive experience for you?  

I feel that just the organization of how I have managed my time to go to mentorship was a step in the right direction. I also feel like the fact that my mentor was going to trial, conveniently in time during my mentorship with him will help towards my independent component. I feel that overall my mentorship has been a very positive experience for me because I am being exposed to so much information and experiences that I might not have been introduced to until I actually became a lawyer myself. I feel that this will help me in the long run and I really am enjoying this project.

2. What are you finding difficult concerning senior project?  How can you adapt to make that portion work better for you?  How might the senior team help?

What I have been finding quite difficult concerning my senior project is deciding on an essential question, which I haven't decided on yet. I also feel that it will be pretty difficult for me to create a second independent component. I feel that as I progress through this mentorship process, I will be able to narrow down my essential question. However, in terms of my second independent component, I might need a little bit more help and some creativity. I hope that the senior team might give me some examples of what previous students who had a topic similar to mine did in the past, just so I can get an idea of what I could do. 

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 4 - House Advisory Prep

 Write a short explanation of what you are hoping to accomplish through your senior project topic.  You will be sharing out on what you've written here with your house advisory and classmates on Friday, 9/11.

        Through my senior project topic, I hope to learn more about a career I hope to pursue in the near future. I want to learn all the basics of civil litigation and all types of legal proceedings that fall under this category. I wish to become a successful and trustworthy attorney and I feel that the ideas I have for my essential question will help me become this. I have yet  to decide on an essential question, but I have in mind several that pertain to having a good relationship with my clients, a good relationship with my opposing council, and creating a welcoming environment for my clients. 
         I feel that through my senior project I will have the opportunity to hone in on my presentation and reading comprehension skills because as an attorney, this is not only recommended, but a requisite. Of course, iPoly has already taught me how to present well in front of large crowds; however, there are still times where I become nervous. I hope that through my senior project, I will be able to get rid of those nerves and look more calm, confident, and collected when I present. I also wish to better my reading comprehension skills. Reading is part of becoming an attorney due to the amount of paperwork an attorney has to deal with. My mentor is already helping me with this, as I have been writing several deposition summaries for him and other attorneys at the law firm I've been mentoring at. 
        I have presented several goals that I wish to attain throughout the course of my senior project. These goals, I would like to say, are all specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time based. As you may have noticed, these are all mentioned in the image above. I have made SMART goals that I know I can achieve by the end of my senior project! 

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?

Blog 2 - Summer Mentorship

This is the law firm that I have been doing my mentorship at. My mentor is one of the owners of the establishment. If you look closely, you can see me walking to the entrance. 

1. List the contact name, phone number, and organization of the person with whom you volunteered.

    Mentor:               John L. Gordon

    Occupation:         Attorney

    Law Firm:           Driskell and Gordon -- Attorneys at Law

    Location:             180 N Glendora Ave.
                              Glendora, CA 91741

    Office Number:   (626) 914-7809

    For more information visit: http://www.driskellgordon.com/
 
2. What qualified this person as an expert in your topic choice?

   Mr. Gordon, I feel, is more than qualified to be my mentor. 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.

  My mentor is a respected individual and is well known in the Los Angeles County. He is known for his integrity and compassion. As aforementioned, he is great at what he does and I am glad I chose him as my mentor.

3. List three questions for further exploration now that you've completed your summer hours.

• What is the best possible way to create an inviting and hospitable environment for your clients?

• On the first day of my mentorship, my mentor shared with me that it is very important to be compassionate towards your clients because in many cases, they are dealing with outside problems that may not pertain to the matters at hand. He also told me that this is the very reason that when a client enters the door, the attorneys, secretary, and para legals try their best to make the clients feel welcome and have their meeting be quick and easy. 

• How does an attorney maintain a good relationship with their clients?

• For an attorney to excel in a case, he or she must have a good relationship with their clients. An important factor of a good relationship between attorney and client is communication. There may be instances where clients do not comply with what the attorneys advise them to do and in other instances, the attorney may be lazy and not do what is required of him or her.  

• What is the best way to maintain a good relationship with the opposing council in a case?

• My mentor is very-well known and is greeted by many attorneys at court. This is because in many instances the attorneys that greet him are attorneys that been on the opposing side, or council, of a case he had. He maintains good relationships with many of them and as I've witnessed, a good relationship with the opposing council ensures an easier and a more pleasant ending to a case. 

4. What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

   The most important thing that I have learned from this experience is that those who win cases are not those who are necessarily right, but those who can present the best and are the most convincing. My mentor and I had a talk one day about this. I feel that this was one of the most important things that he taught me and I feel that it essentially applies to everything in life, because the prettiest and the most appealing is what catches your eye. Unfortunately, in many cases, those who are right don't win and both the attorneys and clients have to deal with these things.

5. What is your senior project topic going to be? How did mentorship help you make your decision? Please explain.

    At first, I was keen on making my topic "business law" and I had many ideas, but as my mentorship began, I noticed that my mentor didn't get a lot of cases concerning business litigation. He received a lot of cases concerning civil litigation. I feel that if I change my topic to "civil litigation" (also known as civil disputes that do not include criminal action) I will have more information available because I will have more exposure to civil dispute cases than business litigation cases.

    I have decided to change my senior topic to "civil litigation".