Apologies!
I'm so sorry that I haven't posted in so long. I hope someone even still checks it. For those of you who have checked in on me, thank you. There is absolutely nothing wrong, no worries. A confluence of events have conspired to tie up most of my time lately.
First, my laptop's hard drive got fried by a virus, and it took me a week to get it replaced and up to speed.
The last few weeks have been eventful for the Kennedy household. Mr. Kennedy began his new job for in a food manufacturing facility on the South Side. He is in charge of a production line; however, it's a little different than a regular food line. The line produces only kosher foods. MR. Kennedy has to work with an in-house rabbi, who makes sure that the production techniques comply with Jewish rules, and who blesses the line. Apparently kosher foods are very popular, even for people who do not keep kosher as a religious principle.
As a result of Mr. Kennedy's new job, we have the opportunity to move into the city. We are currently preparing the house to be sold. Getting a house ready to show is such hard work, both getting it into perfect shape and then keeping it that way. We plan to put it on the market after Memorial Day. As soon as we catch our breath, we'll start looking for a new place. We're thinking that we'd like to live in the new area south of the Loop.
A couple weeks ago, the pro bono coordinator at work asked me if I'd take on the case of a young mother who needed an order of protection and to settle a custody dispute. It guaranteed that I'd get to go to court, which never happens for junior associates at large firms.
Like the saying goes, this good deed has not gone unpunished. I met with the client, and it turns out that this case has been raging for three years, and has a huge binder of filings to go with it. It took me three days straight to get up to speed on what has gone on. She had an emergency order of protection, and needed me to obtain for her a permanent order of protection. I only had a week to get up to speed on the case and prepare for the order of protection hearing, which would be my first-ever appearance in court. I was so nervous, and as a result my band was so tight, that I could only keep down liquids for three days prior to the hearing.
I'm so glad I didn't know in advance how bad the hearing would truly be. Hearings for orders of protection are usually informal, fairly brief proceedings. Not this hearing. Not including recesses, I argued in that hearing for five hours. The other attorney objected constantly as I examined my witnesses, and I rarely won. The defendant, a felon out on parole, had been arrested again after his parole officer found five weapons in his house. The defendant had threatened my client with a particular handgun, and the cops had recovered the ammunition for that gun but not the gun itself. However, when I attempted to bring up anything about the gun arrest, the judge ruled that it was inadmissible because it was irrelevant. Well, that was the basis for the whole petition, so I really had to scramble then.
It was a brutal experience, but I'm very glad I did it. The judge is clearly sick of my client and the defendant. The judge mumbled so unintelligibly that I couldn't hear him even when I was standing two feet in front of him. He never made eye contact with anyone, so no one even knew who he was mumbling at. I don't think I'll be presented with more difficult circumstances too many times in my life, although I'll certainly face less favorable facts to work with. Despite its unpleasantness, I'm very glad I did it and got it out of the way. I have to go back this Friday to ask for a continuance, and then in June I'll have to argue both a petition for the defendant to pay the legal bills my client has racked up and argue against the defendant's motion to reconsider the judgment. I'll be a seasoned pro by fall.
This week was tough, too, because I had two response briefs due today. I got them both filed by 2:00 and went home to rest.
When I last posted, I noted that I joined a beginner's league. I've had a few games since then. All the other players have been playing for at least a year, so I get my butt kicked all the time, but at least I'm forced to get in a game a week so I'll get better. Of course, during my first match I got cracked right in the eye with the ball and got a shiner, just in time for my first meeting with my new client. But it's fun and I'm sticking with it. I've got a match tonight.
First, my laptop's hard drive got fried by a virus, and it took me a week to get it replaced and up to speed.
The last few weeks have been eventful for the Kennedy household. Mr. Kennedy began his new job for in a food manufacturing facility on the South Side. He is in charge of a production line; however, it's a little different than a regular food line. The line produces only kosher foods. MR. Kennedy has to work with an in-house rabbi, who makes sure that the production techniques comply with Jewish rules, and who blesses the line. Apparently kosher foods are very popular, even for people who do not keep kosher as a religious principle.
As a result of Mr. Kennedy's new job, we have the opportunity to move into the city. We are currently preparing the house to be sold. Getting a house ready to show is such hard work, both getting it into perfect shape and then keeping it that way. We plan to put it on the market after Memorial Day. As soon as we catch our breath, we'll start looking for a new place. We're thinking that we'd like to live in the new area south of the Loop.
A couple weeks ago, the pro bono coordinator at work asked me if I'd take on the case of a young mother who needed an order of protection and to settle a custody dispute. It guaranteed that I'd get to go to court, which never happens for junior associates at large firms.
Like the saying goes, this good deed has not gone unpunished. I met with the client, and it turns out that this case has been raging for three years, and has a huge binder of filings to go with it. It took me three days straight to get up to speed on what has gone on. She had an emergency order of protection, and needed me to obtain for her a permanent order of protection. I only had a week to get up to speed on the case and prepare for the order of protection hearing, which would be my first-ever appearance in court. I was so nervous, and as a result my band was so tight, that I could only keep down liquids for three days prior to the hearing.
I'm so glad I didn't know in advance how bad the hearing would truly be. Hearings for orders of protection are usually informal, fairly brief proceedings. Not this hearing. Not including recesses, I argued in that hearing for five hours. The other attorney objected constantly as I examined my witnesses, and I rarely won. The defendant, a felon out on parole, had been arrested again after his parole officer found five weapons in his house. The defendant had threatened my client with a particular handgun, and the cops had recovered the ammunition for that gun but not the gun itself. However, when I attempted to bring up anything about the gun arrest, the judge ruled that it was inadmissible because it was irrelevant. Well, that was the basis for the whole petition, so I really had to scramble then.
It was a brutal experience, but I'm very glad I did it. The judge is clearly sick of my client and the defendant. The judge mumbled so unintelligibly that I couldn't hear him even when I was standing two feet in front of him. He never made eye contact with anyone, so no one even knew who he was mumbling at. I don't think I'll be presented with more difficult circumstances too many times in my life, although I'll certainly face less favorable facts to work with. Despite its unpleasantness, I'm very glad I did it and got it out of the way. I have to go back this Friday to ask for a continuance, and then in June I'll have to argue both a petition for the defendant to pay the legal bills my client has racked up and argue against the defendant's motion to reconsider the judgment. I'll be a seasoned pro by fall.
This week was tough, too, because I had two response briefs due today. I got them both filed by 2:00 and went home to rest.
When I last posted, I noted that I joined a beginner's league. I've had a few games since then. All the other players have been playing for at least a year, so I get my butt kicked all the time, but at least I'm forced to get in a game a week so I'll get better. Of course, during my first match I got cracked right in the eye with the ball and got a shiner, just in time for my first meeting with my new client. But it's fun and I'm sticking with it. I've got a match tonight.
posted by Sarah Kennedy | 2:27 PM
2 Comments:
Glad to see you back! I know it's stressful, but your job sounds so fun :) I always wanted to go to law school, but never did. I love hearing about it!
#1 YEA, YOU'RE BACK!!!!!! And #2, bless you for taking that pro-bono case! I have spent a lot of time working with domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers and those are some of the hardest cases that come before the court. The lawyers that work on those cases are angels!
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