Its almost that time again! What time you might ask? Time to plan your schedule for the Fall Semester! That is, unless you're graduating this semester, in which case this article will be of little use to you, though your opinion is greatly valued.

There is a philosophical divide among modern law students when it comes to selecting courses that (a) prepare you for practice in a particular field or (b) prepare you for a comprehensive state Bar examination.

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Many law students are unaware of the fact that they can attend CLE programs put on by the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) or other local bar association (Memphis Bar Association, Nashville Bar Association, etc.) for free as long as that person is a "law student" member of that bar. This is a great way to hear notable speakers talk about the current law in a field of law that you are interested in. It is also a great way to network with attorneys and other law school students that may also be attending.

Tennessee Bar Association (TBA)- Click here for CLE Calendar

Nashville Bar Association (NBA) - Click here for CLE Calendar

Memphis Bar Association (MBA)- Click here for CLE Calendar

Knoxville Bar Association (KBA)- Click here for CLE Calendar

**Some of the local bar associations allow for a law student member to attend a limited number of CLEs for free. Check with your local bar for more details**

As I mentioned in a previous post, the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE or “Ethics Bar”) is a two hour and five minute exam, consisting of sixty questions. Most states require it for admission to their bar. The passing requirements for most states fall between 70 and 85 (scaled score). The questions are developed by a NCBE (National Conference of Bar Examiners) drafting committee comprised of six professional responsibility experts. Fifty questions relate to fact patterns with multiple choice answers. They are based on the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct. Examinees are also expected to know "controlling constitutional decisions and generally accepted principles established in leading federal and state cases and in procedural and evidentiary rules." The remaining ten ask about the exam site and testing conditions. Test-takers have about two and a half minutes to complete each question.

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Click here to read about ongoing international litigation involving Eminem's song, "Cleanin' Out My Closet."  The article mentions some of the supposed differences between the copyright laws in Belgium and the United States.  A Belgian violinist filed this lawsuit relating to a 1968 composition that he claims was infringed by Eminem's song. 

I always figured Eminem was a "closet" classical music fan...(p.s. that was a joke).

The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE or “Ethics Bar”) is a two hour and five minute exam, consisting of sixty questions.  The questions are developed by a NCBE (National Conference of Bar Examiners) drafting committee comprised of six professional responsibility experts.  Most states require it for admission to their bar.  The passing requirements for most states fall between 70 and 86.  Thursday (02/14/2008) is your last opportunity to sign up for the March 8^th MPRE.  The cost?  $120.  Click here to register.  If time is not of the essence, you can sign up for the August 8^th exam and pay only $60, so long as you register by July 1^st.  To view all 2008 test dates and fee schedules, click here.

Stay tuned for a more descriptive overview of the MPRE, what the exam was like and what we did to prepare for it.

One of the rights accorded to the owner of copyright is the right to reproduce or to authorize others to reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords.  This right is subject to certain limitations found in sections 107 through 118 of the Copyright Act.  One of the more important limitations is the doctrine of “fair use.”

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Click here to read about a Title VII Retaliation case that originated in Nashville and has been granted certiorari to the Supreme Court of the United States.

The case is Crawford v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tenn., 06-1595.

Thanks to a law school buddy for passing the following story along to me...

Michael Ray, a prisoner in a facility near Columbia, South Carolina, has been locked up numerous times in the past for participating in all kinds of fraud and embezzlement schemes. Ray was quoted as stating, ""I just have a real problem with financial institutions, and I'm a self-proclaimed addicted gambler." Ray seems just like any other non-violent criminal, but what makes his story unique?

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Please take a moment to participate in the discussion thread titled "Law School and Beyond" by clicking here, or by clicking "Discussion Forum" on the tooldbar to the left. Discuss your summer employment plans, job offers, goals as a lawyer, or anything else that you want to share.

When, why and how to say "no" in the workplace is something that many of us struggle with when embarking upon our first job(s) and/or clerkship(s) in the legal profession. 

Should you say no when you are overbooked?  If it means compromising your best work, maybe this would be best.  Should you provide an explanation to your superior?  Probably a good idea.  A bad reputation can be gained by saying "yes" and not providing quality work by the deadline just as easily as saying "no" when you may be genuinely overbooked or overextended in the workplace.  No one would recommend saying no to avoid certain challenges such as something new or unknown or to avoid working with certain people.  I just wanted to point out that a lot of us want to prove ourselves in the workplace and sometimes that can lead to taking on too much without thinking about the potential implications that may come along with being unable to provide quality work product or produce by appropriate deadlines.

A recent post in YourABA entitled "Just say no - when it's appropriate" gives some valuable tips on how the above questions can be addressed without jeopardizing (and hopefully enhancing) your reputation in the workplace.  The article can be found by clicking here.

The article includes a podcast which features practical career tips from national leaders within the legal profession.