It’s been a busy week here at Rumberger! Starting off strong on Monday with a Motion Writing Seminar by partner Samantha Duke. All of us summer associates are prepared to tackle this summer’s writing competition. This year’s assignment is to draft a Motion to Exclude Expert Testimony based on Federal Rule of Evidence 702. Even though last Friday I thought the assignment’s due date was far in the future, as this week comes to an end, I realize the deadline of June 20th is soon approaching!
Even with the writing competition in the back of my mind, I’ve had plenty of assignments to work on this week. I had the opportunity to draft a Response to a Motion to Strike for Managing Partner Frank Sheppard and associate Graham Marcus. This has been my favorite assignment so far. I was so surprised when two separate partners asked me to check the sources submitted in pro se litigants’ motions to the court. It turned out that the sources were not real! I had heard about how artificial intelligence could potentially “hallucinate” case law, but I had never seen it for myself until this week!
On Wednesday, the attorneys in the Orlando office got together for a lunch presentation by partner Patrick Delaney and associate Hannah Steele, my mentor. Hannah gave two case presentations relating to attorney’s fees, which was very informative! Patrick gave a presentation on his appointment as the Honorary Irish Consul, what that entails, and some interesting Irish facts. The luncheon was a glimpse into the outstanding firm culture here at Rumberger – you can tell that everyone values a chance to sit together, share a meal, and keep each other informed on recent developments in the law. As Sam and I left the luncheon, it dawned on us that we will soon be the ones presenting at an upcoming luncheon in July. Though it seems so far away, these two weeks have already flown by!
On Thursday, Tallahassee partner David Marsey presented a deposition seminar for the summer associates. He debunked common misconceptions about depositions and gave tips on strategy and organization. Next week, all of the summer associates will take a mock deposition of a plaintiff in a personal injury case. I’m nervous but excited for the chance to bring some of what we’ve learned to life!
Week 2 is officially on the books, and I can’t believe how much I’ve learned so far!
