Week four kicked off with a perfect blend of productivity and play. During Monday morning’s office meeting, I had the opportunity to present case briefs on a topic I had previously researched. It was a great experience to contribute to the discussion and hear the team’s insights on how the issue plays out in practice. I continued to spend the first half of Monday diving into a few ongoing assignments—but by 4 o’clock, we traded our desks for dugouts and headed out to a Tampa Bay Rays baseball game! We managed to snag the perfect tailgate spot and made sure to get in a few competitive rounds of cornhole. It was such a fun way to bond with everyone outside the office and made for an amazing start to the week.
On Tuesday, I was deep in Civil Procedure mode while working on an assignment for partner Carie Hall. I focused on research for a motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction and analyzed whether certain arguments would be waived if not raised in the initial responsive pleading. It was a valuable exercise in applying procedural rules to real case strategy and understanding how timing can impact the viability of legal arguments.
Wednesday took me out of the office again, but this time for a different kind of field trip. I tagged along with associate Renee Duffy to an inspection of a vehicle related to an active case. It was a fantastic opportunity to meet our case expert and hear directly from him about his findings. I took plenty of notes, snapped a few photos, and later drafted a summary report. Renee was incredibly helpful, walking me through the process, answering all of my (many!) questions, and showing me how it’s done in practice.
As the week went on, the pressure ramped up as we neared the deadline for our Summer Associate Writing Competition. We were tasked with writing a motion to exclude expert testimony—something totally new for all of us. It was a bit daunting, but also exciting to put what I’d learned in Evidence class to the test.
By the time Friday rolled around, I was so focused on finishing up my motion that I almost forgot… it was my birthday! But no one in the office did. Some of the associates even took me out to lunch at Yard House to celebrate. Great food, great company, and a much-needed break from legal writing—what more could I ask for?
Just like that, another week wrapped up. I can’t believe week four is already in the books. Time is flying, but each week keeps getting better than the last!
