You have just spent the last 3 months with your new best friends – your classmates.  You have cried with them, argued (“debated”) with them, and even occasionally laughed with them (probably harder than you should have at law school memes and inside jokes).  As you head into finals and the study time increases, so do the bonds of friendship.  No one on the outside of these glass walls can understand what the past 3 months have been like, but now that you have to immerse yourself back into the world of people not concerned with discussing eggshell skulls, how will you survive?  How will you endure the family gatherings and Aunt Ida and Uncle Jim asking you how your semester went, how did you do on your exams (which of course you won’t have a grade for until January), why haven’t you called, the uncomfortable you-look-tired statements, and of course all the questions about the law that you haven’t covered yet… you survive by keeping your law school friends close.

You are probably thinking that you can’t wait to get away from all the study and legal talk and there is no way you will even want to think about law school for the entire break, but believe me, you will feel lost without your classmates.  It is a strange feeling for sure, but after you decompress from finals, you will find yourself floating and needing your classmates to help you navigate the real world.

When you are sitting at the family table and nobody gets your jokes, text your classmates.  They will understand.  It is hard to explain, but your brain has been rewired, you look at the world differently and although it’s sad to say; only your classmates will understand.  They are the only ones who will get the joke from Lawyering Foundations Class about the stupid dog, they are the only ones who understand when your Great Aunt with the red lipstick kisses you and you start yelling “Battery”.  You will need at least one get together with the people who understand and appreciate your new mind.

Break won’t come for another month, but now is the time to start planning a gathering (or at least set up your group chat).  There are some really fun things to do in and around Atlanta – but as busy as everyone will be over the break, it’s smart to set up that playdate now.  Here are some suggestions for a good day of fun with your classmates:

FOR THOSE WHO NEED TO KEEP THE COMPETITION GOING TRY:

WHIRLY BALL – ATLANTA

http://whirlyballatlanta.com/

A combination of bumper cars and lacrosse.  You can get pizza and wings and they even have a bar package– but call ahead for reservations.   You will need a group of at least 10.

TOP GOLF – ATLANTA

https://topgolf.com/us/atlanta/

Get your own bay for up to 6 people and enjoy golf, food and drinks.  100+ climate-controlled hitting bays, full-service restaurant and bars, rooftop terrace with fire pit, over 200 HDTVs, free Wi-Fi.

FOR THOSE WHO PREFER A RELAXING DAY TRY:

ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDENS

http://atlantabg.org/visit/events/garden-lights

The seventh annual electrical extravaganza features spectacular light displays throughout the Garden, including the new high-tech Nature’s Wonders, illuminating the world’s natural phenomena through countless strands of synchronized dancing lights strung high over Storza Woods

PIEDMONT PARK

https://www.piedmontpark.org/

Spend the afternoon picnicking, going for a bike ride, or just enjoying the day outside.  Plan a picnic – there are 22 grills provided throughout the park!  Pick a spot and play some Frisbee, too.

FINALLY, FOR THOSE WHO PREFER AN ACTIVE DAY TRY:

STONE MOUNTAIN

https://www.stonemountainpark.com/

The Stone Mountain Christmas activities will be in full force.  Or, climb Stone Mountain for breathtaking views.  If you are really wanting to get away from the real world, they even offer hotel packages for a full weekend of fun.

ICE SKATING – ATLANTIC STATION

https://www.atlanticstation.com/

Atlantic Station hasn’t announced opening dates, but they should be up soon.  You can always google “outdoor ice skating rinks in Atlanta” and find a different rink (I think I found about 7 others when I searched – remember Centennial Olympic Park is closed for renovations).  Rumor has it there will even be ice skating at the Ponce City Market this year!

Happy Studies.  Don’t forget your digital study aid and practice exam access.

As Exams approach you will be inundated with a myriad of advice about study tips; which supplement is the best, how each professors prefers their answers, and so on, but there is one piece of advice everyone forgets to mention:

GET ENOUGH SLEEP!!!!

I know, I know, there is not enough time in the day and you have to stay up later than usual to study.  Everyone in Law School knows you don’t sleep during the exam period and you are panicking because you just realized you only have 2 weeks to get everything in your head but guess what – your brain won’t work if you don’t take care of it!

This shouldn’t be news to you.  I’m sure your parents set a bedtime (and not just because they needed adult time) because they knew getting a good night’s sleep is important.  One of the first sleep studies was done in 1896 at the University of Iowa.  The fascination with sleep and learning has been going strong ever since!^[1]  However, as smart as we law students think we are, we don’t listen to the experts when we are pulling all-nighters to cram for our exams.

It has been proven that sleep deprivation impedes your capacity to complete difficult cognitive tasks–  like our final exams.  Even worse, all the studying you do while super-sleepy is not going to stick, so you are going to end up restudying everything and will STILL be tired and cranky.  So just be smart – get some sleep and start fresh in the morning.

Don’t believe me or your parents?  How about Harvard Doctors:

The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Learning and Performance

Another area that researchers study is the impact that a lack of adequate sleep has on learning and memory. When we are sleep deprived, our focus, attention, and vigilance drift, making it more difficult to receive information. Without adequate sleep and rest, over-worked neurons can no longer function to coordinate information properly, and we lose our ability to access previously learned information.

In addition, our interpretation of events may be affected. We lose our ability to make sound decisions because we can no longer accurately assess the situation, plan accordingly, and choose the correct behavior. Judgment becomes impaired.

Being chronically tired to the point of fatigue or exhaustion means that we are less likely to perform well. Neurons do not fire optimally, muscles are not rested, and the body’s organ systems are not synchronized. Lapses in focus from sleep deprivation can even result in accidents or injury.

Low-quality sleep and sleep deprivation also negatively impact mood, which has consequences for learning. Alterations in mood affect our ability to acquire new information and subsequently to remember that information. Although chronic sleep deprivation affects different individuals in a variety of ways (and the effects are not entirely known), it is clear that a good night’s rest has a strong impact on learning and memory.^[2]

Got your attention?  Now the question is: how do I shut down and actually get some rest?  Personally, my biggest problem is turning off my brain.  I lay down and my mind just speeds up.  I found some tips and have even tried a couple, especially turning off technology (sigh).  That one seemed to work the best for me.  Check out the list below, get some rest, and get some A’s on those exams.  Good Luck!

• 30 minutes before bed stop using all technology. Shut off the cell phone, close the laptop, and don’t even use a Kindle. The lights are keeping your mind moving, so no TV either.
• Read a print book. It’s very old fashioned but it will help (I have found Civ Pro puts me right to sleep).  Seriously, nothing that stirs the brain, just light reading.
• Go to sleep as soon as you start feeling sleepy. If you wait you will kick into second gear and be up for even longer.
• Try a weighted blanket, which molds to your body and the weight actually helps your nervous system relax.
• Try aromatherapy. I hear that lavender is the best. You can take a nice hot bath with some lavender oil, spray your pillows, or just lightly spritz the bedroom with whichever scent you prefer.
• Cut out the sugar and caffeine before bedtime. Try to keep limit your intake after 4 pm.  I know you need the afternoon boost, but try a healthy energy snack like an apple with peanut butter or dried fruits and nuts instead.^[3]
• Get in your PJ’s and have a soothing cup of Chamomile tea (remember no sugar).
• Really old fashioned here, but a nice glass of warm milk.
• This is a little weird but… the a study from the University of Glasgow said to lay in bed with your eyes open trying to keep yourself awake will actually make you fall asleep faster (playing reverse psychology with your own mind… who knew?).

Put some socks on those piggies!  When your feet are cold that means the blood is not flowing to your extremities and all the heat stays in your core, so warm up those little toes and get the blood flowing.  This releases heat from your body and helps you relax

^[1] Patrick, G. T. & Gilbert, J. A. On the effects of loss of sleep. Psychol. Rev., 1896, 3: 469–483.

^[2] http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/learning-memory

^[3] http://www.health.com/sleep/5-energy-boosting-snacks

Authored by Kimberly Carabotta & edited by Sarah Malkin

Jacob Thompson is a 9 year old boy from Maine.  Three years ago, Jacob was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that has now moved to his head and hip.   As of late October, Jacob’s doctors gave him a month to live.

In response to a GoFundMe page for Jacob’s funeral expenses, people began sending Jacob and his family holiday cards.  Jacob was delighted by the cards, especially those containing penguins – his favorite animal. On a CNN News story, Jacob said that he wants people to celebrate the holidays with him by sending him cards.  Because of Jacob’s request, a  national grassroots holiday card campaign has begun.  On November 2, even TV personality Jake Tapper got into the effort by tweeting the address where people could send cards.

Georgia State College of Law student Honey Shaw approached the library to ask if she could set up a card making station. The library obviously agreed, and cards are flying out the door! The card station will be up until the end of this week. Many thanks to Honey Shaw and the SBA for their support of this wonderful idea.

by Zain Haq

Georgia’s New (ish) Expungement Laws

Compared to other states in the country, Georgia has some of the strictest laws regarding expungement of criminal records. Arrests resulting in convictions can only be taken off your criminal record in very limited circumstances. This makes it extremely difficult for people who have committed even minor crimes to gain access to housing, employment, and education. That being said, Georgia has taken some big steps toward ensuring that those with criminal records have some recourse. This article will give you a brief overview of what can and cannot be taken off a criminal record. Moral of the story is this: Do your best to keep your record clean, because Georgia law is not very forgiving!

Record Restriction (aka Expungement)

Georgia’s new law, effective July 1, 2013, does not use the word “expungement.” Instead, the process is now referred to as “record restriction.” Restriction does not mean that your records are deleted or destroyed, but rather that criminal history information maintained by the GCIC is unavailable for all purposes except law enforcement and criminal justice. The GCIC (Georgia Crime Information Center) is Georgia’s state entity that manages and disseminates criminal record information. Record restriction ONLY impacts those records maintained by the GCIC, and does not affect records maintained by the Clerk of Court (this process is referred to as sealing, which is discussed later in this article).

Georgia’s record restriction statute is O.C.G.A. 35-3-37(h).  Automatic restriction usually only occurs if your arrest is not prosecuted. Generally, cases closed with no conviction qualify for restriction (including charges that are nolle prossed, dead docketed, and verdicts of not guilty).

It is important to note that while Georgia’s new restriction laws are a big step in the right direction, convictions still are not eligible for restriction (unless you are sentenced as a youthful offender or first offender, which is discussed below). This includes pleas of nolo contendere (no contest).

Restricting your record is only half the battle. Employers, housing authorities, and other interested parties do not usually go to the GCIC for criminal record information. Rather, they will go directly to the Clerk of Court to obtain court records. These records can only be disposed of by petitioning the court to “seal” the record.

Record Sealing

In order to seal your records and ensure that the Clerk of Court no longer disseminates information about your case, your records must first qualify for record restriction. O.C.G.A. 35-3-37(m) governs record sealing, and states that the petitioner must show the court that the harm suffered by the clerk’s record remaining public (denial of jobs, housing, licensing, etc.) outweighs the interest in the record being publicly available. Sealing your record is crucial to ensuring that arrests not resulting in a conviction are inaccessible by members of the public and other interested parties.

First Offenders

As previously stated, arrests resulting in convictions generally cannot be taken off your record. One exception to this is Georgia’s First Offender statute, 42-8-60 (also known as Georgia’s “second chance” law). If you are sentenced as a first offender and successfully complete your sentence, your record will not show a conviction, and your case will be sealed by an Order of Discharge. The intent of this law is to give first time offenders a second chance and allow them to move on with their lives without suffering the collateral consequences of a conviction.

To qualify as a first offender, you must have never been convicted of a felony in the past, and never have been sentenced as a first offender. Moreover, certain convictions preclude you from being sentenced as a first offender (DUI’s, serious violent felonies, sexual offenses, and child pornography charges). Receiving a First Offender sentence is not automatic. You or your attorney must ask the judge to be sentenced under the First Offender Act.

The sealing of your record pursuant to a first offender sentence is conditioned on your complying with the terms of your sentence. If you violate any of the terms of your sentence, or commit another crime, the judge can revoke your first offender status and convict you of the crime you were arrested for.

Youthful Offenders

The Youthful Offender law (O.C.G.A. 35-3-37) is another exception to Georgia’s rule against restriction of arrests that result in convictions. Certain misdemeanor convictions that occurred before you turned twenty-one years old qualify for restriction. To qualify as a youthful offender, you must successfully complete your sentence and you cannot have been charged with any other offense. There are a number of exceptions to the Youthful Offender law, mostly for serious traffic offenses and sex crimes.

Pardons

Lastly, pardons provide a method for those convicted of a felony to minimize the collateral consequences they face as a result of their conviction.  While a pardon does not take a conviction off of your record, it is an order of official forgiveness from the State, and may help in receiving employment, housing, licensing, etc. Pardons are granted by the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. In Georgia, less than 40% of pardon applications are approved.

To sum it all up…

Georgia has made some big changes to help those who arrested receive a second shot without suffering the severe consequences that come with having a criminal record. Unfortunately, those with convictions on their record are still facing an uphill battle when it comes to finding jobs, housing, licensing, and educational opportunities. While a good amount of progress has been made, there is still a long way to go.

Note:  This post is an update to 2012’s post on the same subject https://theblackacretimes.com/2012/03/20/criminal-background-checks-and-georgia-law/

In case you missed the puzzles being assembled at the library circulation desk: the Harley-Davidson is complete, the Harry Potter is under way, and the Pollock has been moved out of sight (due to deflating puzzle morale).

Worried about outlines? What are they? Should you write your own or use someone else’s? When should you start putting one together? The whole thing can seem overwhelming, but with just a few tips, you’ll be an outlining pro.

Although you may have outlined during your undergrad career, law school exams are much different than any other exam you’ve ever taken, so you need to adapt your outlines likewise. Throughout the semester, you learn the black letter law and concepts through case analysis. However, your exam will not be a resuscitation of this. Instead, most of your exams will include a fact pattern in which you will need to apply the legal principles you have learned to identify and analyze the situation in order to reach a legal conclusion.

Outlines are nothing more than a condensed, organized version of your notes. A good outline will include only those critical topics you will be tested on and should include relevant case law and statutes. You should not include every single word you wrote down, but should instead be a synthesized version of your notes, briefs, reading, and secondary sources in one document.

It is important to start outlining at the right time. If you start the first week of classes, it’s too soon. You don’t have a good enough grasp on the material to know what’s important and the substantive law. But if you’re thinking about waiting until the week before exams, you’ll find yourself struggling to remember the nuances from the first half of the course. The ideal time to start is after finishing a significant topic in the course. Try taking a look at your syllabus – professors often break the semester down into large subsections that they cover over a few weeks. Use this is a guide to setup your own outline.

What should a good outline look like? Well, it should be easy to read. Although that means different things to different people, the better ones usually have clearly defined sections, use bold or italics to emphasize definitions, caselaw, or statutes. Underlining and different font sizes and colors help draw the eye to specific topics. Make sure to include broad categories and then start to narrowly define them using various source elements.

Now to the great debate – should you create your own outline or use an existing one? To be honest, there are pros and cons to both methods. Creating your own will far and away provide you the best review of the course material. You will be forced to critically think about each topic in a logical and efficient manner, which is exactly what you want your mindset to be during an exam. However, the creation process can be time consuming and cumbersome, so many students find themselves resorting to using someone else’s outline from previous years. Upperclassman often share their outlines with 1Ls and many student organizations maintain outline banks. Although I would discourage relying 100% on an existing outline, if you have decided you just don’t want to do it yourself, take an existing outline and adapt it to what you’ve learned. Course material often changes from year to year, so a course outline from last year may not include all the same cases or material as this year. Ensure that you go through the outline line-by-line to make sure everything included is relevant. Also, don’t be afraid to add to it! Use your own sources to make it better or reorganize it in a way that makes more sense to you.

Lastly, make sure to constantly review your outline for missing elements and accuracy. Talk with other students in your study group or schedule some time with your professor to go over topics. This will provide an opportunity to not only review the material, but also to find gaps, misinformation, or just add clarity to your outline.

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By Colleen Hampton

It is that time of year, folks: time to consider experiential learning opportunities. The deadline for Spring 2018 Clinic and Externship opportunities is September 27th.  And if you started school in 2016 you are required to obtain at least six (6) credit hours of experiential learning (see ABA rule 303 a Curriculum, March 2015). Your required, 3 credit hour, Lawyering:  Advocacy class will get you part of the way there – but you must do more. Besides, who among us doesn’t want to get a taste of how the practice of law works in the real world?

Luckily GSU COL offers externships, clinics, and other courses designed to help you gain practical, real-world experience while satisfying ABA requirements. Here’s what you need to know about these opportunities:

What’s the difference between an Internship, Externship, and a Clinic?

Whether you are interested in an Internship, Externship, or Clinic one thing is for certain: you will gain valuable experience regardless of the avenue you choose. However, there are some important distinctions to consider when evaluating your experiential learning choices.

Internships – Internships are a fantastic way to gain skills and build your network. You are generally hired by a firm or agency, typically without pay (unless you are one of the lucky few to land a coveted, paid internship). Internship hours can vary from position to position and terms of your service can sometimes be negotiated to fit your schedule. Sounds great, right? Keep in mind internships are not for-credit, meaning you don’t pay tuition for the internship or get credit hours needed to satisfy the ABA requirement. In other words, internships are valuable in their own right and should be pursued, but an internship will not satisfy your experiential learning requirement.

Externships – An externship is a class that gives you the opportunity to learn from non-profit and government lawyers and judges. Because an externship is a class, you earn credit for your outside, hands-on learning experience and the class credit can help you satisfy the ABA experiential learning requirement. You will pay tuition for your externship (usually a three (3) credit hour course, graded pass/fail) and, if it’s your first externship, you have a one (1) credit graded classroom component in addition to your work hours. Speaking of work hours, externships require a minimum hour commitment spent working (generally ten (10) hours a week during the Fall and Spring semesters or twenty (20) hours a week during the summer semester). Externship site supervisors are required to give you feedback on your performance during your semester which enables you to learn and grow. Externships are a meaningful way to satisfy your experiential learning requirement.

Clinics – Clinics provide students the opportunity to work with and represent real clients, and to directly experience what it feels like to work as a lawyer while building their skills and professional identity.  Students have primary responsibility for the cases they handle in clinic, and work under the close supervision of their professor, who is both a clinical educator and a licensed attorney.  Enrolling in a clinic requires attendance in the clinic seminar, case rounds, and hours working on cases inside the clinic office.  GSU COL offers both in-house and off-site clinics to provide students with a variety of opportunities to grow their skill set. Clinics, like externships, are a fantastic way for students to satisfy their experiential learning requirement.

What is the difference between in-house clinics and other clinics offered at GSU COL?

GSU College of Law offers three in-house clinics: Health Law Partnership (HeLP) Legal Services Clinic, Investor Advocacy Clinic, and the Philip C. Cook Low Income Taxpayer Clinic. These clinics conduct business on campus and are supervised by professors of the College of Law. Additionally, the in-house clinics are graded where the off-site clinics are pass/fail.

Off-site clinic courses require a yearlong commitment (fall and spring).  Students attend a clinic seminar taught by an adjunct professor and perform their work at the external office location. Off-site clinics include Capital Defender Clinic, Landlord-Tenant Mediation Clinic, and Olmstead Disability Rights Clinic.

I’m a 1L, can I enroll in a Clinic or Externship?

Most experiential opportunities provided through GSU COL are only available to students who have completed their entire first year’s course work and have a 2.3 GPA. If you are a part-time student that means you must have completed your first two years of course work in order to be eligible. However, each experiential opportunity will have their own pre-requisites that must be satisfied in order to participate.

Where can I learn more about Clinics and Externships?

General Clinic website

HeLP Clinic

Investor Advocacy Clinic

Tax Clinic

Capital Defender Clinic

Landlord-tenant Clinic

Olmstead Disability Clinic

General Externship website 

Externship FAQ’s

Externship opportunities (sites)

What other courses satisfy the experiential course requirement?

All courses that satisfy the experiential requirement are designated as “E” courses in the schedule and the college of law bulletin.  “E” courses include clinics, externships, simulation courses, and others.  You can also find a listing of E courses here.

What are the deadlines for application to clinics and externships?

Applications for SPRING semester clinics and externships are due at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, September 27.