Christmas Dinner with a Lawyer

[mud99]

This Christmas, I had the benefit of having dinner with my in-laws, one of whom is a recent law school graduate.

I normally keep my mouth shut, because I don't really want them to know I have guns, but during this dinner, I was so frustrated with what I was hearing, I had no choice but to chime in.

Here are a few excerpts from the conversation which are still in my head:

---

LAWYER: You know that amendment to the constitution that lets people have guns? I think it's the first amendment.

ME: It's the second amendment. The first is free speech.

LAWYER: Yes, so this all changed recently, in California you can't shoot someone anymore if they break into your house

ME: You can still shoot someone in self defense. Nothing has changed.

LAWYER: And now because of that they have a 3 day wait on handguns and they are banning shotguns.

ME: It's a 10 day wait and it's for all guns and it's been around for a while and no they are not banning shotguns.

LAWYER: But you can still go to Walmart in Nevada and buy machine guns and bring them back

ME: Walmart doesn't sell machine guns, and you need to be a Nevada resident, and you can only bring in guns that comply with California's laws.

LAWYER: How do you know this?

ME: I just KNOW.

---

Their was more, much more, but these are the parts I remember being ridiculously absurd.

I can't believe this woman is allowed in a court room. Not knowing the constitution is inexcusable for a lawyer.. I always knew she was an idiot, but I didn't realize the idiocy went so deep.

Do they teach people ANYTHING in law school?

[12voltguy]

what walmart is selling MGs?
just in case she is correct, LOL

[paul0660]

Do they teach people ANYTHING in law school?

They try to teach them a lot. Anyone who passes the bar deserves respect for that, but is not necessarily more knowledgable about ANY part of law or life than anyone else. It would be interesting to know what your in law intends to focus on.

[Connor P Price]

USC grad no doubt. Should have gone to UCLA.

[microwaveguy]

It would be interesting to know what your in law intends to focus on.

I can pretty confidently say it won't be gun law

[dantodd]

USC grad no doubt. Should have gone to UCLA.

DING! We have a winner.

[CAL.BAR]

Just for the record, there is a difference between a "recent law school graduate" and one who has passed the bar (especially in CA) and is licensed to practice law.

[Smokeybehr]

She's probably NOT going to be a litigator. She'll be one of the pool working on contracts in some big firm.

[wildhawker]

USC grad no doubt. Should have gone to UCLA.

Zing!

[RandyD]

The conversation the OP had is not surprising. As an attorney, it is scary how much a recent law school graduate/newly admitted attorney does not know, but thinks they know. Their legal education is really just beginning. This is why you should always hire an experienced attorney with at least 10 years of experiences.

Law School teaches general legal principles. Most of law school is spent studying general subjects such as Tort, Contracts, Federal Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law (the Second Amendment cases were not taught when I attended law school, and I do not believe they are currently taught), Property, Evidence and Criminal Law.

[freonr22]

Pics?

[Yugo]

Most people dont learn squat in law school they just eat a bunch of adderall stay up all night studying and then dont remember anything after they take the test.

[dantodd]

The conversation the OP had is not surprising. As an attorney, it is scary how much a recent law school graduate/newly admitted attorney does not know, but thinks they know. Their legal education is really just beginning. This is why you should always hire an experienced attorney with at least 10 years of experiences.

Law School teaches general legal principles. Most of law school is spent studying general subjects such as Tort, Contracts, Federal Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law (the Second Amendment cases were not taught when I attended law school, and I do not believe they are currently taught), Property, Evidence and Criminal Law.

Surely any ConLaw education would, at the very least, cover the general contents and text of the Bill of Rights. I don't expect a newly minted JD to know all the case law surrounding each clause and amendment to the constitution but the basic principles protected by the BoR is really not too much to expect from a legal curriculum.

[Cougar]

..... recent law school graduate.

Translation: He was a recent inmate of an indoctrination center.

[Nick Justice]

When I was in law school, US v. Cruickshank (1876, 92 U.S. 542) was mentioned as a footnote in the textbook, in the section talking about what rights had been applied to the states through 14A. No other 2A reference was made anywhere. Many classmates couldn't have cared less about it.

Most just asked one question : "Will this be on the final?"