Networking... [John]

So tonight was my first networking event of my law school career and I honestly believe it was a success. I initially didn't know how much I would get out of it and decided to go just because it was a way to get my head out of the books for the night. However, it was a lot more than a social event but a learning experience as well. The networking event was at a law firm that has offices in most major US cities and cities abroad. We got to speak to many of their attorneys along with a few influential CUA alums in the area.

Though no leads for summer employment presented themselves, I definitely learned a lot more about myself and possible career paths. This law firm's DC branch dealt a lot with Intellectual Property law, so it was really worth it for me. I spoke to Patent attorneys and Patent litigators. However, it was fascinating to learn that not all of them had an engineering background. As some people know, I went into college knowing that IP law was the career choice I wanted to pursue; as a result, I looked at multiple engineering schools so I could sit for the patent bar and become a patent lawyer. After multiple visits to these schools, I have realized that it wasn't something for me and that my passion for politics would be the best path to pursue--and that's how I ended up in DC. Anyway, today my life changed...First, I met a patent lawyer that didnt have an engineering degree nor has taken the patent bar. He also informed me that a few of his friends also weren't engineers but qualified for the patent bar by taking the Fundamentals in Engineering Exam.

Second, I also met and learned from patent litigators that they too didn't have engineering degrees nor did they need them to become litigators for patent, trademark or copyright cases. So basically, 2 hours mingling with esteemed attorneys in their field has opened a whole new world of IP law for me.

hahaha and to think, I only went for the free food and booze ;)

Are you serious?

So we officially started Negligence in torts class today. And let me tell you, this pleading negligence stuff is really bothering me. I'm not saying all negligence cases are frivolous; in fact, many are very important and have made the world a much safer place.

But there are many negligence cases, especially against companies that have caused endless litigation that has resulted in owner manuals to be as thick as phonebooks. The American citizen, through negligence litigation, has not only disregarded personal responsibility but has created a society were you blame everyone except for yourself.

We have read cases where products have been misused, individuals trespassing on private property, and reasonable precautions are not enough; all of which the defendant has been liable for negligence. Granted, most of the cases in which these things occurred, the court has ruled correctly and said that the company wasn't liable. However, this is not the case in every situation.

Thankfully, the defense has a tool called contributory negligence (which now, i think is being called comparative negligence). This is an affirmative defense used by the defendant to show that plaintiff was more or equally negligent than that of the defendant's negligence. It is the best tool I feel (or at least that I have learned about) to stop frivolous cases where plaintiff's don't own up to their mistakes but rather try to blame big business.