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I’ve passed the Maryland bar exam, making me “minimally competent” to practice law. There are more steps yet, but this is the biggest hurdle of them all. I can finally breathe again.

After a week, I’ve finally been able to put two words together without wondering if someone is trying to trick me. It’s finally time to talk about the bar exam.

First, it is an absolutely miserable experience. The morning of the exam, I likened the bar to a fraternity hazing ritual à la “Animal House”. Second, the exam does not require any depth of knowledge. As Brandon puts it, the bar exam is “a test of minimal competency”; incidentally, if you look up the phrase “minimal competency” in the dictionary, my picture is there.

Okay, to the exam itself:

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Three more class sessions left in law school!

I’ve returned from Tampa, and I’m ready to begin my final push through law school. I’ve got about two more weeks of lecture, then two final exams in December. In less than 60 days, I’ll have officially earned my Juris Doctor.

I’ve referenced this problem before, so here’s an update:

• Writing a paper on the European Union: I’m no longer writing a paper on the international face of the European Union, but rather on the EU competition rules on state aid.
• Writing a Maryland case note: I’ve been assigned to write a case note on a recent Court of Special Appeals, Crowdwer v. Master Financial.
• Internship: I’m still working on my internship, but that is nothing too stressful.
• Finals: Why won’t they come already?
• Sleep: One month away.

After my last exam (11 déc), I plan on doing nothing related to the law. I have a little over two weeks until I begin bar review.

I’m traveling to Tampa, FL for the next few days for the Stetson University International Environmental Moot Court Competition. I’m really planning on having a good time on this trip, considering that I graduate in a few weeks from law school.

Hooray warmth!

I’ve only got a few weeks of law school left. In the mean time, I’ve got a lot to do, including:

• writing a paper about the face of the EU
• writing a case note about a Maryland case (to be decided)
• writing a memorial for my moot court competition
• oral argument for my moot court competition
• internship
• finals
• sleep

I can’t believe it, but I can’t wait to study for the bar exam. I’ll have more time to myself.

Today begins the final exam period at Erasmus University. The worst of it takes place in the next two days, with three exams.

My schedule of exams, for anyone that might be interested (all times GMT +2):

1. 21 May @ 09.30: International Organizations
2. 21 May @ 18.30: EC Competition Law
3. 22 May @ 09.30: European and Comparative Criminal Law
4. 26 May @ 09.30: ADR
5. 30 May @ 09.30: International Economic Law

Between ADR and Int’l Econ, I’ll be travelling with Vanessa to Paris. After my last exam, Vanessa and I will travel to Amsterdam for one last night in the Netherlands, then head home on 1 June. My last two weeks in the Netherlands are among the busiest of my stay.

[UPDATE]: My criminal law exam is on 22 May, not 26 May. I don’t know why I want to put all my exams on the day I go to Paris.

Big on questions. Short on answers.