Sunday, June 25, 2006

Present perfect subjunctive? Check

With only a few weeks until course registration, I'm trying to create a shortlist of classes for my final year. The schedule will ultimately depend on class times and exam conflicts, but in the meantime I'd appreciate any recommendations from fellow law types, and a heads up if you've chosen the same one. Without further ado:

European Union Law

When I studied Literature in undergrad, European lit was always my favorite. Let's hope European jurists have a similar knack for producing classics. (Fun fact: before the accession of 13 more member states to the EU in 2005, the list of member countries could be remembered by the acronym "Baffling Pigs." I learned that on an educational field trip to the Bank of London a few years ago, my singular memory of the event.)

Securities Regulation
This is another class I'm really excited about, as it seems to be replacing IP as the "hip" legal area. (Mildly amusing fact: the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, aimed at responsible accounting, is often referred to by the acronym SOX, which isn't terribly interesting until I tell you that I once worked at a company that gave socks as a thank-you to the team who successfully implemented SOX regulations.)

International Business Transactions
I like the sound of this one, because it combines three independently interesting legal words and makes an even better phrase. Sort of like Caramel Light Frappucino.

Administrative Law & Municipal Law
These two I'm deciding between. I've been told by some that Admin law is boring, painful, but ultimately useful, while others say Municipal is the way to go. After two years of law school, four years of undergrad and one ill-fated year of tennis lessons, I've learned that you won't like every class you take. Need some input here, folks.

Professional Responsibility
Lawyer-client relations can hide be a veritable minefield of unethical and improper situations, making this course a veritable mine detector. (Useless fact: if you ever played any of the Metal Gear Solid iterations on the Playstation, you of course know that mines are easily traversed by simply crawling over them.)


Advanced Legal Research
I'm a fan of hands-on research and actually opening up the tattered court reports from days of yore. In some museums, you'd pay a decent sum to see such books behind glass. Incidentally, I've just learned that the Vancouver Art Gallery is by-donation on Tuesday nights. Anyone feel like being a culture vulture?

Conflict of Laws
Another course I've heard great things about. If you've ever wondered why your deluxe two-disc Shaun of the Dead Region 2 DVD doesn't work on your player in North America, then you have the same sort of questions that will be answered in this class, which looks at laws across jurisdictions. Whether or not there is a black-market mechanism that can adjudicate both Civil and Common law systems simultaneously, remains to be seen.

Advanced Spanish II
While this class choice may seem a bit out of izquierdo field, I assure you it's been a long time coming. I left my undergraduate university one Spanish course short of a bonus certificate that qualifies me to work anywhere in the world. Having maxed out on law credits during my first two years, I have room to spare in the third. So, once I finally master the pluperfect subjunctive tense, baffled pigs everywhere had better look out.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I remember the security guards really freaking out about taking pictures with the mannequins dressed up like old people in the Bank of London museum.

And yes, I had to spell check 'mannequins'...

Anonymous said...

Damn - you are taking some heavy courses. Don't you want to have a little fun in your final year? And doesn't maxing out on your credits entitle you to that?

Lawyerlike said...

Despite how much fun Video Game Law sounds, I have a suspicion it won't involve as much hands-on "learning" as I'd like.