a few quick things

[meridian_rose]

This from my DW circle, which might be of interest to the legal eagles amongst you that begins, The New York Times has a lengthy story on the failure of law school to teach people how to be lawyers.  

http://pandagon-feed.dreamwidth.org/565352.html

And this, which reminded me of hrhrionastar's post and discussion on how the bad guys plan

http://www.geekwire.com/2011/top-10-reasons-darth-vader-amazing-project-manager

And following on from that Pratchett inspired post, this, from tubmlr:

“Vimes reached behind the desk and picked up a faded copy of Twurp’s Peerage or, as he personally thought of it, the guide to the criminal classes. You wouldn’t find slum dwellers in these pages, but you would find their landlords. And, while it was regarded as pretty good evidence of criminality to be living in a slum, for some reason owning a whole street of them merely got you invited to the very best social occasions.”  — Terry Pratchett, Feet of Clay

I'm sure had more stuff…ah, well.

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving for tomorrow, if you're celebrating it. I hope you have a wonderful day :D

Comments

[pristineungift.livejournal.com]

It's still like that in my neck of the woods. I can't wear pants in certain court rooms, or the judge won't listen when I speak. All female attorneys must wear skirt suits - not a dress and a jacket, not a suit with pants, it must be a skirt suit.

I've also been told that I can't work in the guardian ad litem clinic if I get pregnant, which strikes me as a bit sexist, though their reasoning for that is that pregnant women are statistically more likely to be assaulted and you come up against known abusers as a guardian ad litem.

At work, the senior partner has started always sending me when we need something from a police officer, because I'm small and cute and they cooperate with me more because I'm a "little lady." Now, that's useful, sure, but it's still sexist that they see me as less of a threat or whatever.

[meridian_rose]

That's ridiculous. There was a recent episode of 'The Good Wife' which is set in more liberal Chicago and a judge who had it in for main character Alicia told her not to show up in a pant suit again. I'm surprised Alicia didn't quote chapter and verse about the discrimination of that, since it seems a clear case of sexism, although it seems you have to pick your battles. That this really happens and it's allowed is ridiculous to me. Sometimes I forget how fortunate I am to live in the UK because I think we've gone a lot further in anti-discrimination policy than the US.

Well pregnant women shouldn't be allowed out of their houses anyway /sarcasm.

And I don't see that very casual day-to-day attitude of seeing women as less threatening going away anytime soon. We seem to be going backwards with women's rights at the moment, so if anything I think we'll see a backlash first D:

God, that was depressing. But at least you'll be in a position to try to change the system from within.

[brontefanatic.livejournal.com]

Conditions seem to be quite a bit different here.

Over the years I've worked with many lawyers who have gone through several pregnancies, all the while working actively as GAL's up to a few days before delivery, and are back in court a few weeks later. Several of our active GAL's are pregnant right now, and wouldn't even consider not continuing their job during their pregnancy, and the Court would have no authority to remove them or not appoint them to cases. That would be a clear case of discrimination.

I've never seen the studies that have proven that pregnant women are statistically more likely to get assaulted - maybe by a domestically violent partner in a relationship, but not by a client, or opposing party in a trial. That reasoning seems rather bizare to me.

Our dress codes are pretty relaxed. If you're in a felony jury trial, you'd better be in a suit, but otherwise there are no hard and fast rules. That has changed over the past 15 years though. When I started, you'd better suit up for Court.

Dealing with the police is a whole other subject. Although our female public defenders are tough as nails, and more and more of our detectives are women.

[pristineungift.livejournal.com]

It's probably the backward state I live in. -_-

The pregnancy thing was explained to me as a school liability thing, that they would switch me to a different clinic like income tax or something if I got pregnant, because the school didn't want to be liable if I was assaulted in the course completing my work for the clinic. I didn't really buy it, but as it was a moot point didn't spend time arguing with them.

[brontefanatic.livejournal.com]

Yes - I was thinking about ithat after you posted, and I can see how the school would be fearful of liability issues if something would happen while you were participating in one of their programs.

It would be quite different once you're in your own practice or in a firm.

I'm so excited that you are interested in so many facets of the law that I am. Someday, when you aren't so swamped, I would love to just talk to you about that. Children in the Law was the name of the 3rd year course that changed my life.

[pristineungift.livejournal.com]

Yes yes yes. We will do this!

One day I'll even teach you how to use Skype. I'm determined. XD

[meridian_rose]

Yes, I'm thinking it's more like Pris says, not that you are more likely to be assaulted if pregnant but more likely to sue. Money is more important than people, and you know how a fetus is more important than a woman in the eyes of the law these days, especially in Pris's state of the attempt to bring about personhood for fertilized eggs.