Why I Dumped Law Review

In law school, I was on Bar Review for about a week. This was supposed to be some sort of elite training, allowed for an honored few.

At the newbie meeting, the faculty gloated over how rigorous would be the training, saying "This will be by far the hardest thing you have ever done!"

I looked to my right: that student was a cop in our decaying Northeastern city.

I looked to my left: that student was a new mother.

I recalled that I had just finished a weekend of martial arts training featuring several powerlifters and at least one retired Special Forces guy. (I say this not to exalt myself, for I was and am far, far, far less capable than any of them; the point was, I was still recovering from exhaustion and fear.)

I thought: Was bar review like getting shot, having your head twisted off, and giving birth?

Or was this some outmoded ritual?

I started to lose confidence in bar review.

Later events would bear out my evaluation.