The Dark Side of Law School
Earlier this week, I got a taste of one of the worst characters in law school... the pompous douchebag (the "Pom-D-Bag").
Thankfully, my class at Minnesota is fairly devoid of Pom-D-Bags (at least my section was, and if it wasn't, they didn't show their true colors). And in pretty much all of my classes, there were very few of this horrible ilk. However, on Wednesday, I was sitting in a common area of the law school trying to study about the Hearsay Rule1 and a guy was loudly talking on his cell phone about some negative comments he had received from his editor regarding his note for his journal. Here are some comments2 I overheard (and I didn't have to listen too hard, as he was talking quite loudly):
"She's a bitch and I don't like her."I almost threw up, I was so disgusted. I know it sucks when you do something and get criticized, but I'm guessing that most, if not all, of what his editor said was constructive criticism meant to make his article better. Even if he's right, and her criticism was off base or not presented well, he needs to learn a little diplomacy and not call her a bitch in such a public place.
"I'm way more talented than her, so I don't have to listen to her."3
"She's just being really negative."4
I hope, for his sake, that this guy learns, and learns quickly, that criticism can be helpful... and more importantly, that publicly insulting someone is not smart. If this had been at work, and the critique had come from a partner, and he had called him a "stupid asshole," he would probably be cleaning his office out by the end of lunch.
1I'd like to tell you about it, but my statement wouldn't be admissible anyway because it isn't made under oath at a hearing or trial. Sorry.
2These are not exact quotes, but they are paraphrases that are damn close.
3This is my favorite example of this guy's douchebaggery, because he is not on law review, so his "talent" is probably not as good as he thinks it is.
4My second favorite because it is coming from someone who earlier in the conversation brazenly called his editor a bitch and said he was "way more talented than her"
posted by Unreasonable Man @ 7:37 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
so,
"I'm way more talented than her, so I don't have to listen to her."
would be less obnoxious and more likely to be true from someone on law review?
Anonymous - As soon as I posted this, I knew someone would comment on the law review footnote. You're right, it certainly wouldn't be less obnoxious, it would probably be more obnoxious. I just wrote it to show that, at least as far as the petition went, this person wasn't as good of a writer as he thought he was.
Nate - Yes, I did write this in the future... what of it! Sorry, I originally wrote this a few days ago, but edited it a little and posted it today, but I obviously didn't change the date right.
The legal professional is filled with people who have an inflated sense of self-importance. Why else would there be so many blogs by law students?
;-)
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