Be Careful How You Represent Yourself!

[MahlerGrooves]

Ok, a little story for you all:

This past weekend, I and some classmates were volunteering at the Federalist Society convention in DC.  It was an awesome event, and a real highlight was a speech by Justice Scalia.

Well, during the whole time he was speaking, 2 other volunteers from SMU (we all had name tags with our school) were talking loudly, making rude jokes, and being disruptive (Judge O'Scannlian's son even made faces for them to stop).

So, at an event with some of the most influential conservative legal minds in the country, these two were representing themselves, and their school, as boorish.  Now, I am not holding their behavior to apply to every SMU student.  I'm not that dumb.

And on the flip side, a student from Cooley asked a really insightful question during a panel, and increased my respect for that institution.  He really carried himself with a lot of poise, and it made a difference in how he was received.

I'm just reminding people that, when you are someplace representing your school, you should make sure to behave in a way that will be favorable to you and your school.  This should be basic, but I figured, with 1L job search approaching, I would bring it up in hopes of making some people give it some thought.

[no634]

Be careful about judging a school based on one or two students. Every school has its share of treats and tools.

[MahlerGrooves]

Be careful about judging a school based on one or two students. Every school has its share of treats and tools.

I specifically said in the post that I know that their conduct doesn't speak to the larger SMU population. 

[no634]

Be careful about judging a school based on one or two students. Every school has its share of treats and tools.

Ummm... I believe he explicitly says he isnt judging the school based on the two people.  Its a general warning to 1L's that you ARE being watched.  And if people think you're rude/obnoxious that won't bode well for your career prospects.  

Their behavior was terrible.  I don't care what school they came from. Every person sitting within 10 feet gave them a look of disappointment.  

Oh dear...they caused that bad of a scene?

[MahlerGrooves]

I'm pretty sure they had been drinking, but yeah, they caused a bad scene. Would not shut up.  Dirty/bad/not funny jokes.  Cracks at my law school (yep).

It was NOT cool!

[botbot]

I'm pretty sure they had been drinking, but yeah, they caused a bad scene. Would not shut up.  Dirty/bad/not funny jokes.  Cracks at my law school (yep).

It was NOT cool!

Something tells me that I would like these characters...

[Private David Lewis]

What did you think of the Scalia Q&A?  I was there, too. 

[MahlerGrooves]

What did you think of the Scalia Q&A?  I was there, too. 

He is disarmingly intelligent, and it was fun to watch.  I saw him in Philly a few months ago and he was angrier then.  I thought he was right not to answer certain things, and that it showed a lot of respect for his colleagues on the Court.

I hear he is a bit of an enigma in that either calm Scalia shows up or angry Scalia.  It was really awesome to see though.

I have such a man crush...

[MahlerGrooves]

I think he was right not to reconcile two decisions he made.  It was a baited question.

And I like that he went no further regarding the conferences than anyone has already.  He preserved some mystery there.

[Private David Lewis]

I think he was right not to reconcile two decisions he made.  It was a baited question.

And I like that he went no further regarding the conferences than anyone has already.  He preserved some mystery there.

Well, on the latter, I think he could have at least thrown us a bone--a funny story or something.  And that's why I asked about the Q&A--I was the one who submitted the question about Raich and Lopez.  I was genuinely curious about what he would say, and I was disappointed when he didn't answer.