Don't Confuse Your Internet Research With My Law Degree

 A popular meme is, “Don’t confuse your internet research with my whatever degree.”  I have a law degree.  My law degree has some value, my 25 years of practice add value to the degree. 

 You take a difficult test to enter law school.  Then you take a harder test to practice law.  There are four years between those tests.  You are tested in law school, but it’s not the tests that are hard.  The hard part is they verbally beat the crap out of you daily.  It’s called the Socratic method.  It involves argument through questioning.  They give you a case to read.  The case can be short.  There’s a lot less reading in law school than college, but you have to read much more closely.  You must  understand every word.  Then you go to class.  If you miss class you fail.  Someone gets called on.  The professor keeps track, everyone gets called on the same number of times in a semester, but randomly.  Law school is very fair that way. 

 “Ms. Lindquist, tell me about the case.”  Everyone is called by their last name, respect, and so it begins. He asks, “What does this case stand for?”  “Are you stupid?”  “What about this?”  “Are you an idiot?” 

 One of my best friends in law school was a teacher.  He marveled at the Socratic method, it defied everything he learned when he received his bachelors in education. 

 The Socratic method teaches critical thinking.  It forces you to expand your mind.  That’s a far cry from internet research where you look up things you want to know and with which you agree.  Couple this with joining like-minded groups where everyone agrees.  That’s mental masturbation, lots of stroking, not a lot of stroking in law school.  Even more fascinating is when I am told I must read between the lines of the internet research.  I must interject their interpretation between the lines.  We can’t do that in law school, only judges can do that.  Lawyers are persuaders.  Judges are deciders.  You want a decision on things between the lines?  Prove them with facts. 

 How badly can you hurt yourself with your own research?  Billy sues Sally for $100k for services rendered.  Sally responds she does not owe $100k plus she lent Billy $500k for a failed business for which he personally signed a promissory note.  Billy wants to go to trial NOW.  Sally is a liar.  He knows he will win.  Billy’s lawyer wants to prepare, ask questions and get copies of documents.  The lawyer explains trial requires a lot of preparation.  In fact, very few cases go to trial.  Billy’s lawyer is not even sure with his best efforts Billy will win.  Billy knows what his lawyer wants, money.  Billy will not pay for preparation.  Billy knows all he must do is tell the Judge his story and he wins.   Billy insists he needs the lawyer because Billy doesn’t know all the legal technicalities.  Billy doesn’t want to lose on a technicality.  Billy doesn’t know what he doesn’t know.  He is not open to learn.  He certainly isn’t going to tolerate being called a stupid idiot.  When he loses in court, who does he blame?  Not himself.  Do not mistake your internet research with my law degree.