Hot Girls in the City

The Law Weekly Triumvirate

Washington, D.C.

First of all, welcome back to school, readers. I hope everyone had a great summer. By that, I mean I hope the new 1Ls did nothing, the 2Ls had fun at their first-ever[1] legal jobs, and the 3Ls were able to have fun amidst the work. Other than the summer before and after my 1L year, members of our esteemed institution were scattered all across the nation, and this year was no different. Each of us had our own experiences that are worth their own articles. But guess what, none of you are on this newspaper,[2] so you get to read this instead.

I spent my summer in the best city imaginable: Washington, D.C.[3] Although a literal swamp that had my face melting at all hours of the day, the city is ideal for people in the law. Every working professional has their career connected to the law, either passing it or circumventing—I mean practicing—it. The tourism is obvious; each monument and museum is worth hours or even a full day of your time. There’s just something for everyone. Every single person I met there was able to stay out until 2 a.m. for work events and rally for their 6 a.m. workout class. I could talk about the work I did or the inequality and problems in the city, but this is the first issue of the year. I have plenty of time to make dark jokes about depressing realities.

For now, all I can say is that I hope there are enough of you 1Ls and 2Ls that consider going to D.C. to experience the nonstop insanity that is a city built for heavy partying, working, and worrying. I can’t wait to go back and experience it all as a real adult.

Pictured: The view from the Washington, DC office of Kirkland & Ellis, LLP

San Francisco

            “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” Despite this not being a quote from  Mark Twain, as many believe, it is nonetheless accurate. While there were many gorgeous, 75-degree days spent looking out across the bay at Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Napa to the north, many were closer to 55 and cloudy. In fact, I’ve never seen a worse Fourth of July celebration. The fireworks’ trajectory took them directly into a cloud bank. So, occasionally you’d see the streak of light, hear the whizz, and then see a dull Shrek-green flash of light in the clouds if you were lucky. Otherwise, you just had to trust that somewhere deep in the fog, fireworks were happening, and they were beautiful.

            But, when the city was sunny, it was beautiful. And the cool weather helped immensely with the hills. The city’s various inclines were another beast altogether, one that I lived on top of. I have a fond memory of talking to my mom on the phone and telling her not to worry, Trader Joe’s was “only a mile away” and “it was completely downhill from my place.” Conveniently, I left out the fact that I’d be carrying groceries uphill for a mile on the way home.

            All in all, I loved San Francisco. I don’t like cities, but it’s unlike any other, and that’s what I really liked about it. I’m excited to return in 2023!

Pictured: The view of beautiful downtown Houston

Houston

            I am from South Florida. When people mention heat and humidity, I metaphorically don’t break a sweat. Literally, I am probably already very sweaty. I thought I was ready for Texas summer, and I was wrong. It really is unbearable.

            The upside is, Houston’s infrastructure is built around the hellish stretch of time from May to September when the UV index is 11 and the air itself hurts your skin until well after sundown. Much like other desert creatures, Houstonians working downtown have a network of air-conditioned tunnels into which to retreat. The tunnels connect all the buildings downtown and are full of restaurants and every kind of store a working professional might need access to, from dry cleaning to an optometrist.

            If you are interested even remotely in energy work, Houston is the place to be. You have the chance to work with leading experts in both renewables and traditional sources, in a city with some of the craziest infrastructure and zoning in the country. The pace of life and work-life balance is different from the more traditional corporate cities, like New York. The people you work with will be some of the most genuine, easy-going Big Law attorneys you’ll ever meet. You’ll have the opportunity to work on pro bono projects that affect lives directly in your community, from abortion access to voting rights. There’s no income tax, and owning a home is a real possibility. You just need to pack your sunscreen.

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omk6cg@virginia.edu
jtp4bw@virginia.edu
dl9uh@virginia.edu

[1] Yes, I know some of you were paralegals. Good for you. Most of us are KJD children. Your friends still have some degree of youth and energy.

[2] This is something you can change! Come to our meetings on Mondays; we have free pizza and good people.

[3] I don’t care how often my friends Cara Capoccitti and Paige Kennett (both of ’23) try to say otherwise, NYC is too much for me.

What the (1)L? A Very Practical Guide to Your First Year

Monica Sandu ‘24
Co-Executive Editor


Welcome, Class of 2025! Orientation may be over, but your law career has just begun. Law school isn’t easy, so here are ten tips for making the most of your first year:[1]

1. Don’t struggle alone

There will be classes where you have no idea what’s going on. There will be periods of frustration and doubt. And that’s okay. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you need help. Go to your professors’ office hours, work with your classmates and peer advisors, and reach out to Student Affairs. I cannot overstate the importance of a good support system. We are all here for you, and we want you to succeed.

2. Keep an eye out for free food

I once went two weeks almost exclusively eating free food from the Law School. In addition to the glorious Snack Student Affairs Office, many events, from student organization meetings to invited speakers, also offer free food to attendees.[2] Check out the Law Weekly’s docket of events. “Food provided” is your best friend. Be sure to RSVP if the event requires it!

3. Get involved

With over seventy different student organizations, there’s something for everyone! Organizations are a great way to get to meet people outside of your section, explore practice areas you’re interested in, help out the community, or just take a break from the intensity of your first year. Who knows? You might just find you have a burning passion for hard-hitting journalism and decide to join a certain highly acclaimed student newspaper…

4. Color code

While this may not work for everyone, my strategy for cold calls is to color-code key sections in my casebook.[3] This gives me a visual cue for where to look if I need to reference my book, rather than flipping through big blocks of text. Play around with different strategies to see what’s most effective for you.

5. Understand the “why”

Continuing the theme of cold calls, you won’t be able to memorize every single detail of every case you read.  Concentrate on what the key issue was, how the case was resolved, and why it was resolved that way. Understanding cases is a learning process. See if you can identify the reasoning used. If the reasoning doesn’t make sense to you, ask yourself why it doesn’t make sense. If the outcome contradicts a case you read previously, try to figure out what differences, if any, made this particular case turn out the way it did.

6. See Charlottesville

Though it may not always feel like it, there’s more to Charlottesville than North Grounds. Spend time outside in the fresh air, try out new restaurants, go to a winery with friends, and have fun exploring the city! Breaking the cycle of school to home to school will help you get some much-needed rest in your free time.

7. Plan

The first year throws a lot of information your way. To avoid feeling overwhelmed or getting surprised by a deadline, make a list of what you want to get done over a certain period of time. This can be daily, weekly, or even monthly. Know what you have to do and when you’re going to make time to do it.  Afterwards, you get the satisfaction of checking an item off of your to-do list!

8. Be flexible

New events and opportunities arise all the time, as do unforeseen challenges.[4] Be prepared to not have everything work out exactly as intended. You may find yourself needing to change your study style. You may have to rearrange your schedule in order to spend time with your friends from undergrad who decided to drop by for the weekend. Embrace the ups and downs. In fact, the best plans acknowledge that plans will sometimes have to change.

9. Be kind to yourself

Your wellbeing is the most important thing. Take care of yourself, and make sure that you’re eating well, getting enough sleep, and maintaining your hobbies. To use a cliché, “it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

10. Read the Law Weekly

This is non-negotiable. Ten out of ten of UVA Law students recommend reading the Law Weekly to ensure academic and personal success.[5]

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ms7mn@virginia.edu

[1] This article is opinion only and does not constitute a promise of success. Neither the author nor the Virginia Law Weekly is liable for any outcomes that may or may not arise as a result of following this advice.

[2] Including the Law Weekly—contact us for more details on how you can eat free pizza every week.

[3] For example, I highlight the question in pink, key facts in green, reasoning in orange, and the holding in yellow.

[4] Make sure to read your email regularly! Everything from social events to career services information comes by email.

[5] Source: the Virginia Law Weekly

So You Are Going to Make 40k This Summer

Dana Lake '23
Editor-in-Chief

In between exit counseling and career prep for 3Ls and negotiating scholarships with incoming 1Ls, Dean Hulvey with the Law School Financial Aid Office took the time to sit down with me and talk through what the heck a 2L ought to be doing this summer. While I’m writing from a private practice point of view, the better angels of our school who are going into public service should also find some useful bits for their own financial planning. 

As a regular adult working a regular job before Law School, I made $35k a year. Now going to a firm that has adopted the $215k rate, I and many members of the Class of 2023 will make $41,346.15 in only ten weeks (before taxes, of course). The BigLaw mindset and your student loan balance can obscure the fact that this is a life-changing amount of money. It’s worth taking the time to develop a plan for what to do with it.

The first question is whether to use some of your summer pay to cover some tuition and cost of living expenses, or to take loans. As with most things for the Class of 2023, there is a COVID catch—federal student loan repayments are on pause until the end of summer and likely until after the November midterms.[1] That means interest on those loans is also paused. If you have loans at a higher interest rate, it makes sense to pay off a portion of that loan now, when your dollar can get to the principal balance faster. It’s important to remember that the rate you borrow at is the rate you will be paying back years from now.[2] Dean Hulvey advises that the choice between paying back or borrowing less comes down to that year’s interest rate. For 2022, the direct unsubsidized loan rate for graduate students was 5.28%. If that rate goes up for 2023, it makes sense to borrow less next year and to use your summer funds for living expenses. If rates go down, it makes sense to take the new, cheaper loan and to instead use your summer funds to pay back the older, more expensive loan. 

Dean Hulvey emphasized that this choice comes with a major caveat—what is your summer plan after graduation? 3L and 3L Summer tend to be more expensive than 1L and 2L for many reasons, ranging from going all out at Bar Review and buying your friends green tea shooters at Crozet, to purchasing wedding presents for all the couples tying the knot after graduation. You will be moving cities, expanding your professional wardrobe, maybe going on a bar trip before work starts. A frugal 3L year will still be full of unexpected expenses. You need a plan so that you can avoid taking a bar loan,[3] if possible. Your firm may provide you with a stipend, or you might be able to take a forward on your paychecks. But another option is to save your summer pay in a high interest account[4] to prepare for these costs. 

I’ll touch on taxes briefly. This year is probably the last year of your working life that your federal income tax bracket will be 22%. You might even be in the 12% bracket. After graduation, you will be firmly in the 35% bracket (unless you get married, which keeps you at a cool 24%). What that means is that this is the last best year for you to contribute to an after-tax account, like a Roth IRA. With a Roth IRA, you can contribute up to $6,000 a year of income, taxed at your current rate. It then grows and can be withdrawn tax-free when you are up there in the more expensive brackets. With the power of compound interest, that becomes $64,000 if you only make one contribution and never even look at the account again.[5]

A final note on housing. It is probably too late for you to change your summer housing plan now, but this summer is the time for you to explore the city and get to know the different areas where you can live. Take the time to look for an affordable area you can be happy in the long term. For students still trying to secure summer accommodations and that have real need of financial assistance—be that making down payments on apartments or other housing cost issues—the financial aid office can help. Reach out and talk to them before putting an enormous balance on your credit card or taking a high interest personal loan.

What it all comes down to is the need for a PLAN for your summer income, and the time to start making that plan is now, before the money starts rolling in. A successful financial plan is one that supports your goals. It will allow you to pay for your wedding, own a home, travel, or achieve whatever other life events are important to you. Starting good saving habits this summer is the key. Dean Hulvey is hosting a Budgeting for Life workshop on Friday from 12:00-1:00 in WB126 that can help you craft the right plan for your goals and situation.

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dl9uh@virginia.edu 

[1] This is Law Weekly conjecture, don’t quote us on it. 

[2] Whatever your hope is for undergrad student loan forgiveness, Congress is not going to write a check to a bunch of yuppy corporate lawyers unless you’re billing them for it. It’s never too late to switch to public service if you want that sweet, sweet graduate PSLF relief. 

[3] These are private loans specifically for students who need help paying for living expenses while studying for the Bar. They typically have high interest rates and are not eligible for flexible repayments or forgiveness. See https://www.forbes.com/advisor/student-loans/best-bar-exam-study-loans/. 

[4] I use Discover Bank, which has no account balance minimum and no monthly maintenance fee, with 0.50% APY. Seehttps://thecollegeinvestor.com/22105/best-savings-accounts-students/ for other options.

[5] If you are twenty-five, let it grow to age sixty, with 7% returns. 

Do You Want To Start a Student Org? Follow These Easy Steps to Success

Monica Sandu '24
Co-Executive Editor

So, you have an interest that you want to share with the world (or, at least, with the Law School).[1] You also have a hunch that there are others who share that interest. And, while there may be many groups at the Law School, there are none that fill that niche. What’s a student to do? Make your own group!

My journey of creating a new student organization was a bit of a whirlwind, beginning with the spark of an idea that grew over the course of the semester until I decided to take the plunge in March. Out of nebulous desire came concrete plans, a vision for the future. But where to start? 

Step 1: Contact Student Affairs

It was a busy Saturday backstage at Caplin, between scenes during Libel rehearsal. I was hopped up on caffeine, procrastinating on Monday’s reading by crafting an impassioned plea to Student Affairs. I wanted to establish the Orthodox Christian Law Student Association, but I had no clue what I needed to do to get started. Over the days I had spent thinking about it prior to sending that email, OCLSA became more than just a dream. I was already planning upcoming events, imagining the kind of community we would be able to build. This was a passion project—my labor of love.

Soon after, I received a reply and set up a meeting with Savannah Ourednik, the Student Affairs Coordinator. We met the following Wednesday, where I discussed my proposal and received the go-ahead. Ms. Ourednik, ever kind and helpful, showed me the Student Organization Handbook,[2] which detailed step-by-step instructions on what I needed to do to get this group off the ground. I left her office with a game plan. 

 

Step 2:  Receive SBA Approval

 To create a student group at the Law School, you need SBA approval. To get SBA approval, you need to submit: a constitution; a list of twenty-five students who support the creation of the organization; the names of anticipated board members; and the New Student Organization Recognition Form.

I haven’t even finished Con Law, I thought. How can I possibly write a whole new constitution on my own? The prospect was daunting. Thankfully, the SBA website had a helpful template that laid out exactly what sections I needed to include. The rest was up to me. For two weeks, I wrote and rewrote the constitution, going over its provisions with a fine-toothed comb to ensure that everything complied with SBA requirements, such as allowing for a one-month transition period for the executive board, following elections. I had to develop a system that was simple enough to work with what I anticipated would be a small group to start, but which could easily be adapted to handle more members as the organization grew. While it wasn’t the easiest project in the world, I felt a certain thrill crafting these rules that would guide the organization for years to come. With every section I drafted, OCLSA became a little more real. 

Getting to twenty-five signatures was also not as bad as I had first anticipated. There was an outpouring of support from my section and other 1Ls, the cast of Libel, and members of other groups I’m in. We reached the minimum signature requirement in only two days! From there, I only had to fill out the New Student Organization Recognition Form, detailing the organization’s vision, along with short-term and long-term goals to achieve that vision. At the first interest meeting, prospective members looked over what I had planned, and, together, we finalized our founding documents.

With the paperwork finally done, I emailed SBA Vice President Shivani Armilli ’23[3] and eventually presented my proposal to the SBA for them to consider. When I got the email that I had been approved, I couldn’t stop smiling. 

Step 3: Receive CIO Status

 The last step is receiving Contracted Independent Organization (CIO) status from the University, and applications open in the fall. To receive CIO status, organizations must have at least ten student members. Applicants must have at least three meetings directly related to the organization’s mission before applying.

Conclusion 

 Crucially, I didn’t go about this alone. I am humbled by the kindness and generosity of the UVA Law community. Fellow students were willing to support this endeavor, become members, and even take on leadership roles.[4] Words cannot express my gratitude. 

If you have an idea you’d like to turn into a student group, go for it! Our community is made stronger by its diversity and its members’ passions.

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ms7mn@virginia.edu

[1] Though, as law students, the two may be the same thing.

[2] Located conveniently on the Law School’s website.

[3] Who was incredible in answering my questions and helping me out every step of the way!

[4] Huge shoutout to Riley Ries ’24, the St. Thomas More Society, and LCF!

The Midway Toast: Two Writers Give Hot Takes

Anna Bninski ‘23
Features Editor

Mason Pazhwak ’23
Foreign Correspondent


On Wednesday, April 13, the Law School held a belated Halfway Toast for the Class of 2023. (Although the event was delayed from the reasonable halfway point of January until closer to the two-thirds mark of the 2Ls’ law school career, that definitely seems like a better deal than the Zoom toast that COVID forced on the Class of 2022.) Two Law Weekly correspondents attended the Toast.

Anna: The first edition of the Law Weekly that I ever encountered (as a visiting prospective student) covered the Midway Toast for the Class of 2021. It was on the front page, if I recall correctly. I thought, “That seems like a weird, self-congratulatory event for people who are privileged enough to be at UVA Law. Isn’t celebrating the fact that you’re halfway through an academic program setting the bar kind of low? Also, why is it news? Is anyone interested in reading about that?”[1]

Joke’s on me. Turns out, law school is hard, especially in a pandemic, and it’s really nice to have a big celebratory gathering with people you know well, vaguely know, and have literally never seen.[2] Particularly when there are personal snack trays (easily taken home or to the library), as well as cupcakes. I was particularly pleased to note that to pair with the glasses of bubbly (both alcoholic and not), the snack trays included literal tiny toasts.

For the toast proper, Dean Risa Goluboff made remarks that expressed hope for the rest of the Class of 2023’s law school career—academically, socially, and professionally. 

A serenade from a large choir of professors was the standout of the event, in my opinion. With the preface, “We wanted to do a mashup, but we couldn’t figure out what that was, so it’s a medley”[3] and the leadership of Professors Barbara Armacost and Anne Coughlin, some twenty faculty and administration members blessed the 2Ls with parodic versions of “Leaving On a Jet Plane” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” 

Professors Serenading Students at the Midway Toast

Mason: As a 2L, I think I can safely say that we are the UVA Law class that has borne the brunt of the COVID pandemic and everything it has entailed. Even as the illness retreats and life returns to normal, we remain a class that experienced a 1L year that, looking back, seems almost unbelievable in comparison to what we have now and that was sometimes absurd on reflection.[4] The measures imposed severely impacted our lives as law students, and we went through it without the benefit of the previously built social connections of the Classes of 2021 and 2022. Meanwhile, we could only dream of the many freedoms returned to the Class of 2024. This is all to say that a lot was lost for us, and while it may have served the important purpose of slowing down a deadly disease, it nevertheless made many feel that we were something of a lost class. Walking into a Class of 2023 Midway Toast already delayed by several months due to COVID measures, I am sure I was not the only one who could sense this history hanging invisibly in the air. 

Dean Goluboff, in her remarks, acknowledged what had happened and the sentiment it created, but instead of dwelling on the past, she called for us to look to the future and all of the possibilities of the time we have left here at UVA Law as the Class of 2023. This was accompanied by funny, heartwarming, and well-sung musical numbers by our professors in what was a Midway Toast first, uniquely created for the Class of 2023. I know that I, like many others, couldn’t help but smile as they showed that they understood what we had experienced and welcomed us to look forward to better days in our little law community at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I thus found the whole experience to be cathartic, not only for its traditional purposes of being a celebration of making it halfway through law school and an opportunity to reconnect as a class, but also as a goodbye to a first half defined by the pandemic and the welcoming of a second act that might rehabilitate our battered class. Perhaps it was the background of gorgeous spring weather, the promise of an exciting summer, a few glasses of champagne, or several excess containers full of snacks and cupcakes, but I couldn't help but leave the Midway Toast feeling quite pleased for having attended and optimistic for the future of the UVA Law Class of 2023.  


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amb6ag@virginia.edu
mwp8kk@virginia.edu

[1] I still have no answers as to whether coverage of the toast has any actual appeal to the Law Weekly readership. 

[2] I could blame COVID, but I’m also kind of a hermit and enjoy going to sleep at 9 p.m. 

[3] Clearly, Professor Ruth Buck was not consulted. 

[4] I want to give honorable mentions to the outdoor universal masking phase of the pandemic, the rule on wearing masks while using already distanced cardio machines in the North Grounds gym, r/UVALaw Reddit wars, and, most notably (and destructively to social cohesion), the UVA policy of encouraging classmates and future colleagues to tell on each other for real or perceived violations of COVID measures.

PalTrekkers Reflect: Panel on Palestine

Guest Writer
UVA Paltrek

On March 22, a panel of three law students gathered together to answer questions and share reflections about PalTrek, an inaugural trip that fourteen UVA graduate students took to Palestine over spring break. The purpose of the trek was for students to gain an understanding of Palestinian history, culture, and daily life—particularly how all have been shaped and impacted by Israeli occupation and military control. 

The students panelists—including Spencer Haydary ’23 and Sabrina Surgil ’24—spoke from a variety of backgrounds and prior understandings about Palestine: Haydary had already been on two trips to the region with other organizations, Surgil grew up with pro-Zionist influences, and another student came from a Pakistani Muslim family. All expressed a desire to circumvent past biases and knowledge—whether from organizations, communities, or the news media—as a chief reason for participating in PalTrek. They wanted to see and hear from Palestinians themselves about what the day-to-day reality of life under occupation entails, and their panel showed that they certainly succeeded.  

The consensus among the panel was that Palestinians face great trauma in the forms of discrimination and segregation. Indeed, the panel shared many details that one would think came from history books discussing the Jim Crow era or South African apartheid: “In Hebron, Israeli soldiers said we could only use a certain restroom if we were not Muslim. Our guides were forced to stop at checkpoints throughout the city almost every thirty minutes, with some checkpoints even being a few hundred feet apart. Palestinians cannot fly their flags in Hebron, and their streets are ceilinged with chain link fences above in order to prevent Israelis from throwing garbage down upon them,” Haydary attested. Surgil also spoke of how Palestinians are not allowed to use Israeli roads and are instead forced to use separate ones that can be unpaved, littered with trash—often not their own—and made up of cumbersome routes. For instance, the Israeli road from Bethlehem to Ramallah cuts through Jerusalem and is about a forty-minute drive, while the Palestinian road takes two hours. The two also discussed other basic disparities, such as how Palestinians must collect rainwater in tanks on their roofs, while Israeli houses have indoor pipes and plumbing.

“Palestinians are also subject to random checks and searches, constant surveillance on the street via cameras that can see and hear conversations, and even facial recognition surveillance that can identify them in their cars on the road,” one student shared. They are also required to get permits to enter certain areas of the region, such as the holy city of Jerusalem, which are scarcely granted, according to the PalTrekkers’ guides. These restrictions on freedom of movement and invasions of privacy extend to all Palestinians and seep into even the most basic parts of life. Indeed, the tour guide described gunshots as white noise that Palestinians have learned to sleep through. Moreover, university students told the PalTrekkers that merely being a part of certain student organizations is enough to be jailed or interrogated for, and that class is never at full attendance because someone has inevitably been detained. Class topics, material, speakers, and faculty at Palestinian universities must also be cleared by the Israeli government. At one point in the panel, the three also shared an emotional anecdote of meeting with a Palestinian family that is involved in organizing peaceful protests in the village of Nabi Salih. These protests have resulted in the arrests of children as young as nine, illegal uses of tear gas by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), and even deaths in the village, underscoring how the occupation affects all, regardless of how pacific or young. 

Despite the dark reality of Palestinian treatment in the region, Haydary and Surgil found hope in the strength, kindness, and resilience of the Palestinian people. “There’s a misconception that life in Palestine is desolate, but it is in fact thriving with culture, generosity, humanity, and kindness,” said Surgil. From sampling shawarma and coffee in homes, to being taught Dabke, a traditional Palestinian form of dance, the group experienced the personal generosity of their various host organizations and contacts daily. They opened their doors with hospitality and grace, always infusing the interactions with the humanity at stake. It is easy, the panel stated, to become desensitized to what is going on in Israel/Palestine and to shy away, but it is crucial to remember the very real human cost being paid each day by the Palestinian people. The panel urged all students, regardless of their beliefs, to come on PalTrek next year and see for themselves what is going on in Palestine. They are confident that anyone, regardless of background, would recognize that it is wrong and be moved to action. 

Reptile Tort Law: Faculty Scholarship Review

Jacob Smith ‘23
Professor Liason Editor

What does tort law have to do with reptiles? “The reptile,” or “reptile theory,” is how tort practitioners refer to a plaintiff-side strategy that, strangely enough, encourages plaintiff’s counsel to treat jurors like reptiles. If you, an intelligent member of the law school community, have never heard of it—well, that is what this column is about. Professor Kenneth S. Abraham’s new paper, “Shadow Tort Law: Lessons from the Reptile,” explores the reality that reptile theory has received little attention in appellate courts and tort scholarship, despite being infamous among tort practitioners. In Professor Abraham’s words, the reptile is a creature of “shadow tort law,” law that exists primarily at the trial level and is easy for tort scholars to overlook. 

The reptile strategy can be described as an effort to reduce the jury to their animal instincts for physical safety. Disciples of the reptile seek to frame the defendant as a threat to the community that the jury must protect themselves against. The herpetological label comes from a book called Reptile: The 2009 Manual of the Plaintiff’s Revolution.[1]Professor Abraham describes the book as arguing that tort plaintiffs can win big by “appeal[ing] to the reptilian part of jurors’ brains, which (like threatened snakes) reacts with anger at threats to their security.”[2] In practice, disciples of the reptile try to raise the stakes of a tort case. Instead of focusing on the facts of the plaintiff’s individual injury, the plaintiff’s lawyers want to make the case about the devastating harm that the defendant’s practices could have inflicted on the community, including the jurors and their families.  

Defense lawyers generally view the reptile as an illegitimate distortion of the appropriate legal standard. The reasonableness of the conduct that caused the plaintiff’s injury is what matters—the defendant’s conduct on other occasions is irrelevant. The jury is not supposed to see itself as a guardian of society or to put itself in the plaintiff’s shoes. And the jury should not think that safety is the only thing that matters. The standard is “reasonable care,” not “perfect safety.” 

However, the point of Professor Abraham’s paper is not to describe the reptile. Plenty of practitioner articles do that already. The point is that the reptile is not well-known among tort scholars, the people who make it their vocation to study the law of torts, despite being well-known among practitioners. Based on an informal survey of his colleagues, Professor Abraham concluded that most tort scholars “have never heard of the reptile.”[3] Upon asking Professor Abraham how this could be, he explained that there is a gap between the “law on the books” and the “law in practice.” Law professors generally do not read practitioner materials, and practitioners generally do not write law review articles. Further, as Professor Abraham describes in his paper, there are a number of reasons why “reptile” issues may not be appealed, from harmless error doctrine to page limits on briefs.[4]

Professor Abraham wants us to treat our juries like this fabulous creature here.

Professor Abraham concludes that studying shadow tort law (like the reptile) can lead to a “richer” and more complete understanding of tort law.[5] My biggest takeaway from the paper was that, somewhat surprisingly to me, there is a significant knowledge gap between practitioners and the academy in at least one area of law. Moreover, in economic terms, we might think of this gap as offering an opportunity for arbitrage—for well-rounded law professors, lawyers, and law students to gain an edge by transplanting ideas from one realm to the other.

Practitioners can benefit from closing the gap because judges have a foot in academia. They tend to be well-read in legal theory and occasionally cite to law review articles, so a persuasive law review article could conceivably make a difference in motions practice or on appeal. For example, as Professor Abraham points out, tort theorists have argued that tort law is supposed to reflect the conscience of the community and send a message to defendants, but lawyers are generally not allowed to argue those purposes to the jury.[6] A law review article targeted at that discrepancy could conceivably make judges slightly more tolerant of reptile-type arguments.

Similarly, law students and professors can gain insights and paper ideas by looking to practitioner-side developments. (Newsletters from Bloomberg or the ABA may be a good place to start.) To close on an intensely practical point, the neglected reptile could make for a great note topic. It has received little attention in legal scholarship, but its ties to psychology, sociology, evidence, and tort law in general deserve further investigation.


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js3hp@virginia.edu

[1] David Ball & Don Keenan, Reptile: The 2009 Manual of the Plaintiff’s Revolution (2009).

[2] Kenneth S. Abraham, Shadow Tort Law: Lessons from the Reptile (forthcoming) (manuscript at 1) (available at https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4042230).

[3] Id. at 3.

[4] Id. at 16-17.

[5] See id. at 17-18.

[6] See id. at 13-14.

The Definitive Guide on How NOT to Study for Final Exams

Sai Kulkarni ‘23
Production Editor

As we get closer to the end of the semester, it is time again to talk about the unholy demon that we are all contractually required to face in a trial by combat (of wits) at the end of every academic period: final exams. Now, as an experienced 2L who has gone through three such events by now, I could dedicate this to talking about my experience and helping 1Ls by telling them the best tricks I picked up. But I refuse to do that. It’s not because I haven’t picked up anything useful.[1] Not at all. It’s because I am known by my dear readers to be unhinged and comedic, and telling you the best things to do would run completely counter to that mandate. Instead, I decided to use all my experiences, and the things I’ve observed from my friends,[2] to advise you on things to avoid—it’s just more fun for you, the reader. So, here’s some things that you absolutely shouldn’t do when attempting to study for finals.

First off, if you need to rewatch classes, do NOT watch them at normal speed. I promise you, your brain can process information faster than your professors talk. But more than that, rewatching class from start to end is not enough to get you there. I had a friend do that first semester of 1L, and I continue to be astounded by how he didn’t hate watching all forms of video content by the end of it. You deserve better than torturing yourself with content you should have already seen in live form.[3] Next, it is important that if you do end up in office hours, you go with questions. I know, you are telling yourself, “I don’t know what to ask! I will simply listen to other people ask questions and take notes on the professor’s answers.” Well, dear reader, as another one of my friends found out, that’s how you get lost in the sauce, your wires crossed, and somehow find yourself waking up to the end of the Zoom. Don’t be that friend.[4]

Pictured: The Gunner Pit, a place you should avoid

Another thing to keep in mind is that taking notes based on a professor’s slides on Canvas or their end-of-class recaps, especially handwriting them so you remember, is not something that works for most classes or students.[5] The friend who inspired this tip is one I love dearly, but even she admits that she had zero fun handwriting those class recaps. Don’t be like her,[6] and instead, simply print out or copy-and-paste that content into your computer notes. I know you want to be a hipster, and you think handwriting is “more efficient” and “better for learning” and that, “maybe you should do it Sai, you might get better grades,” but you are wrong. Be better: Be lazy. You should also keep in mind that getting seventeen[7] different outlines for one class is probably not the answer, either. Not only is so much of the content crossover, but the task of putting it all together is not worth the energy. You are better off attempting to beg your transactional friends to “just throw in the towel” because they “definitely don’t need this” and “better grades won’t make that big hole in their heart where the BigLaw money will go any smaller” in order to make the curve easier to beat.[8]

Finally, and most importantly, do not isolate yourself in the library. I know it seems compelling—“Ah yes, I shall avoid everyone, be dedicated, and drown my stress and feelings in studying,” but that isn’t healthy. This one, you can take from me. The number one tool for success isn’t shutting yourself out; it’s letting people in. It might be going to the same friend’s apartment every day for a month to party after a day of studying. It could be refusing to slow down your partying and hanging out with the same five people for the three weeks leading up to the end of finals. Either way, that’s healthier than disappearing into the library every day and only giving yourself fifteen minutes of social interaction every two hours, combined with Snapchats to remind your friends that you are alive. It’s an unhealthy way to study, and you deserve better. Or maybe this is me scaring you away from the best way to study so that I can beat you all on the curve. Anything is possible when you are reading an article written by me.


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omk6cg@virginia.edu

[1] This is why. I still don’t know how to do finals properly. Please help.

[2] I will not be mentioning anyone by name here; I love all of you and refuse to put a name to the roasts.

[3] Don’t expect me to outright tell you to pay attention in class, that goes against the theme.

[4] I imagine this is not relevant for in-person office hours, but to the best of my knowledge, some professors are still offering Zoom office hours. Hence, this joke.

[5] Except for classes with Professor Bamzai. A true leader of the people, most of his content is in the slides. 

[6] In this one way. She is a fashion icon, though, and more people should be inspired by that.

[7] Yes, one friend actually got this many. Her dedication and existence terrify me.

[8] These statements were said sarcastically by a friend, but part of me is sure that some part of him meant it.

Balls to the Wall: Softball at UVA

Sarah Walsh '23
Staff Editor

            With the UVA Law Softball Invitational wrapped up for the year, Production Editor extraordinaire Sai Kulkarni ’23 has asked me to write about my experience with softball at this school. Given how much time I already spend talking about this topic, I happily said yes. If you know me, you know that I love softball and will take almost every opportunity I get to play. During my 1L spring semester, I once Zoomed into class from my phone—which I then left with a friend in the dugout, telling her to yell for me if my professor started cold calling—just so that I could play for a team that I wasn’t even on.[1] Ultimately, my contribution in that game was exactly one groundout and literally nothing else, so the question is: Was it worth effectively skipping class for? Absolutely. It was the chance to hang out with my friends and enjoy some sunny weather after spending a miserable February trapped indoors, agonizing over journal tryouts and my LRW brief—of course it was worth it.

For all the mosquito bites and bruises I’ve suffered because of softball (of which there have been many), there have been more than enough moments that have continued to make playing worth it. Moments like Cooper Lewis ’24 yelling, “Hose him!” while Jon Peterson ’23, Andrew Becker ’24, and Jack Brown ’23 completed an MLB-worthy relay to get the runner out at home during the first §A & Pals game of the semester.[2] Or like Jon and Jacob Mitchell ’23 hitting back-to-back homers in the first §A & Pals game of last semester.[3] Even little, unremarkable moments, like sitting in the dugout or standing on base and just getting to talk to people that I haven’t seen in a while, have kept me coming out to the field week after week. 

Pictured: The Section A and Pals Team

I recognize that there are some of you who think it’s dumb to care about Law School softball, or at least to care about it enough to basically skip class for it. After all, it’s not like winning a game will in any way advance my career or make my GPA any higher. To that I say…yeah, fair enough. I’d like to note, however, that I could be way more intense about softball—after all, it’s not like I’m out here wearing batting gloves during my games.[4] That’s beside the point, though. Because of softball, I get to have a couple hours each week to get outside, be with my friends, and play a game that I love. Personally, I don’t think it’s dumb to care about something that gives me those couple of hours where I can forget about the constant stress that is law school. And if you do think that’s dumb, well, I probably won’t be able to hear your criticisms over Cooper yelling from the dugout, anyway. 

On a slightly more serious note, I should also mention that I have softball to thank for some of my closest friendships and favorite memories from my time at this school. While my 1L section didn’t really play a lot of softball,[5] I was lucky enough to have friends who did and who invited me to play with their teams. Without the invitation to be one of the “& Pals” for §A & Pals, I never would have gotten the chance to chat with Jack and Parker Kelly ’23 while warming up before games. As a result, I wouldn’t have ended up writing for Libel with Jack or going on a road trip with him and Parker to attend a World Series game this past fall,[6] two of the best experiences I’ve had as a law student. Yes, these are technically experiences that I had only as an indirect result of softball, and I’m not saying that playing in a couple softball games will guarantee you new best friends, the chance to write your professor into a Libel sketch with the specific purpose of making your friend cry-laugh on stage, or a trip to see your hometown team play in the World Series. What I am saying is that UVA Law softball has been a pretty great experience with even better teammates, and I’m excited to see what else it has to offer, both on and off the field. 


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saw8rc@virginia.edu

[1] Before the administration can get on me about this, huge disclaimer: please don’t follow my example.

[2] “Peak moment in my life” – Jack

[3] “The J&J Section A Special” – also Jack

[4] No disrespect to those of you who do wear batting gloves. Y’all terrify me, and I’d like to politely request that you never hit a ball anywhere near me.

[5] By which I mean we played in one scrimmage game that—in a fun turn of events—was against the team that I now co-captain.

[6] Go Braves

Long Distance Love Languages: The Definitive Guide to Keeping in Touch with Old Friends

Julia D’Rozario ‘24
New Media Editor

It’s a problem that most of us relate to. As we stumble through the seasons of life, it becomes easy to fall out of touch with people we love dearly. It’s not that we don’t want to know how they’re doing, or share how we’re doing — it’s that life comes at us awfully quickly, and it can be hard to narrate life as fast as it happens to people who aren’t physically present.

There’s a kind of friendship that grows naturally in school, where you spend every day with someone. You know the characters in each other’s lives, you have 24/7 access to their stream of consciousness, and you hear every trivial detail about every daily event in real-time. As you enter adulthood, whether you move away or simply become occupied with other responsibilities, it becomes harder to know each other in as much detail. You hear about big things — the new jobs, new relationships… but you miss out on the little things. You know — the interview anxiety, the almost-relationships. Some people say that’s healthy and normal, that, as life goes on, people naturally phase in and out of your life. But I will never be content with that.

Here’s the thing: I’m obsessed with my friends. I still want to experience the minutiae of their everyday lives as if I was there in person with them: I still want what band/TV show/recipe they’re currently obsessed with. I still want to overanalyze text messages like we did in middle school. I still want to know the little things!

I’m lucky. My oldest friends have been metaphorically joined-at-the-hip with me since I was ten years old. There hasn’t been a week in the last almost-fifteen years that we haven’t spoken. We met in middle school, and the five of us have managed to stay as close as ever despite now living across five cities, four time zones, and three continents.

After years of long distance friendship, I could write thousands of tips. But for now, here’s three:

1)     Call without scheduling.

If you take away one thing from this article, let it be this: scheduling does not work. For me personally, time zones have been the biggest issue. With four time zones to plan for, scheduling a call is almost never possible… it’s always the middle of the night for someone. 

Even without time zone differences, scheduling is impossible. We all think we’re busier than we actually are. As a student, the only days I identify as being truly “free” are Saturdays and Sundays. I wouldn’t schedule a call for 9 am on a Monday — I have Con Law at 10. That being said, when the phone rings as I’m doing my eyeliner, I answer the call. When the phone rings while I’m studying, I almost always have twenty minutes to spare. So call. Ring your group chat without planning it days in advance. 90 percent of the time, someone will pick up. And the more you do it, the more normal it becomes.

I concede: “catching up” is exhausting. When you’re not used to calling frequently, it can be daunting — especially when you have emotional updates to share — to embark on the journey of explaining a story from scratch. Every call is an in-depth “fill me in” call that you may not have the emotional energy for. Sometimes, you won’t update each other until one of you has finally hit the point of absolute emotional crisis, at which point you dedicate eight hours on FaceTime to telling a months-long story in one tearful go, from character-introduction to plot-twist to present chapter.

By contrast, when you get into the habit of calling at random times, speaking for fifteen minutes (or however long it takes you to do your eyeliner) and going about your day, “catch ups” become a thing of the past. You don’t need to preface every little story with a prequel, four character profiles, and forty-five minutes of context. You can tell your funny story, give your silly update, or indulge in your objectively-petty-but-you’re-my-friend-so-take-my-side-anyway rant without the context. They already know the backstory — because you filled them in in twenty minute increments as it happened.

2)    PowerPoint.

Now you’re thinking, “okay, Julia, that’s great going forward, but how do I go about the catch up chats that I haven’t had yet? I need to fill them in before I can start with ‘eyeliner calls’.” To this I say: PowerPoint.

Calls aren’t perfect. Even when I’m absolutely as up-to-date as I could possibly be about my friends’ lives, there are things I don’t know. There are important, defining figures in their lives who I have never met and will never meet. There are crushes that we call by codename (“skater boy texted me!”), exes that I know only for where they fit on our ever-evolving DnD alignment chart (“wait — are you talking about chaotic-neutral Alex or a lawful-evil Alex?”), and events that I never heard about because they didn’t feel ‘big’ enough to share. 

This is where we put our LRW skills to good use. Use your magical CREAC powers to create a ten to fifteen minute presentation on whatever it is you have to say. Have your friends do the same. Set up a Zoom call, get to screen-sharing, and take turns presenting your life updates. Your first PowerPoint party might be purely catch up: relationship timelines, new obsessions, and ‘introductions’ to new people in your life.

Then, after your PowerPoint party, you’re all up to date. But the presentations don’t need to stop there. On the contrary, they only get more fun; the less actual substance a PowerPoint contains, the more petty/ smooth-brained/ generally entertaining it becomes. Feel free to get creative. From personal experience, and by way of example, think: “The Icks I’ve Acquired in 8 Years of Dating (46 slides)”, “Why I’ve Abandoned Personal Growth in Favor of Staying the Exact Same,” and “How to Build a Life on Pure Delusion”.

Recommendation PowerPoints are a category all on their own. Last month, I mentioned in passing that I had finished Demon Slayer and wanted something new to watch. In response, my friend creates a full-on, detailed anime-recommendation slideshow, complete with pros and cons, synopses, and the Julia-specific reasons she thought of me for each recommendation. Call me crazy, but that’s a love language. I only watch what she’s recommended at this point, and I can’t watch anything without thinking about how much I love her.

3)    Voice messages.

Finally, send voice notes. Constantly. As in, whenever a stupid thought pops into your head that you might have chosen to inflict on your loved ones had they been physically next to you, inflict it on them anyway via voice message.

Voice messages take many forms, and they are all created equal. And believe me when I say that your friends want all of them. They want your chaotic live-reactions to Love is Blind. They want your unformed thoughts on the Will Smith—Chris Rock drama. They want your tipsy proclamations of affection (“I love you, and I miss you, and I had three white claws tonight!”).

They want to hear your voice! So call. Make over-the-top presentations. Send voice notes. And remember: when someone loves you — which your friends do, a lot — there is nothing too trivial to talk about.

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jkd2dd@virginia.edu

Eurovision 2022: A Comprehensive Review

Monica Sandu ‘24
Co-Executive Editor

It’s that time of year again! Europe’s greatest popstars dust off their rhinestone-studded ballgowns for the single greatest show of all time: the Eurovision Song Contest.

Every year, countries that are part of the European Broadcast Union[1] select an original song to represent them in a worldwide battle of the bands. There are two semi-finals and a grand finale. Voting is done through each country’s jury and by viewers. Twelve, ten, and eight points are awarded by the juries to the country’s top three choices, respectively. Viewers also vote by text, which converts into points. Neither juries nor viewers can vote for their own country. The winner then hosts the competition the following year.[2]

Because it’s no longer socially acceptable for me to pester my friends, I will share my thoughts with all of you. For the sake of space, I couldn’t review every song, but I’d recommend giving them all a listen. Eurovision 2022 will be held in Turin, Italy on May 10, 12, and 14. 

My Winners:

Twelve Points to Moldova – Trenulețul[3] by Zdob și Zdub & Frații Advahov

A high-energy, Balkan folk-pop melody, it’s about the train between Chișinău, capital of Moldova, and Bucharest, capital of Romania, calling back to pre-World War II times when they were one country.

Ten Points to Ukraine – Stefania by Kalush Orchestra

This song about a child watching their mother grow older combines a traditional lullaby with rap and flute solos. A celebration of Ukraine’s culture with a modern twist, this is what makes Eurovision, Eurovision.

Eight Points to Australia – Not the Same by Sheldon Riley

An intimate piece based on the singer’s own life, this power ballad pairs beautiful solo vocals with a raw look at the experiences of children with Asperger’s. 

Honorable Mentions:

Belgium – Miss You by Jérémie Makiese

Powerful vocals and an epic choir; a break-up song has a presence of its own.

Cyprus – Ela by Andromache

A love song interspersing English verses with a Greek chorus inspired by traditional Cypriot music.

Denmark – The Show by REDDI

2000s vibes in the best way. 

Estonia – Hope by Stefan

The best Wild West song from the Baltics, perfect to play while I ride my horse into town at high noon.

France – Fulenn[4] by Alvan & Ahez

An intense techno song about a woman who rejects social norms by dancing around a bonfire, contrasting a haunting Breton folk melody with an excellent club beat. My fourth-place favorite!

 

Georgia – Lock Me In by Circus Mircus

A wholly unique progressive funk-rock sound with nonsensical lyrics and an “I was just abducted by aliens” vibe. 

Iceland – Með hækkandi sól[5] by Sigga, Beta, and Elín

Charming and fairytale-like, showcasing calming trio vocals and a sweet melody.

Israel – I.M by Michael Ben David

An empowering song about pride and rising above all the haters, with a funky beat and a feel-good melody.

Lithuania – Sentimentai[6] by Monika Liu

A classy song that pairs well with a glass of wine in a fancy penthouse lounge. 

Montenegro – Breathe by Vladana 

A goosebump-inducing anthem about grief and recovery.

Norway – Give that Wolf a Banana by Subwoolfer

An unexpectedly fun, replayable tune with unique syncopation and a great beat; the kind of crazy you can only get at Eurovision.

Serbia – In Corpore Sano[7] by Konstrakta

Experimental pop meets body horror, focused on our obsession with keeping the body healthy but neglecting the mind.

Slovenia – Disko[8] by LPS

A smooth, quirky party song with 70s vibes, performed by a group who met in their high school music room like a real-life DCOM. 

Switzerland – Boys Do Cry by Marius Bear

A beautiful song that wouldn’t be out of place in a Pixar movie. A simple but heart-wrenching story about male vulnerability.

Other Participants:

Albania – Sekret[9] by Ronela Hajati

Armenia –Snap by Rosa Linn

Austria – Halo by LUM!X feat. Pia Maria

Azerbaijan –Fade to Black by Nadir Rustamli

Bulgaria – Intention by Intelligent Music Project

Croatia – Guilty Pleasure by Mia Dimšić

Czech Republic – Lights Off by We Are Domi

Finland – Jezebel by The Rasmus

Greece – Die Together by Amanda Tenfjord

Ireland – That’s Rich by Brooke

Italy – Brividi[10] by Mahmood & Blanco

Malta – I Am What I Am by Emma Muscat

The Netherlands  - De Diepte[11] by S10

North Macedonia – Circles by Andrea

Poland – River by Ochman

Portugal – saudade, saudade[12] by MARO

Romania – Llámame[13] by WRS

San Marino – Stripper by Achille Lauro 

Spain – SloMo by Chanel

Sweden – Hold Me Closer by Cornelia Jakobs

United Kingdom – SPACE MAN by Sam Ryder

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ms7mn@virginia.edu

[1] Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Luxembourg, Morocco, Slovakia, and Turkey have previously participated but chose not to this year. Russia was banned from participating over its invasion of Ukraine.

[2] https://eurovision.tv/about/how-it-works

[3] The Train

[4] Spark

[5] Rising Sun

[6] Sentiments

[7] In a Healthy Body

[8] Disco

[9] Secret

[10] Chills

[11] The Depth 

[12] Unique Portuguese word for ardent melancholy, longing, nostalgia, and grief

[13] Call Me

Staying Well Fed in CVille: Late Night Haunts

Sai Kulkarni ‘23
Production Editor

One thing I loved about my time in college was the ability to buy fast food at any hour of the day. Was it the healthiest thing to do? Absolutely not. I probably turned the freshman fifteen into the sophomore sixty. But regardless of what hour of day it was, whether I was returning from a night out or simply taking a break from writing papers at unholy hours of the night,[1] it was good to be able to comfort my body or my soul with donuts, pizza, or street falafel. Perhaps it was one of the perks of being in the big city, but everyone at my old campus could be secure in the notion that even if they missed dinner, they could have food in their bodies at 3 a.m. and still be able to say that they had at least two meals a day. It was no surprise to me that Charlottesville lacked such a resource when I arrived here at UVA Law—it was, of course, peak pandemic, lockdown, and hybrid learning. There was no reason for food establishments to be open that late; they were already understaffed, and with so few people actually going out to eat, being open late would have probably hurt their bottom line. 

            What surprised me was that as the rest of the city began to open up during the day and our esteemed institution moved towards solely in-person learning, there remained few late-night spots open past 10 p.m. and even fewer open past midnight. This was shocking. I could have brought this up in the Court of Petty Appeals, but, from the little I know about personal jurisdiction, I don’t think fast food and local establishments fall under the purview of my favorite court in the state.[2] So instead, here I am, complaining to the ether on my own time about the lack of options. Feel free to email me if there are any others, but from what I’ve observed, there are only three late-night spots here in the campus area to use to line your stomach after a long night.[3] Those three spots are White Spot, Christian’s,  and, of course, Cookout. 

White Spot

            When you are out on the Corner, you can often find yourself incredibly hungry, since the kitchens at our favorite spots always seem to be closed when we are out.[4] Thus, you are presented with two options within walking distance: burgers or pizza. White Spot provides the burger option with great skill. You might be deterred by the long lines, but the service here is fast. From what I’ve observed from my friends, their regular burgers come out quick and taste good enough to scarf down in under five minutes. They even have a side place to sit and eat quickly. My only qualm with them is that their veggie burgers and fries tend to take a lot more time to come out. That is to be expected; it is not their main product. But since this is my article, I am allowed to gripe and groan. For the broader population, the main issue is one of variety. This is a burger joint. While there are other things on the menu, that is what you can expect to be the best. Unlike one of the other options, there is a clearly preferred menu item.

Christian’s Pizza

            Christian’s is quite similar to White Spot in that it is within walking distance of the popular Corner haunts, it has seating space, and it features long lines. This is a pizza place. There are many types behind the glass, and you can skip the line if you order a full pizza.[5] You can expect this place to be full of drunk undergrads past midnight. If that’s the experience you want, this is where you go. It’s that simple. Christian’s is a drunk pizza joint and it owns it. 

Cookout

            Now for the crowning jewel. This is where I tend to go late at night almost every week, sometimes even multiple times a week. As a designated driver on most nights, I am at the whims of my passengers.[6] But is it any wonder that they are fond of this place? Providing options ranging from milkshakes to burgers, to quesadillas, to chicken fingers and cheese curds, this place has everything.[7] To quote Paige Kennett '23: "You can have those cheese curds at any hour of the day but they just taste better after a few shots, late at night." The biggest benefit, though, is its biggest drawback. Instead of standing in a long line, this allows you to sit down in a car and even allows some passengers to grab a quick nap. The problem is that the line here is the longest of the three spots. The convenience of a drive-thru is mitigated by basically taking all night to get some food. Despite all these complaints, I know I will probably end up there on a weekend in the future. All I can do is give you the warning label regarding the lines. Much like the FDA, I have no control over whether you heed that warning or not.

Taco Bell

As a brief conclusion, I want to say that Taco Bell is the most universally loved late-night food. This article wouldn’t need to exist if our local establishment simply chose to be open past 12:45 a.m.; it would be the clear winner. 

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omk6cg@virginia.edu

[1] Things that you do when you have a 24-hour library and a college-era sleep schedule.

[2] I still think it’s wild that we use real legal principles in our fake student newspaper court.

[3] I am dead serious. Text or email me if you think I am wrong; I would truly welcome variety.

[4] I don’t blame them. Dealing with many drunk undergrads and law students is enough without having to feed them, too.

[5] I didn’t know this until recently. Thanks, Morgan Kurst ’23, for the key info.

[6] This usually includes some combination of Paige Kennett, Logan White, Pi Praveen, and Cara Capoccitti, all of ’23.

[7] I imagine that last part to be said in the voice of Chance Maginness ’22 as Stefon in the Libel Show.

Alternative Spring Break: A Valuable Experience & Giving Back

Nikolai Morse ‘24
Managing Editor

While most students were enjoying a well-earned rest over spring break, a group of students spent their free time volunteering for public-interest organizations across the country. The program, hosted by the Public Interest Law Association (PILA), is a long-running program which provides students the opportunity to work with an organization for a week, provide assistance to organizations who are often severely under-resourced, and gain valuable experience in the process.

While the Alternative Spring Break (“ASB”) program is now considered a mainstay in the UVA law school student experience, it has grown significantly since its inception. The ASB program at UVA Law originated in the late-aughts as an effort by PILA to provide interested students an opportunity to do good while gaining hands-on experience. In its first year, seventeen students participated between two organizations.

According to Ariana Smith ’23, PILA’s Alternative Break Programming Director, this year nearly sixty students participated across twenty-seven different organizations. Students had the opportunity to work with attorneys from organizations across the country whose focus included public defense, legal aid, civil rights, prosecution, sexual assault, domestic violence, immigration, and environmental law. 

            Smith ’23 emphasized the value of the program to both the participating students and the communities in which they volunteer. “I think the program is a great supplement to traditional classes, which can sometimes feel a bit more theoretical and abstract as opposed to hands-on and skill-based. And more importantly, students are learning and leveraging those new skills to help others and strengthen the communities they're working within.” Students who participated in the ASB program noted the variety of benefits the program offered.

For many students, the ASB program was an ideal opportunity to serve their community while not adding another commitment to an already-challenging class schedule. “As a 1L, joining pro bono programs in the fall seemed like it would be too overwhelming, ASB was a great way to get my feet wet in the pro bono world, and hopefully start building a habit of service that I can maintain throughout Law School,” says Camille Blum ’24.

For other students it was an opportunity to explore a field of the law they had an interest in as a potential career. This reporter, for instance, was able to supplement an interest in criminal law by working for the Fredericksburg Public Defender’s Office. Having the chance to participate in and observe the daily work of the public defenders helped add to an understanding of not only what the experience of working in the criminal law is like but also seeing the stakes for the accused and the victims in the criminal justice system.

Students who participate in the program are also eligible to use these hours to satisfy their Public Summer Service (“PSS”) grant pro bono hours requirement. The PSS program, which is also run by PILA, provides students who are working unpaid positions in the public service or judicial fields a grant to assist them with living expenses over the summer.

While most students conducted their pro bono remotely, students who had the opportunity to be in person noted the benefits of being able to interact with attorneys and observe court proceedings. “I had the opportunity to meet with clients, research for motion hearings, and even watch a trial. Having the chance to see how the attorneys at the Fredericksburg PD’s office litigated challenging cases helped me better understand a side of criminal law that, prior to ASB, I had little experience with,” says Liam Fineman ’24. 

In addition to their daily work assisting attorneys at their host organizations, students participated in a curriculum curated by second- and third-year law students that supplemented their volunteer experience. This curriculum included readings and podcasts focused on the challenges faced by legal advocates and their clients in a given area of public service. Students met daily to discuss these materials and reflect on how they connected to their ASB experience. Outside speakers provided an additional perspective and the opportunity for the students to ask questions of practitioners. Whitney Carter, ’23 who led the Public Defense & Capital Punishment discussion groups said, “During our curriculum time, we had the opportunity to hear from Dawn Davison, a formal capital defender, and Lauren Reese, a public defender. It was really interesting and useful to hear their takes from what public defense and capital work really looks like when you’re doing it.” 

            For any student interested in public service, giving back to their community, or even just gaining hands-on experience relevant to litigation, PILA’s Alternative Spring Break program presents a unique opportunity. Perhaps most importantly, it exemplifies the role of lawyers as advocates, taking the practice of the law from abstract ideas we learn in classes to something concrete and impactful. As Smith ’24 noted, “ASB is…a good reminder that law school is a lot more than just readings and cold calls. Behind the cases we read are real, live people who are confronting our legal system with a lot at stake, and when we do pro bono work, we truly engage with those people in a way that I think is really valuable and fulfilling.”

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cpg9jy@virginia.edu

Letter to the Editor: A Letter from PalTrek

This past spring break, 15 students from UVA became the first ever group of UVA students to visit Palestine on PalTrek, a student-led, student-organized, and student-funded trip that offers students a chance to hear directly from Palestinians on the ground and gain an understanding of the Palestinian narrative. PalTrek was started by a Palestinian student at the Harvard Kennedy School who wanted his peers to have a chance to experience his culture, and has since grown to many other campuses, including Columbia,[1] Berkeley, the University of Chicago, and more. This is a snapshot of what we, UVA PalTrek, saw in Palestine.

In Hebron, a Palestinian city under Israeli military occupation and home to some of the holiest sites in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, we try to use the bathroom. We are told by armed Israeli soldiers, fingers on their triggers, that we can only use the bathroom if we are not Muslim. After that, we take pictures of the streets, empty because of checkpoints that do not allow Palestinians to enter their own homes. A young Israeli soldier, mustache not yet fully grown in, approaches us and demands we stop taking pictures. Our Palestinian tour guide affirms that we all have the right to do so in a democratic country. The Israeli soldier tells us that he is the law in Hebron and what he says goes.

Pictured: A checkpoint from Bethlehem to Jerusalem; it is usually more crowded in the mornings when most Palestinians cross for work.

Driving north from Bethlehem to Ramallah, we take the only road open to Palestinians.[2] The road is ostensibly controlled by the Palestinian Authority, which is responsible for its maintenance. The road is pockmarked and lined with garbage. Our guide points out the sewage from Israeli settlements nearby that pollutes the waterways and valleys around us. Even though the Palestinian Authority controls the road, they are not allowed to have police powers—they can’t so much as issue a traffic ticket. Hundreds of Palestinians die on this road every year because of traffic accidents, our guide says. Next to us, we see clear roads with much smoother pavement. Barbed wire separates us from them. Those are the settler-only roads in Palestinian territory that Palestinians are banned from using. Because of traffic on our road, we are over an hour late to our meeting.

In Susya, an unrecognized village in southern Palestine under a demolition order, we meet shepherds and farmers. It is March 8, International Women’s Day. Fatima tells us that home demolitions are also a women’s issue. Palestinian women are in charge of the home. It is where they sew, make handicrafts, and tend to their families. When Israeli soldiers bulldoze a family home, women lose everything. We also speak to Mohammad, a teenager who apologizes for his English skills. Getting to school is sometimes difficult for him, because Susya has no water or electricity, as Susya’s residents are Palestinian and Israel does not recognize them. We ask Mohammad about the dogs in the village. He replies that people very much love their dogs. One night, he was awakened by his dog barking very loudly. Unable to sleep, he went outside and saw armed settlers attempting to set his tent on fire. He had to wake up his grandfather in the next tent over too to make sure settlers had not gotten to him.

Throughout the trip, our Palestinian guide periodically goes to sit at the back of the bus. He doesn’t say why. Finally, at the airport on our way out, we understand why: at each checkpoint, advanced facial recognition technology and soldiers scan cars for Palestinians. They rarely check buses full of tourists like us, or cars driven by settlers. But at the airport, armed soldiers stop us. They order our guide out and check his documentation. Even though he is one of the 1% of West Bank Palestinians allowed in Israel, he is not allowed to use the airport. He tells the soldiers he is just there to drop us off and they let him go.

Pictured: An Israeli soldier in Hebron motioning to the group about cameras

PalTrek included students of varying perspectives and levels of knowledge about Palestine, the occupation, and Israel. But one of the things we all came to understand was this: what we saw is apartheid, and it is wrong. In coming to recognize Israeli apartheid for what it is, we join a group of international, Israeli, Palestinian, and U.S. organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, B’Tselem, Ir Amim, Adalah Justice Project, the Movement for Black Lives, and even two former Israeli Ambassadors to South Africa.[3]

We have a request of you, our peers: do not go on iTrek. While iTrek is cheap, it comes at a severe cost: normalizing and whitewashing apartheid and destroying fundamental principles behind the rule of law. As law students, we hold immense power through our actions and the future careers we will have. We regret that our peers on iTrek did not see what we saw.[4] We invite everyone, including, and perhaps especially, those who have gone on iTrek in the past, to join us on PalTrek. Just as our lives were forever changed, we believe yours will be too. We hope you will agree with us that all people deserve freedom and equality under the law, including Palestinians.

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The Law Students of UVA PalTrek 2022

[1] https://clspaltrek.home.blog/2019/03/25/introducing-paltrek/

[2] https://visualizingpalestine.org/visuals/segregated-roads-west-bank

[3] https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-south-africa-former-ambassadors-call-occupation-apartheid

[4] We also regret that our peers on iTrek were apparently under the mistaken impression that they had visited Gaza. https://www.lawweekly.org/col/2022/3/16/the-return-of-itrek As we learned during a briefing with UN officials in Jerusalem, Gaza has been subject to an intense military blockade since 2007, and no one, save for aid groups and an extremely small number of people granted permission by the Israeli military, is allowed in or out. 

Broadway Returns! A Hadestown Review

Devon Chenelle ‘23
Staff Editor

Over Spring Break, I was fortunate to attend the Broadway production of the acclaimed musical Hadestown. As I’m certain many readers of this paper are soon headed to positions in Manhattan, and more still are excited for the return of live theater, I felt a review of this cultural masterpiece would serve my fellow students well. 

I had avoided spoiling myself in any way, shape, or form prior to entering the play. All I was aware of was the title and the fact that, most likely, people would be singing and acting on a stage. These assumptions were correct. Additionally, from the title itself, I surmised there was a decent probability that the ancient Greek god of the underworld would on some level be involved in the action, but I was far from sure - perhaps, I wondered, there might be some other character named Hades, with only light inspiration from the ancient myth. However, once I arrived in the theater I found that, to my delight, the musical was to be a full adaptation of the ancient myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, wherein Orpheus descends into the underworld to rescue Eurydice, his lover. The action essentially follows along the lines of the ancient tale, except with Hades’ underworld cast as a center of industry, nativism (see Hades’ song Why We Build the Wall), and labor exploitation, in desperate need of some collective bargaining.  To my further delight, I noticed the stage was laid out in the fashion of a Greek theater, with a half circle open towards the audience and descending stairs all around. Another delightful aspect of the stage was a descending platform in the middle, used to portray different characters' movement into the underworld. At this point, as a passionate, albeit amateur, student of the classics, I was practically giddy with excitement. As the lights dimmed and the production began, I settled in for a delightful performance. 

Picture credit: Matthew Murphy of Vox.com

By far the highlight of the show was Eurydice, sung and played flawlessly by Eva Noblezada. Her All I’ve Ever Known (with accompaniment from Orpheus) is one of the best pieces I’ve heard in any musical, and I have been listening to it devoutly since exiting the play. Additionally, Persephone and Hades - Persephone especially - were excellent. Why We Build the Wall, sung by Hades and his collection of downtrodden industrial workers, was a rousing and catchy piece, with lyrics so obviously Trump-y (“We Build the Wall…to keep out poverty…to keep us safe” etc.) in their overtones I initially assumed the character was written as intentional political satire, before I learned the musical was actually written in 2006 (though subject to edits since then).

My only quibble is that I was a little underwhelmed by the performance of Sayo Oni as Orpheus. I felt, from both the original myth and the way the character was presented in the play, that his singing chops were supposed to be the feature of the show. Unfortunately, while I felt that his falsetto was pleasant, I was expecting Orpheus - for all the buzz - to carry the musical, perhaps even on the level of Idina Menzel in Wicked, or Chaim Topol in Fiddler on the Roof. However, this was not the case. Additionally, Orpheus’s big set piece song, Epic III, which was hyped up and anticipated for the entirety of the musical, and was supposed to serve as the climax of the plot’s action, fell a little flat to me. I was expecting something rousing and overwhelming like Defying Gravity or The Music of the Night. However, please note that insofar as this is a criticism, it merely reflects my expectations. I assumed Orpheus would be the focal point of the play. In truth, the real foci of my attention were Eurydice first and then Hades. Furthermore, Mr. Oni was an understudy for the part, and thus understandably may have felt somewhat less comfortable in the role than someone who has been performing it night after night. This, perhaps, renders my criticism a little unfair. 

Picture credit: Show Score

One final note of chagrin: during intermission, I went to concessions to purchase two glasses of white wine, a bottle of water, and M&M’s. To my shock and horror, I learned - after the glasses had been poured, of course - that the purchase would run me $56. I feel certain this incident will haunt me well into my forties as I continue paying off my student loans. 

In sum, Hadestown was an excellent production, and it was a tremendous relief amidst the general return to normalcy to again attend live theater after the tumult of the previous two years. A number of songs - chiefly All I’ve Ever Known, Why We Build the Wall, and Our Lady of the Underground - will enter into my permanent rotation, alongside other such musical classics as Look Down, Past the Point of No Return, and No One Mourns the Wicked. I recommend readers consider purchasing a ticket the next time they find themselves in the Big Apple. 

 
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dnc9hu@virginia.edu

A Review of The Batman

Anne Reyna ‘23
Staff Writer


Welcome to your spoiler-free movie review of The Batman brought to you by Law Weekly’s official part-time volunteer movie critic enthusiast. Are you looking for a high-budget grunge vigilante film that unfortunately won’t cure your existential dread but instead add to it—all while taking three hours of your day? Then wow, have I got the film for you. The Batman has everything you could ask for in a comic book film. It had riddles, crazy action sequences, a vintage batmobile, cops with mustaches, Zoë Kravitz, and, of course, a young goth Bruce Wayne that no one asked for, but we all needed. So, let’s dive right into it. This review will not only offer entirely subjective and biased personal opinions, but it will also censor any opinions I find contrary to my own.

Riddle me this. What happens when you have a director who not only understands and appreciates the source material, but also is able to provide a fresh new take on a historically famous character? You get the best comic book film of all time. Our reimagined Dark Knight was full of surprises and is not your typical Batman film. Although we have been promised a ‘darker and grittier’ Batman time and time again, director and visionary Matt Reeves actually delivered. “Reeves’ The Batman feels so different from its predecessors, and part of that is due to his choices with Bruce Wayne. I feel like it’s more of a crime thriller than it was a superhero movie. I really enjoyed this interpretation and can’t wait for the HBO Max Penguin spin-off,”[1] said Law School affiliate and popular movie blogger, Delaney Granberry. 

I couldn’t have said it better. This is really the first time we’ve seen Batman’s detective skills on the big screen and witnessed him clue hunting in true Sherlock fashion. This was an epic movie of ‘firsts’ with a character whose story has been told a thousand times. With a $300 million opening box office week it looks like many people are excited about this latest Batman iteration. “I was skeptical at first because Batman is not my favorite, but I love Robert Pattinson,” said Law School affiliate and Library visionary Rebecca Hawes Owen, “I gave it 4 ½ stars out of five which is the highest rating I’ve given.”[2]

Even men enjoyed this film. Sid Goyal ’23 deemed The Batman “a masterpiece of a film” after having seen it only once.[3] Although there’s multiple reports[4] that men might try to make Robert Pattinson into the new Ryan Reynolds, I truly think this is a film for all genders. 

For example, Effie Kisger ’23 had this thought-provoking insight about the film. 

“There may have been 14 Batman films already, but this Batman isn’t like the other Batmans. Not only is the film immaculately shot and scored, but it delivered a performance we all deserved. From the onset, it indulges you in a twisted detective mystery fraught with chilling atrocities, cryptic clues, psychological backstory, and a young Bruce Wayne listening to Nirvana with mascara running down his face. He may not be buff, suave, and playful like Nolan’s Batman, but Reeves depiction of a much younger and inexperienced Batman grappling with his inner turmoil and barely keeping it together is likely much more relatable to audiences. Equipped with eyeliner, an emo haircut, and sunglasses to obscure his high sensitivity to daylight, Pattinson’s performance as a melancholic Caped Crusader exudes the strength of the vigilante we know and love but scraps the philanthropist playboy persona in past iterations for vulnerability and emotional complexity. Batman shines as a fledgling crime-fighter, cleaning up the corrupt Gotham streets with vengeance, brooding misanthropy, and the angst of a thirteen-year-old. He doesn’t yet know that he is the World’s Greatest Detective, but we know. He is truly our moody hero, and the ultimate sad boy. 10/10 would recommend.” 

Took the words right out of my mouth. 

I’ll end with this. TLDR;[5] Robert Pattinson is THE BATMAN and his performance will go down as the best Batman we have seen. The movie is gripping, beautiful, at times hilarious, and shows us the young, troubled Bruce Wayne whose story has yet to be told until now. Matt Reeves, you brilliant son of a gun, I cannot wait to see what you do next. What a time to be alive as a comic book fan and an avid moviegoer. Until next time, Mr. Wayne.

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agr5ag@virginia.edu

[1] It’s true, HBO Max has officially ordered a Colin Farrell ‘Penguin’ spin-off series coming to a living room near you.

[2] *this year.

[3] Multiple viewings encouraged.

[4] Things I saw on Twitter.

[5] ‘Too long, didn’t read’ for those of you not on the internet.

Celebrating Nowruz

Mason Pazhwak ’23
Foreign Correspondent

Every year, students here at North Grounds join hundreds of millions of people in a geographic span that stretches from the Indian subcontinent to the Balkans in celebrating a holiday called Nowruz. As with many major holidays, it has different meanings and involves different practices for the wide variety of ethnic, linguistic, religious, and cultural groups that observe it, and so I will try to avoid too many generalizations in my description.[1] However, there are also rich commonalities and fascinating, fun customs that many share, a few of which I will cover here!

To start, it is perhaps easiest to first look at the name of the holiday itself and the date on which it falls. Nowruz is the romanization of نوروز in Farsi. This name can be broken down into two parts: “now” (نو), meaning new and “ruz” (روز), meaning day, quite literally translating into “new day” in English.  This is appropriate, as the holiday traditionally commemorates the start of a new period. It does so literally according to the Solar Hijri calendar (گاه‌شماری هجری خورشیدی) used in Afghanistan and Iran, marking the beginning of the first month Farvardin (فروردین)[2] and thus the start of the new year in a way akin to January 1 of the Gregorian calendar. More generally, it always falls on the vernal equinox, aligning it with the astronomically defined start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere (falling on March 20, 2022 this year). Whether or not it aligns with a calendar new year, the name and date of Nowruz invokes themes of renewal, rebirth, and revival for the people observing it. In coinciding exactly with the passing of winter into the longer days, warmth, and greenery of nature that accompany the advent of spring, it not only fulfills the age-old, universal human desire to have a symbolic moment to leave the past behind and begin anew, but also serves as a reminder of the human link to nature and its cycles. 

To delve a bit into its history, it can easily be said that the holiday is ancient, with evidence of its celebration stretching back at least 3,000 years.[3] It has its roots in the mythology of Iranic peoples, with the Shahnameh,[4] a Farsi-language epic poem, claiming that a mythical king, Jamshid, created the holiday after saving humankind from a winter that threatened to freeze the entire planet.[5] It has thrived as a celebration amid the many political, cultural, and religious changes that have shaped the regions that Farsi-speaking peoples continue to inhabit, while its observance has also spread to neighboring groups who have added to it in unique ways that reflect a much broader set of influences. Thus, modern Nowruz, by adapting with time and to the mores of different peoples, has transcended difference while attaining a largely secular status for those who observe it.  Nevertheless, deep histories and traditions are evident in how it is celebrated, while its story continues to be written anew year after year. 

One Nowruz practice that I have always particularly enjoyed is the preparation of a “Haft-seen” table (هفت‌سین). “Haft” (هفت‌) is the number seven in Farsi, while “seen” (سین) is the fifteenth letter of the alphabet (س). The table thus consists of an arrangement of seven items whose names in Farsi begin with “seen” and which each have a symbolic meaning. They can vary, with different tables substituting different items starting with “seen, ”but often consist of some combination of  “seeb” (سیب), or apples, representing beauty; “seer” (سیر), or garlic, representing good health; “serkeh” (سرکه), or vinegar, representing patience; “sonbol” (سنبل), or hyacinth, representing spring; “samanu” (سمنو), or sweet pudding, representing fertility; “sabzeh” (سبزه), or green sprouts of various kinds, representing rebirth; and “sekeh” ( سکه), or coins, representing prosperity.[6] It will also often include other items, such as a “book of wisdom” that can be a book of poetry for the secular, or a Qur’an for the religious, and various treats or painted eggs. A family will often display one in their house and even gather around it for the moment where the new year begins at the astronomical equinox. In Afghanistan, this “Haft-seen” table is accompanied by the eating of the “Haft-mewa” (هفت میوه), meaning seven fruits, which is a dish consisting of seven different dried fruits which have been kept throughout the winter that are thrown together to make a kind of fruit stew. This symbolizes the finishing of the previous year’s winter larder and preparation for the new growth that will come with spring. 

The revered Persian poet Saadi wrote: “Awaken, the morning Nowruz breeze is showering the garden with flowers.”[7] So, feel free to join a friend or fellow law student in this ancient celebration, and enjoy the happiness and new energy that comes with the passing of winter into spring (as well as the chance for a second new year if your resolutions have already hit the wayside). 


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mwp8kk@virginia.edu

[1] As someone very much steeped in Afghan traditions surrounding Nowruz, I can remember as a kid comparing notes with some of my Iranian American friends and loving that they celebrated the same holiday that I did while also being confused by some of the traditions that they described. We shared much more than we differed on, but there is a wealth of nuance regarding this holiday that could fill books.

[2] This could also be romanized to Farwardin in Afghan Dari.

[3] What is Nowruz and why do we celebrate it?, United Nations, https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-nowruz-day (last visited Mar. 13, 2022).

[4] This epic poem, whose romanized name, Shahnameh, means “Book of Kings” (شاهنامه), is commonly regarded as a literarymasterpiece and one of the key cultural works of Farsi-speaking peoples and others in the wider region. 

[5] Scheherezade Faramarzi, What is Nowruz? The Persian New Year explained, Middle East Eye (Mar. 18, 2020), https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/what-nowruz-explained-persian-new-year-celebrated; Pardis Mahdavi, The Story of the Iranian New Year, Nowruz, and Why its Themes of Renewal and Healing Matter, The Conversation (Mar. 17, 2021), https://theconversation.com/the-story-of-the-iranian-new-year-nowruz-and-why-its-themes-of-renewal-and-healing-matter-156701.

[6] April Fulton & Davar Ardalan; Nowruz: Persian New Year's Table Celebrates Spring Deliciously, NPR (Mar. 20, 2016), https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/03/20/471174857/nowruz-persian-new-years-table-celebrates-spring-deliciously. 

[7] Faramarzi, supra note 5. 

Managing Mental Health in Spring Semester

Sai Kulkarni ‘23
Production Editor

I want to begin this article by acknowledging the obvious: I use this newspaper to write jokes. I talk about my social life and do my best to entertain. Yet, when you see the title of this article, I am sure you realize this article will be out of the norm. Mental health is not something to joke about.[1] So for some of you, it may seem out of the ordinary for me to talk about this. But for my closest friends, this is nothing new. They know me as someone who doesn’t shut up about my own issues; as far as they are concerned, some of them are probably surprised that it took me this long to take the subject to the Law Weekly. More to the point, spring semester in particular was rough for me as a 1L—as it was for many of my fellow students in the Class of 2023. It seemed like all of us had interpersonal, family, or financial issues[2] pop up during that time. Despite this, many of us engaged in unhealthy habits and did not talk to each other about what we were dealing with. 

I bucked the trend and spoke about what I was dealing with then.[3] I was told by another friend, when I proposed this article, that perhaps it would be helpful for me to write this with a more serious tone—rather than with my usual humor. So here goes: to the 1Ls in spring semester right now, please speak out.[4] I know it's hard, believe me. But talking to a therapist, to your friends, to your family, to all your loved ones, helps. At times, I have reached into each of those pools and they have each been effective to varying degrees. As I mentioned earlier, I know many people who dealt with their issues in silence last year. And those same people have gone on to tell me that they regretted doing so. I don’t want that to be you. Depression and anxiety are, unfortunately, constant battles and I don’t want you going to war without your best support available. 

For those of you facing stress from family issues, I see you. It can be hard to share that with the people around you. So many of us hesitate to share because we don’t want to play the so-called “Oppression Olympics.” Us first generation law students, especially, feel incredibly grateful to be at law school at all, so it is hard to talk about anything we are dealing with and yet feel like we are making light of where we are. I see you. But believe me when I say that there are no “Oppression Olympics” here. The benefit of coming to UVA Law is that “collegial atmosphere” that the admissions office loves to rave about. While at times, the school can feel cliquey, that same social closeness is what makes people more understanding. By sharing, you never know it, but you might open the door to your listener opening up about a very similar issue. I can’t recommend therapy enough for this. And if you can’t afford it, I understand that too—mental healthcare is expensive.[5] Talk to the school, reach out to find resources that are more affordable, or for a good payment plan. Often times, those who feel intimidated by the price are hesitant to even look at these potential options. I am encouraging you to go for it. It will be life-changing in a good way.

For those of you dealing with stress, anxiety, or depression caused by school work, I see you. There was a time when I decided to simply be in the library, at a silent desk, for hours at a time without social interaction. It felt better to disappear and stress myself out with school work than to deal with any of the other issues I was facing. I understand the double-edged sword of escape and hyper-stress. Talking to your friends might actually make this one worse. With all of the competition and bragging about how much/how little we do, I get it—talking to each other might be bad. But this is where family, college friends, and, again, therapy come in. Don’t drown yourself in work. Don’t spiral into work as an alternative to dealing with issues. Talk about it. All of it. I see you, and I am telling you, talking about it will help. 

Finally, to those dealing with worsening mental health due to interpersonal issues,[6] I see you. This is the broadest category, ranging from benign (feeling isolated from friends) to incredibly serious.[7] While I will never claim to be an expert on all of these issues, what I will claim to be an expert on is talking about them. And I don’t just mean my problems, I mean listening to others about theirs. This is the category where communication is key. Feeling isolated or that your friends are turning on you or just that you don’t fit in is part and parcel of being in such a small, high academic achievement environment. By no means does that mean that these issues are not serious: they are, incredibly so. Communication to a trusted source, though, is absolutely crucial here. Communicating with  friends that you feel isolated. Communicating to your section mates or your student organizations that you don’t feel welcome or at home here. That is absolutely crucial. Take it from me, these issues are constant and if left silent and untreated, they can get worse. Once again, I can’t emphasize enough, therapy helps. It may even be a step towards getting medication that you need.[8]

The reason this article was written now was that after an abrupt end to Feb Club and Spring Break, it can feel like coming back from a concert right now: that was so amazing but now it’s time to deal with the unfortunate reality of life. The come down, frankly, can suck. What I’ve talked about here is just a taste of the issues that so many of us are dealing with. I am unable to cover them all with detail because this article is limited by my own experiences. But whether it was my family issues, academic stress, or interpersonal issues, I know what would have happened if I hadn’t reached out. So, I am glad I did. I hope you do too. And at the very least, I know how recognizable and loud I am. Find me. I’m here to listen to everything, big or small. Being there for people and providing help where I can, is the most rewarding thing to me. But seriously, therapy. Can’t recommend it enough.


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omk6cg@virginia.edu

[1] I fully acknowledge that I do make such jokes in my personal life as a coping mechanism. It is unhealthy, and I am working on it. Something for all of us to consider. 

[2] And for an unlucky few, all three.

[3] Much to the chagrin of, particularly, Parker Kelly ’23, Skylar Drefcinski ’23, and Brecken Petty ‘23 who were forced to listen to it the most. Appreciate y’all. 

[4] This article is directed to 1Ls. But if any 2Ls or 3Ls find this helpful, all the better.

[5] This is bullshit. It shouldn’t be. 

[6] Or as some people refer to it (with derision): drama.

[7] You know what I am referring to here. I will not use the terms, but just know you are seen and you are loved. 

[8] Not a path for everyone, but certainly one that should be in consideration.

The Return of iTrek

Phil Tonseth ‘22
Former EIC

            After COVID-19 canceled iTrek in 2021 and pushed the 2022 version back to Spring Break of 2022, eleven UVA Law students visited Israel from March 5  to 12 this year. Complementing the group, the cohort from UVA Law teamed up with twenty-six students from UPenn Law so that both groups could have a more fulfilling group and comingle with like-minded schools.

            In signing up for iTrek, I truly had no idea what I was getting into. However, with the only individual costs for the trip being to pay for the flight from the US to Israel, along with a $350 fee, I couldn’t not take advantage of it. How was the trip so affordable? iTrek is actually both the name of the trip and the name of the non-profit that helps to subsidize the trip. iTrek is funded solely through philanthropic and private donations, while also maintaining a nonpartisan nature by not accepting government donations. The trips to Israel aren’t solely for law students either, as iTrek also supports programs for business and public policy graduate students. But, back to my continuing personal use of the Law Weekly to talk about my social life.

Photo Courtesy of Phil Tonseth '22

            Choosing to spend the only real Spring Break I got as a 3L on a semi-educational trip, rather than visiting Aruba or a similar location, was a tough sell initially. After realistically evaluating the situation, though, I knew I’d probably never get another chance to take a week-long vacation to Israel, let alone tour the sites I was able to see during the week I was there. The memories of taking a scooter down the beach of Tel-Aviv, to placing a note in the Western Wall, to visiting both Palestine and the Gaza Strip to attempt to understand both sides of the current conflict in the region, are life-changing.

            By now, you’re probably thinking this trip was all briefings and meetings with various important speakers who attempted to pass on their views to law students and change their opinion on the region. That’s slightly correct. To iTrek’s (and the UVA/Penn law leaders’) credit, we heard from speakers on all sides of the issues. We visited with members of the Israeli Defense Force, Supreme Court, and journalists who supported and defended the Israeli positions on multiple different issues affecting their country. Conversely, we also visited the Palestinian Chief Prosecutor and Attorney General, toured a refugee camp, and walked the separation wall that divides East and West Jerusalem with a Palestinian resident to attempt to understand the complex divide between the two regions. Kara Kwert, one of the UVA leaders, spoke to this diverse programming. “In planning the trip, it was crucial for us to provide as many perspectives as possible in a week-long trip. We encouraged our participants to bring diverse backgrounds, to really engage with the complexities on the ground, and to ask tough questions. There is always more to learn, but this opportunity was a great start.”

Photo Courtesy of Phil Tonseth '22

            We also did a lot of fun activities to balance out the trip and make it Spring Break “worthy.” Driving through the Golan Heights on the first day on ATVs was only the start. We spent the last afternoon in Israel floating in the Dead Sea, taking a tour of Tel-Aviv on electric scooters, walking the Old City of Jerusalem, attending a service at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and going to a mixer with a prominent Israeli law firm. Plus, iTrek provided a professional photographer to document our trip half of the time, so all of the attendees were able to really enjoy various moments without having to live on their phones.[1]

            Jeffrey Stiles, another of UVA Law’s leaders for this year’s trip, reflected by saying, “[A]ttending this year’s iTrek felt like a culmination of several years of waiting, especially after the challenges faced this year in planning. I had always wanted to go to Israel, but doing so with my law school friends made the experience even better. I’m still processing and questioning what I saw and experienced on the trip, but I look forward to continuing that journey.”

            In closing, I truly have to thank and give all of the credit to the three UVA Law students who led our small cohort. The combination of Kara Kwert, Jeffrey Stiles, and Leon Ebani did an amazing job in helping to build our itinerary, herd all thirty-seven of us together logistically and provide for an awe-inspiring experience. If you have the chance to go on iTrek in future years, I highly recommend taking the chance. It’s an experience you won’t forget.

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pjt5hm@virginia.edu

[1] Plus, we all got pretty dope new headshots and dating profile pics. It was a win-win all around.

Springtime in Romania

Monica Sandu '24
Co-Executive Editor


Spring brings with it more than just the dread of finals. Around the world, warmer weather heralds rebirth and, with it, a time of celebration. 

At the crossroads of the Balkans and Central Europe, a Latin enclave in Eastern Europe, Romania is a country rich in history. My family came to the United States from Romania in the 1990s. They brought with them traditions that span time, from its origins as a pre-Christian Dacian land, to its time as a province of the Roman Empire, through the Byzantine kingdoms and its time as a communist republic, and up to the modern day.

Cultural Celebrations

Dragobete (February 27)

Instead of Valentine’s Day, Romanians celebrate the day of love on February 27 during Dragobete (DRA-go-beh-teh). Dragobete is a figure in Romanian mythology that dates to the Dacians. Dragobete, the son of Baba Dochia, an old shepherd woman, marries a woman against his mother’s will. Baba Dochia then forces his wife to wash a piece of black wool and to not return to her husband until it turns white. Miraculously, the wool changes color, and Dragobete is reunited with his wife.[1]

Besides the traditional flowers brought to one’s love, it is said that on the eve of Dragobete, if you put a piece of fresh basil under your pillow, you will dream of your true love.

Mărțișor (March 1)

            Mărțișor (muhr-TSEE-shore) is the largest and most widely-celebrated of Romania’s spring festivals. The tradition dates to pre-Roman times and coincides with the Roman New Year, which celebrates Mars, the god of war. Women wear special pins on their clothes made of intertwined red and white thread, often held in place by a charm, usually a small figurine. These pins are also offered to family members as a gift to bring about good fortune in the new year. Traditionally, they are worn until the first tree blooms and are wrapped around tree branches and above doors.[2] Nowadays, they are worn for the first week of March.

Babele (March 1 – March 9)

            Babele (i.e., “the old ladies”) also relates to Baba Dochia. In the story, after she exiled her daughter-in-law, she went to the mountains with her herd of goats wearing nine coats. As she climbed, she shed her coats, one at a time, until she froze to death as punishment for her cruelty. Other stories say she turned to stone, and a rock formation named after her is found today in the Carpathian Mountains.[3]

            In February, women choose a day, one through nine. If the weather on that day is sunny, the year will bring good fortune. If it’s rainy, it will bring sorrow.[4]

Sânziene (June 24)

The festival of Sânziene (sun-zee-EH-neh) gets its name from the fairies, or zâne (ZUH-neh), of Romanian mythology. Originating in the Roman Festival of Diana, it is a celebration of the midsummer solstice primarily held in small communities in the western Carpathians. Unmarried women dress in white, wear flower crowns, and dance around a bonfire. Legend has it that men who wander around that night, particularly in the forest, may fall victim to the fairies’ more malevolent side.

Religious Celebrations 

Nearly 82% of Romanians are Orthodox Christian.[5] Religious traditions play a major role in its cultural landscape. Spring in Romania revolves around Easter, or Paște (pronounced PAHSH-teh) as it’s called in Romanian. 

Mucenici (March 9)

            Mucenici (moo-che-NEECH) is a Christian feast commemorating the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste, who were Roman soldiers martyred by drowning in the early 300s.[6]  Special dishes are prepared in their honor. In the south, sweet dough in the form of a garland is boiled with sugar, walnuts, and lemon peel and served in syrup topped with cinnamon. In the east, fluffy cakes in the form of a figure eight are baked and covered in honey and crushed walnuts.

Great Lent and Pascha (Dates Vary)

For the faithful, the arrival of Easter involves a long period of spiritual preparation. The Sunday two weeks prior to the start of Lent is Meatfare Sunday, the last day before Easter when meat may be consumed. One week later is Cheesefare Sunday, the last day for all dairy products. Lent lasts for forty days, in which the faithful abstain from all animal products, along with wine and oil. During Lent, the Feast of the Annunciation is celebrated every year on March 25. Great Lent ends on Palm Sunday, when palm leaves are folded into the shape of a cross.

After Palm Sunday, Holy Week has a series of daily services building up to Easter, the “Feast of Feasts.” Lamb is prepared in a variety of ways, and a special cake called “cozonac” is baked, some with cocoa and walnuts, others with Turkish delight. 

            Traditions carry with them joys of the past, but nothing is better than sharing that experience with others.

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ms7mn@virginia.edu

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_Dochia#The_legend_of_Dragobete_and_the_Babele_myth

[2] https://romaniatourism.com/martisor.html

[3] https://abctravelromania.com/romanian-spring-traditions-martisor-dochia/

[4] https://www.romania-insider.com/three-spring-traditions-in-romania-martisor-babele-40-de-mucenici

[5] https://www.indexmundi.com/romania/demographics_profile.html

[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mucenici