So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish!

I know I should be happy, and I am, I really am. But I never thought my path to law school would be so I could change its grading policies, you know? But on the other hand, if I knew that, would I have continued along this path? I think back on the past 6 years - the decision to go to school (at the age of 40!), the difficulties I encountered, the sacrifices, etc. I don't think anyone knows this, but my first week of law school, my best friend, the person who stuck by me for the last 10 years, who got me through getting sober, the one whose couch I was crashing on during that first week of school - he died, right in my arms - almost a year ago today. And he was my biggest cheerleader, you know? And I don't know if I'm doing him proud or not.

What saddens me is that this is now the end of my relationship with CWSL. I didn't make many friends while I was there - I told T.B. once that it wasn't cuz I thought I was better than everybody, it was just that I felt lost...I'm Gen X, I had no idea what you Gen Z's were saying, it was like a foreign language. It was my own insecurities at being perceived as some weird old guy that prevented me from being my normal extroverted self. But even after being academically dismissed, and this is gonna sound strange - I still had this lawsuit. I was still connected to CWSL, and to its students (even more so now), if I was still in this lawsuit. It's like a dog that gets beaten and still wants to be around its owner. Let's not go into the psychology of that, ok?

I think I knew early on I never wanted to become a lawyer. What I wanted was to be able to prevent the law from being used unfairly, as it had, against me and against people I loved. I wanted to use the law as a shield, not as a sword.

I'm shaking off this summer - like I said in my email, I got everything I expected. CWSL had changed its grading policies, and as an unexpected bonus - raised it's curve so that students could be expected to retain their scholarships past their first year. They've promised to send me all my work product documents, and I'm hoping they'll decide to write off the $12,000 they charged me for dismissing me. (God knows it'll be more money than that to go to trial) So, I guess what I'm saying is - goodbye. Thank you - all of you, for reading my blog. If no one read it, then change wouldn't have happened. And thank you SO MUCH, to all of you that believed in me, supported me and letting me know I wasn't going crazy. And thank you for all of you that criticized me. Seriously. Your critiques kept me grounded and aware of the world beyond my sometimes short-sightedness. You are all a bad-ass bunch of students and I am honored to have been in your class.

TO THE CLASS OF 2026, THANK YOU!!!