[blindlaw] Bluebook

Tue Jul 21 13:30:48 UTC 2015

Derek and Laura,

Please allow me to briefly make clear my philosophical point, as I
seem to have experienced a great deal of difficulty in articulating
myself in both my prior emails. First, I've read Dr. Jernigan's speech
and those of Dr. Maurer and others echoing similar ideas. My statement
that "anything I can do myself, I should" comes with two clear
caveats. They are, so long as doing so is an efficient use of my time,
and so long as doing so will result in the highest quality outcome for
myself and others.

In the present matter, I felt that exploring the online Bluebook
independently from the start was worth it to me. My legal writing
professor instructed the whole class to spend time reading the rules
and tables to familiarize ourselves with their general location and
content. It therefore struck me that expending this effort was a wise
use of time and could insure optimal results.

As I said in my previous email, a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin
of little minds. Laura, you clearly have found success doing it your
way. I want to make it clear that I see your path as an alternative to
mine, nothing more or less. As I said, the endgame is successful,
independent employment, and that is where we all have ended up.

Finally, Laura, I apologize for the tone of my initial response to
Michal. In reviewing it, I understand I came across as judgmental of
your methods. I intended not to diminish your methods, but to advocate
for my own, and in so doing, I spoke hastily and conveyed the wrong
idea.

I hope this clears up any remaining confusion, and I hope to see both
of you at conventions for years to come.

Best,
Chris

On 7/21/15, Derek Manners <dmanners at jd16.law.harvard.edu> wrote:
> Great minds think alike.
>
> Best regards
> Derek Manners
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Jul 21, 2015, at 8:55 AM, Laura Wolk <laura.wolk at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Derek, agreed. you beat me too it--I was about to send the exact same
>> link.
>>
>>
>>
>>> On 7/21/15, Derek Manners via blindlaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> Hey Chris, I'd actually disagree with your philosophical view. Here's
>>> why.
>>> Sometimes it is truly more efficient and therefore independent for
>>> different
>>> folks to do things different ways.
>>>
>>> I'd encourage you to read this if you haven't already.
>>>
>>> https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/convent/addres93.htm
>>>
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>>> On Jul 21, 2015, at 8:42 AM, Stewart, Christopher K via blindlaw
>>>> <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Laura:
>>>>
>>>> For the record, all I gathered from your email was satisfaction that
>>>> another blind person is taking the legal field by storm. I have no
>>>> interest in playing a game of "show me yours I'll show you mine" with
>>>> anyone. Nor did I mean to suggest that your methods are somehow less
>>>> viable than mine and Derek's.
>>>>
>>>> Moreover, I clearly misunderstood the nature of your use of a reader.
>>>> If you used a sighted person only to get you started, and that worked,
>>>> more power to you. My personal view is that anything that I can do
>>>> myself, I should do myself. That is also in keeping with the
>>>> organization who sponsors this list. However, the pragmatist in me
>>>> knows that, at the end of the day, the goal should be employment and
>>>> living the life we want. Whatever leads to this conclusion, in my
>>>> opinion, is more or less the right way, and a foolish consistency is
>>>> the hobgoblin of little minds.
>>>>
>>>> Finally, Michal, of course life will go on just fine if you don't try
>>>> for or make law review. But, we would be silly to ignore the
>>>> employment disadvantages that are realities of blindness today.
>>>> Writing on to your law review and maintaining good standing on the
>>>> journal is an objective means of prospectively assuaging some
>>>> employer's initial doubts, and many employers prefer journal
>>>> experience. Do with that information what you will, and I wish you a
>>>> ton of success in law school.
>>>>
>>>> Best,
>>>> Chris
>>>>
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>>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>> Laura Wolk
>> Notre Dame Law Review, Federal Courts and Submissions Editor, Vol. 91
>> Notre Dame Law School, J.D. Candidate, 2016
>> (484) 695-8234
>

-- 
Chris K. Stewart
University of Kentucky College of Law, J.D. Candidate, 2016
Senior Staff Editor, Kentucky Law Journal
Co-President, American Constitution Society
President, Election Law Society
California Institute of the Arts, B.F.A. 2010
Ph:
(502)457-1757