In the year since graduation, I have consistently been amazed by the wealth of information that is not only not taught but not even tangentially mentioned in law school but that is vital to being a not-crappy lawyer. A particular skill whose necessity has been thrown into high relief recently is that in which you, the lawyer, remember names. (Ok, fine, a law school course called "How to Remember Bob Jones" would be slightly ridiculous perhaps). The law, I've come to realize, is a profession uniquely obsessed with people's names. Your client's name, opposing counsel's name, the arbitrator's name, and of course, case names which are nearly always drawn from actual people's last names.
Unfortunately, I'm insanely awful at remembering people's full names. Usually, the biggest trouble occurs with last names. With someone who shakes my hand and says "Hi, I'm Paul" -- 50/50 chance I'll remember "Paul," but someone who shakes my hand and says "Hi, I'm Paul Pontificator" will likely end up remembered as "um...the guy with...um, hair and...eyes?" For some reason, the instant someone puts out his hand to introduce himself, consciousness leaves my body for a few seconds, returning only after all names and affiliations have been given. The same thing happens with case names -- for the entire time my eyes are scanning the names comprising the case name, I nap. And the incredibly annoying thing is that when I return to the office to report on whatever meeting or trial or whathaveyou from which I've just returned, the supervising partner ALWAYS asks "who was the arbitrator/the judge/there from So-and-So's office." Similarly, whenever Scary Senior Partner asks me to research something, he's not content with my carefully written memo, but likes to quiz me on details and precise citations -- "And in what case did the court say that fraud is bad?" I don't know! You've got the memo in front of you, read the damn thing! (Although, actually, that sort of quizzing is pretty good practice and I prefer that approach to those partners who merely accept my memos with a wave of the hand and never ever say anything about it afterwards, even when I've asked a question about whether to pursue another avenue).
Damn names. Stupid letters sounding all the same and annoying. ugh.