Committing the Sin of Lawcest

Lawcest, for those who don’t know, is dating someone from law school. It’s especially bad if it’s someone in your own year, or even more incestuous, someone in your own section. Lawcest is an activity that doesn’t really come highly recommended for several reasons, including:

1. There is no personal space. You already see each other every day, possibly in every class. And during lunch break. And in the library after class. And then you’re going to go out to dinner too? You will have nothing to talk about. And can you imagine moving in together during your lawcestuous relationship? (That is if you’re NOT Italian Catholic and named Amanda?) You would never have any time apart. Spending too much time together is unhealthy for any relationship.

2. Everyone knows. Don’t bother keeping your relationship on the down low. Everybody in law school knows everything about everybody else. No one will be surprised about anything in your personal life. They may even know it before you do. For instance, I found out last night that I have a huge crush on another student, and I don’t date white guys. I was unaware of this change in my love life, but everyone else knows. That’s how the law school rumor mill works.

3. You still have to sit next to each other. The seating chart is made the first day of class and it doesn’t change. And the professors are not going to take “I just had a really bad breakup…” as a reason to do some last minute seat switching. And even if you don’t have to sit next to each other, there is a limited social pool in law school. You will have mutual friends. At some point, you will have to pretend to like each other at a bar review. Oh joy.

But it’s not all bad. In fact, there are a couple reasons FOR committing lawcest.

1. They get it. Have a mountain of reading to do for evidence? Oral arguments to present on Monday? Your lawcestuous partner will probably understand that you just can’t make that lovely date you planned together.

2. Convenience. It’s going to be a lot easier to schedule time together if you have the same schedule and all of the same assignments. You know what the other person is doing, so it’s easier to plan surprises and time together.

3. Study buddy. You can compare notes, help each other with outlining, and do research together. Also, study sessions just got a LOT more fun. ;)

Good luck to anyone who chooses this path. It’s probably worthwhile. Me, I’ll stick with the Boy for now. I don’t have the patience for the treacherous paths of lawcest.