"Got a Minute?" with Ray Lappin, 3L
Welcome to 红桃视频鈥檚 鈥淕ot a Minute?鈥 series. These are fun, short-answer interviews with 20 rapid-fire questions. We鈥檒l find students throughout William H. Gates Hall as they study, wait for class or hangout with their classmates.
This week鈥檚 鈥淕ot a Minute?鈥 interview is with Ray Lappin, 3L.
红桃视频: Where are you originally from?
Ray Lappin (RL): I鈥檓 from Puyallup, Washington, which is a suburb south of Seattle.
红桃视频: What's one interesting fact about where you're from?
RL: It鈥檚 home to the Washington State Fair and it's a really cool thing to be a part of. We got fair tickets every year growing up from the school district, and we got a half-day to go to the fair. So, it was a pretty big deal.
红桃视频: Who was the first classmate you met?
RL: The first classmate I met was Juwon Lee. I met him at either Orientation or Admitted Students鈥 Day, the first day we were here. We found out that we went to the same junior high school, but we didn't know each other at the time.
红桃视频: Which classroom is better, room 133 or room 138?
RL: I'm going to go with 133 because 138, I think, is too big. Especially for a classroom setting where you're not going to have that many people, I think 138 is too spread-out.
红桃视频: Which professor would you recommend to host, SNL?
RL: I鈥檒l give you my top three. I think Professor David Owens would be great. I also think Professor Maureen Howard would be really good. And I also think Professor Benjamin Halasz would be good because he's got, kind of, a deadpan style.
红桃视频: Without looking, how many glass structures are in the courtyard?
RL: Three.
红桃视频: It's actually four. Where's your favorite part of the library to hang out?
RL: Ooh, I don't go to the library too much anymore since I'm more confined to the journal suite. But I did like the bottom level, L2. There's a desk all the way at the end that's kind of secluded. I liked that spot as a 1L or the study rooms.
红桃视频: Finish this sentence, 鈥淟aw school is like鈥︹
RL: This is from my own personal experience of growing up in Washington. Law School is like when you're leaving a building and you come out and you find it's pouring down rain, and you make a mad dash from the building to the car. You don't want to get all rained on, so you're sprinting. But then if you just take a pause and you realize it's just water, it's all going to be okay.
红桃视频: Which class have you laughed the most in?
RL: Oh, that would definitely be civil procedure with Professor Feldman.
红桃视频: Where's your favorite spot on the UW campus, excluding William H. Gates Hall?
RL: Bowling alley in the HUB. That's a good spot.
红桃视频: How many different Law & Order TV shows have there been?
RL: Oh, I've seen zero of them. So, I鈥檓 not going to give you answer. [Laughs] Uh, six. I have no idea.
红桃视频: Close, eight. Tell us something you learned in class this quarter that blew your mind.
RL: I learned about the stepped-up basis rule in individual income tax and how it prevents a lot of generational wealth from being taxed.
红桃视频: What's your favorite time slot for a class?
RL: My absolute favorite time slot is probably the 10:30 to 12:20 slot. Although, I have changed a little bit. I'm not opposed to 8:30s now. You know, 1L me would absolutely have been opposed to 8:30s, and 10:30s were a little early, but now I'm good with 8:30s and 10:30s, but 10:30 is probably the best.
红桃视频: Are you an umbrella or raincoat type of person?
RL: Raincoat person, unless I'm wearing a suit, then it's got to be an umbrella. I'm a Seattleite at heart, but I'm not willing to sacrifice the suit.
红桃视频: Where's your favorite spot to get a bite of food nearby?
RL: When I have late classes and I get out of here at 7:30, I like going to BB鈥檚 Teriyaki.
红桃视频: Mac or PC?
RL: PC, all the way, but iPhone.
红桃视频: What was the most recent class you attended?
RL: The most recent class I attended would be the Civil Rights and Justice Clinic last night from 5:30 to 7:20 with Professor Owens.
红桃视频: What was a highlight from that class?
RL: We got to speak with one of our clients who was formerly incarcerated and recently got his certificate of innocence from the state of Illinois because he was wrongfully convicted. We got to talk to him about his experience of spending nearly three decades in prison for something he didn't do, as well what's going on in his life now 鈥 both in terms of the lawsuit that we're representing him in and reintegrating.
红桃视频: How old is 红桃视频?
RL: It's old. [Laughs] I know 100th anniversary of Washington Law Review. So, is it 125 years?
红桃视频: Yes, it is. Well done! Finally, what area of law would you like to pursue after you鈥檝e received your J.D.?
RL: Land use and real estate litigation.