"Got a Minute?" with Olivia Curtis, 1L

Welcome to the second season of UW Law’s “Got a Minute?” series. Like last year, we’ll find students throughout William H. Gates Hall and ask them 20 questions about their law school experience, a bit about themselves and occasionally drop in a pop quiz or two.

This week, we’re featuring Olivia Curtis, a first-year J.D. student.

UW Law: Are you originally from Seattle, and if not, where?

Olivia Curtis (OC): Yeah, I'm from the Bellevue area.

UW Law: Where did you earn your undergraduate degree?

OC: University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.

UW Law: Did you take time off between undergrad and law school?

OC: No, I did not.

UW Law: Why did you decide to go to law school?

OC: I really wanted a career where I could use critical thinking skills to make a direct impact on people's lives. And I also wanted a career where I could continuously have the opportunity to be challenged, and law definitely gives me that.

UW Law: Which professor would you pick to be your karaoke partner?

OC: Ooh. I would say Calandrillo.

UW Law: What are your summer plans?

OC: I am going to intern for a small medical malpractice defense firm.

UW Law: What's one thing that every visitor to Seattle should go see or do?

OC: I think they should come out to Issaquah and paddle board on Lake Sammamish. That's what I really like to do.

UW Law: Which Article of the U.S. Constitution establishes the judicial branch?

OC: Three.

UW Law: Correct! Do you have any secret talents?

OC: I'm good at articulating directions when I'm given Google Maps. When my parents want directions somewhere, they hand the phone to me to explain to them how directions work.

UW Law: In 30 seconds, list as many UW Law professors as you can. Go!

OC: Knudsen, Feldman, Calo, Celebrezze, Manheim, Fan, Pendo, Mills, Calandrillo, Boxx.

UW Law: 10! Not bad. Which achievement or accomplishment are you most proud of?

OC: I think graduating from Notre Dame with all my best friends.

UW Law: Did you do anything fun for spring break?

OC: I went on a solo trip to Miami. It was so much fun. I mostly laid on the beach, but I also explored Little Havana and ate a lot of good Cuban food. I also ran on the beach and sat by the pool.

UW Law: What's been your favorite case to read so far?

OC: Stambovsky v. Ackley where a house that had been deemed haunted was sold, but the seller didn’t tell the buyer that said house was haunted. And the court ruled that the seller had a duty to disclose to the buyer that the house was, in fact, haunted.

UW Law: What's the most unexpected thing you've learned about yourself during 1L year?

OC: I think the reinforcement that I can do hard things. And I've also had to teach myself not to pay as much attention to what other people are doing, and to just follow my bliss. And my bliss is being productive but also being able to take care of myself.

UW Law: What is the official name of the building that houses the United States Supreme Court?

OC: I don't know.

UW Law: Supreme Court Building. What are you looking forward to this quarter?

OC: The weather being nicer and having sunsets past 5 p.m.

UW Law: Is there a particular clinic, journal or student organization you're excited about joining?

OC: I've yet to explore a lot of the clinics, but the Tax Clinic’s trip to Alaska sounds like it would be very interesting and meaningful.

UW Law: What's your favorite memory from law school so far?

OC: Probably when I walked into civil procedure one day in the fall quarter and Professor Feldman was playing Nicki Minaj's “No Frauds” over the speakers.

UW Law: Is there anyone you would like to give a shout out to?

OC: Shout out, Mom! You're the best. You helped me a lot.

UW Law: What's one interesting thing about you that people may not know?

OC: I took a watercolor class in college. It was really fun, but I didn’t get an A, even though it was graded on effort. It made me dislike watercoloring for a while, but last month, I started picking it up again. So, for the first time in three years, I'm back to watercoloring, and now it's for fun, and now I don't have to do it for a grade.