Class Schedule

Course Description Writing for Practice aka Yes, you can practice law in simple American English Among the major problems encountered by young lawyers as they enter practice is the transition from writing like a student to writing like a lawyer. This course is designed to make that transition easier by working on the differences between the two styles. This is not a litigation course. We will not be writing briefs, motions, etc. and very little research will be required. Some case reading and analysis will be required but you won’t have to find the cases; I’ll tell you which they are. My goal is to show you how to write for clients, which is very different from writing for teachers or professors. Accordingly, most of your work product will be client communication in one form or another. During the semester, we’ll work on a simple editing exercise, attempting to convert a poorly written letter to something that a client can understand and apply. We’ll look at a simple escrow agreement in connection with a real estate sale and explain to our client what’s wrong with it, and then move into a complicated business transaction involving taking a public company private and hiring its CEO as CEO of the private company. That involves a “how to” letter to the client, a term sheet for the CEO’s agreement and eventually a draft of the employment agreement with a memo to the client describing the agreement’s open questions and some of the choices that the client has to make to finalize the agreement. The emphasis throughout the course is not on preparing business documents – there are other courses for that – it’s on how to explain those documents to the client in a way that is as clear, concise and simple as can be accomplished.

Course Description Writing for Practice aka Yes, you can practice law in simple American English Among the major problems encountered by young lawyers as they enter practice is the transition from writing like a student to writing like a lawyer. This course is designed to make that transition easier by working on the differences between the two styles. This is not a litigation course. We will not be writing briefs, motions, etc. and very little research will be required. Some case reading and analysis will be required but you won’t have to find the cases; I’ll tell you which they are. My goal is to show you how to write for clients, which is very different from writing for teachers or professors. Accordingly, most of your work product will be client communication in one form or another. During the semester, we’ll work on a simple editing exercise, attempting to convert a poorly written letter to something that a client can understand and apply. We’ll look at a simple escrow agreement in connection with a real estate sale and explain to our client what’s wrong with it, and then move into a complicated business transaction involving taking a public company private and hiring its CEO as CEO of the private company. That involves a “how to” letter to the client, a term sheet for the CEO’s agreement and eventually a draft of the employment agreement with a memo to the client describing the agreement’s open questions and some of the choices that the client has to make to finalize the agreement. The emphasis throughout the course is not on preparing business documents – there are other courses for that – it’s on how to explain those documents to the client in a way that is as clear, concise and simple as can be accomplished.

Course Description Writing for Practice aka Yes, you can practice law in simple American English Among the major problems encountered by young lawyers as they enter practice is the transition from writing like a student to writing like a lawyer. This course is designed to make that transition easier by working on the differences between the two styles. This is not a litigation course. We will not be writing briefs, motions, etc. and very little research will be required. Some case reading and analysis will be required but you won’t have to find the cases; I’ll tell you which they are. My goal is to show you how to write for clients, which is very different from writing for teachers or professors. Accordingly, most of your work product will be client communication in one form or another. During the semester, we’ll work on a simple editing exercise, attempting to convert a poorly written letter to something that a client can understand and apply. We’ll look at a simple escrow agreement in connection with a real estate sale and explain to our client what’s wrong with it, and then move into a complicated business transaction involving taking a public company private and hiring its CEO as CEO of the private company. That involves a “how to” letter to the client, a term sheet for the CEO’s agreement and eventually a draft of the employment agreement with a memo to the client describing the agreement’s open questions and some of the choices that the client has to make to finalize the agreement. The emphasis throughout the course is not on preparing business documents – there are other courses for that – it’s on how to explain those documents to the client in a way that is as clear, concise and simple as can be accomplished.

Course Description Writing for Practice aka Yes, you can practice law in simple American English Among the major problems encountered by young lawyers as they enter practice is the transition from writing like a student to writing like a lawyer. This course is designed to make that transition easier by working on the differences between the two styles. This is not a litigation course. We will not be writing briefs, motions, etc. and very little research will be required. Some case reading and analysis will be required but you won’t have to find the cases; I’ll tell you which they are. My goal is to show you how to write for clients, which is very different from writing for teachers or professors. Accordingly, most of your work product will be client communication in one form or another. During the semester, we’ll work on a simple editing exercise, attempting to convert a poorly written letter to something that a client can understand and apply. We’ll look at a simple escrow agreement in connection with a real estate sale and explain to our client what’s wrong with it, and then move into a complicated business transaction involving taking a public company private and hiring its CEO as CEO of the private company. That involves a “how to” letter to the client, a term sheet for the CEO’s agreement and eventually a draft of the employment agreement with a memo to the client describing the agreement’s open questions and some of the choices that the client has to make to finalize the agreement. The emphasis throughout the course is not on preparing business documents – there are other courses for that – it’s on how to explain those documents to the client in a way that is as clear, concise and simple as can be accomplished.

This course will take a criminal case from its inception through trial, plea or dismissal. Students will perform skills weekly on different elements of the case such as intake evaluation, pretrial motions, plea negotiations, witness preparation and trial. Ethics will also be included. The course is recommended for those with an interest in a career in criminal law, especially those considering employment in either a prosecutor's or public defender’s office.

This course will take a criminal case from its inception through trial, plea or dismissal. Students will perform skills weekly on different elements of the case such as intake evaluation, pretrial motions, plea negotiations, witness preparation and trial. Ethics will also be included. The course is recommended for those with an interest in a career in criminal law, especially those considering employment in either a prosecutor's or public defender’s office.

This course will take a criminal case form its inception through trial, plea or dismissal. Students will perform skills weekly on different elements of the case such as evaluation, pretrial motions, plea negotiations, witness preparation and trial. Ethics will also be included. The course is recommended for those with an interest in a career in criminal law, especially those considering employment in either a persecutor’s or public defender’s office.

An advanced skills course on the key elements of consulting and testifying experts: selection of experts, expert methodologies, expert reports and expert designations, preparing, presenting, challenging, and defending experts. Prerequisites: Evidence & Advocacy Survey

An advanced skills course on the key elements of consulting and testifying experts: selection of experts, expert methodologies, expert reports and expert designations, preparing, presenting, challenging, and defending experts. Prerequisites: Evidence & Advocacy Survey

This course will take a criminal case from its inception through trial, plea or dismissal. Students will perform skills weekly on different elements of the case such as intake evaluation, pretrial motions, plea negotiations, witness preparation and trial. Ethics will also be included. The course is recommended for those with an interest in a career in criminal law, especially those considering employment in either a prosecutor's or public defender’s office.

The class will be a combination of remote and in person exercises.  No student will be required to appear in person, but students will be given the option of doing so on some of the class days.  The hope is to give students the chance to perform in ways that are currently being used in different jurisdictions around the country.    Obviously this is evolving and subject to change.  The plan is also to involve guest appearances by some former students who took this class and are now working in public defender or prosecutor’s offices.

Students who have taken LAW 179P, Adv Skills: Criminal Court may not take LAW 179P, Advanced Criminal Law Skills.

This course is a broad survey of three main types of legal writing: objective analysis, persuasive analysis, and transactional drafting. The course will also cover many other topics crucial to high-level professional writing: use of forms, advanced legal citation, the plain English movement, advanced grammar and punctuation, document design, legal usage, and editing. Students will receive individual critiques of their writing, and lectures will use model answers and sample critiques.

This course is a broad survey of three main types of legal writing: objective analysis, persuasive analysis, and transactional drafting. The course will also cover many other topics crucial to high-level professional writing: use of forms, advanced legal citation, the plain English movement, advanced grammar and punctuation, document design, legal usage, and editing. Students will receive individual critiques of their writing, and lectures will use model answers and sample critiques.

This course is a broad survey of three main types of legal writing: objective analysis, persuasive analysis, and transactional drafting. The course will also cover many other topics crucial to high-level professional writing: use of forms, advanced legal citation, the plain English movement, advanced grammar and punctuation, document design, legal usage, and editing. Students will receive individual critiques of their writing, and lectures will use model answers and sample critiques.

This 2-day course (5.75 hours each day) covers two broad legal-writing topics. Day one covers mechanics: common mistakes in word usage, grammar, and punctuation—and how to avoid and fix them—plus the most challenging advanced topics in the mechanics of legal writing. Key goals are to strengthen your writing credibility and raise your writing IQ. Day two covers broader concepts: concision, persuasion, organization, and revision, as well as some citation and transactional drafting. The course requires pre-class reading and quizzes and a final written project. Pass-fail.

This course will be taught entirely online via Zoom.

This 2-day course (5.75 hours each day) covers two broad legal-writing topics. Day one covers mechanics: common mistakes in word usage, grammar, and punctuation—and how to avoid and fix them—plus the most challenging advanced topics in the mechanics of legal writing. Key goals are to strengthen your writing credibility and raise your writing IQ. Day two covers broader concepts: concision, persuasion, organization, and revision, as well as some citation and transactional drafting. The course requires pre-class reading and quizzes and a final written project. Pass-fail.

This 2-day course (5.75 hours each day) covers two broad legal-writing topics. Day one covers mechanics: common mistakes in word usage, grammar, and punctuation—and how to avoid and fix them—plus the most challenging advanced topics in the mechanics of legal writing. Key goals are to strengthen your writing credibility and raise your writing IQ. Day two covers broader concepts: concision, persuasion, organization, and revision, as well as some citation and transactional drafting. The course requires pre-class reading and quizzes and a final written project. Pass-fail.

This intensive, 2-day course (5.75 hours each day) covers two broad legal-writing topics. Day one covers mechanics: the most common grammar, punctuation, word-usage, and stylistic mistakes law students and lawyers make and how to understand them, avoid them, and fix them. Key goals are to strengthen your writing credibility and raise your writing IQ. Day two covers broader concepts: concision, persuasion, organization, and revision, as well as some citation and transactional drafting. The course requires pre-class reading and work, overnight work, and a final written project. Pass-fail.

This intensive course covers two broad legal-writing topics. Day one covers mechanics: the most common grammar, punctuation, word-usage, and stylistic mistakes law students and lawyers make and how to understand them, avoid them, and fix them. Key goals are to strengthen your writing credibility and raise your writing IQ. Day two covers broader concepts: concision, persuasion, organization, and revision. The course requires preclass reading and work, overnight work, and a final written project. Pass-fail. (Course will not cover contract drafting or citation.) Preclass: Complete two CALI online lessons: Punctuation and Grammar Basics for Students and Punctuation and Grammar: Advanced. Take a 50-question online writing test. Read a series of short essays on writing. Overnight: Write three one-paragraph summaries for a legal analysis. Read a series of short essays on legal writing. Final project: Revise, edit, and polish a 3000-word judicial opinion.

This course focuses on analytical legal writing. Students will practice the skills of evaluating and critiquing written legal analysis and will receive intensive instructor feedback on their critiquing. Two credits, pass-fail. Enrollment is restricted to Teaching Quizmasters.

Successful lawyers of all types are able to craft solutions to clients’ seemingly intractable problems. Sophisticated clients have already explored solutions with their in-house legal staff before bringing their case or problem to you. Finding solutions requires following a proven process which can be learned, practiced and refined. This is a skills course where students will learn and practice specific skills of design thinking, divergent thinking and ideation to become more agile thinkers and creative problem solvers.

This course will be taught entirely online via Zoom.

Successful lawyers of all types are able to craft solutions to clients’ seemingly intractable problems. Sophisticated clients have already explored solutions with their in-house legal staff before bringing their case or problem to you. Finding solutions requires following a proven process which can be learned, practiced and refined. This is a skills course where students will learn and practice specific skills of design thinking, divergent thinking and ideation to become more agile thinkers and creative problem solvers. 1-Hour Pass/Fail Class Schedule: This 1 credit hour class will meet for five total sessions from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. on the following dates: 8/26, 8/31, 9/2, 9/9, and 9/14.

Successful lawyers of all types are able to craft solutions to clients’ seemingly intractable problems. Sophisticated clients have already explored solutions with their in-house legal staff before bringing their case or problem to you. Finding solutions requires following a proven process which can be learned, practiced and refined. This is a skills course where students will learn and practice specific skills of design thinking, divergent thinking and ideation to become more agile thinkers and creative problem solvers. 1-Hour Pass/Fail Class Schedule: This 1 credit hour class will meet for five total sessions from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. on the following dates: 8/28, 9/4, 9/9, 9/11, and 9/16.

Successful lawyers of all types are able to craft solutions to clients’ seemingly intractable problems. Sophisticated clients have already explored solutions with their in-house legal staff before bringing their case or problem to you. Finding solutions requires following a proven process which can be learned, practiced and refined. This is a skills course where students will learn and practice specific skills of design thinking, divergent thinking and ideation to become more agile thinkers and creative problem solvers. 1-Hour Pass/Fail Class Schedule: This 1 credit hour class will meet for five total sessions from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. on the following dates: 8/29, 9/5, 9/10, 9/12, and 9/17..

Successful lawyers of all types are able to craft solutions to clients’ seemingly intractable problems. Sophisticated clients have already explored solutions with their in-house legal staff before bringing their case or problem to you. Finding solutions requires following a proven process which can be learned, practiced and refined. This is a skills course where students will learn and practice specific skills of design thinking, divergent thinking and ideation to become more agile thinkers and creative problem solvers. 1-Hour Pass/Fail Class Schedule: This 1 credit hour class will meet for five total sessions from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. on the following dates: 8/30 (Wed.), 9/6 (Wed.), 9/11 (Mon.), 9/13 (Wed.), 9/18 (Mon.).