Academic Hint #1
You need to be prepared for class because you should participate. You also become directly involved in the thinking process when you contribute in class. Most professors will agree that beyond learning the substantive law, the Socratic method also requires that you learn to do legal analysis, which requires both inductive thinking (gleaning the rule from a number of cases) and deductive thinking (applying that rule to a new set of facts). Finally, you want to be able to take the various cases and synthesize them into a coherent rule. By participating in class, you will gain experience in “thinking like a lawyer.” After all, you don’t want your first experience of analytical thinking to be during your examinations.
Turning now to preparing for class, some cases are harder to read than others. If you find yourself having problems in a particular class, or just with a particular assignment, try this to get through the case’s dense material:
Get context: Go over the syllabus and/or table of contents to provide some sense of why you are reading these cases in this course. If necessary, you can even look at a treatise or some other summary-type book. Your goal is to have a general idea of context – for example, where “this part” of the law fits within an entire section of the course. Doing this first can often help in understanding the readings.
Get your focus in the case. Think about the connection between facts and legal reasoning in your briefs. Legal analysis is not simply rules, but rules as applied under a specific set of facts. To ultimately have an overview of the subject matter in a course, you need to know not only what rules need to be applied, but also when they are applied.
Compare. Another way to focus on the law is to review your case briefs and notes to compare your briefs to the class discussion. Make sure that you have not missed any key areas of analysis.
Look at hypos for help. A hypothetical often presents a slight change in facts to help you figure out the parameters of the law. In addition, working through a hypothetical tells you how a professor may want you to look at this case. Focus on how you get the answer – look for a connection between the source of your confusion and other areas the professor has already covered. Remember, your goal is to use logic and precision in answering the question.
Ask. Finally, ask the professor during office hours - after you took the above steps. The professor will appreciate the effort you made to resolve the problem and will be more willing to guide you to finding the answer. Remember, the professor’s goal is to teach legal analysis as well as the substantive content. Help yourself by attempting it before you look for outside help.
Finally, any of my power points and other presentations used during my workshops can be accessed through TWEN. Simply click on Academic Advising, then Workshops.
Workshops
Saturday, Aug. 30
Synthesis & Focused Briefing, Study Aids and Managing Stress in Law School
Recommended for 1Ls, 9 a.m. – noon, Room 307
Tuesday, Sept. 2
Memo Focus: Part 1
Recommended for 1Ls, 6 - 6:50 p.m., Room 02
Saturday, Sept. 6
Research Focus: Legislative’s History
Recommended for 2Ls & 3Ls, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Room 303
Tuesday, Sept. 9
2008 Movie and Dinner: A Lawyer Walks into a Bar, Part 1
Recommended for 3Ls, 6 - 7:50 p.m., Room 302
Writing Support Services
1L Writing Appointments: If you are interested, sign up for appointments for LRW assignment #1 now on the sign up sheet in the red folder outside my door (101A). Appointments are available from Wednesday, Sept. 3, through Saturday, Sept. 13.
Kim Novak Morse, Asst. Director, Writing Support Services, morseka@slu.edu
Student Legal Writers' Association
New and continuing members are invited to join us on Monday, Sept. 15, noon to 12:50 p.m., for the first meeting of the semester. Room TBA.
Bar Preparation Workshop Schedule
Mandatory Meeting for Graduates
If you were unable to attend the mandatory meeting for January graduates, you can download any handouts from the TWEN course related to bar preparation or pick up any handouts from me, Professor Twinette Johnson, in the Student Services office. I also have an audiotape of the meeting that I can loan to you.
Movie Dinner
Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, Sept. 9. I will hold a movie dinner where we will watch the first part of A Lawyer Walks Into A Bar… . This documentary chronicles the lives of law graduates as they prepare and sit for the bar exam. It’s an entertaining documentary that gives insight into the trials and travails associated with passing the bar and law practice. The movie will be shown in Room 302 at 6 p.m. The second part will be shown the following week in the same room and at the same time.
TWEN
If you are a graduating student, please register for my TWEN course related to bar exam preparation. In addition to the regular forms of communication, I will post all announcements there. Handouts will also be available there after each workshop.
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