Legal Writing in the First Semester
In their first semester, students take the three-credit Legal Research & Writing I course, which focuses on predictive legal writing and introduces them to legal research sources and strategy.
Students learn the conventions of effective legal
writing, including how to structure legal documents, how to explain and
support a legal analysis, and how to edit their writing for clarity and
conciseness. They review the workings of the American legal system, binding and
persuasive sources of law, the use and weight of authority, and the
principles of stare decisis, as these concepts affect legal problem
solving.
Additionally, students learn cost-effective legal
research strategies, including the appropriate use of both electronic
and paper-based sources of legal information.
Throughout the course,
students simulate many of the tasks that lawyers perform, and they learn how to meet the professional expectations
of clients, judges, employers, and colleagues in various contexts.
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