LAWYERING SKILLS & STRATEGIES
FALL 2016
STUDENT SYLLABUS
PROFESSOR MERLE MORRIS
Office Hours:
Tues:9:00-10:30; 2:30-3:30
Wed:9:30-10:30
Office:15D/Suite 15 BLB
Class Location: TBA
Class Times:
A1 Mon:9:00-10:30;Thurs:9:00-10:30
B2 Mon:1:00-2:30;Thurs:10:30-12:00
Lecture
Topic
Class Preparation
Class 1A
August 22
Introduction to the U.S. Legal
System
Legal Problem Solving:
Reading and Analyzing the
Law
Read Packet Tabs 1–3.
Introduction to Legal Analysis
(CREAC); Introduction to
Citation; Synthesis
Read Clary 1–10, 81–
95. Review Packet Tab
5. Skim Packet Tabs
7&8. Bring Bluebook to
class.
Class 1B
August 25
Class 2A
August 29
Class 2B
Sept. 1
Synthesis: Deriving the Rule
Class 2C
Sept. 2
Synthesis; Citation –Case
Names
Class 3A
Sept. 5
Class 3B
Labor Day – no class
Class 3C
Sept. 8
Class 4A
Sept. 12
Read Clary 19–30;
Packet Tabs 4&5.
Read Clary 31–46;
Packet Tab 9-Synthesis.
Read Clary 47-69.
Preparing for Client Interview;
Explaining the Rule; Applying
Law to Facts
Basic Writing Skills Boot
Camp
Assignment(s) Due
ICW Exercise 1
*Submit a printed copy
of ICW Exercises in
class on the due date.
Read Clary 97–102;
Packet Tab 10-Client
Interview.
AAA Writing
Exercise
Prepare for Client
Interview. Review
Packet Tab 10-Client
Interview.
ICW Exercise 2
A1 & B2 will meet together 9:0011:45.
Client Interview; CitationReporters
Client Letter Agreement Email
& Ethics;
Citation—Court and Date
Read Packet Tab 6.
Review Packet Tab 10Client Letter
Agreement.
ICW Exercise 3
Class 5A
Sept. 19
Class 5B
Sept. 22
More Explaining the Rule and
Applying the Law to Facts
Researching Legal Precedent
Read Packet Tab 9Rule Based Reasoning.
Read Packet Tab 11.
Client Letter
Agreement
ICW Exercise 4
Class 6A
Sept. 26
Editing and Researching Legal
Precedent/Electronic Research
Class 6B
Sept. 29
Researching Legal Precedent
Class 7A*
Oct. 3
Research and Case Analysis
Read Clary 143-51;
Packet Tab 12.
More on Research and Case
Analysis; Legal Style &
Usage; Analogous;
Distinguishing Arguments
Read Clary 135–141,
143-151; Skim Clary
101-134.
Class 8A
Oct. 10
The Predictive Memorandum:
Questions Presented, Brief
Answers, & Statement of Facts
Read Clary 11–17,
Read Clary 11–17,
Capacity Rewrite
151–55; Packet Tab 13.
Class 8B
Oct. 13
Researching the Predictive
Memo; In-class small group
electronic research training.
Class 4B
Sept. 15
Class 7B
Oct. 6
Class 9A
Oct. 17
Class 9B
Oct. 20
Researching the Predictive
Memo; In-class small group
electronic research training
The Predictive Memo: Ethical
Considerations in Writing the
Predictive Memo; Editing
Capacity Writing
Exercise
ICW Exercise 5;
Research Exercise
Review Attractive
Nuisance Research
Exercise.
Read Packet Tab 11;
Packet Tab 6-Ethics.
Read Clary 97-101;
Packet Tab 6-Ethics.
Public Recognition
Writing Exercise
ICW Exercises 6 &
7
Question
Presented/Brief
Answer Writing
Exercise
Class 10A
Oct. 24
Professionalism/Ethics and
Email Communication; Legal
Style and Usage
Review Clary 135-41;
Packet Tab 6-Ethics.
ICW Exercises 8 &
16
Class 10B
Oct. 27
Class 11A
Oct. 31
Class 11B
Nov. 3
Large-Scale Organization
Review Packet Tabs 5;
7.
Review Packet Tabs 5
& 9.
Read Clary 71-79.
Email Assignment
Submit in Class
List of Sources
Class 12A
Nov. 7
Class 12B
Nov. 10
Classes 13A
& 13B
Nov. 14-18
Nov. 21
Organizational Schemes in
Legal Analysis
Statutory Analysis/Research
Citation Review
Review ICW Exercises.
Bring Bluebook to
class.
Final Exam
Memo Conferences with senior Review Packet Tabs 12
partner—no LSS class this
& 13.
week
Final Memo due
Monday, 11/21 at
10:00 a.m.
*You will also be required to attend Westlaw and Lexis training outside of class this week. TBA