Legal Reasoning, Research and Writing
Mgr Marzena Rzeszót
mrzeszot@kul.pl
Office hours: The Chair of International and American Law (room C721)
Mondays 15:30-16:30
Fall 2014
Syllabus
I.
Introduction to the Legal Reasoning, Research and
Writing:
a. Importance of Legal Writing/Research
b. Skills covered as part of this course
c. Assignment: one page personal statement.
II.
The Resume/CV and Cover Letter:
a. Lecture, examples
b. Assignment: CV and Resume for submitted job
description.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
The Client Letter:
a. Lecture, example: fact pattern
b. Discussion
c. Assignment: Draft Client Letter.
The Memorandum:
a. Lecture, example: Fact Pattern
b. Discussion
c. Assignment: Fact Pattern no.2 – Partner
Memorandum.
The Taxonomy (Sources) of Law:
a. Common Law and Customary Law
b. Statutory Law
c. Administrative Law
d. Constitutional Law
e. International Law.
Case Analysis:
a. Demonstration of a Case Analysis – IRAC
Application
b. Assignment: case analysis.
Statutory Law:
a. Analysis and interpretation of statutory law
b. In class Assignment: City Council Case.
VIII.
Legal Research:
a. Sources of Law
b. Manual Research
c. Internet Based Legal Research
d. Electronic Database
e. Assignment: Fact Pattern
IX.
Basic Writing Instruction:
a. Structuring the sentence, paragraph and essay
b. In Class Assignment: Essay on favorite city or
celebrity.
X.
Preparing a Statement of Facts:
a. Identifying legally significant, key background
and irrelevant facts.
b. In Class Assignment: Fact Pattern.
XI.
Analysis: Applying Law to the Facts:
a. Lecture, example
b. Discussion
c. Assignment: Fact Pattern.
XII.
The Demand Letter:
a. Lecture, example
b. Assignment: Fact Pattern.
XIII.
Contracts and other Legal Agreements:
a. Lecture – demonstration, example
b. Assignment: Fact Pattern (prepare a contract).
XIV.
The Legal Brief:
a. Example in Class Review and Lecture:
i. Cover page
ii. Table of authorities
iii. Statement of facts
iv. Summary of argument
v. Argument
b. Formatting Issues in Legal Writing
c. Class Final Assignment: student teams prepare
Civil or Criminal Briefs depending on choice.
In order to get credit for the class you have to have a 60% attendance at the class and submit ALL of the assignments
ON TIME. NOTE: The Legal Brief as a final project has special consideration and influence on the final grade.
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