Legal Reasoning, Research and Writing

Legal Reasoning, Research and Writing

Mgr Marzena Rzeszót

Office hours: Chair of International and American Law (room C721)

Thursday 14:30-15:30

Fall 2017

Syllabus

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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.  The Client Letter:

a.  Lecture, example: fact pattern

b.  Discussion

c.  Assignment: Draft Client Letter.

IV.  The Memorandum:

a.  Lecture, example: Fact Pattern

b.  Discussion

c.  Assignment: Fact Pattern no.2 – Partner Memorandum.

V.  The Taxonomy (Sources) of Law:

a.  Common Law and Customary Law

b.  Statutory Law

c.  Administrative Law

d.  Constitutional Law

e.  International Law.

VI.  Case Analysis:

a.  Demonstration of a Case Analysis – IRAC Application

b.  Assignment: Lovercamp case analysis.

VII.  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.  Grant/Reports

a.  Structuring a report, preparing a grant proposal

b.  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.

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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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