Peters/Spring 2008
Updated 3/6/2008
SS 1002: Orientation to Legal Careers
COURSE SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENT DETAIL
http://www.social.mtu.edu/faculty/speters/SS1002Spr08_Home.htm
Note: Due to the Inexorable Nature of
Time -- This schedule is subject to change…
Changes will be announced in class.
Week 1 - Jan 16:
Introduction to the Course and the Court System
In
class go over: Course requirements, Introductions,
Negotiation exercise, review Optional Assignment, briefing cases, (Sleeping in
the Law School Apps.
Due: Optional Preliminary
Assignment 0.0: For this class you will be doing a good deal of web-based legal
research, therefore this optional assignment is to ensure you can use one of
the key tools – Lexis/Nexis. Bring any questions or problems you have to class
on the first day.
Week 2 - Jan 23:
Guest Speaker on Resumes, Interviewing etc.
Discuss -- Stare Decisis – Precedent and Statutory
Interpretation (Sleeping in the Park); Common Law and Rules
Group 1 present
/ lead discussion on Chaps 1-3 of a Civil Action (up to page 82 in Vintage editions)
In
class go over: M &L chapter 3 scenarios, case briefs, Assn 1, Briefs, and
LSAT,
Due: Assn 1 – Legal Research (see assignments) & Bring a copy of your
Resume
Read:
·
Optional – Skim Chap
3 of Moliterno & Lederer “Law and The Lawyer’s Role” . We will go over
these scenarios in class after our guest speaker so bring text to class.
·
Optional -- Review
Draft of Choices for Sup Ct Case Analysis Assignment (see assignments page) -- you will be briefing an appellate court
case that has been accepted by the US Supreme Court for review, and you will
make a short presentation on it near the end of February
Week 3 Jan 30 Case
Analysis – The Social impact of Law- and Legal Synthesis
In
class: Go over
·
Group 2 present/lead discussion on - Chap 4-6 of A
Civil Action- Rule 11, Orphans and Dogs, Discovery -- pages 83-194 in Vintage
ed.)
·
M& L skim
chap 4 – pay particular attention to pp 79-84 (case briefs)
·
Lawrence v. Texas, 539
·
Skim
Complaint/Answer from Anderson v. Cryovac
(see Reserve page of course website)
Due Assn 2 – Case Questions and Briefs -- Lawrence and Supreme Court case analysis. (See assignments page)
Week 4 Feb 7: Winter Carnival & Short Class
Please
come to office hours or make an appt to meet with me if you are having trouble
with the Supreme Court case brief. Bring
your brief to class to discuss
Makeup
for last week – Group 2 will present on A Civil Action pp 83-194
Read: Keep reading “A Civil Action” (have read
through p. 194)
Due Draft Assn 3 (via email by
5:00 pm) (
Week 5 Feb 13:
Guest Attorney- Dan Jones on the
“Practice of IP”.
If time we will critique your draft case
reports (Draft of Assn 4). Bring Two
copies of the Case Report to Class. Analysis Presentations scheduled for next
week.
· Review: Guest Attorney/Firm Website
http://www.michaelbest.com/home.cfm (look for our speaker Dan Jones’ profile)
(I
will expect you to have some questions in class)
·
Walt Bachman,
“The Almighty billable Hour” from Law v.
Life, pp. 100-111 (pages 9-14 of the pdf file on reserve section of course website)
·
DUE
·
Due Assn 3 - Brief
of Lower Court Case at issue in your appeal to the Supreme Court (15 pts) and
·
Two copies of a
Draft of Assn 4 -- Sup Ct Case Analysis
(you get 10 pts for bringing the draft in)
Week 6 Feb 20: Present
·
Due: Final Version of Assn 4 – 15 points. Should include revised Brief of the case
below and a 1-2 page newspaper style report on the issues and best (in your
view) resolution of the case as pending before the Supreme Court.
Week 7 Feb 27th Guest Speakers Criminal and Practice
Specialists - Frasier Strome 482-3214 (Assistant Houghton County Prosecutor)
and Dave Gemignani (487-7007) (Attorney in Private Practice and Public Defender
in Houghton County). If time start I/CRAC on Ryder v. Damon.
·
Revised: Group
2 present/lead discussion on - Chap 4-6 of A Civil Action- Rule 11, Orphans and
Dogs, Discovery -- pages 83-194 in Vintage ed.)
·
Read: Walt
Bachman, “The Monkey’s Burden” from Law v. Life (on reserve section of website)
·
Read , Miller, Chap
8 “Applying Lessons of Futures Past” and Chap 9 “
·
Due Assn 5: – Reading Reflections (tentative)
Feb 27, 28, 29, March 1 March 3, March 4 March 5 @
7:30 pm: Attend “The Memorandum” at the
McArdle Theatre
Week 8 March 5: Framing a Legal Analysis and Ethical
Advocacy
Guest Speaker – Life In
In
class – discuss City of
Read
for class:
Excerpt
from Bonsignore, “Before the Law” Chap 13 pp. 267-94 (pdf is linked to
assignments and readings page) includes, 13.1 Curtis “The Ethics of
Advocacy,” 13.2 Jerome Frank “Fight
Theory v. Truth Theory” and 13.3 James Mills, “I have nothing to do with
Justice”
Due Assn 6
March 7-17 Tech
Spring Break …enjoy it
Week 9
Mar 19 Assignment of Mock Trial Materials, Trial Prep –
Interviews with Witnesses/ Direct and Cross. Draft client letter for
Seigel/Skeder case; discuss Adulterers Hypo (p. 155 Carter text);
·
Group 4 Present/Lead Discussion of chap 10 “The Trial”
in A Civil Action, pp. 291-376
Due: Assn 7 – CREAC (sent via email on March
6)
Week 10
Mar 26 Trial
Prep – Interviews with Witnesses/ Direct and Cross
·
Group 5 present/lead discussion on Chaps 11-13 “The Vigil,”
“The Negotiation,” “Blindmans Bluff” pp 377-449 in the Vintage ed. “A Civil
Action.”
·
Due Assignment
8: Court Observation
·
View in class
(tent) – 10 Minute Video On “The Importance of Storytelling” by Jim Purdue of
the
Week 11
Monday March 31 Lecture by Mark Seddon, 7:30 pm
Apr. 2:
Due Attn 10 – TBA
Tentative
– No class for attendance at Mark Seddon Lecture Monday March 31
Week 12
April 9: Assn
11 TBA (Class Mock Trial )
Thurs April 10,
Week 13
Apr. 16 Trial and Career Redux – Evaluations
Read: TBA
DUE Assn X: Self Evaluation (10 pts). Via email
Week 14 April 30:
TBA