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This mandatory course for LL.M. students who do not have their first law degree from the United States will meet 9:30AM to 11:00AM and 11:30AM to 1:00PM Monday through Thursday, August 18-21, 2008, with a diagnostic examination on Friday, August 22 from 9:30AM to 12:30PM. Mandatory orientation will take place on Sunday, August 17. The course provides an overview of the U.S. Constitution and federal court system and includes close reading, analysis and discussion of a series of U.S. Supreme Court decisions. In addition, the course includes segments on how to brief cases, how to do legal research on Lexis and Westlaw, and how to prepare for law school exams. While the course does not offer academic credit, a final diagnostic essay examination identifies those students who would benefit most from an LL.M.-only course on graduate legal skills. You will receive comprehensive course reading materials later in the summer, in addition to detailed orientation information.
This introductory optional course for LL.M. students will meet 9:30AM to 11:00AM and 11:30AM to 1:00PM Wednesday through Friday, August 13-15, 2008. Through reading a series of federal court cases, the course will provide an overview of the following substantive areas of U.S. law: contracts, torts, property, civil procedure, criminal law and criminal procedure. It will help to develop skills in reading and analyzing cases and will give students some of the background knowledge that all upperclass law students bring to their courses. The course does not have an examination and offers no academic credit.