What Is Law School Like

Law school is intense and competitive. The rigorous curriculum moves quickly, and youll be expected to read at least 50-75 pages of dense case law every day in order to keep up. In class, professors employ the Socratic method, cold-calling on students and asking them to apply legal principles to hypothetical (and sometimes outlandish) sets of facts. Unlike most undergraduate classes, grades for law school classes are usually determined by a single exam taken at the end of the semester. Law school can be intimidating, but knowledge is power. Understanding the basics of the law school experience will set you up for success in your first year and beyond. The Curriculum The law school curriculum is administered over a period of 3 years. All law schools offer the same courses during the first year (called 1L). The 1L courses are:   Civil Procedure. Civil Procedure is the study of complex rules that govern the mechanics of court proceedings. These rules often determine the who, when, where, and how of a lawsuit. Civil Procedure also dictates the rules preceding, during, and after a trial.Contracts. This two-semester-long course focuses on parties who enter into an agreement and what happens when a breach occurs.  Criminal Law. This course covers criminal offenses, including what makes something a criminal offense and how crimes are punished.  Property Law. In Property Law, you’ll study the acquisition, possession, and disposition of property. Expect to study dense case law outlining the nuances of property ownership.  Torts. Torts is the study of harmful acts that are punishable under civil law. You will learn about the repercussions of trespassing, false imprisonment, assault/battery, and more.  Constitutional Law. In Constitutional Law, you will learn about the structure of the United States gov ernment and individual rights.  Legal Research/Writing. This course teaches students the fundamentals of legal writing and how to write a legal memo.   In the second and third years, students can select classes based on their interests. Courses will vary depending on the law school, but typical options include real estate, tax, intellectual property, evidence, trial advocacy, mergers and acquisitions, wills and estates, bankruptcy, and securities law. It is a good idea to take a variety of classes in order to decide which practice area to pursue after law school.   If possible, try sitting in on a course before applying to law school. This experience is helpful because you can learn how law school classes are conducted without having any pressure to perform. The Case Method In law school, many of your reading assignments will come from casebooks. Casebooks compile court opinions, called â€Å"cases,† related to a specific area of law. You will be expected to read cases, then extrapolate broader legal concepts and principles based on how the case was decided. In class, professors will ask you to take the principles you extrapolated from the case and apply them to a different set of facts (called a â€Å"fact pattern†).   In the case method, reading assignments don’t tell you everything you need to know. You will be expected to apply critical thinking skills to everything you read in order to draw correct conclusions. This step-by-step primer explains the process:   During the first reading of the case, identify the facts, the parties of the case, and what the plaintiff or defendant is trying to accomplish; don’t worry about getting all the details. During the second read, identify the procedural history of the case and take note of the relevant facts. During the third read, hone in on relevant facts, focus on the judicial interpretation, and think about how the interpretation would change if another fact pattern was used.   Reading a case several times is standard practice; with each reading, you will become better prepared to answer questions in class. Over time, the practice will become second nature, and you will be able to identify key pieces of information with more efficiency.   The Socratic Method In law school classes, students are expected to learn through the Socratic method—a system of intense questioning designed to lead students to particular insights.   In a typical example of the Socratic method, the professor will pick a student at random (called cold-calling). The chosen student will be asked to summarize a case from an assigned reading and discuss relevant legal principles. Next, the professor will change the facts of the case, and the student will have to analyze how the previously-established legal principles apply to this new fact pattern. The expectation is that the student’s answers will lead to a solid conclusion. To succeed in a Socratic questioning session, students must come to class with a thorough understanding of the assigned cases and the legal principles presented within them.  (To be even more prepared, some students try to predict what the professor will ask, then prepare responses.) Exactly how long the â€Å"hot seat† lasts can vary; some professors call on many students per class period, while others grill a smaller number of students for a longer time. All students must pay attention to the dialogue, because there is always a chance that the professor could put someone else on the hot seat at the spur of the moment. Many students worry about potential embarrassment as a result of the Socratic method. Experiencing the Socratic method for the first time is inevitably stressful, but it is a rite of passage for first-year law students. Asking upperclassmen about individual professors’ questioning styles can help calm your nerves before your first class.   One Exam Per Semester   In most law school courses, your grade is determined by your score on a single exam, taken at the end of the semester. Exams cover all the information taught in the course and include multiple-choice, short answer, and essay sections. Naturally, there is a lot of pressure to perform on test day.   The most effective way to study for exams is to start preparing early. Learn the material at a slow and steady pace, start creating a course outline as soon as possible, and meet regularly with a study group. If tests from previous years are available, make sure to review them. Since feedback is limited during the semester, it’s important to be proactive about asking questions. If you’re struggling with a certain concept or principle, don’t be afraid to ask for help. And remember, this high-stakes form of testing is good preparation for the bar exam.   Extracurricular Activities Law schools offer a large variety of professionally-focused extracurricular activities. Getting involved outside of class is a great way to network with peers, connect with alumni, and develop professional skills. Two of the most popular activities are law review and moot court.   The law review is a student-run scholarly journal that publishes articles by law professors, judges, and other legal professionals. It is considered the most prestigious extracurricular at most law schools. Law students at the top of their class receive an invitation to join at the end of their first year. (At some schools, you can also gain a coveted slot via application.)  As a member of the law review, you will hone your research and writing skills by participating in the journal’s publication process: fact-checking, reviewing footnoted case citations, and potentially writing short articles yourself.   In moot court, law students learn about litigation and trial advocacy by participating in simulated trial proceedings. Moot court participants write legal motions, present oral arguments, speak to the jury, answer questions from the judge, and more. Joining moot court is a great way to strengthen your legal skills—particularly your ability to form and communicate legal arguments.

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False Picture of Marriage in The Dead by James Joyce and...

Illusion versus Reality: Marriage in Modern Literature Modern literature is known for questioning society and its various conventions. One question that these works often ask is, â€Å"What is real?† Some modern authors explore this question by placing their characters within self-constructed illusions that are later shattered by the introduction of reality. Marriages are frequently at the center of this theme, with one spouse crafting an illusory impression of the other. Modern literature demonstrates that a marriage built upon illusion will falter when exposed to reality. In order to understand the effects of illusion on marriages in modern literature, we will explore two pieces: The Dead by James Joyce and Odour of Chrysanthemums by D.H.†¦show more content†¦In fact, his fondness for her grows throughout the story, to the point that he is nearly unable to contain his happiness and his longing to be alone with her (2194). Unfortunately, the connection that Gabriel feels to his wife is the product of illusion. In reality, he doesn’t know her at all—a fact Joyce alludes to when Gabriel fails to recognize his own wife and sees only, â€Å"[a] woman standing near the top of the stairs†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (2192). When Gretta begins to reminisce about a boy from her past, Gabriel’s blanket of illusion is snatched away: â€Å"While he had been full of†¦joy and desire, she had been comparing him in her mind with another† (2197). Facing the reality of his wife’s love for another man, Gabriel now begins to question their entire relationship. As Gabriel reflects on Gretta’s sorrow for this lost young man, he comes to accept that he has never experienced that depth of feeling and love for another person—not even for the wife that he had so desired just a short time before. He no longer looks at her through â€Å"admiring and happy eyes;† he now sees only her age and bitterly acknowledges that â€Å"her face is no longer the face for which [the boy] braved death† (2199). The reality of Gretta’s past has revealed the shallowness of his feelings and the hollowness in his life, and Gabriel’s picture of Gretta is forever changed. While Elizabeth and Gabriel each created a different type of illusion, the end result was the same—their

With examples, discuss why project management free essay sample

Production and Operations Management Formative Assignment 1 With examples, discuss why project management has become a key aspect of modern management. This assignment examines the need for project management as a key skill for managers working In the current dynamic and turbulent economic environment. As a result of globalisation, increased market competitiveness, technological advancements, the political and economic changes, for example, there is an ever increasing pressure on organisations to manage there survival and competitiveness through its processes In order to deliver new Initiatives and developments quickly nd cost effectively. Paton et al (201 1), notes that managing organisations in the 21 st century requires a range of additional and different skills than those required in previous times marked by more stable and predictable economic activity. The need for structure and control In developing and delivering new Initiatives comes about as a result of the company- wide process dependences between the different functions of the organisation, Paton etal (201 1)i. We will write a custom essay sample on With examples, discuss why project management or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The awareness and need for project management relates to the shift in organisation design from functional bureaucratic structures to flatter decentralised organisations In response to the changes In the economic market requlrlng flexiblllty and rapid response to bring products and services to market. Comininos and Frigenti (2002/3) point out the need for organisations to focus on being highly innovative in their products and services Involving greater technical complexity and diversity of skills. An organisation must be able to produce more with less † more high quality products or services with leaner organisations and tighter budgets, Cornininos and Frigenti (2002/3)ii. Project Management A project is described as a temporary organisation focussed on a goal, Comininos nd Frigentl (2002/3)ii. The introduction of project management replaces the ad-hoc and independent change initiatives that were previously introduced by a department or function without the need for Interaction with the different functions of the business. With technology advancements enabling greater and greater Integration and dependency between different systems across the varying departments and functions within organisations the priority to ensure successful delivery of these changes Is key to the organisations survival and competitiveness.