This coming fall, I will co-teach Lawyering Skills 1 (LS1) alongside a fellow law librarian. For the class, I want to weave in a lot of in-class writing. Through this activity, the students will have the opportunity to develop writing and analytical skills, as well as reinforce their knowledge of other substantive first-year courses. For example, at the beginning of a class, there will be a short essay question on contracts, torts, or property issues (one topic at a time). These exercises will include simple fact patterns and the applicable law; they would be mini-exam scenarios (except early on, the legal principles were given). As such, students will practice IRAC-style exam responses. At the end of the class, some multiple-choice questions on the topic will follow.
The primary goal of LS1 at our law school is to equip students with the essential skills needed for predictive legal analysis by helping build a sturdy foundation in legal research and writing. My approach will integrate technology, emphasize practical relevance through real-world scenarios, provide clear and modular instruction with frequent feedback, cultivate critical thinking and analytical skills, and foster a supportive and engaging learning environment.
Developing Research Skills
Students start by understanding the American legal system. This includes the structure and interplay of federal and state courts, as well as the roles of the legislative and executive branches, along with the functions of administrative agencies. At the same time, they identify and comprehend various sources of law, distinguishing between primary legal materials (case law, statutes, constitutions, and regulations) and secondary sources (encyclopedias, dictionaries, treatises, ALRs, and law reviews).
Building on this foundational knowledge, the course focuses on developing essential legal research skills. Students utilize both print and electronic legal research tools, including navigating databases like Westlaw and Lexis, to efficiently locate relevant legal authorities. In addition to mastering the “big two” databases, students will effectively traverse a law library. These skills are essential for conducting comprehensive legal research and for practical application beyond traditional platforms.
A pivotal aspect of the course will be examining the intricate world of case law, equipping students with the skills to meticulously dissect and interpret judicial opinions. This journey involves pinpointing vital facts that shape each case, unraveling the core issues at stake, and comprehending the court’s decisive rulings along with the rationale that underpins them. In addition, instruction emphasizes the art of case briefing, allowing students to succinctly capture essential elements while also exploring the foundational principle of stare decisis, which anchors the law in precedent and stability.
Students then synthesize legal rules derived from multiple cases or statutes into a coherent and unified statement of the law. This skill directly feeds into their ability to apply legal rules to facts, the core of predictive legal analysis. Students practice applying these synthesized rules to novel factual scenarios to predict likely legal outcomes. In turn, they hone their skills in analogizing and distinguishing cases based on specific factual contexts.
Throughout the semester, a strong emphasis will be placed on mastering objective legal writing. Students will analyze the law and predict outcomes without advocating for a particular position. They will achieve this through assignments such as drafting legal memoranda (internal documents analyzing legal issues for supervising attorneys or courts); preparing case briefs and abstracts; conducting statutory analysis; and composing client letters. Mastering the legal citation standards contained in The Bluebook is essential for all written work.
Reinforcing Legal Principles and Analysis Skills
Recognizing the importance of preparing students for the rigors of law school and the demands of doctrinal courses, LS1 incorporates components that directly enhance these skills. To ensure direct relevance to success on law school exams, the course integrates practice with exam formats. This includes assigning hypothetical essay questions based on concepts from core subjects like contracts, torts, and property, requiring students to research and apply relevant legal authorities in a written analytical format.
Additionally, students will engage in multiple-choice question analysis, going beyond simply selecting the correct answer to explaining the legal reasoning behind both correct and incorrect options. Exam-style fact patterns will also be utilized in legal memorandum assignments, requiring students to predict outcomes under conditions mirroring those of an actual exam. Short in-class exercises further reinforce these skills through activities like outlining essay answers and identifying key issues in multiple-choice scenarios.
This integration of exam preparation within the research and writing context leads to the reinforcement of substantive law as students actively apply legal principles from other courses to hypothetical scenarios. This approach fosters the integration of skills, mirroring real-world legal practice where research and writing are always context dependent. By regularly engaging with essay questions, students develop crucial analytical frameworks for approaching diverse legal issues, including identifying relevant rules, applying them logically, and reaching reasoned conclusions.
Importantly, working through hypothetical scenarios will sharpen their issue-spotting skills, a critical ability for both exams and legal practice. Practicing under simulated exam conditions will also contribute to improving time management skills. Ultimately, this focused approach will contribute to building confidence as students become familiar with exam formats and gain practical experience applying their research and writing skills in that context. The inclusion of these components will also allow for targeted feedback and iteration from instructors on students’ analytical and issue-spotting abilities, enabling continuous improvement.
To further enhance analytical and writing skills, LS1 will deliberately and gradually incorporate writing structures like IRAC (Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion) and CREAC (Conclusion, Rule, Explanation, Application, Conclusion). This will begin with explicit instruction and introduction through dedicated lectures, visual aids, and comparative analysis of the two structures, highlighting their purpose and effective application in different legal contexts.
Subsequently, these structures will be integrated into assignments. Early assignments will focus on single issues and require the application of IRAC. Other assignments will introduce CREAC as a valuable organizational framework. Instructor feedback will specifically address the effective use of these structures. In-class activities and exercises will reinforce these concepts through deconstruction exercises, outlining practice, peer review focused on structure, and quick “spot the issue(s)” games. The connection to exam preparation will be made explicit by analyzing model exam answers and encouraging the use of IRAC or CREAC in practice essay questions.
Thoughts on Tech and Closing Notes
The legal profession has always embraced technological advancements from email to legal research databases and electronic discovery. Naturally, this LS1 course equips students with essential skills to thrive in a rapidly evolving, AI-infused legal landscape. Emphasizing foundational competencies in legal research and writing, the curriculum integrates AI as a powerful tool for enhancing these skills, enabling comprehensive case analyses and improved writing quality. A critical component of the course is teaching students to thoughtfully evaluate AI-generated information, explore its inherent limitations (especially biases and hallucinations), and understand ethical implications. This insight will empower students to leverage AI technologies judiciously, complementing their developing legal acumen rather than overshadowing it. By balancing foundational skills with technological proficiency, the course prepares students for successful careers and to adapt to the continuous transformations in the legal field.
Potential considerations for implementing this action plan include carefully managing time constraints within the curriculum and ensuring effective coordination with doctrinal courses to align hypotheticals and questions with the substantive material being taught. Through all of this, writing remains the bottom line. Writing is the essential skill that serves as the cornerstone for all activities performed by attorneys. It takes a lot of work and practice. My aim is to assist these new students in developing their own writing style and research process as they work towards becoming effective attorneys. At the end of the semester, I plan to submit a post-mortem blog to assess what worked over the course of the semester.