Curriculum

First Year Curriculum

The first year curriculum of required courses provides a thorough introduction to the basic common law subjects and to the essentials of practical skills, while examining the impact of law on social problems. Each first-year law student takes at least one substantive course in a small section, allowing closer student-faculty contact. An extensive legal research, writing, and advocacy program also provides personalized learning through small-group classes, moot-court exercises, and individual conferences with full-time legal writing instructors.

Civil Procedure

Introductory examination of the civil litigation process and the adversary system and their relationship to the fair resolution of disputes, primarily through study of the federal court system, including jurisdiction, venue, pleading, parties, pretrial discovery, disposition by motion, jury, judgment, appellate review, and res judicata.

Cannon | Hyson | Juliano

Contracts

Introduction to the nature of promissory liability; formation of contracts, mutual assent and consideration; need for, and effect of, formalities; third-party contracts; assignments; conditions and impossibility; discharge; illegality; damages.

Carroll | Chanenson | Frankino | Gordon

Criminal Law

Fall semester: Consideration of constitutional rights of the accused including limitations on search and seizure, confessions and identification. Spring semester: Substantive elements of criminal law, including the general elements of liability, homicide, defenses, attempts, and accomplice and conspiracy liability.

Anderson | Cooper | Dobbyn | Packel | Poulin | Redding

Introduction to Legal Research

A working knowledge of the use of tools for legal research through solving problems requiring the sue of the law library; primary emphasis on federal and state case law and legislation.

Cohen | James | Jones | Maxwell | Pantaloni | Ruff

Legal Writing

Closely supervised instruction in legal analysis and the writing of legal memoranda, pleadings, appellate briefs, and in appellate oral argument.

Property

Survey course in basic concepts of property law with detailed analysis of problems of conveyancing and leasing.

Gotanda | Sirico | Taggart

Torts

Basics of civil liability for harm including intentional wrongdoing, negligence, strict liability by reason of engaging in abnormally dangerous activities, products liability, and liability arising out of no-fault legislation. Examination of the underlying tort cause of action, defenses, third-party involvement, and the effect of developing comparative fault systems.

Wertheimer | Turkington

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