Legal Writing and Research

Catalog description

This course provides an introduction to sources of law, legal research, legal reasoning, and interpretative methodologies. The course discusses the sources and techniques for basic legal research. It develops and hones students' ability to write about complex legal issues in a variety of settings and for a variety of audiences. The course focuses on the interpretation of texts, developing clear and persuasive arguments, and the use of available library resources including technologically available legal materials. It also treats the drafting of legal briefs, memorandum, and other legal documents. A central feature of the course is to lay the groundwork for working with various law-related texts as a foundation for legal studies and for the eventual senior capstone thesis.