Legal Research and Writing

Catalog description

Legal Research and Writing is an immersive, writing-intensive undergraduate course designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the process of reading case law, briefing cases, researching legal source material and the basic forms of legal writing such as writing legal memoranda and legal briefs. This course will serve students considering legal education with an introduction to this form of writing. A significant component of this course is the writing-intensive curriculum, designed to refine students' legal writing and analytical skills. Assignments might include researching a legal question, writing a legal memorandum explaining the answer(s) to a legal question and writing a legal brief arguing a position. Students will have the opportunity to revise at least one (and ideally more) assignment(s) after receiving instructor feedback. Class meetings will be a blend of lectures, discussions, and interactive activities designed to expose students to the mechanics and basics of legal research and writing.