Law, Language, and Ethics provides an introduction to the function of legal rules and concepts in the organization of society. Drawing on knowledge from a broad variety of fields, including epistemology, ethics, semantic analysis, aesthetics, sociology, and psychoanalysis, it examines the underlying structure of legal argument and decision. Lawyering Skills, a two-semester course, focuses on developing analytic and communication skills. In the fall semester, students start with short written exercises and progress to drafting legal office memoranda. In the spring, students concentrate on developing their skills in written advocacy by drafting legal briefs.
Students develop oral advocacy skills through oral argument in the first-year moot court program.
Legal Profession examines ethical dilemmas confronting attorneys in their various roles. Topics include conflicts of interest, confidentiality, and ethical problems inherent in the adversary system and advocacy. Legal Research examines the basic sources of law for federal and California jurisdictions, and analyzes research methodology and techniques. Procedure introduces students to questions about what constitutes fair, adequate, and efficient procedure in resolving legal disputes. Allocation of authority between federal and state courts, and among Congress, the Executive, and the Courts is discussed in depth.