LEGL 220 - The Legal Profession

Credits: 4
Planned Offering: Spring

In recent decades, the percentage of civil and criminal suits in the U.S. which actually go to trial has dropped to about two percent. Yet most popular conceptions of the legal profession remain fixated on the drama of trials, as portrayed in films, on television, and in novels. What is legal practice actually like, for most attorneys, most of the time? This intensive seminar is designed for those who are curious about the legal profession and wish to know more about its inner workings, perhaps before committing themselves to post-graduate legal education. It introduces students to the fundamentals of legal reasoning and analysis, legal research, and legal writing, as well as contemporary issues and concerns facing the profession in a time of profound transition. Students engage in a series of practical exercises designed to mimic the tasks assigned to first-year associates at a law firm, and the seminar culminates with students’ oral arguments on a motion hearing for which they have researched and drafted legal briefs. Osborne, Eller.