Through practice researching and writing in context, with feedback and support along the way, the Legal Research, Analysis & Writing (LRAW) course is designed to achieve the following learning objectives:
To help students learn to perform fundamental legal research, which involves learning to:
Understand the U.S. legal system and the hierarchy of authority;
Select appropriate sources;
Devise and implement efficient research strategies;
Critically evaluate, validate, and update retrieved information; and
Modify initial research strategies based on preliminary results.
To help students master fundamental legal analysis by learning to:
Critically read cases and statutes;
Derive and understand legal rules from legal authorities and apply them to new factual situations;
Use legal authorities to assess a client’s legal issue, make informed predictions about the legal issue, and support those predictions with logical analytical reasoning; and
Identify and construct persuasive legal arguments (spring semester).
To help students effectively communicate their legal analysis by learning to:
Correctly apply standard English grammar and punctuation rules, using a clear, concise writing style appropriate to law practice;
Correctly construct and use legal citation appropriate for practitioners;
Draft a legal prediction in the form of a memorandum of law;
Draft a persuasive legal argument in the form of a letter and trial memo (spring); and
Editing your own writing effectively.
To help students develop their professional communication and interaction skills by encouraging them to:
Actively engage in personal and professional self-assessment;
Work professionally and productively in individual and collaborative environments;
Demonstrate respect to all members of the Law School community, including yourself, your classmates, faculty members, members of the Law School staff, and visitors to our campus;
Foster and maintain healthy interpersonal relationships; and
Efficiently manage your time and effectively managing your responsibilities.
