Legal Skills in Social Context

What it is

This one-of-a-kind, year long 1L signature course introduces you to the central skills of effective lawyering—legal research, objective and persuasive legal writing, client representation, critical analysis and oral skills—all heavily grounded in the social contexts in which the law is practiced. The program effectively prepares you for upper-level courses and provides the lawyering skills you will need for co-op and your professional career.

How it works

The course operates in small “law offices” of approximately 14 students, each taught by a team of full-time faculty, adjunct professors and upper-level student fellows and teaching assistants. In the fall semester, you’ll work through simulated problems as you begin to build relevant skills in LSSC's Legal Research and Writing course. In the spring, you’ll refine these skills by preparing a brief and presenting oral arguments for a summary judgment motion. Concurrently, you’ll work with your law office to plan and execute a social justice project—an extensive real-world legal research project on behalf of a community-based or public service organization.

LSSC provides strong student support and the knowledge of a network of peers, faculty, upper-level Lawyering Fellows (LFs), and Research and Writing Teaching Assistants(TAs). These LFs and TAs work closely with you to craft the social justice projects and to support you in your research and writing assignments. The LFs' and TAs' LSSC experience informs their ability to communicate effectively, support student needs and responsibilities, and to foster exceptional student law office work product for your real-life organizational client.

The result

You’ll be equipped with the skills you need to effectively function in your initial co-op placement, and you’ll build a strong foundation for the further development of these essential lawyering skills over the remainder of your legal education.