Unmasking the Mystery of Law School Expectations

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Unmasking the Mystery of Law School Expectations
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Goals of this Presentation

• Begin to unmask the mystery surrounding law
  school by talking about history, customs and
  expectations.
• Introduce what ASP can do to help you meet those
  expectations.

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Why?

• In the past, law students were not told what they
  were supposed to focus on while reading cases or
  taking notes, or how to organize a semesters
  worth of material or how to prepare for and write
  a law school exam.
• ASP is here to change that! We want you to know
  as much as you can about the law school
  experience so that you can succeed.

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History

• Apprentice model.
• Lecture model.
• Langdell/Case Method model.

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Why is Law School So Hard

• Very little (if any) time spent explaining
  expectations
• One shot exam system
• Only room for 10 in top 10
• Goals completely different from college

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What are the Expectations

• Read and understand cases on your own
• Recognize how rules from cases can be ambiguous
  and gray
• Synthesize rules from all the cases you read
• Apply those rules to a brand new scenario in a
  pressure environment

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How Can You Meet The Expectations

• Read and brief all cases
• Take diligent notes
• Outline and flowchart
• Do practice questions
• USE ALL RESOURCES

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What Are the Goals of My Professor and Law School?

• To make you a better thinker
• To make you a good problem solver

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How to Reach the Goal

• Think Critically
• IRAC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Why Focus on Critical Thinking

• The basis of good analysis
• It is the process of problem solving

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So What Is Problem Solving

• IRAC
• - identify the issue (problem)
• - select a rule
• - apply the rule to the facts (analysis)
• - decide how the issue should be resolved
  (conclusion)

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What ASP can offer

• Lecture Series
• Study Skills
• Individual appointments with upper-class law
  students
• Practice Problems

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What ASP can offer

• Graduate Assistant Hours
• Office Room 240A
• Callie Crawford cwcrwfr1_at_memphis.edu
• Mon 12-1
• Tues 8-9, 12-2
• Wed 8-9, 12-1
• Thur 8-9, 12-1
• Fri 8-9, 10-11
• Jonathan Nelson nelson.jonathan_at_gmail.com
• Monday 900 1200
• Tuesday 900 1000
• Wednesday 1000 1200 300 500
• Thursday 1000 1100 1220 120
• Friday -- None

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What can ASP offer

• Appointments
• 3 Ways to make appointments
• Sign up via ASP TWEN site
• Lobby near Room 217
• Downstairs lobby

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What ASP can offer

• Study Skills
• Time Management
• Case Briefing
• Note Taking
• Outlining
• Practice Problems and Hypos
• Feedback!!!!
• Substantive Courses Only

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What ASP can offer

• August 25 (1200-1250 Room 314)
• Case Briefing and Note Taking
• October 6 (1200-1250 Room 314)
• Outlining
• October 27 (1200-1250 Room 314)
• Exam Prep 1
• November 3 (1200-1250 Room 314)
• Exam Prep 2

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CONTACT INFORMATION

• Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Director of
  ASP Yolanda Ingram, J.D.
• yingram_at_memphis.edu
• 678-2528
• GOOD LUCK!!