Winter term
M,T,W,Th,F 9:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Professor John G. Palfrey
2 classroom credits LAW-14500A
What sorts of problems do lawyers solve? How do they solve them? What
intellectual constructs do they bring to bear? What practical judgments? This
workshop-style course will help answer these questions by giving you a chance
to practice confronting client problems the way lawyers do, from the very
beginning, before the facts are all known, before the client's goals are
clarified, before the full range of options is explored, and before a course of
conduct is chosen. You will undertake these tasks by working in teams on a
number of different problems in different lawyering settings. You will also be
writing short memos of the kind written by practicing lawyers, identifying
facts that need to be gathered, questions the client needs to answer, options that
should be considered. You will also write memos interpreting laws that impinge
on the problem and recommending a course of action. You may also be asked to
engage in simulated interviews of clients.
The course is intended to help prepare you for the actual practice of law by
allowing you actively to engage in the sorts of discussions and activities that
occupy real lawyers every day, combining their knowledge of law with practical
judgment to help clients attain their goals within the bounds of the law. It is
also intended to help you become the kind of thoughtful practicing lawyer who
can see the theoretical issues lurking behind everyday events.