Beyond Legal Reasoning: a Critique of Pure Lawyering by
The concept of learning to 'think like a lawyer' is one of the cornerstones of legal education in the United States and beyond. In this book, Jeffrey Lipshaw provides a critique of the traditional views of 'thinking like a lawyer' or 'pure lawyering' aimed at lawyers, law professors, and students who want to understand lawyering beyond the traditional warrior metaphor. Drawing on his extensive experience at the intersection of real world law and business issues, Professor Lipshaw presents a sophisticated philosophical argument that the "pure lawyering" of traditional legal education is agnostic to either truth or moral value of outcomes. He demonstrates pure lawyering's potential both for illusions of certainty and cynical instrumentalism, and the consequences of both when lawyers are called on as dealmakers, policymakers, and counsellors. This book offers an avenue for getting beyond (or unlearning) merely how to think like a lawyer. It combines legal theory, philosophy of knowledge, and doctrine with an appreciation of real-life judgment calls that multi-disciplinary lawyers are called upon to make. The book will be of great interest to scholars of legal education, legal language and reasoning as well as professors who teach both doctrine and thinking and writing skills in the first year law school curriculum; and for anyone who is interested in seeking a perspective on 'thinking like a lawyer' beyond the litigation arena.
Cracking the Case Method, Legal Analysis for Law School Success by
For about 150 years, law schools have relied on the Case Method to teach the skills and art of legal analysis to first-year law students. Yet many first-year students struggle academically. They do not struggle because they lack intellectual ability. Instead, they struggle because they are suddenly immersed in a unique and seemingly opaque educational process where nobody has concretely explained what they should try to learn, much less how to learn it. So these students are forced to try to understand their professors' teaching methods on their own--a difficult task for many beginning students, even those who may "get it" but cannot articulate what "it" is. So students understandably ask fundamental questions like the following. Why do reading assignments consist of appellate court opinions? Why do professors rely on the Socratic Method? Why do law school classes so often leave students with more questions than answers? Why do professors' teaching methods differ from their assessment methods and how can students bridge that gap? What do instructors look for when they grade essay exam answers? Why can law students believe they knew "all the rules," yet get poor grades? Cracking the Case Method, 3d ed., provides concise and accessible instruction on how to succeed in law school by answering these questions--and many others. Students need to know what to study and how the opinions they read and discuss in class relate to law school exams. This book provides an in-depth examination of these critical topics: The Case Method: 1) how it relates to Socratic-style questioning, and 2) how it helps develop analytical skills. Semester-long strategies for learning how to "think like a lawyer" by getting the most out of reading judicial opinions, attending classes, outlining, and preparing for exams. An analytical framework that helps students read appellate court cases to focus on legal issues, legal principles, and judges' reasons for adopting and applying those principles. Twenty examples that illustrate this analytical framework; these examples discuss essential legal principles from first-year courses and use judicial opinions often assigned in these courses. How to develop case briefs and use them to prepare for class discussions, outlining, and exams--with illustrations drawn from two sample annotated briefs. The major types of legal argument--with many illustrations drawn from actual cases. How to use class discussions to practice legal analysis, demonstrated with annotated excerpts from actual first-year class discussions. How to prepare for exams with the following learning and study tools: 1) developing traditional or visual outlines of course materials; 2) analyzing hypotheticals; 3) creating checklists and flowcharts; and 4) practicing exam-taking skills. An approach for analyzing exam questions and writing effective exam answers that display powerful analytical skills--with illustrations drawn from actual essay exam questions and annotated answers. An opportunity for students to practice all the learning, writing, and analytical skills discussed in this book to a new case in a sample torts class, including the following skills: 1) reading the case; 2) briefing the case; 3) discussing the case in class; 4) incorporating the principles from the case into an outline; and 5) answering an exam question related to the case. This book provides indispensable information to people considering law school, preparing for their 1L year, or currently attending law school.
Legal Writing and Analysis in a Nutshell by
This book provides a ten-step guide to clear, precise, and effective legal writing and analysis for both law students and experienced lawyers. It gives the keys to writing legal memoranda and briefs, organizing analysis, crafting clear and concise sentences, using legal language accurately, using grammar and punctuation properly, writing persuasively using classical rhetorical techniques. The book describes a method for analyzing and improving individual writing style includes a sample analysis. It also includes new material on using plain English and new legal documents to illustrate effective writing techniques.
Think Like a Lawyer by
The five types of legal reasoning -- Reading and analyzing cases -- Reasoning by analogy -- Rule-based reasoning -- Synthesizing cases : rule synthesis -- Interpreting statutes -- Writing a simple analysis : the small-scale paradigm -- Responding to opposing arguments and distinguishing cases -- Advanced problem solving, creativity, and critical thinking.
Getting Things Done by
"The Bible of business and personal productivity" --Lifehack "A completely revised and updated edition of the blockbuster bestseller from 'the personal productivity guru'"--Fast Company Since it was first published almost fifteen years ago, David Allen's Getting Things Done has become one of the most influential business books of its era, and the ultimate book on personal organization. "GTD" is now shorthand for an entire way of approaching professional and personal tasks, and has spawned an entire culture of websites, organizational tools, seminars, and offshoots. Allen has rewritten the book from start to finish, tweaking his classic text with important perspectives on the new workplace, and adding material that will make the book fresh and relevant for years to come. This new edition of Getting Things Done will be welcomed not only by its hundreds of thousands of existing fans but also by a whole new generation eager to adopt its proven principles.
How to Do More in Less Time by
Many lawyers work long hours and still do not have enough time to complete all their work--let alone tackle the business aspects of their job, such as marketing, business development, or strategic planning. It s a common problem and learning how to juggle the work and manage the extras can be overwhelming for the new or seasoned lawyer. How to Do More in Less Time is a valuable resource to help you learn strategies for taking control of your day and become more productive. Written for the busy lawyer, the authors outline how you can identify the right activities that need to be accomplished and then how you perform those activities efficiently to maximize your productivity. You will learn how to: .Develop good productivity habits by setting goals and prioritizing your workload .Eliminate the distractions around you .Clean up the clutter .Delegate your workload efficiently .Organize and schedule tasks weekly .Create effective systems in your daily practice .Streamline your email .Do 90 minutes of work in 60 minutes and maybe even 30 .And much more "
How to Organize Yourself by
How to Organize Yourself will help you to dramatically improve the way you work. With great tips on how to determine your goals, prioritize your tasks and manage your time, it also includes practical advice on how to: focus on the things that produce results; overcome distractions; build positive work habits; avoid information overload and make effective use of technology. Updated for 2019, this 6th edition now features even more practical exercises, useful templates, and top tips to help you get organized, as well as content on how to deal with the ubiquitous presence of smartphones and adapt to the ever increasing scope for interruption and procrastination in our 24/7 lives. How to Organize Yourself will enable you to take control of your workload, reduce stress and fatigue, and free up time for the things that really matter. The Creating Success series of books... Unlock vital skills, power up your performance and get ahead with the bestselling Creating Success series. Written by experts for new and aspiring managers and leaders, this million-selling collection of accessible and empowering guides will get you up to speed in no time. Packed with clever thinking, smart advice and the kind of winning techniques that really get results, you'll make fast progress, quickly reach your goals and create lasting success in your career.
Successful Time Management by
Successful Time Management is packed with proven tips, tools and techniques to help you review and assess your time management and adopt new work practices to improve it. It includes great time-saving ideas, practical solutions and checklists, plus advice on: controlling paperwork, organizing your emails, delegating and working with others, prioritizing to focus on key issues, getting and staying organized. Fully updated for 2019, this 5th edition now features even more practical exercises, useful templates, and top tips to help you minimize time-wasting and interruptions, and focus on the priorities that will lead to success in your job and career. Successful Time Management will give you the tools to become more efficient and effective. The Creating Success series of books... Unlock vital skills, power up your performance and get ahead with the bestselling Creating Success series. Written by experts for new and aspiring managers and leaders, this million-selling collection of accessible and empowering guides will get you up to speed in no time. Packed with clever thinking, smart advice and the kind of winning techniques that really get results, you'll make fast progress, quickly reach your goals and create lasting success in your career.
Time and Workplace Management for Lawyers by
Too many lawyers cope with their workloads by just spending longer hours at the office. This valuable book will provide strategies that will help you gain control over your professional life so that you can still have a fulfilling personal life outside the office. You'll find loads of practical advice for making time and work management decisions that will lead you to become more productive during your workday. It's written for both new lawyers with minimal work experience as well as lawyers who have practiced for several years and want to become more productive. In addition, you'll find appendix material that will help bring sanity to your home life, and help you reduce stress and relax.
Critical Reading for Success in Law School and Beyond (with Video) by
New book purchase includes complimentary digital access to the eBook and digital resources. Reading cases and statutes is challenging for students and attorneys. However, everybody can learn critical reading strategies and become effective legal readers and advocates. Critical Reading for Success in Law School and Beyond identifies the reading strategies used by expert legal readers and presents the strategies in a systematic sequence. Critical Reading is written in an easy to read style with lots of examples. Readers will learn: the purpose for reading cases, how to read with focus, case structure and important civil and criminal procedure terms, techniques for understanding complex text, strategies for identifying the parts of a case, how to brief a case, legal analysis skills such as analogical reasoning and case synthesis, and strategies for reading statutes. The second edition adds chapters that address reading on screens and techniques for reading bar prep materials. The second edition also has a seventeen part video series with PowerPoint slides. Each video introduces a reading strategy, provides helpful tips, includes a short student exercise, and gives students the opportunity to self-assess their proficiency. Critical Reading can be used in law school pre-orientation and orientation programs, academic success courses, bar prep courses, and legal writing and doctrinal classes. It is also useful for legal readers who want to improve their reading efficiency and effectiveness.
Expert Learning for Law Students by
The third edition of Expert Learning for Law Students is a reorganization and rethinking of this highly-regarded law school success text. It retains the core insights and lessons from prior editions while updating the materials to reflect recent insights such as mindset theory, attribution theory, chunking for use, and interleaving learning. The text includes exercises and step-by-step guides to engage readers in the process of becoming expert learners, including specific strategies for succeeding in law school.
Making the Case by
Writing in the tradition of Karl Llewellyn's classic The Bramble Bush, Paul Kahn speaks in this book simultaneously to students and scholars. Drawing on thirty years of teaching experience, Kahn introduces students to the deep, narrative structure of the judicial opinion. Learning to read the opinion, the student learns the nature of legal argument. Thus Kahn's exposition of the opinion simultaneously offers a theory of legal meaning that will be of great interest to scholars of law, humanities, and the social sciences. At the center of Kahn's approach are ideas of narrative, persuasion, and self-government. His sweeping account of interpretation in law offers innovative views of the nature of authorship, the development and decline of doctrine, and the construction of facts.
Learning Legal Reasoning by
This widely used book in many printings begins with answers to forty commonly asked questions of first-year law students. It specifies a six-step approach to briefing a case with specific guidelines for accomplishing each step. The process of briefing cases is then demonstrated with excellent and poor briefs of increasing complexity. Emphasis is placed initially on the techniques of briefing as an introduction to the learning of legal reasoning, the first priority of the first year of law school. In addition, the book also demonstrates the relevance of more advanced modes of legal reasoning, including positivist, pragmatic, policy oriented, natural-law and other perspectives applied in decoding and understanding cases. In its introduction of jurisprudential perspectives, Learning Legal Reasoning transcends the typical technical/positivist orientation of most first-year materials.
CALI Lesson - How to Brief a Case