Law Skills

 

 

skills needed for law school success

best source of undergraduate training

other sources of undergraduate training

be wary of

SKILLS IN ABA LAW SCHOOL PREP PRIMER

CRITICAL READING

understanding
Judicial opinions and law review articles

constitutional law, criminal procedure, jurisprudence

business law courses,
civil rights courses

courses that assign case summaries rather than judicial opinions

PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS

analyzing problems requiring interpretation of statutes/opinions

constitutional law, criminal law,
public administration

business law courses,
public policy courses

lecture courses that give students LITTLE CLASS TIME to develop THESE skills

ANALYTICAL WRITING SKILLS

answering issue-spotting or analytical questions requiring reasoning

courses in many departments offer exams that require analytical skills+

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courses that evaluate students based on multiple choice/matching exams

ORAL COMMUNICATION AND LISTENING

responding quickly to opposing arguments and speaking without fear

courses with extensive classroom debate/ argument

debate team
model congress
extemporaneous speaking  mock trial

thinking that making a prepared speech provides training in argumentation

RESEARCH
SKILLS

legal research

constitutional law
criminal law
public administration

other courses that require research into legal sources

courses that distribute the "research" needed for assignments