Legal Analysis and Communication

       
This course introduces students to the theory and practice of legal analysis and communication.  It examines how legal doctrines and rules develop from multiple and intersecting legal sites, including constitutions, judicial decisions, statutes, and regulations—and the interpretive strategies appropriate to each.  It also considers the legal, policy, and cultural frameworks that shape legal development and analysis.  Through reading and writing assignments, students will acquire legal analytic skills suitable to various employment settings.  They will practice strategies for identifying and researching the relevant law, applying it to new legal problems, and formulating policies.  They will also learn how to communicate legal analysis effectively to both lawyers and laypersons.