Legal Reasoning Research And Writing For International Graduate Students

Legal Reasoning, Research, and Writing for International Graduate Students, Fifth Edition, helps international students understand and approach legal reasoning and writing the way law students and attorneys do in the United States. With concise and clear text, Professor Nedzel introduces the unique and important features of the American legal system and American law schools. Using clear instruction, examples, visual aids, and practice exercises, she teaches practical lawyering skills with sensitivity to the challenges of ESL students. New to the Fifth Edition: Streamlined presentation makes the material even more accessible. Chapters are short, direct, and to the point. Five chapters on reasoning and writing, including exam skills, office memos, and rewriting. Full chapters on contract drafting and scholarly writing. New flowcharts provide a concise, visual overview for each chapter. Citation coverage updated to new 21st edition of The Bluebook. Simplified examples and exercises. Three thoroughly revised chapters on legal research, including non-fee legal research and technological changes in the practice of U.S. law. Professors and student will benefit from: Comparative perspective informs readers about the unique features of American law as compared to civil law, Islamic law, and Asian traditions. Explanations of practical skills assume no former knowledge of the American legal system. U.S. law school necessary skills explained immediately: case briefing, creating a course outline, time management, reading citations, and writing answers to hypothetical exam questions. Short, lucid chapters that reiterate major points to aid comprehension. Clear introductions to writing hypothetical-based exams, legal memoranda, contract drafting and scholarly writing. An integrated approach to proper citation format, with explanation and instruction provided in context. Discussion of plagiarism and U.S. law school honor codes. Practical skill-building exercises in each chapter. Research exercises are primarily Internet-based Charts and summaries that are useful learning aids and reference tools

Like an atlas, the LL.M. Roadmap: An International Student's Guide to U.S. Law School Programs provides a series of "roadmaps" to guide prospective LL.M. students through every step of their journey. From assessing your reasons to acquire an LL.M., to choosing an American law school, meeting financial and immigration challenges, and succeeding in law school and a career in law, the LL.M. Roadmap provides straightforward guidance, along with plenty of checklists and reference sources. In ten parts and 33 chapters, this valuable text offers a careful examination of every consideration and contingency for making important life decisions. An indispensable guide for prospective LL.M. candidates, the LL.M. Roadmap features: information and analysis to help readers answer their most pressing questions, such as Should I worry about an LL.M. program's ranking and reputation? How do I get admitted to a U.S. LL.M. Program? What questions should I ask before accepting a U.S. law school's offer of admission? What kind of financial assistance is available? Can I work part-time during my LL.M. program? What will it take to succeed in a U.S. LL.M. program? practical guidance for navigating through the entire LL.M. experience degree and English-language proficiency requirements how U.S. law professors teach legal writing, research, and communication techniques determining whether extracurricular activities will help common immigration and student visa challenges and requirements employment and career advice numerous checklists and lists of resources

This comprehensive legal writing text for international LL.M. students reflects the author's experience as a lawyer, professor of legal writing to international LL.M. students, and applied linguist who taught academic English as a Second Language to international university students. The book has a unique set of features: It introduces the common-law system in the U.S. and contrasts it with the civil-law system, while teaching legal reasoning and writing skills that international students need, such as how to draft memos, contracts, emails, and letters to clients, opposing counsel, and colleagues, as well as how to do legal research; It teaches law-school skills such as how to read cases and write case briefs and outlines, and how to take final exams; It helps students to address their second-language difficulties with targeted material that provides specific advice related to common student grammar issues, legal English vocabulary, the use of plain English, and the rhetorical style of U.S. legal writing; It discusses current legal practice, by describing the culture, hierarchy, and economics of law firms, what partners expect from associates, and how to communicate with colleagues; and It provides an extensive selection of real writing samples redacted from actual attorney work product. The eBook version of this title features links to Lexis Advance for further legal research options. PowerPoint slides are available to professors upon adoption of this book. Dowload sample slides from the full 119-slide presentation here. If you have adopted the book for a course, please contact [email protected] to request the PowerPoint slides.

This book introduces international students to the characteristics of legal education in the United States and helps them develop the linguistic, analytical, and cultural skills to thrive at a U.S. law school. Part I focuses on the academic legal writing skills needed to write in law school. It guides students in reviewing their own writing skills and helps them to adapt to the conventions of academic legal writing at the whole text, paragraph, and sentence levels. It also gives students guidance in effectively presenting their ideas in writing so that a reader can quickly grasp their reasoning and meaning. Part II introduces students to common law and legal analysis. Following a brief introduction to the U.S. legal system, the book focuses on the skills required to read, discuss, and write about legal cases in a U.S. law class. Cases in torts and criminal procedure law provide an opportunity to apply these skills while also teaching high-frequency legal vocabulary. Throughout the book, students can read clear and concise explanations and practice the skills they are acquiring with detailed practice exercises. Professors and students will benefit from: Clear explanations of academic legal writing expected of law students on written assignments, such as exams and papers Straightforward definitions and explanations about how the common law system in the U.S. works Guidelines and practice in reading, discussing, and writing about legal cases Authentic tasks and exercises for all key concepts

The first guide to legal research intended for the many nonspecialists who need to enter this arcane and often tricky area

This comprehensive guide covers every stage of organising and teaching a course in contract drafting. With extensive sample course materials, it offers useful tips for building nuance, creative thinking, and experiential learning into contract drafting curricula.

Legal research is a fundamental skill for all law students and attorneys. Regardless of practice area or work venue, knowledge of the sources and processes of legal research underpins the legal professional’s work. Academic law librarians, as research experts, are uniquely qualified to teach legal research. Whether participating in the mandatory, first-year law school curriculum or offering advanced or specialized legal research instruction, law librarians have the up-to-date knowledge, the broad view of the field, and the expertise to provide the best legal research instruction possible. This collection offers both theoretical and practical guidance on legal research education from the perspectives of the law librarian. Containing well-reasoned, analytical articles on the topic, the volume explains and supports the law librarian’s role in legal research instruction. The contributors to this book, all experts in teaching legal research, challenge academic law librarians to seize their instructional role in the legal academy. This book was based on a special issue of Legal Reference Services Quarterly.