Lawyer Course

Lesson 1 • Sources and Hierarchy of Law

Examines constitutions, statutes, regulations, and case law as sources of legal authority. Establishes the hierarchy that governs how conflicting rules are resolved.

Lesson 2 • Public Law and Private Law Distinctions

Defines the boundary between state-citizen relationships and private party disputes. Connects classification to procedural and remedial consequences.

Lesson 3 • Court Structure and Jurisdiction

Maps typical court hierarchies and explains subject-matter and personal jurisdiction. Provides the framework for determining where a case may be filed and heard.

Lesson 4 • Legal Reasoning and Interpretation

Introduces the core methods lawyers use to read and apply legal texts. Grounds students in the analytical habits required throughout the entire course.

Lesson 1 • Legal Database Research Techniques

Covers Boolean and natural-language searching in professional legal databases. Connects efficient search strategy to comprehensive and reliable research outcomes.

Lesson 2 • Reading and Briefing Cases

Teaches the IRAC-based method for dissecting judicial opinions into usable components. Builds the analytical foundation for applying precedent to new fact patterns.

Lesson 3 • Legal Citation and Research Memoranda

Establishes proper citation format and the structure of a formal research memorandum. Ensures research output meets professional standards expected by supervising attorneys.

Lesson 4 • Statutory and Regulatory Research

Guides students through locating, reading, and tracing the legislative history of statutes and regulations. Supports accurate interpretation of enacted law.

Lesson 1 • IRAC and CREAC Analytical Frameworks

Teaches the two dominant frameworks for organizing legal analysis in written documents. Connects framework selection to document type and audience expectations.

Lesson 2 • Drafting Objective Legal Memoranda

Guides students through producing an internal office memorandum that objectively analyzes a legal question. Develops balanced analysis skills essential for advising clients.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Clear Legal Writing

Applies plain-language principles to eliminate ambiguity and improve precision in legal prose. Establishes the stylistic baseline for all documents drafted in this course.

Lesson 4 • Client Letters and Professional Correspondence

Addresses tone, format, and content requirements for client-facing written communication. Bridges the gap between legal analysis and accessible client advice.

Lesson 1 • Consideration and Contractual Obligation

Defines consideration as the bargained-for exchange that distinguishes contracts from gifts. Addresses modern substitutes such as promissory estoppel.

Lesson 2 • Offer, Acceptance, and Mutual Assent

Examines the requirements for a valid offer and a matching acceptance that creates mutual assent. Grounds students in the objective theory of contract formation.

Lesson 3 • Capacity, Legality, and Formality Requirements

Covers who may enter a binding contract and what subject matter is permissible. Introduces writing requirements that condition enforceability in certain transaction types.

Lesson 4 • Defenses to Contract Enforcement

Surveys doctrines that allow a party to avoid an otherwise valid contract. Equips students to identify and assert defenses in client counseling and litigation.

Lesson 1 • Damages in Negligence Actions

Covers compensatory, nominal, and punitive damages available in tort claims. Connects damage categories to litigation strategy and settlement valuation.

Lesson 2 • Intentional Torts and Strict Liability

Analyzes torts requiring intent and those imposing liability without fault. Distinguishes the mental state and proof requirements across these categories.

Lesson 3 • Negligence: Duty, Breach, and Causation

Breaks down the four elements of negligence and the tests used to establish each. Provides the analytical structure applied to most personal injury and professional liability claims.

Lesson 4 • Defenses and Comparative Fault

Surveys defenses that reduce or eliminate tort liability, including comparative and contributory fault systems. Prepares students to evaluate defendant-side arguments.

Lesson 1 • Attorney-Client Relationship and Duties

Defines the formation, scope, and termination of the attorney-client relationship. Establishes the foundational duties of loyalty, competence, and communication.

Lesson 2 • Disciplinary Process and Consequences

Explains how bar disciplinary systems investigate and sanction attorney misconduct. Connects ethical violations to real career and reputational consequences.

Lesson 3 • Conflicts of Interest

Analyzes concurrent, successive, and imputed conflicts and the procedures for obtaining informed consent. Prepares students to run conflict checks and advise on waivers.

Lesson 4 • Confidentiality and Attorney-Client Privilege

Distinguishes the ethical duty of confidentiality from the evidentiary privilege and explains exceptions to each. Equips students to protect client information in practice.

Lesson 1 • Discovery: Tools and Obligations

Surveys the full range of discovery mechanisms and the duties of disclosure they impose. Connects discovery strategy to case theory development and trial preparation.

Lesson 2 • Pleadings and Case Initiation

Covers the complaint, answer, and pre-answer motions that open a civil lawsuit. Establishes the procedural posture that shapes all subsequent litigation steps.

Lesson 3 • Post-Trial Motions and Appeals

Covers motions challenging the verdict and the appellate process for reviewing trial court decisions. Completes the full litigation lifecycle for students.

Lesson 4 • Trial Procedure and Evidence Basics

Outlines the sequence of a civil trial and the evidentiary rules that govern admissibility. Prepares students to participate in trial preparation and courtroom proceedings.

Lesson 1 • Negotiation of Contract Terms

Applies negotiation theory to the specific dynamics of commercial contract negotiation. Develops students' ability to advocate for client positions while closing deals.

Lesson 2 • Breach, Remedies, and Dispute Resolution Clauses

Covers how contracts allocate risk for breach and channel disputes to chosen resolution mechanisms. Integrates contract drafting with litigation and arbitration strategy.

Lesson 3 • Due Diligence in Transactional Practice

Explains the due diligence process for identifying legal risks before closing a transaction. Prepares students to conduct and manage due diligence reviews efficiently.

Lesson 4 • Anatomy of a Commercial Contract

Deconstructs the standard sections of a commercial agreement and explains the function of each. Provides the structural template students use throughout transactional drafting exercises.