Ideal for teaching international lawyers about the U.S.study of law, this
coursebook uses a global perspective to put the basic principles of legal
reasoning, writing, and research into context.
To effectively teach analysis and communication within the U.S. legal
system, the authors present:
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material that can be easily adapted to a one-semester or two-semester
writing course, using a one chapter/one idea concept
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a building-block approach to legal analysis based on the common
law—each chapter focuses on a key concept that builds on what had been covered
in the previous chapter
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tailored topical coverage that includes:
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a concise introduction to the U.S. legal system, the common law as U.S.
precedent, and the anatomy of a U.S. lawsuit
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practical guidance for law study in the United States, including how to
brief a case for class and other suggestions about the law school classroom
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a special chapter on plagiarism, a particularly troublesome aspect of
writing for ESL students
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instruction on drafting client letters and demand letters, including
effective word, phrasing, and structural choices for emphasis
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an overview of statutory interpretation theories
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coverage of drafting both fact-based and law-based issue discussions
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citation rules, including citing to international and online materials
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chapters on the U.S. approach to drafting contracts, emphasizing
international transactions
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techniques for taking law school examinations
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engaging examples and exercises
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a glossary of terms
To prepare international lawyers for practice in the U.S. legal system, use
the coursebook that employs basic coverage, solid pedagogy, and a
multicultural perspective.
Part I: Introduction
Chapter 1. An Introduction to the U.S. System of Government
Chapter 2. An Introduction to Common Law in the United States
Chapter 3. An Introduction to the Anatomy of the Civil Litigation
Process
Chapter 4. The U.S. Legal Education System: An Introduction to Studying
the Law to Learn the Law and Briefing Cases for Class
Chapter 5. An Introduction to the Legal Writing Process
Chapter 6. An Introduction to U.S. Concept of Plagiarism and the Proper
Attribution to Authority
Part II: Writing an Objective Analysis
Chapter 7. Writing an Objective Discussion of a Fact-Based Issue: One
Issue/One Case
Chapter 8. Writing a Discussion of a Fact-Based Issue: Using Policy to
Support a Legal Analysis
Chapter 9. Writing a Discussion of a Fact-Based Issue: Using Multiple
Cases in Analyzing a Single Issue
Chapter 10. Writing a Discussion of a Fact-Based Issue: Synthesizing a
Single Rule from Multiple Cases
Chapter 11. Beyond the Simple TRAC: Using Different Legal Tests to
Create the Discussion of a Fact-Based Issue
Chapter 12. Writing a Discussion of a Fact-Based Issue: Addressing
Multiple Issues Using Multiple Cases
Chapter 13. Addressing Statutory Issues
Chapter 14. Introduction to an Objective Legal Analysis of a Law-Based
Issue
Chapter 15. Citing to Authority
Part III: Expository Writings
Chapter 16. Writing Letters
PART IV: Drafting a Contract
Chapter 17. An Overview of Basic Contract Provisions
Chapter 18. Word Choice
Chapter 19. Sentence Structure
Chapter 20. Checklists and Organizational Format
Chapter 21. Overall Contract Structure
Part V: Miscellaneous
Chapter 22. Exam-Taking Techniques