I’ve handed in my 14-page Legal Skills assignment. On Thursday, we have something else due for that class, though I can’t tell the extent of the assignment from the information provided on the syllabus. I think it looks extensive though as it is called an “Outline of the Discussion Section” of our memo. 

This sucks.

I love law school…except for Legal Skills. It is the bane of my existence. Of course, I think we need to learn how to write memos and do research, but there has got to be a better way than how they are teaching it. For me, I’d much rather be taught about the tools for research, then given an example or two of the kinds of things we need to learn how to put together (like memos), and then given an assignment to do it–without all the intermediate steps! 

Take the peer edit we did of our statement of fact sections…they guy who reviewed mine is, well, not my peer. His paper had (I am not exaggerating) probably 100 comma errors. He also got the law itself wrong–the case is about the tort of Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (IIED) and he called it a “labor statute issue.” 

Then there was how we did the review itself–we had to take our yellow highlighter or crayons (I am not kidding…crayons…in law school?!) and highlight the “thing doing the action” in each sentence. Yes, you and I know that as the subject…why it wasn’t called that, I have no idea. Anyway, then take the pink highlighter (or crayon) and highlight the “action word or words” in each sentence (yes, the verb/s). Make sure the “thing doing the action” comes before the “action word”! Also highlight any “it,” “he,” “she,” “they” etc. and make sure you know what it is referring to!

How about “avoid passive sentences and check your pronouns for clear antecedents” there, Sparky?

Anyway, I’m just frustrated with the class and the teacher makes it so much worse. I tried to give her a compliment yesterday when I ran into her in the hall, but she was incredibly cold in response.

So, anyway, I’m considering blowing of my afternoon class today to play catch-up and work ahead as I can. I also need to pick up a couple of things for my Halloween costume (I’m wearing it to class on Friday).

We’ll see.

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