Fall term
W 2:50 PM - 4:50 PM
Ms. Dena Sacco
2 classroom credits LAW-39715A Fall
This course introduces students trained as lawyers outside of the United States to the U.S. legal system, helping to supplement and put into context what they learn in their other courses at HLS. It covers the basic structure and function of U.S. legal institutions, the interaction of state and federal law in the American system of federalism, common law and case analysis, the American criminal and civil justice systems, trial by jury, and the American legal profession. Some portion of the course will be dedicated to developing U.S. legal research and writing skills, including both predictive and persuasive forms of writing. Students will meet with practicing attorneys, will see how the law is portrayed in film and in the news, and will see the law in action during a visit to a court in Boston. Throughout the course, students will be invited to share their experiences and compare the U.S. system with their own legal systems.