Impressions

After three full weeks, here are my impressions of the five courses required for first year students.

Criminal Law
This class has been my most frustrating class.  This is not because of the amount of material or the professor or the challenge of the material; instead, the frustration comes from not seeing in the cases exactly what the professor is seeing.  I've come close a couple of times but still miss the mark.  I've tried not to let the frustration get in the way of learning, unfortunately, human nature must be overcome for the lesson to sink into my cerebrum - and, sometimes, that is not an easy task.

I did some outside the course research this past week in an attempt to understand.  I believe it has helped.  I've spoken with the professor which has also helped.  Law school is about reading, more reading, and much contemplation.  If you do not actively engage in the class by thinking about what you are reading and by thinking about what the professor adds to the reading, the law will not make sense.  I hope my outside research and my conversation with the professor get me closer to seeing in the cases what the professor sees.  I just need patience.  Unfortunately, law school pressure sometimes makes you feel like you can't have patience.

Property
This is one of the classes I feel like I am fully understanding.  The class is also very interesting.  I believe the reason behind this is that the concept of property of the lay person is not the same as the concept of property of the law.  Expanding the concept is very interesting.  Learning is definitely enhanced when the class is liked.

I've also performed outside-the-class research which I believe has helped me understand the concept of property.  My discussions with my girlfriend (I'm so glad she's been willing to listen to me - I must find a study group!) have also helped with my understanding of the material.  A pattern is forming - reading, more reading, and contemplation help with the understanding of the law.

Contracts
I like this class and I believe I understand it too.  This class is a little strange.  The professor has his own casebook so there is a more direct influence of the professor in the course.  Realize, every professor will influence the class with his or her interpretation and personal philosophy of the material.  The professor usually use someone else's casebook to accomplish this.  The professor who has his or her own casebook is only including specific information which is directly influenced by personal philosophy.  To me, it is a little weird to have the professor's casebook. 

The professor told the class he usually gives the rules then provides the cases to illustrate those rules.  This class though, he has taken the approach of providing the cases first.  The method he has employed this year is the method I think of when I think of law school - read cases to pull from the case the rules utilized by the court so, when given a new fact patten, the rules can be used to predict how the court will apply and decide the cases.

For this class, my jury is still out.  I like the professor.  I like his casebook.  I believe I understand the material.  Too many factors lining up for a blindside blitz!

Civil Procedure
This class is interesting.  The statement might not seem odd at first but when considering the purpose of the course, the statement can stretch into the odd realm.  Civil procedure teaches the rules the courts utilize for civil proceedings in federal courts.  The course should be boring - think about learning the rules of the English language.  Learning bareboned rules should be boring; however, for civil procedure, to me at least, learning the rules is not boring.

I find it interesting to see how a case is adjudicated based on the rules.  I also find the professor's teaching method interesting.  Much like property: the class is interesting, the professor is interesting, learning is happening.  We'll see how I feel about this class as the trimester progresses.

Legal Skills
This class worries me.  I feel like I haven't learned much in this class.  This is not to say I haven't learned anything.  I feel like the Karate Kid.  The professor has taught the class little items and has had the class put those items to use in little exercises.  My fear is when the final project is assigned, unlike the triumph the Karate Kid experienced, I will be knocked out.

Everyone says legal skills consumes most of a law student's time.  It is worth only two credits (as compared to three credits of the other classes) but more work is performed for those two credits than any of the other classes.  That fact is what scares me!  It is like laying on the ground and a few drops of water fall on your face.  Each individual drop is easy to handle and easy to cope with.  Then the deluge comes; someone dumps a bucket of water on your face.  The mass of water surprises you and the breath escapes waiting for the rush of water to cease.  This is my fear for legal skills.  I'll see how this fear pans out.

These are my impressions after three weeks.  I hope some change and others do not after another three weeks.