E-670 - John Marshall Law School

ADVANCED BAR STUDIES: Prof. Carlton-Sadler - Spring 2014
Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School
ADVANCED BAR STUDIES: 2 credit- Pass/Fail
Spring 2014
Professor: Carlton-Sadler
Office: 1430 Building; 7th Floor, Suite 717
Telephone: 404-872-3593 ext 191
E-mail: [email protected]
Class Schedule: Thursday 6:15 p.m. – 8:15 p.m.; Room TBA
Office Hours: By Appointment; or
Mondays
12:00pm - 2:00pm
Tuesdays
11:00am – 7:00pm
Wednesdays 11:00am – 7:00pm
Thursdays 12:00pm - 4:00pm
REQUIRED TEXTS: Pass the Bar! Denise Riebe and Michael Hunter Schwartz; MBE
Workbook (provided)
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
In accordance with JMLS student handbook:
 A student may not miss more than twenty percent (20%) of class
without violating Section 601 of the Academic Code.
 Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class.
CLASS PREPAREDNESS AND PARTICIPATION:
 LAPTOPS are NOT permitted, except by express request. You will be
instructed as to when laptops will be allowed.
 There is no substitution for preparation.
 Any student who is unprepared, or fails to participate when present,
will be counted as absent. Participation counts. Your class participation will
be reflected in your final grade. Punctuality is critical. You must be present
and ON TIME.
ABS: Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School
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ADVANCED BAR STUDIES: Prof. Carlton-Sadler - Spring 2014
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Through the series of in-class exercises, students will measure the efficacy of their
critical reading, writing and analytical skills, as well as identify test taking
pathologies which adversely impact their standardized test performance like the bar
exam. For example: 1) Students will practice employing test taking skills and
strategies, including using strict formal logic, to attack multiple choice questions; 2)
using several MPT’s as a lawyering exercise, students will practice critical reading
and legal analysis; and 3) Students will practice structuring a written essay exam
response using the IRAC formula. In addition to issue spotting and using formal
logic to solve multiple choice questions for the best answers, students will be
expected to identify logical fallacies and articulate why incorrect answers are
wrong. Students will practice breaking down statutes and common law rules into
elements. Students will articulate precise explanations of rule elements by
summarizing and synthesizing case law, then identify legally relevant facts from a
case file to determine which elements are satisfied. Students will practice
organizing and articulating written legal analysis in essay format. The intense selfassessment and skills building exercises mirror those tested on the bar examination.
This syllabus may be modified at the Professor’s discretion at any time.
Please check TWEN for class updates.
Week 1: January 16, 2014
Introduction of course, syllabus and text
1. Overview of the Bar Examination
2. Grading of MBE. MEE, and MPT’s by examiners.
Assignment: Chapters 1-3
Week 2: January 23, 2014: The MPT
1. Review Mini-Bar
2. Outline strategies for an MPT: Time Management of the MPT and
determining the relevant facts from the File.
3. Using the Library; Extracting rules; Rule statements
Assignment: Write MPT Blackhawk, Read Chapters 5-7, and 9; Your Bar
Plan & Effective Strategies; Create Bar Prep Notebook; Jurisdictional
requirements; Risk assessment
Week 3:January 30, 2014: The MPT
ABS: Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School
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ADVANCED BAR STUDIES: Prof. Carlton-Sadler - Spring 2014
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Discuss MPT Blackhawk v. Acme
MPT: the Memo; how to outline
File Analysis and the Use of Facts
Peer review of MPT
Your study plan; Bar Resource notebook
Preview letter to Client: Glickman
Assignment: MPT Glickman
Week 4: February 6, 2014: The MPT
1. Logic and Analysis- understanding legal reasoning and common errors
Assignment: Logic Exercises
Week 5: February 13, 2014: The MPT
1. Review Glickman: Group and Peer Review
2. Contract terms: form for Contracts, Wills, Trusts
3. Logic and Analysis Exercise Review
Assignment: In re: Velocity Park timed
Week 6: February 20, 2014: The MBE
Introduction to the MBE: Diagnostic MBE questions.
1. Review Velocity Park
2. Diagnostic MBE
Assignment: Riebe and Schwartz Study Strategies & expert
memorization techniques for substantive law- Chapters 11-13; Review
the first part of the Torts outline. Answer assigned questions.
Week 7: February 24- February 28, 2014
Individual Conference week; sign up on TWEN
Week 8: March 6, 2014
The MBE: Multiple Choice testing
1. Review the questions and answers for the diagnostic MBE
2. Review of the Torts Outline
3. Review take home Practice MBE Questions
ABS: Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School
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ADVANCED BAR STUDIES: Prof. Carlton-Sadler - Spring 2014
Assignment: Answer the assigned questions and review the second part
of the Torts outline and answer the assigned questions and review the
first part of the Contracts outline.
Week 9: March 13, 2014- Spring Break (no class)
1. Review of the first part of the Contracts Outline
2. Practice MBE Questions
Assignment: Answer the assigned questions and review the second part
of the Contracts outline.
Week 10: March 20, 2014
1.
2.
3.
4.
Discussion of the prior week’s take-home MBE questions.
Review of the second part of the Contracts Outline.
Practice MBE Questions
Review the questions and answers for the MBE.
Assignments: Riebe and Schwartz Essay writing strategies- Chapter 15
Week 11: March 27, 2014
1. Timed In-Class Essay. Outline and Write. Turn in both on TWEN.
2. Organizing and Analyzing- the outline
Week 12: April 3, 2014
1. MEE: Review Torts Essay
2. Contracts essay; outline; write
Assignments: Contracts Essay: Action Plan Checklist; Bar Prep Notebook
Week 13: April 10, 2014
1. MEE: Essay Review Contracts
2. Contracts and Torts Essays timed in class.
Week 14: April 17, 2014
Mini-Bar Exam: MBE, Essay, MPT, or
Movie Night: A Lawyer Walks into a Bar
ABS: Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School
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