During the first semester of the Faculty of Law, our students take Legal Methods I, a three-credit course focused on predictive legal analysis. Students learn to read and critically analyze the law by writing and rewriting documents that a junior partner or clerk would write. We are able to provide extensive written feedback and multiple lectures to our students throughout the semester, as our courses are taught in small sections by full-time tenure-track or long-term faculty. Legal Methods is a two-week course that provides an introduction to the U.S. legal system. In the second semester of the Faculty of Law, our students take Legal Methods II, a two-credit course focused on persuasive legal analysis. Students learn both written and oral by writing an application note and appeal brief, and by presenting oral argument. If we stay in the same small sections with the same teacher during the first year, our students can achieve a significant score and build strong professional relationships without a teacher. Learning the skills of legal thinking, research and writing is essential to becoming a practitioner – and teaching these skills is a top priority at Widener Law Commonwealth. By offering three semesters of legal methods coursework, we provide our students with a foundation on which to complete their studies and enter the legal profession. This course consolidates the predictive analytical and professional writing skills that first-year students have developed. The course offers multiple opportunities for writing practice and feedback, and helps build bridges between students` understanding of exam-based academic analysis and writing and context-driven professional writing.

The course emphasizes writing exercises from a range of files that address fundamental legal issues of first-year topics. It enhances substantive knowledge of some key legal provisions and applies these provisions in a variety of different legal genres. The American Bar Association`s accreditation standards require students to regularly take the courses in which they are enrolled. Lewis & Clark expects students to attend classes regularly and prepare diligently for classes. Specific attendance requirements may vary from course to course. All attendance guidelines for a particular course must be provided to students at the beginning of the semester in a program or other written document. Sanctions (e.g. mandatory withdrawal from the course, grade adjustment and/or poor grade) will be imposed in case of poor attendance. The assessment is done by examination and is evaluated as Credit / No Credit. Best Practices in Legal Education: How Live Criticism and Collaborative Work Lead to Happy Students and Happy Faculty (PDF) In addition to first-year courses in Legal Methods, our students develop their skills by taking a two-credit course in Legal Methods III, selected from a range of offerings focused on developing professional and competent lawyers. These courses are taught by full-time faculty or by our highly qualified faculty who, as currently practicing lawyers, offer students an additional perspective.

A course on basic skills in which students synthesize their learning. The course practices a range of forms of professional writing and analysis. It applies analytical skills that are important for the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), with particular emphasis on the skills required in the Multistate Performance Test (MPT) and Multi-State Writing Examination (MEE), as well as strengthening the skills required to practice law. Core Course: Full-time day students complete this course during their 1L spring semester. Students in the evening department complete this course in their fall 2LE semester.