LEgal Analysis, REsearch & Communication (LARC) I
Fall 2026 LAW7020-0L
Embedded Files
Class: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday at 11:00-11:50 AM in Room 905
Office hours: Tuesdays noon-2pm in room 954 or by appointment (you can use this link to book a time, and my offices are room 872A in the Dean's Suite or room 954)
Welcome!
The official course description states that this course provides an Introduction to the legal system; analysis of the judicial, legislative and administrative processes; basic legal sources; techniques of legal research; use of digests, reporters, encyclopedias, annotated cases, statutes, citators and reference books; methods of legal analysis and approaching research problems; writing style and technique and various memoranda and appellate briefs, oral arguments.
What does that mean in plain English? You will be introduced to the U.S. legal system and the main government bodies that create and interpret the law. You will learn the basics of legal analysis, which is a specialized form of critical thinking and problem solving. You will learn how to research issues of law based on hypothetical fact situations and learn about different kinds of research sources. You will also learn how to write a clear legal analysis in a way your reader will easily understand to help them make a decision about what course of action to take. This semester, we will not write appellate briefs or practice oral arguments--that is for the spring.
Objectives
By the end of the course, you should be able to:
Critically read and sort by usefulness judicial opinions and other primary sources of law for use in predictive legal analysis;
Research state law using a reliable legal database and books;
Structure a legal analysis around rules, elements, or factors;
Identify rules and provide rule explanations relevant to the analysis of a client’s problem;
Draft analysis in accordance with principles of stare decisis;
Use rule-based, analogical, and inductive reasoning to predict an outcome for a client’s problem;
Draft predictive legal memoranda in the technical form a legal reader expects;
Produce written work displaying appropriate attention to writing style and mechanics; and
Cite cases and statutes according to the Bluebook.
Click here to read about Our Collective Responsibility to Create A Positive Learning Environment: Don't Be a $%@#
Click here to read about Our Collective Responsibility to Create A Positive Learning Environment: Don't Be a $%@#
You are bound by the Law School’s Honor Code Policy, which is contained Chapter 14 of the student handbook and the University's Academic Integrity Policy. In addition, we might discuss things that involve strongly held views or affect deeply personal matters. Think a bit about how you say things, but it’s ok to be candid. Assume good faith when your colleagues speak (including me), but feel free to ask questions about people’s positions and express a contrary point of view or set of arguments. This course requires academic citizenship: a willingness to be an active part of a learning community and a commitment to value both your own education and the learning experiences of your classmates.
About me
I am a big law nerd (and general nerd), as you'll quickly see from class. I treat my classes like a joint project--we're all in this together.
Professor Marcia McCormick
Room 872A (most of the time but not during office hours) and 954
314-707-4768 (this is my work mobile--text any time)
Office hours, Tuesdays, from noon- 2:00pm (and by appointment, or just stop by)
Page updated
Report abuse