Grading Policy

A. Class Discussion & Written Memoranda Assignments (20% of Final Grade):

The course is built on the discussion of problems. Part of your grade will be based on your written assessment and oral presentation of at least three (3) of the problems during the course of the semester. A sign-up form will be distributed our first week of class. I will post sign-up list on the course Blackboard page as well, in case you need to refer back to it.

The memoranda are due by 9 PM EST on the evening before the Tuesday or Thursday class discussion of the problem. For example, if the problem is assigned to be discussed during our Zoom class on a Tuesday, September 1st, you would email me your memorandum by 9 PM EST on Monday, August 31st. Please submit them by email to claire.thomas@nyls.edu

- USE THE SUBJECT LINE: IMMIGRATION ASSIGNMENT

- Please save the document with your LAST NAME in the title of the document and the name of the problem. For example, if you name is Jane Smith, you will save your document as: Smith, Problem 3.1.

The written memoranda should be prepared as if you were submitting the work for an assignment in a law office. While you do not have to follow the format you learned in first year legal writing, most legal memoranda begin with a brief summary of the facts and then discuss each relevant issue separately. The memoranda should conclude with a recommendation or suggestions for next steps for the theoretical client. The memoranda must be professionally formatted and contain full citation. As you will see, the problems in the text give you an assigned role. You may be an attorney in private practice or representing the government. You may be a law clerk for a judge or working for a member of Congress. Prepare as if you were writing for the specific audience described in the text. In the past, many students have been able to use these written assignments as writing samples when they seek employment.

Then, you take the lead during our synchronous (live) Zoom class to discuss the problem, and any questions you have, using your memorandum and your notes as a guide.

B. Participation in Low Stakes Quizzes and Polls (10% of Final Grade):

Throughout the semester, there will be short online quizzes and polls to assess your understanding of particular topics. These will be ungraded, but you must do them when they are assigned in a timely manner. These assessment tools allow you to test your understanding of topic areas as we move through our learning modules and allows me, as the instructor, to spot areas of confusion, re-frame my lessons to respond to your questions, and to provide you with more individualized feedback There will be due dates for these assignments in the syllabus and posted to the course website and Blackboard. You will complete these assignments via Blackboard.

C. Exam (70% of Final Grade):

There will be an essay Take‑Home Examination. You will have the entire exam period to complete the exam. I expect the exam to require at least one full eight-hour day and therefore you have the option to schedule how and when you complete and submit the exam. The exam is completely open book. However, you must work independently on the exam and may not consult your classmates or anyone else while working on the exam. Note that the exam coordination is handled through the NYLS Registrar’s Office for take-home exam submission.

The best way to prepare for the exam is to prepare and submit written memoranda answering the problems. The exam is written in a very similar style to the problems presented in the text.

The exam will be due at 5 PM EST on Tuesday, December 22, 2020. Please be sure to follow NYLS take-home exam procedures.

D. Class Participation Increase:

New York Law School Students may earn a 1/3^rd increase in their final grade for the course if they make strong contributions to class. In addition, to be eligible to be considered for the 1/3^rd increase, you will need to prepare an additional two written (2) memoranda analyzing the problems assigned during the course. Again, the only manner of earning extra credit for class participation is to submit write-ups of an additional two (2) written problems. different from the three you are assigned to submit (see Part A, above). You may pick any of the assignments. Please follow the same directions as in Part A and submit the memoranda to me via email by 9 PM EST on the evening before the assigned Tuesday or Thursday class discussion of the problem.