Favorite courses/profs? Especially seminar courses

[groovy1363]

Hi, 

Do you have any recommendations for seminar courses? Why did you like it? 

Conversely, which courses would you avoid? 

Thanks.

[Psychometronic]

The 1L schedule is set for you so you won’t get to choose your professors or classes. 1L also doesn’t include any seminars. 
 

Seminars are quite niche so it depends on your interests. Most of them are good and taught by professors with research interests in the area. 
 

I wouldn’t worry too much about upper-year course selection before you’re admitted since you’ll get a lot of coaching on it in the latter half of 1L. You’ll also learn a lot from upper year chatter.

 

Edited July 9, 2021 by Psychometronic

[Byzantine]

Just finished 1L and wondering if anyone has advice for upper year course selection. Any really interesting courses? Any professors to favour or any to avoid? Interests at this time are litigation, torts, public, international law, employment. 

Any websites where I can find reviews of profs/courses? I always checked rate my professor during undergrad, but doesn't seem to be much there for law school. 

[PlatoandSocrates]

23 hours ago, Byzantine said:

Just finished 1L and wondering if anyone has advice for upper year course selection. Any really interesting courses? Any professors to favour or any to avoid? Interests at this time are litigation, torts, public, international law, employment. 

Any websites where I can find reviews of profs/courses? I always checked rate my professor during undergrad, but doesn't seem to be much there for law school. 

Well for public law you have to take Federalism, and I would definitely recommend taking it with Bakan. Interesting lectures, tight curve.

Obviously take Civ Pro if you're into torts and litigation. I took it with Cameron and Francourt Smith, and seemed to have a better experience with it than others I talked to who went with other professors. 

Take Evidence with Harris, he's brilliant. Crim Pro as well if you're into it. 

Haven't touched much on those other areas, but I reckon you'll definitely want to take Civ Pro, Evidence, etc. I trust you'll enjoy the instructors I mentioned, people seemed to like them a good deal. 

 

 

[CleanHands]

Not Toby Goldbach.

[Psychometronic]

If you're interested in (civil) litigation, I recommend Evidence and Civil Procedure. I took Evidence with Nikos Harris and enjoyed it. Emma Cunliffe is good as well but I heard she has a "theoretical" approach to teaching Evidence whereas Harris is more practical.

Bruce MacDougall was my favourite prof, not because of the subject matters he teaches, but because he is an extremely clear and effective lecturer.

For torts-like courses, you might be interested in mass torts (aka class actions), medical negligence, and insurance law. I didn't take any of these courses so I can't, unfortunately, speak to them.

Edited May 16, 2022 by Psychometronic

[Rainology]

On 5/15/2022 at 6:51 PM, Psychometronic said:

If you're interested in (civil) litigation, I recommend Evidence and Civil Procedure. I took Evidence with Nikos Harris and enjoyed it. Emma Cunliffe is good as well but I heard she has a "theoretical" approach to teaching Evidence whereas Harris is more practical.

Bruce MacDougall was my favourite prof, not because of the subject matters he teaches, but because he is an extremely clear and effective lecturer.

For torts-like courses, you might be interested in mass torts (aka class actions), medical negligence, and insurance law. I didn't take any of these courses so I can't, unfortunately, speak to them.

I thought MacDougall was a sweet professor but my friends and I did not enjoy his lecture style. I personally found it all over the place and especially hard to follow because he does not use slides (a similar complaint I've heard about Nikos, although I loved Nikos in 1L). I would absolutely not take another course with him. Some people I know who took multiple classes with him says he teaches different courses differently, so I suppose YMMV. 

That's my general advice for the OP too. Take everybody's thoughts on professors with a grain of salt because what one person likes about a professor is not necessarily what you like. Some people like professors who are more theory heavy, some prefer those who cover the material heavily during class instead of those who expect you to do the readings, some prefer professors that don't require discussion, etc. 

[TheSocratic]

Classes I have taken and enjoyed and/or heard good things about from others: 

1. Green rights with Stepan Wood
2. Law, robotics and society with Thomasen and Goold
3. Advanced contract law (which focuses on the litigation side of things, as it's taught by two practitioners)
4. Probably too late to register for this year, but I have basically heard nothing but good things about almost all of the moot and clinical opportunities at Allard. Everyone who's done a moot has at least been okay with it and most have loved it. I've heard great things about the int'l human rights clinic and the business law clinic. 
5. Courses with Michelle LaBaron
6. Cyberspace law 

Ultimately, echoing what others have said, take what interests you. You're far more likely to do well in a course that you are also enjoying. There are a handful of courses that everyone should take before graduating (even if not a formal requirement), but at least half of your upper-year credits can and should be devoted to topics that you are interested in—even if they don't seem as practical. 

[Patient0L]

I’d be curious to know if anyone has experience with the Judicial Externship.

 

Is it competitive to get into? Would it be advantageous for someone potentially interested in a clerkship down the line? 
 

Thanks!

[Byzantine]

On 5/21/2022 at 9:17 AM, Patient0L said:

I’d be curious to know if anyone has experience with the Judicial Externship.

 

Is it competitive to get into? Would it be advantageous for someone potentially interested in a clerkship down the line? 
 

Thanks!

I’m just heading into 2L so haven’t done it yet. But have been thinking about it so I can chime in with my thoughts and hopefully someone who’s actually done it can jump in too. 
 

You have to wait till 3L to do the judicial externship. If you’re wanting to clerk immediately following law school I think you’ll be applying in January of 2L. The application for the judicial externship would be in March of 2L. So the externship wouldn’t be helpful for clerking applications for a term immediately following law school. If you’re applying to clerk the year after graduation (so applying January of 3L) it might be helpful. 
 

I’ve heard really good things about the judicial externship! If I’m successful in getting a clerkship for a term immediately following law school though I’ll probably spend the 15 credits elsewhere instead of taking the externship. There’s lots of other clinics/courses I want to take and for me I think a year of clerking would be enough. If I’m unsuccessful in clerkship applications though I’ll probably apply to the externship. 

[Patient0L]

59 minutes ago, Byzantine said:

I’m just heading into 2L so haven’t done it yet. But have been thinking about it so I can chime in with my thoughts and hopefully someone who’s actually done it can jump in too. 
 

You have to wait till 3L to do the judicial externship. If you’re wanting to clerk immediately following law school I think you’ll be applying in January of 2L. The application for the judicial externship would be in March of 2L. So the externship wouldn’t be helpful for clerking applications for a term immediately following law school. If you’re applying to clerk the year after graduation (so applying January of 3L) it might be helpful. 
 

I’ve heard really good things about the judicial externship! If I’m successful in getting a clerkship for a term immediately following law school though I’ll probably spend the 15 credits elsewhere instead of taking the externship. There’s lots of other clinics/courses I want to take and for me I think a year of clerking would be enough. If I’m unsuccessful in clerkship applications though I’ll probably apply to the externship. 

Ahh! Interesting. I didn’t realize that applying for clerkships happened as early as 2L! 
 

Is the externship competitive to get into? 
 

Thanks so much for this info!

[Byzantine]

28 minutes ago, Patient0L said:

Ahh! Interesting. I didn’t realize that applying for clerkships happened as early as 2L! 
 

Is the externship competitive to get into? 
 

Thanks so much for this info!

I’m not sure how competitive it is to get into