legal research & writing ii

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Legal Research & Writing II

PAR 112 - Introduction

Mike Brigner, J.D.

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Why Are We Here?

Unsolicited comment from a recent Sinclair Paralegal Program graduate:

[I recently prepared a research memo for my boss on a housing case], “and

I wanted to let you know that the prosecutor said it was excellent

research, analysis of the cases, and writing.

I wanted to tell you thank you for helping me learn how to write such

nice research memos. I really appreciate it!

Thank you again!”

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Advice from Your Classmates

I would advise students who take this course in the future that:

Attendance is very, very important.

Be prepared to work. This is not a course for anyone not prepared to constantly keep on track.

Be prepared to work at your own pace but be aware the professor will always be available.

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They should make sure that they read the assigned text material before going to class. It will definitely help them to better understand the class topic for that day.

It’s challenging but you learn a lot and when you find the hard ones it feels great. And you have to enjoy writing to enjoy the class.

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Be ready for an upgrade to “fun work” that makes you be independent and accountable for your assignments and actions.

You are handed your assignments and told to go to work, which I enjoyed because we could work at our own pace and ask questions as needed.

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They should not have a lot of outside obligations during the quarter they take this course. This course is time consuming.

Get started on the long memo sooner!

Start early in outlining cases for the information memo.

Work hard to have the rough draft done!

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Your Professor for This Course

Mike Brigner– Teaching at SCC since late ’70’s– Former News Reporter, Judge– National Domestic Violence

Consultant & Trainer– Author of 100+ Legal Articles

– Would Rather be on a Bicycle

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Reaching Me

Office: Room 5348PAR Office: 5141Mailbox: 5141 (NOT

under door of office!)ADVICE:

Appointment is recommended, usually in CIL instead of office

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Reaching Me

Voice Mail: 512-2950 (leave date & time!)

Discussion BoardE-mail through

ANGEL WebsiteADVICE: E-mail is

recommended over phone call

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Lexis ID Number URGENT!

By the end of first week of class If you do not already have a Lexis ID# for this

school year (through next August 31)You must go to Sinclair Tartan Bookstore to

purchase ID ($44)Lexis ID is mandatory

If no Lexis ID, you will be administratively withdrawn from all PAR classes

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GO TO Syllabus in ANGEL

PRINT COPY if you want oneContact InfoKey DatesWebsites, & Other ResourcesGrading & ExpectationsCourse OutlineChanges will be in Announcements

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More Syllabus

TextOther ResourcesWebsite ResourcesGradingClass Procedures & PoliciesALL DUE DATES are in Master Calendar

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Class Procedures & Policies

Follow Quality Standards in all

PAR work

Expectation = Letter-Perfect

Work

You work for the law firm of

S, B, & B

You must participate fully in group work

Late assignments

cost you 10%

Check the People Site for forms, copies

Attendance mandatory, or lose 10 pts/ea

DUE DATE IS BEGINNING OF CLASS

DEAD MOUSE ZONE!

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Useful Info (Rules)

NO handwritten assignmentsNO FAX, E-MAIL, OR DROP-OFF

assignments will be accepted!Completed Cover Pages required on all projects

& examsNo need to retype Questions, BUT answers

must be correctly #’dFor EVERY answer on EVERY library research

question, you MUST put the page number of volume/supplement where you found answer

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More Syllabus

For Internship Portfolio: Save your Memos!Course Outline

– Note Reading Assignments

– Do Reading BECAUSE IT WILL HELP YOU

– All Due Dates will be on Master Calendar

ALL RESEARCH MUST BE DONE AT LAW LIBRARY, NOT ONLINE, except– Project #F (Lexis & Online Research)

– Limited exceptions in writing within other Projects

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Basis of Grade

Six Projects (#A - #F) at 50 points each = 300 pointsTrial Brief – 50 points *Information Memorandum – 100 points ** 20% of these are for Rough DraftNotebook with corrected projects – 20 ptsAmicus (3) & Timeslips (3) – 60 pts

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Projects, Memos & Exams

GOOD News: No exams or quizzes!BAD News: That is due to BIG work loadGOOD News: Class time is for work load!2 Memos + 6 ProjectsAdvocacy Memo early, writing onlyProject #F, internet research onlyInfo Memo + Projects #A-E require library

research, with about a dozen library sessions to complete that research

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Calendar

First 3 Weeks: Instruction on Legal Writing, Citations, Library Research, & Lexis– PLUS: You read cases, write Advocacy Memo

Weeks 4-10: Seven weeks in Law Library, to:– Complete 5 Library Research Projects

– Complete Research for Info Memo

– At home: Complete all Reading, Do Lexis Project

Week 10: Rough Draft Meetings, Info Memo

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Dayton Law Library

5th Floor Montg Co Courthouse, Perry St.

Walk across 3rd St. from Sinclair campus

Metal Detectors Closes 4:30pm2 LAP Grads: Linda

Borgert, Susan Stephens

http://www.daylawlib.org/

QUIET! Lawyers at Work

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U.D. Law Library

UD Campus near Stewart & Brown Sts.

Parking rules strictly enforced

Need parking pass $11/car/month, DUE NEXT CLASS

Carpooling is wiseCan use 7 days

QUIET! Law Students at Work

http://law.udayton.edu/home

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Class Notebooks

You get credit for same work 3 times!

Must include CORRECTED versions of Projects #A - #F

Will be graded while you wait at last class

Worth 20 points

Requirements of Notebook:

a) separate binderb) includes ONLY

corrected versions (no correction marks)

c) of all of your graded Projects

d) tabbed in correct order

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Amicus/TimeSlips (See Special Assignments Handout)

TRAINING: In PAR 220 or call Marina.

Entries must follow STANDARDS FOR AMICUS

(Standards are handed out in training)

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Amicus: Record all of your Assignments/Activities as To-Do's – WITH DETAILS

Record all of your class meeting time and other meetings as Appointments – WITH DETAILS

Record all to-dos & calendar items as soon as you get them!

Check off To-Do’s when DONE

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– TimeSlips: Keep time for all of the work you do for this class – WITH DETAILS

– Record your time in the TimeSlips program– Record your expenses, too - MANDATORY

Record AS YOU GO – at least WEEKLYNO advance entry (unethical)This will be worth up to 30 pointsEntries must follow STANDARDS FOR

AMICUS (handed out in training)

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NAMES

– Timekeeper Name: Always the same: YOU– Client Name: “Sue Scribe”

NAMING SYSTEM FOR CLIENT– Client First Name = Sue– Middle Name = Your First Initial + Last Name– Client Last Name = Scribe

IF YOU ARE Jane Doe = Sue JDoe Scribe

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Easiest Ways to Lose Points

No cover page Incorrect cover pageNot reading instructionsNot checking My.SinclairSingle spacedNo spel checkkk & proofreadingLate assignmentsMissed classes

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Time Issues:

Studies show: Attendance is key factor in student success

You must SIGN IN for each class or lose points for that class!

No 15 Minute Rule. If Prof is delayed, use time to work on assignments.

Library time is limited, so use ALL available time for research!

SCC CLOSED on Friday, Nov 10

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One Word

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Protect Your Work

Helping others learn is okayDoing their work is notDo not ask for or give copies or disksCopied work = ? Failure for user AND

donorProtect your paperworkProtect your disks & thumb drives

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Care & Feeding of Disks

“TECH HAPPENS”Label your disks!BACK UP! BACK UP!! BACK

UP!!! BACK UP!!!!“The computer ate my homework”

is not an acceptable excuseDon’t loan out your disks, or leave

them around for others to “borrow”

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SAVE YOUR WORK

Save ALL graded papersSave ALL corrected papers for notebookSave ALL work electronicallySave ALL corrected work electronicallyBACK UP all saved workYOU WILL NEED THESE for Internship

Portfolio, which is required for graduation

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ANGEL

This is your main Class news source It is YOUR responsibility to check DAILY E-MAIL: Personal news to/from ProfDISCUSSION FORUM: News for class

– Updates, corrections, jobs, class cancellations, extra credit, assignment tips

CALENDAR: Partly filled in for you, and available for your use

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ANGEL

ANNOUNCEMENTS:– From SCC or Prof.

– News, alerts appear on your home page

GRADEBOOK: Shows your absences & grades weekly. Check often. Email professor if you catch any errors.

EXTERNAL LINKS: Helpful links for this course– Lexis, Law Libraries, Ohio Supreme Court, Ohio

Revised Code, Montgomery County records, & more

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Communicating on ANGEL

With Professor:– E-mail for private messages (grades, illness)

• Use My.Sinclair address only

– Discussion Board for EVERYTHING ELSE• Class-related questions go HERE, not in E-mail

ALL Messages Should Begin W/Course #– Example:– Subject: 112.01 Projects, Are You Nuts?– Or: 112.50 Classmates, Are They Nuts?

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Communicating on ANGEL

With other students:– E-mail for private messages– Discussion Forum for class info

We Are A Learning Community– Without “cheating” (doing each other’s work)

we help each other learn. This includes answering each other’s questions on the Discussion Board. If everyone is stumped, I will add suggestions.

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Sinclair People Website

All course materials here– Projects, Forms, PowerPoints

– In-Class Exercises, PAR Newsletter

If you want hard copy, print oneReplaces H Drive for this classClick Course Materials in ANGEL, or go to:http://people.sinclair.edu/mikebrigner/

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Assignment: Learning StylesSinclair Student Services

Go to & explore: http:// www.sinclair.edu/stservices/sss/index.cfm

Click Study Skills Hints, – Learning Style Inventory

Take the short quiz and score yourselfAnswer the LAST QUESTION!Print out the results & bring to next class

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SCC Disability Services Notice

Qualified individuals with disabilities who produce required documentation of their disability & self-identify their need for accommodations are eligible for disability services

(Someone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities and who, with or without accommodations, can meet the essential requirements for participation in a program)

Students are required to identify their needs & to register with the Sinclair Office of Disability Services in order to be eligible for academic adjustments. All services are based on individual needs.

For more info: http://sinclair.edu/stservices/edu/index.cfm

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Save This Date

Saturday, October 219 a.m. to noon“Make a Difference Day”Sinclair President, Faculty, Staff, Alumni,

Trustees, StudentsWill be out giving service at sites around DaytonShow why “Community” is our middle name!

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Legal Research & Writing II

Concluded Thank you

Mike Brigner, J.D.

END OF CLASS: (EVERY Class) Clean up classroom; log off computers; check for personal property & computer disks; make sure you have signed in.

legal research & writing ii

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