Classes for the Masses
The course schedule is out for Fall 2011, so might as well get a thread going for discussion and questions. As usual, please throw in an asterisk in professor names so as to spare them from the googles. Example: I wish Neil L*vy taught more than torts because I miss him.
I'll get the ball rolling with a question of my own: among all the miserable bar courses that I don't want to take and still haven't taken (Crim Pro, Bus Ass, Estates and Trusts, CA Marital Property, Remedies, Conflict of Laws), which would be most difficult to teach myself in bar prep?
I'll get the ball rolling with a question of my own: among all the miserable bar courses that I don't want to take and still haven't taken (Crim Pro, Bus Ass, Estates and Trusts, CA Marital Property, Remedies, Conflict of Laws), which would be most difficult to teach myself in bar prep?
posted by Jackie O at 12:08 AM
19 Comments:
community property is the easiest to learn over the summer because everyone who didn't go to law school in a community property state but takes the CA bar has to learn it in a day or two, and manages to do so (from personal experience)
Speaking of bar courses, if I never took one because I'd rather take classes that are fun, will I be okay?
And will B*mberger be around for me to take Admin law from in the future, or is he going to become a visiting faculty member at another school?
Crim Pro is a must, particularly if Skl*nsky is teaching.
Although I agree with 1:15, CP, if taught by HHK, is actually a really interesting and fun class. HHK is pretty amazing.
For what it's worth, I didn't take Bus Ass, Remedies, Conflicts of Laws and didn't feel that I was missing out. You pretty much cover remedies in every other course.
Estates and Trusts was a joke when I took it, but it was nice having a bit of background going into the bar.
Jackie, take whatever subject you want to learn about. I'm fairly confident you can learn any of the above over the summer. Of the classes listed, I only took E&T, but that's because of my man crush on the Big Rakowski.
No need to take any of those classes to pass the bar! The only non-required bar class I would recommend is Evidence - it's confusing (particularly because you need to know both CA and MBE evidence) and BarBri doesn't really give you any of the background info. The other bar classes are pretty straightforward. Take them if you're interested in them for other reasons, but otherwise it's just not worth it.
1Ls, LISTEN UP, Rak*ski is the best teacher at Boalt period hands down. Take his income tax course now and estates and trusts in Spring, then thank me later.
am i crazy for wanting to take income tax, even though it's not on the bar, it's not in my field of interest, and i'll probably regret it come finals time?
Conflict of Laws really isn't on the CA bar. I guess it could up in the context of the Erie doctrine, but if I remember correctly, I don't think the Bar examiners have ever tested the Erie doctrine. I could be wrong, though.
Emily, almost all students unanimously agree income tax is one of the most important classes for real life. Income tax was also not in my field of interest before I took Rakows*i, and now I am firmly committed to pursuing a career in tax law.
Anyone notice that there are basically 4 crim classes being taught next semester and one of them is Crim Pro?
Wtf, Boalt?
Does anyone know what Majtel*s is doing in the fall? The Entrepreneurship courses are two of the best kept secrets at Boalt if you can stand getting there at 8:00am on Monday. Seriously awesome professor and I was surprised to see he isn't scheduled for anything. Some of us were talking about getting a petition going for Boalt to ask him to teach Professional Responsibility because he does a really interesting talk on those issues too.
Another thought: I'm trying to take Admin and it conflicts with a LOT of other things I'm interested in. Is Bamberg*r cool? Should I be making an effort to take it this Fall?
Thanks to all weighing in. Alums, could you please give us more suggestions for the "most important classes for real life" 3:55 mentioned? (classes offered at Boalt, not just snarky titles ;))
I second Sara's recommendation of Evidence. Not only it is useful for the bar, it's really helpful for practice, especially if you're going into litigation.
As for useful for real life, Estates and Trusts, hands down, if you have any relatives in California. Believe me, you *will* get asked about it at Thanksgiving. (It's also on the bar, and if you take the late-night one, an easy P should your other finals bog you down.)
The other "bar class" I took was Crim Pro, which was a great class (I had Skl*ansky), but I would have been fine without it.
I second the Majtel*s hype. The man has Tony Robbins levels of positive energy and will get you psyched for what is in store for you as a JD holder. Profs like him and John Steele belong in a special category, and I hope Boalt sees their value, even if they didn't clerk for the Supreme Court.
I found that I learned everything I needed to know about Community Property, Estates & Trusts, and Remedies from BARBRI. I think taking Evidence is a MUST. MUST MUST MUST. Particularly because S*ift and S*lansky are such amazing profs. It is a topic that cannot be learned in three days in July.
Crim Pro you can live without, but it really is a fantastic class taught by great professors. I'm glad I took it.
I will continue to tell Boalties that you should not graduate without taking Intro to IP, ideally with MS*H.
Majtel*s is done with all teaching whether at Boalt or Haas. Says the time commitment is too much.
8:38,
If you're going to be a litigation associate at any point, the classes that will pay off in a big way are Civ Pro I and II plus Evidence. But I think everyone has to take all of those now anyway, so that probably isn't much help.
What about business associations? I really don't wanna.
Classes for real life:
- Evidence
- Admin Law
- Income Tax
Every lawyer needs to know the evidence rules. Admin law and income tax don't relate to my legal career, but I feel like I learned the most about how systems work from these two classes. Besides, three of our most entertaining profs teach these two classes: R*kowski, B*mberger, and AJO.
what about civil trial practice and appellate advocacy? and has anyone taken anything from Biestm*n? i think she's new, or visiting, or something.
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