This legal writing class enables 1L students to acquire comprehensive lawyering skills
in their first year
Teaching students to put legal theory into practice is the hallmark of Seton Hall
Law. The Law School has always offered a strong array of clinical programs, externships and Legal Practice programs to provide students with unparalleled opportunities
to practice, in the real world, the knowledge and skills they acquire in the classroom.
Seton Hall Law's innovative Introduction to Lawyering program brings this combination
of theory and practice into the first year of law school. This year-long legal research
and writing class, held in a small group setting and led by professors, introduces
students to the fundamentals of legal practice. Going beyond traditional legal research
and writing offerings, it trains students in interviewing, client counseling, and
negotiating while also equipping them to navigate the ethical and business challenges
of the profession.
"LAWYERING IS A COURSE UNLIKE ANY OTHER OFFERED AT SETON HALL LAW. LEGAL RESEARCH
AND WRITING CAN FEEL DAUNTING, BUT MY LAWYERING PROFESSOR HELPED ME MASTER THE ART
OF CRAFTING A LEGAL ARGUMENT. I ESPECIALLY ENJOYED THE SMALL CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT,
WHICH ENCOURAGED THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATION AND MADE ME FEEL COMFORTABLE TRYING NEW LAWYERING
SKILLS THAT WERE UNFAMILIAR TO ME, SUCH AS COUNSELING A CLIENT AND NEGOTIATING WITH
OTHER PARTIES. THE SKILLS I LEARNED THROUGH THE LAWYERING PROGRAM WILL BE VALUABLE
TO ME NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF CAREER I PURSUE."
EMMA TAYLOR ’25
The structure of the class is as important as its content. Introduction to Lawyering
allows our first-year students to learn in a small, intimate group with a single professor.
That professor becomes a mentor and helps guide their students through the remainder
of their law school experience. Sonia Badyal, ‘24 believes Seton Hall’s lawyering
program is unique in its focus on providing students with practical legal skills early
on in their law school career. Sonia said, “I have felt prepared for every legal writing
assignment I have taken on in my internships and externships throughout law school
and for that I have my lawyering professor to thank!” Adrian Newall, Director of Lawyering,
explains that the program was built with input from attorneys and judges about how
to better prepare law students to work in the profession. Lawyering professors work
with their students during Orientation, even before the first day of classes, to teach
them how to read cases, how to prepare for their other classes, and how to start ‘thinking
like a lawyer. Much of the learning in Introduction to Lawyering takes place through
simulations, in which students assume the role of associate attorneys on behalf of
simulated “clients. Professors conduct individual conferences with students, simulating
a partner-associate meeting in a law firm. Students also conduct role-play sessions
with actors serving as clients, interviewing, counseling, and negotiating on their
“clients’” behalf. These interactions are typically videotaped so students may review
their performance with their professors.
"THE FIRST-YEAR LAWYERING CURRICULUM IS THE FOUNDATION FOR LEGAL EDUCATION. WHILE
THE RESEARCH AND WRITING SKILLS YOU LEARN ARE CRUCIAL, THE TRUE BENEFIT OF THE LAWYERING
PROGRAM IS THE PROFESSORS' PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE. THE DEDICATION TO TEACHING SKILLS
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THOSE WHO HAD SUCCESS IN ALL FIELDS OF LAW MAKES LAWYERING
NOT JUST AN ACADEMIC COURSE AT SETON HALL, BUT THE ULTIMATE PREPARATION FOR A SUCCESSFUL
LEGAL CAREER."
John “Jack” Mostow ’25
Students are also challenged to consider the ethical issues faced by attorneys, and
to understand how the skills they are acquiring fit within the context of the profession.
In addition, students learn to collaborate, to pursue high levels of professionalism,
and to reflect on their experiences. Kaitlyn Akroush ‘25 appreciated that aspect of
the Introduction to Lawyering course. “Lawyering is among the most valuable curricula
offered at SHU Law. The legal interpersonal, reading, writing, and research skills
I learned were invaluable and will help me succeed and stand out in my legal career.
Even beginning in their 1L summers, students will take the skills learned from Lawyering
and apply it in a real world setting, gaining experience that simply cannot be learned
from a casebook or in a classroom setting."
(pictured: Introduction to Lawyering Professor Claudette St. Romain counsels 1L students
Preeya Varma, Eric Padilla, Jason Sumbaly and Omid Irani as they role-play with actor
Megan Doss. Actors credit: PowerPlays Coaching)
