LAW - 849B Legal Drafting: Family Law

(3 hrs)

This experiential course simulates the real life practice of family law. The course has three primary goals. First, you will learn the principles of drafting transactional, non-litigation documents, such as settlement proposal letters, custody agreements, and agreement addenda. Second, you will draft litigation pleadings, discovery documents, and other documents to which you are not exposed in Legal Rhetoric. Third, you will participate in a settlement conference and a mediation session. The course emphasizes role play, hands-on exercises and individualized critique of student work. Like a litigation practice, this course is fast-paced and demanding, yet extremely practical for aspiring litigators in any discipline. Topics covered include, but are not limited to, custody, child support, grounds of divorce, spousal support, and property distribution. You do not need to have taken a Family Law class to enroll in this class.  Prerequisite: LAW-516 Legal Research & Writing I and LAW-517 Legal Research & Writing II.