Law School & Legal Careers
The first year of law school, often considered the most demanding, is commonly called this.
What is 1L year?
A lawyer asks a question designed to make the witness give a specific answer.
What is leading?
An argument in which the conclusion follows necessarily from the premises is this type of reasoning.
What is deductive reasoning?
This case is often considered the most important Supreme Court decision because it gave courts the power to review laws.
What is Marbury v. Madison?
This Latin phrase means “the thing speaks for itself” and is used in tort law.
What is res ipsa loquitur?
This legal career involves advising companies on mergers, contracts, and compliance.
What is corporate law?
A question that calls for theorizing rather than facts the witness knows firsthand.
What is speculation?
An argument that takes correlation as proof of causation commits this flaw.
What is a causation flaw?
This case said speech can only be punished if it is meant to cause immediate illegal action.
What is Brandenburg v. Ohio
“Reasonable doubt” is a standard most closely associated with this type of case.
What is a criminal case?
This teaching method, based on cold-calling and case discussion, dominates most law school classrooms.
What is the Socratic Method?
A witness is asked about what someone else said outside of court to prove the truth of the matter.
What is hearsay?
An assumption that must be true for an argument to work is called this.
What is a necessary assumption?
This Supreme Court case required the resignation of a sitting president by forcing the release of incriminating evidence.
What is United States v. Nixon?
This fictional television lawyer is known for unethical—but clever—legal tactics in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
Who is Saul Goodman?
Many law students gain experience during summers by working in these positions, often unpaid or competitive.
What are legal internships or clerkships?
A lawyer asks multiple questions at once, confusing the witness.
What is a compound question?
An answer choice that directly attacks the connection between premises and conclusion does this to the argument.
What is weakens the argument?
This case said the government must give a lawyer to criminal defendants who can’t afford one.
What is Gideon v. Wainwright?
What state did Professor Blakeman grow up in?
What is Kentucky?
This legal professional often focuses on research and drafting opinions rather than representing clients in court.
What is a judicial clerk?
A lawyer asks a witness to testify about the contents of a written contract, even though the original document is available and not introduced into evidence.
What is best evidence rule?
An argument that generalizes from an unrepresentative sample commits this fallacy.
What is sampling bias?
This case said Congress has powers not explicitly listed in the Constitution if they help carry out its duties.
What is McCulloch v. Maryland
The single most repeated phrase in every law school, courtroom, and exam answer.
What is “It depends.”