*Law-Lit Syllabus

We explore law’s meaning, purpose and value through stories. What is justice? How should we judge? What is law’s foundation? Why obey law? How do gender, race and poverty, as well as various cultural norms and societal customs, affect the administration of justice? What kind of lawyer should I aspire to become? What values are most important to a flourishing life in law practice? Literature helps us answer such vital questions. It likewise teaches us skills that enhance our legal writing and persuasiveness. To that end, Law-Lit instructs us on narrative structures, character development and theme building, among other story-building tools. Those tools also share center stage with our focus on personal values and professional ethics as we confront the many moral-legal dilemmas in a thoughtful lawyer’s life. We read short classics such as Antigone, A Jury of Her Peers, Billy Budd and Noon Wine, along with the more contemporary works, The Lifeboat, Just Mercy, and A Trial By Jury. We also enjoy two movies, Dark Waters and The Central Park Five for their many Law-Lit leitmotifs. For further insights, we look to excerpts from poetry, essays, and actual legal cases too.