The IL Program

Every first year student is placed in a study group with eight to ten students from his or her section. The group meets for approximately two hours a week and is led by a successful upper-class student. The Teaching Assistant directs group discussion and facilitates the learning process by focusing on developing the skills required for thinking, speaking, and writing about the law.

The study group provides a non-threatening environment where students can ask questions, engage in discussion, and write short legal analyses which receive feedback. The group tackles the rigors of law school learning together – through the steps of preparing for class, case briefing, note taking, outlining, and exam writing.

Each session is designed to help the first year student master the substantive material covered in their classes by applying the law they have learned in the context of hypotheticals and multiple-choice questions. The topics cycle through the courses so that students practice problems in Civil Procedure, Contracts, Torts, and Criminal Law or Property.

Writing begins as soon as students have covered enough “law” to analyze a factual situation, which occurs within the first two weeks of class. Problems begin with simple issues and build to increasingly more complex problems until students have an opportunity to cover a typical exam problem. Essay types vary between short essays and long, complex fact patterns with multiple issues and parties. Each presents a different challenge in issue spotting and organization. Sessions also cover working with objective, multiple choice questions.

The study group sessions:

• Provide a group cohesiveness conducive to collaborative learning
• Engage students in an active learning environment instead of a passive, lecture environment
• Guide students through the learning process
• Include writing exercises with feedback