Synopsis

The result of eight years of working with first-semester students at five different law schools, this book melds the information about the legal system usually found in legal methods books, and the information about study skills usually found in books with a "how to succeed in law school" focus. The book uses one area of law - the implied warranty of merchantability as it applies to food - to illustrate various legal issues and the skills needed to master them. The first two chapters introduce basic legal concepts and vocabulary in the context of one hypothetical case, that of a woman injured by a fish bone while dining in a restaurant. Chapters three and four, on cases and casebooks, focus on the structure of cases and the types of reasoning courts use. When readers reach the final chapters, which concentrate on outlining and preparation for exams, they know the necessary background to concentrate on learning the skills they will need to be able to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of legal materials.