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Michigan State University College of Law

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Professor Grosso's Mock Class

July 20, 2010

Dear First Year Student:

Welcome to the Michigan State University College of Law.

The study of law–from the reading assignments to the classroom discussion to the final exam–is quite different from your previous studies. The Socratic method used in teaching first year law school courses is often the most striking difference for new law students. The expectation of daily class preparation, extensive classroom recitation, and on-the-spot questioning of students can be unsettling. In an effort to facilitate your transition to law school, we are conducting three components of orientation–an introduction to the American legal system, a mock law class, and a session on achieving academic success in law school– designed to address these issues. These sessions appear on your orientation schedule on Monday, August 16 and Tuesday, August 17.

I have assigned three groups of readings for orientation: Chapter 2 from Bridging the Gap Between College and Law School (PDF, a guide to the elements of a brief), How To Read a Legal Opinion: A Guide for New Law Students (PDF, a short introduction to the art of reading legal opinions), and excerpts from three criminal procedure cases (PDF) for use in our mock class (Miranda v. Arizona (1966), Rhode Island v. Innis (1980), and Illinois v. Perkins (1990));

Please read all the materials. Brief and think about the cases. These are criminal cases. What are the essential facts? What part of the Constitution is at issue? What does it say? What rule does the Supreme Court create in the case? How does it relate to the rules in the other two cases?

In addition to lecturing on reading and briefing cases, I will employ the Socratic method during our mock class. This means I will call on you and count on your participation to advance our discussion. Come prepared!

Law school is a challenge. In my experience, however, students who devote themselves fully to the endeavor not only succeed but find that their law-school years open the doors to a new way of thinking and a new community of professionals. I look forward to meeting you on August 16 and welcoming you to the legal profession.

Warmest Regards,

Catherine M. Grosso
Assistant Professor of Law

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