First assignments

Professor Kirkwood

As background reading for the introductory lecture, read pp. 1-15.

Professor Kirkwood

As background reading for the introductory lecture, read Chapter 2.

Professor Seth Endo

For our first class, please read the syllabus (posted on the course’s Canvas site) and pages 1-13 (stopping at C.) in the casebook. Our casebook is STEPHEN C. YEAZELL & JOANNA C. SCHWARTZ, CIVIL PROCEDURE (10th ed. 2018) with ISBN 1454897880 for the hardcover edition and ISBN 1543808654 for the ring-bound softcover edition. Please note that there is a newer edition but I have decided to keep using the tenth edition in the hopes that it will keep the price low for you and your colleagues. You should be able to find reasonably priced used physical copies on book-seller websites and aggregators (e.g., https://www.addall.com/used/). No supplement is required but you might wish to purchase an inexpensive physical copy of the 2023 Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. An e-copy of the 2023 Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and important statutes will be provided via the course’s Canvas website along with additional material.

Professor Chon

Dear Section B and Selected LL.M. Students –

I look forward to meeting you (and in some cases, re-meeting you) at our first Civil Procedure class.

In the meantime, please find information on your primary coursebook (DOCX) (Glannon, et al. 4th edition). The course Canvas site will have more information on this and your first assignment.

See you soon.

Sincerely,
Professor Chon

First Class (8/22)

Read:

• Casebook Chapters 1 and 2 (pages 3-40)
• Proposed 2015 amendment to FRCP 1 along with advisory committee notes. The entire package of materials transmitted to Congress in 2015 is available at uscourts.gov (PDF). You are only responsible for reading pp. 13-16, 46 and 47. Skim anything else of interest to you.

Post:

• Post response to Padlet Inclusivity Board.

Professor Wright

• Read Walker v. City of Birmingham.
• Read the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Table of Contents (pp. XV-XVII).
• Read the DOJ Ferguson Report Summary (pp. 1-6).
• Complete the Week 1 Discussion on Canvas.
• Read Learning Civil Procedure (LCP) pp. xliii-xlviii;
• Read the LCP Comprehensive Study Guide pp. 1-3, 11-15, and 32-34.
• Review Course Syllabus, Policies, and Procedures.

PDFs of the reading assignments are provided on Canvas.

Professor Parr

Greetings, 2L Flex Civil Procedure Students!

Please be sure to look over our course page on Canvas: CIVL 100 FLEX2. Canvas will be our home for weekly assignments, asynchronous work, and important course documents, so you will need to be sure to check it frequently. The course syllabus is posted on Canvas. Please note that you will need a copy of our textbook, Learning Civil Procedure, by Coleman, Stempel, Baicker-McKee, Herr, & Kaufman (4th ed. 2022), and a current version of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP). The syllabus includes where to find online and print versions of the FRCP.

Parr Syllabus - Flex Civ Pro Fall 2023 (PDF)

Our first class will take place in person on campus on Saturday, August 19. This session will be all about the power of procedure. In preparation for class, please complete the following:

• Read Walker v. City of Birmingham (posted on Canvas).
• Read the DOJ Ferguson Report Summary (pp. 1-6) (Canvas).
• Complete Week 1 Discussion (Canvas).
• Read the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Table of Contents.
• Read Learning Civil Procedure (LCP) pp. xliii-xlviii.
• Read the LCP Comprehensive Study Guide pp. 1-3, 11-15, and 32-34 (Canvas).
• Review the Course Syllabus, Policies, and Procedures.

Looking forward to meeting you all on August 19.

Professor Evanie Parr
parre@seattleu.edu

Professor Kalantry

Class 1: Tuesday, August 22, 2023: Introduction

Read: pp. v to xvii (Kuney & Lloyd): Introduction to Contracts
xvii to xxx (Kuney & Lloyd): Asset Purchase Agreement

Questions:

1. What is a recent contract you have entered into? Did you sign it or are there other ways to enter into contracts?
2. What are the key obligations of the parties to the Asset Purchase Agreement?
3. What are the different provisions in the Agreement?

Professor Mahmud

Pages 5-9 of the textbook.

Professor O’Kelley

Message to Students re Preparation for First Class

The Canvas page for this class is now available.

Please go there as soon as possible!

On the homepage, you will find an introductory note and a link to the syllabus, which explains class procedures and expectations and describes your assignment for the first class.

Corporate Law Appellate Litigation is my favorite class, and I look forward to the journey ahead with each of you!

Please contact me by email if you have any questions.

Professor Maher

Welcome to Corporate Tax! Materials will be posted on the course Canvas page. For the first class, please:

• Review the syllabus and course expectations;
• Read Section 11 of the Internal Revenue Code and skim Section 7701 (which can be found easily on the Cornell's Legal Information Institute by googling "IRC 11" and "IRC 7701"); and
• Read Part III of Marjorie E. Kornhauser, Corporate Regulation and the Origins of the Corporate Income Tax, 66 Ind. L.J. 53 (1990). The relevant part is on pages 94 through 136 (or pages 43 through 85 of the PDF if you download from HeinOnline).

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. I look forward to meeting you on Thursday, August 24!

Professor Russo

Review course information and policies, and schedule for first week.

• criminal-law-first-week.docx

Class 1 Assignment:

1. Criminal Law, Chapter 1; pg. 3-24
2. “How to Prepare for Criminal Law Class” (posted on Canvas)

Questions for discussion:

1) Identify the elements in the following statutes:
RCW 9A.48.030: Arson in the second degree.
A person is guilty of arson in the second degree if he or she knowingly and maliciously causes a fire or explosion which damages a building, or any structure or erection appurtenant to or joining any building….

Model Penal Code (MPC) Section 212.1: Kidnapping.

A person is guilty of kidnapping if he unlawfully removes another from his place of residence or business, or a substantial distance from the vicinity where he is found, or if he unlawfully confines another for a substantial period in a place of isolation, with any of the following purposes:(a) to hold for ransom or reward, or as a shield or hostage; or(b) to facilitate commission of any felony or flight thereafter; or(c) to inflict bodily injury on or to terrorize the victim or another; or(d) to interfere with the performance of any governmental or political function.

2) “Problem Case”, pg. 20: Did the jury in the O.J. Simpson murder trial engage in jury nullification? Were they invited to do so by the defense? For those who have never heard of O.J. Simpson or his infamous murder trial, here's a link to a quick summary from Prof. Douglas Linder of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law [WARNING: The language used by one of the LAPD detectives in this trial included vile racist references]. Pay particular attention to the excerpt of the closing argument of Simpson’s lead attorney, Johnny Cochran: https://famous-trials.com/simpson/1862-home

Professor Pilar Escontrias

Please complete the following before our first class and come prepared to engage in substantive group discussion. The below is also included on our Canvas Assignments page, with links to the files.

1. Read the Washington State Supreme Court Decision State v. Blake, 197 Wash. 2d 170, 481 P.3d 521 (2021), available on Westlaw and uploaded onto our Canvas files page. This will be a dense read for you because we haven't yet covered the principles of criminal law (that's what this semester is for!) Just do your best to navigate through the opinion, concurrence, and dissent. We will unpack it together in class. (NOTE: I've uploaded a useful article detailing how to read a legal opinion. It's not mandatory reading but may help you understand the organization of the opinion.)
2. Review Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 69.50.4013. This is the statute in question in State v. Blake. Criminal law is ultimately about statutory analysis and interpretation, so we must always read the statute in its entirety to understand how courts adjudicate criminal cases.
3. Read the short article "WA Legislature votes on a Blake Fix. Now drug courts have to adapt." Be sure to listen to the 21-minute story associated with the article.

Professor Ahrens

Access the Canvas site for the course and check the first-week module for the first week of reading assignments. Please also complete the background information assignment linked in the reading assignment.

Professor Ahrens

Access the Canvas site for the course and check the first-week module for the first week of reading assignments. Please also complete the background information assignment linked in the reading assignment.

Professor Kahng

Please enroll in this class on TWEN to find all course materials and assignments.

Assignment for first class, Tuesday, August 22

Required books

1. Graetz, Schenk, & Alstott, Federal Income Taxation, Principles and Policies (8thth ed. 2018), ISBN 9781640206809. Do NOT buy the 9th edition of this book. If you buy a used book, make sure to buy the 8th edition.
2. Selected Federal Taxation Statutes & Regulations, 2023 ed., Lathrope editor, West, ISBN 978-1685614386. If you buy a used copy of this book, it’s fine to buy an earlier edition, 2022 or 2021.

Course Syllabus

The syllabus will be posted on TWEN under “Syllabus and Weekly Assignments”. The syllabus consists of separate units that contain problems, along with reading assignments from the casebook and specific provisions of the statute and regulations.

Reading Assignment

We’ll discuss Unit 1 during the first class. The specific reading assignment is as follows:

• Read pages 1-12 and 28-41 of the casebook, and be prepared to discuss in class.
• Skim pages 13-28, 50-81. This material provides an overview tax terminology and the tax system. We won’t specifically discuss it during our first class. I suggest you skim it now and re-read it more closely at the end of the semester.

Professor Chon

To complete on or before Monday, August 21.

Review:

Material linked to "Begin Course Here"

Read:

• Syllabus
• Loren and Miller pages 1-23; and
• If you are interested in an optional treatise, try McJohn Chapter 1 and Chapter 17 (pp. 623-25).
• A copy of this treatise is on course reserve in the law library.

View:

Week 1 Video Lecturettes

This week, you will view two lecturettes.

• The first will be an introduction to IP.
• The second will be an introduction to the tort of misappropriation.

Complete:

• Week 1 Quiz
• Week 1 Discussion Hypo

To complete on or before our first Zoom meeting on August 23

Read:

• Loren & Miller pp. 29-61
• (optional) McJohn chapter 14

Sometime in the next few weeks, take some time to explore some examples in McJohn, either by yourself or with your team. Some students find the E&Es to be helpful summaries of the law.

Complete:

• Icebreaker
• Student questionnaire

Professor Mahmud

Two readings:

1. Johnson v. Mcintosh (PDF)
2. How Slavery Made Manchester the World’s First Industrial City

Professor Erin Carr

In preparation for the first day of class, please complete the following assignments/tasks:

• Familiarize yourself with the course Canvas page, including by closely reading the syllabus and reviewing the class policies and procedures
• Find the Washington Rules of Professional Conduct and read “FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT,” and Rules 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 (including the comments to the rules)
• Watch the TED video, “Why you think you're right -- even if you're wrong” (scout vs. soldier mindset)
• Read Chapter 2 of Essential Lawyering Skills: “Becoming a Professional” (pp. 7-24)
• Read Foundations for Practice survey report summary, “The Whole Lawyer and the Character Quotient (PDF)."

Professor Michael Blasie

• Read the following portion of the Washington Rules of Professional Conduct: “Fundamental Principles of Professional Conduct,” Preamble, Scope, and Rules 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 (including the comments to the rules). You can find these rules on the Washington State Courts’ website. Consider these questions while you read:
  • What is the role of lawyers in society?
  • What are the components of a lawyer's duty of competence?
  • How is authority or decision-making power allocated between a lawyer and their client?  Does that surprise you? How does that make you feel?
  • What is expected of a lawyer to fulfill their duty of diligence to their clients?
• Watch TED video “Why you think you're right -- even if you're wrong" and consider these questions while you watch:
  • What is the "scout mindset"?
  • What is the "soldier mindset"?
  • What are some circumstances where a scout mindset may be beneficial in practicing law? What about a soldier mindset?
  • Which mindset do you think you are more prone to? Can you think of any examples in your life where you wish you would have used the opposite mindset?
• Read “Professionalism” Chapter of Essential Lawyering Skills in your Supplemental Readings Packet (focusing on sections 2.1, 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3, 2.2.14, and 2.3). Guiding questions:
  • What does it mean to be a "reflective practitioner"?
  • What is "judgment"?
  • What is "integrity"?
  • According to section 2.2.14, what are some circumstances common to happy lawyers? How can you start to create those circumstances for yourself while still in law school?
• Read Excerpts from Foundations for Practice, “The Whole Lawyer and the Character Quotient” in Supplemental Readings Packet. Guiding questions:
  • After reading the introductory materials, spend some time with Table 3 thinking about the foundations identified as necessary for entry-level lawyers by at least half of the survey respondents, especially those identified by a strong majority of respondents. Don't worry about the foundations categorized as "Legal Thinking and Application," "Litigation Practice," or "Transaction Practice" as they are too specialized for the first day of class!
  • Are you surprised by any of these competencies? Which ones do you think may present a challenge to you personally?
• Read all the documents and entries in the "Course Information & Links" and "Supplemental Resources" modules on Canvas.
• Review the overall structure of the course Canvas page so you are familiar with where content is.

Professors Enguidanos and Bishop

Please complete the following prior to the first live weekend:

• Read the Course Objectives, Course Policies, and Grading Standards (found on Canvas Course)
• Complete the new student questionnaire (found on Canvas Course), in which you will give me some basic information about yourself
• Read the Legal Writing Handbook (LWH) Ch. 1 (Making the Transition), Chapter 2 (The US Legal System), Section 11.1-11.2 (Drafting Memos: Audience and Purpose)
• Read Foundations of Practice "The Whole Lawyer and the Character Quotient"
  • Please read the entire article, but focus in on the section towards the end that lists the top 10 Foundations categorized as "necessary" in the short term as well as the top 10 Foundations categorized as "must be acquired over time" and be prepared to discuss why each of are important to being a good lawyer.
• Read Letter to a Law Student Interested in Social Justice.
  • As you read this letter, what competencies come to mind that will help you in the short and long term as you prepare to be a lawyer?
• Read Sample Olsen Memo (found on Canvas Course). Please read this memo with the following questions in mind:
  • What is the purpose of each of the sections of the memo?
  • How does each section achieve its purpose (if you think it does)?
  • How do the different parts of the interact?
• Read the email from the Supervising attorney and the supplementary facts (Found on Canvas Course)

Come prepared to discuss this first assignment, but do not worry about absorbing all of the information. We will be working with these facts for weeks!

Lastly, but importantly, come with at least two questions for our guest speaker!

Professor Eason

Aug. 21

• pp. 1-23; 25 n.1; 30-45
• Consider/identify/be prepared to discuss:
  1. a nonprofit organization that you respect; and one that you disrespect; and
  2. if you were going to start a nonprofit, what would it be?
• Consider the Problem at pp. 44-45

Aug. 28

• pp. 49-71;101-05; 310-13 (to Part E)
• Consider the Problems at pp. 62-63; 104-05

Professor O’Kelley

Message to Students re Preparation for First Class

The Canvas page for this class is now available. Please go there as soon as possible!

On the homepage, you will find an introductory note, a detailing of class materials, and a link to the syllabus, which explains class procedures and expectations.

The syllabus sets out the assignments for the entire semester, including the first class.

You will need to be fully prepared for the first class. Begin planning now to be sure that you have the required class materials and have allotted time to prepare for the first class, including preparation of your first written assignment, which should be uploaded to Canvas by noon on the first day of class.

Contact me by email if you have any questions.

Professor Madeline Kass

Flex Torts Students,

Please complete the following assignments in advance of our first class on Friday, August 18:

Obtain the course textbooks:

Required Textbooks:

1. Schwartz, Kelly and Partlett, PROSSER, WADE AND SCHWARTZ’S TORTS, Foundation Press, 2020 (14th Ed.)
2. Diamond, Levine & Bernstein, UNDERSTANDING TORTS, Carolina Academic Press, 2023 (7th Ed.).

Optional book:

3. Glannon, THE LAW OF TORTS: EXAMPLES & EXPLANATIONS, Aspen, 2020 (6th Ed.)

Log on and explore our Torts CANVAS page

Read the “Welcome to Torts Course Overview” page

Carefully review the CANVAS “Course Information Module” and the Course Syllabus (posted on CANVAS)

Watch the Week 0 videos posted on CANVAS

Complete the Week 0 reading assignments:

• Understanding Torts Treatise
  Read: §1.01 [A]-[C] §1.01 [E]-[F]
• Torts Casebook
  Read: pp. 1-2, pp. 17-20 (and the first sentence on p. 21), and pp. 26- 31.

Note:

Our first synchronous zoom class (week 1 class) will be Tuesday, August 22.  The assignments for Week 1 will be posted on CANVAS by August 16^th.

See you in a few weeks!

Professor Kass

Professor Kip Hustace

Welcome to Torts! You can find all materials needed for the first week on our Canvas page’s Modules tab. For our first class, please complete the preferred name, pronunciation, and pronouns assignment posted there. Please also read the syllabus and pages 4–10 of our casebook’s Introduction section, which is to say Eavan Boland’s “Eviction” (New Yorker link provided), the Principles and Institutions section, and the Vosburg v. Putney case. Instructions on accessing the entirety of our free online casebook to follow, but for now I have provided both Word and PDF versions of our casebook’s Introduction. We will begin to discuss Vosburg on Monday, and we will continue with Vosburg and the subsequent Introduction sections on Wednesday. When reading the case, pay particular attention to the following: At what stage in the litigation are we? What is the court being asked to do? And what is the connection between the incident at the center of the dispute and the injuries that the plaintiff experienced?

Professor Feldman

After you receive your Westlaw password (which I’m told will happen on August 18), please register for Torts Section B on TWEN.  You will find on TWEN the fall semester syllabus, supplemental reading materials, and a PDF copy of the assigned readings for the first two weeks of class (in case you need it).  I will also email these materials to you.  Please read the syllabus through the first few assignments on page 4.

Please read pages 3-8 of the textbook, which is Keeton, Sargentich, Keating, Fleming & Feldman’s Tort and Accident Law (5^th edition 2023).  The publisher, West Academic, has given me a code (WASEATTLE) that can be used to obtain a 15% discount for any print or eBook purchases directly from West’s online store (westacademic.com).  I have also been told that students who sign in to their West Academic account or create one and then log in will receive free ground shipping with the use of the code.  In reading our first case, please consider the following questions:  What sort of intentionality is sufficient under Garratt to establish the intent element of battery? How was intentionality to be established in Garratt?  Should the law of battery reach such “unintended” consequences?  I call on students alphabetically, so if your last name begins with A (or possibly B) you are likely to be called on during the first few classes.

Optional:  Please send me an email that includes any nickname you prefer, your pronouns, any help you want to give me to properly pronounce your name, and/or any other information you’d like to share with me at this time.  My email is Lfeldman@seattleu.edu.

Professor Eason

BEFORE OUR FIRST CLASS

• Read all entries under the “Course Information” Module on Canvas.
• Read the “Week 1 - Start Here” page in the “Part I: Introduction…” Module on Canvas.