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Mastering Law School Outlines: A Guide by Professor Michael Seigel

Discover effective strategies for creating comprehensive law school outlines with guidance from Professor Michael Seigel of the University of Florida Levin College of Law. Learn the importance of outlining as a roadmap for your studies, understand the detailed organization process, and explore tips for effective note-taking and material synthesis. This outline serves as both a thorough study tool and a practical reference during exams. Develop your outlines with precision and clarity to enhance your legal analysis and prepare for success in law school and beyond.

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Mastering Law School Outlines: A Guide by Professor Michael Seigel

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  1. Creating Good Outlines Professor Michael Seigel University of Florida Levin College of Law

  2. Overview • Process • End Product • Use • Example

  3. Process • Read for class • Brief/Highlight cases and materials • Attend class and take MEANINGFUL notes • Review and annotate notes at end of day before reading for next class • Weekly: work on OUTLINE

  4. Why Outline? • Although we all learn differently, most of us benefit from collecting and organizing material into written form • The process of outlining is as important as the actual end result, if not more so – FOR THIS REASON, DO NOT RELY SIMPLY ON READING COMMERCIAL, LAW REVIEW, OR OTHER THIRD PARTY OUTLINES • The outline becomes your roadmap through the material, either to help you memorize for closed-book exams or for use during open-book exams

  5. Do I Have To? • I don’t know of any successful law student who does not outline course material, though some might exist. • First semester is probably NOT the time to see if you’re “special.” • There is no shortcut to the hard work in law school.

  6. Getting Started • Organization of Outline • Might be obvious from notes • Could use book’s table of contents for guide • If course is rule or statute based, these might be source of organization • Could look to third party outline as a guide

  7. Content • To start, black letter law that you will use to spot and analyze issues on the exam • You must know BLL cold before walking into the classroom for the exam • Clearly note areas of gray and arguments either way • Make sure you conform to professor’s way of conceptualizing the law

  8. Level of Detail • Outline should be precise, and written to the level of detail matching course • Unless Professor tells you otherwise, case names and facts are not super important; it is the HOLDINGS you are weaving into a series of RULES and EXCEPTIONS • Include reminders about tricky issues that might pop up • Specify places where law is not clear (opportunities to argue both sides)

  9. Level of Detail, Con’t • Write down “key language” from the cases • Write down the important “X-Part tests” • Include the law from the various jurisdictions studied, given professor’s preferences • Include “key language” and “key concepts” from class discussion

  10. What should it look like? • Neatly typed • Highlights • Tabs • Charts • Roadmaps • Written-in comments and additions

  11. How Long? • Not too long – it must be SUMMARY and SYNTHESIS of material • Not too short – it must be COMPREHENSIVE of BLL that could appear on the exam • Perhaps 40-50 pages??

  12. How do I know if it’s Good? • Study group: are discussion issues covered by your outline? • Practice tests – was the outline helpful? • Practice tests – does the outline lead to correct answers? • Practice tests – does the outline help issue-spotting?

  13. Outline of Outline • Next step: CONDENSE your outline into a “mini-outline” or even a “checklist” of important issues • This becomes your reference for spotting issues on the exam • Suggestion: FOR CLOSED BOOK exam, memorize checklist and write it down BEFORE READING QUESTIONS

  14. Example from Criminal Law • Actusreus – voluntary action required before there can be crime, CL & MPC § 2.01(1) • Is a material element of the crime, CL & MPC §§ 1.13(9)(i) and 1.13(10) • Def of Voluntary, CL & MPC § 2.01(2): • Conscious bodily movement, including habits • Does not include: • Reflex or convulsion (e.g. seizure) • Movement during unconsciousness or sleep

  15. Sample Outline, con’t • Which voluntary action counts? • Move back in time, can always find vol action • TEST: • Must coincide with mensrea • Is the action morally wrong? • Is the action the one the legislature was trying to deter? • Omissions • Rule: Generally, failure to act is not a crime; not required to be Good Samaritan

  16. Sample Outline, con’t • Why? • Americans like freedom • Line-drawing problem • Don’t want to discourage GS-ism by putting burden on folks for “not doing enough” • Exceptions • Contractual relationship (babysitter) • Etc. • Etc. • Etc.

  17. QUESTIONS?

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