stupid question--what the heck is "negotiation" as a class? Forum

[belligerentfuture]

its course selection time, and i am definitely a moron that paid zero attention to things during 1L like the negotiation competition... however, i'm trying to pick *something* out of the picked-over mess that is the course availability after the 3Ls got everything good.

so, with that in mind--WTF is 'negotiation' as a law school class? i've obviously read the course catalog, but it doesn't tell me anything about how negotiation is taught...it really sounds more like some sort of a psychology class than a typical case-method socratic class...

anyone taken negotiation, esp. business-focused negotiation and want to drop some knowledge on me?

*be nice*

[Ignatius J. Reilly]

It probably depends on who the professor is and how the teach the class (well, obviously it does), but all I can say is I took a negotiations class and to me it was a waste of time. After taking the class, I have concluded that negotiation skills are to an extent natural to some people and can only really be learned through experience, not by sitting in a class listening to someone lecture about it.

[pany1985]

I would imagine negotiation would have to be taught as a hands-on small-class sort of thing to really be very useful. Obviously, I'm not sure if that's the case at your school or not.

[belligerentfuture]

It probably depends on who the professor is and how the teach the class (well, obviously it does), but all I can say is I took a negotiations class and to me it was a waste of time. After taking the class, I have concluded that negotiation skills are to an extent natural to some people and can only really be learned through experience, not by sitting in a class listening to someone lecture about it.

thanks--this is *exactly* what i was afraid of....it seems like such a strange thing to try to 'teach'....kind of like how they have classes for doctors on how to tell a patient they are dying 'correctly'

[belligerentfuture]

I would imagine negotiation would have to be taught as a hands-on small-class sort of thing to really be very useful. Obviously, I'm not sure if that's the case at your school or not.

It's limited to 20. Course description is below....still kind of sounds like crap to me though....

Business lawyers find themselves in the middle of negotiations practically every day. Their clients are making deals constantly and often rely on counsel to help them negotiate the important business elements of a transaction and to take
the lead in negotiating issues that are primarily legal in nature. Sometimes these negotiations involve simply getting the best price or transaction term. But usually they involve understanding fully the objectives of the client and those of the
party on the other side of the table and coming up with terms that satisfy both and add value. This course will introduce students to the theory and practice of business negotiations. The course will include readings and lectures as well as
negotiation exercises, role plays and class discussion. Evaluation will be based on a final written exam as well as contribution to class exercises. A third credit is available to students who submit a specified paper. Enrollment is limited
to 20 students.

[bigben]

It probably depends on who the professor is and how the teach the class (well, obviously it does), but all I can say is I took a negotiations class and to me it was a waste of time. After taking the class, I have concluded that negotiation skills are to an extent natural to some people and can only really be learned through experience, not by sitting in a class listening to someone lecture about it.

Any decent negotiations class would consist primarily of well-designed mock negotiations.

A pure lecture on the subject sounds terrible.

[pany1985]

The fact that there's a written final makes it sound like there's gonna be a lot more lecturing (probably mostly focused on various theories that nobody really cares about) than actual negotiating

[bigben]

The fact that there's a written final makes it sound like there's gonna be a lot more lecturing (probably mostly focused on various theories that nobody really cares about) than actual negotiating

Yeah.

[engineer]

It probably depends on who the professor is and how the teach the class (well, obviously it does), but all I can say is I took a negotiations class and to me it was a waste of time. After taking the class, I have concluded that negotiation skills are to an extent natural to some people and can only really be learned through experience, not by sitting in a class listening to someone lecture about it.

I cannot agree with this more. I feel like a lot of it spawns from how much you were held as a child coupled with your kindergarten-through-second-grade experience. You know, stuff like sharing, playing well with others, and not calling people names...

[belligerentfuture]

OK--i think you guys have convinced me to turf this (nicely timed) bullshit class. Now to choose between Advanced Legal Writing on Employment Law or a drafting-focused Real Estate Transactions class..... Further thoughts? (i *loathed* 1L legal writing with my entire soul, but our prof was 8 kinds of terrible, so who knows...)

[mikeytwoshoes]

its course selection time, and i am definitely a moron that paid zero attention to things during 1L like the negotiation competition... however, i'm trying to pick *something* out of the picked-over mess that is the course availability after the 3Ls got everything good.

so, with that in mind--WTF is 'negotiation' as a law school class? i've obviously read the course catalog, but it doesn't tell me anything about how negotiation is taught...it really sounds more like some sort of a psychology class than a typical case-method socratic class...

anyone taken negotiation, esp. business-focused negotiation and want to drop some knowledge on me?

*be nice*

This was very non-obvious.

[Ignatius J. Reilly]

It probably depends on who the professor is and how the teach the class (well, obviously it does), but all I can say is I took a negotiations class and to me it was a waste of time. After taking the class, I have concluded that negotiation skills are to an extent natural to some people and can only really be learned through experience, not by sitting in a class listening to someone lecture about it.

I cannot agree with this more. I feel like a lot of it spawns from how much you were held as a child coupled with your kindergarten-through-second-grade experience. You know, stuff like sharing, playing well with others, and not calling people names...

I am not sure what you mean. You have to pick your strategy and tactics depending on the particular negotiation. Sometimes you'll want to be a dick, others you won't. I just think some people are naturally more suited to get what they want from others, but I don't think that means you have to be a d-bag about it.