SMU C/O 2017 Forum

[swilson215]

I wouldn't buy any supplements, recommended books, or statutory books until after your first day of class. Just buy the casebook. All the statutes (Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Uniform Commercial Code, Restatement of Torts, etc.) are available free online. Unless there's a good reason to need them, there's no reason to pay an extra $50-75/class on them.

Some professors will only allow you to bring the statutory supplement into the exam. I'll spend the $50 for that, but the rest I'll just get what I need on WestLaw.

There are three supplements that I would get before the class even starts: Chemerinsky for con law, Acing Property, and (only if you have Butler) the nutshell for Torts. Otherwise, wait until after your first few weeks and then go to either whatever your prof is referencing or go to the bookstore and read through a few of them to see which one gels best for you.

[swilson215]

Also, I know DePianto will be one section's torts prof. I just had him for evidence, and I would say he's incredibly nice, but incredibly distracted and incredibly hard to hear...it also seemed like evidence wasn't his strong suit, but apparently he normally teaches torts, so hopefully y'all will have it better. At least for evidence he got a TON of his examples and questions straight out of the E&E, so if you get him for torts you might want to look through an E&E to see if it looks familiar after the first few weeks of class, and if so, pick it up, because it will be spur helpful during the final. His evidence exam was 100% MC.

[BVest]

Hey guys, this might be a stupid question, but do you keep the same section and profs for the whole year?
I noticed that they estimated $2,000 for books for the year so I'm just wondering if that means you keep the same books for the year, or do you buy additional books for the spring semester? I spent about $1,200 on books for this fall so I'm just wondering if I should budget about the same for the spring as well. Thanks.

I had that exact same sticker shock for books 1L fall, but you should only need to buy one more book in the spring (plus a new LRWA packet). They should really tell you that when they tell you to budget $2,000 for books.

[chem!]

Also, I know DePianto will be one section's torts prof. I just had him for evidence, and I would say he's incredibly nice, but incredibly distracted and incredibly hard to hear...it also seemed like evidence wasn't his strong suit, but apparently he normally teaches torts, so hopefully y'all will have it better. At least for evidence he got a TON of his examples and questions straight out of the E&E, so if you get him for torts you might want to look through an E&E to see if it looks familiar after the first few weeks of class, and if so, pick it up, because it will be spur helpful during the final. His evidence exam was 100% MC.

I had DePianto for torts, and can confirm all of the above. I'll try to elaborate more later. I am in a hurry right now.

[Stevoman]

I wouldn't buy any supplements, recommended books, or statutory books until after your first day of class. Just buy the casebook. All the statutes (Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Uniform Commercial Code, Restatement of Torts, etc.) are available free online. Unless there's a good reason to need them, there's no reason to pay an extra $50-75/class on them.

Some professors will only allow you to bring the statutory supplement into the exam. I'll spend the $50 for that, but the rest I'll just get what I need on WestLaw.

There are three supplements that I would get before the class even starts: Chemerinsky for con law, Acing Property, and (only if you have Butler) the nutshell for Torts. Otherwise, wait until after your first few weeks and then go to either whatever your prof is referencing or go to the bookstore and read through a few of them to see which one gels best for you.

Okay fair enough on Chemerinsky, I had forgotten about that one. Can't speak to the others though.

Actually, now that you mention it, I did half of Con Law 2 without a casebook using nothing but the Chemerinsky supplement. So if you want to live dangerously, skip the casebook in that class.

[BVest]

Evening students (i.e. those with Anderson for K), I assume he's still using Whaley for a casebook? If so, my recommended supplements are Hillman (Concise Hornbook) as the examples from here may look familiar when you get to the short answer section of the exam.

Also Whaley's Sum and Substance lectures for review when you're on the go. The hypos and cases will all be VERY familiar to you from class. I got them used on CD, ripped them to MP3 and put them on my ipod. Once you've got a section of your outline done, it's also useful to listen to that topic while going through your outline to see if there's anything you left out.

Lastly, be sure to read the comments and examples in the statutory/restatement supplement for the sections you cover. Many multiple choice questions come DIRECTLY from these.

[crchildress]

Evening students (i.e. those with Anderson for K), I assume he's still using Whaley for a casebook? If so, my recommended supplements are Hillman (Concise Hornbook) as the examples from here may look familiar when you get to the short answer section of the exam.

Also Whaley's Sum and Substance lectures for review when you're on the go. The hypos and cases will all be VERY familiar to you from class. I got them used on CD, ripped them to MP3 and put them on my ipod. Once you've got a section of your outline done, it's also useful to listen to that topic while going through your outline to see if there's anything you left out.

Lastly, be sure to read the comments and examples in the statutory/restatement supplement for the sections you cover. Many multiple choice questions come DIRECTLY from these.

Thank you so much!

[chem!]

Evening students (i.e. those with Anderson for K), I assume he's still using Whaley for a casebook? If so, my recommended supplements are Hillman (Concise Hornbook) as the examples from here may look familiar when you get to the short answer section of the exam.

Also Whaley's Sum and Substance lectures for review when you're on the go. The hypos and cases will all be VERY familiar to you from class. I got them used on CD, ripped them to MP3 and put them on my ipod. Once you've got a section of your outline done, it's also useful to listen to that topic while going through your outline to see if there's anything you left out.

Lastly, be sure to read the comments and examples in the statutory/restatement supplement for the sections you cover. Many multiple choice questions come DIRECTLY from these.

All of this is great advice and is spot on. I cannot emphasize enough how beneficial the Hillman book will be to you. Also, yes yes yes to reading the examples in the Restatement. He pulls so many multiple choice questions from these that it's crazy.

As to DePianto for Torts, he is super nice, sometimes too nice in that he won't quickly shut down those people who like to hear themselves talk. Sit closer to the front so you can hear him, and be sure to read the Notes cases in the assignment. He seques from the main cases to those A LOT when he's talking and questioning. He is very helpful during office hours and is open to feedback. As to exams - he wants ALL the arguments. Throw it all at the wall and see what sticks.

[crchildress]

How, can, or when do we receive the syllabus for each respective class?

[BVest]

Many will hand them out in class on the first day or email them out prior to the first day. For some they'll be available on TWEN (Westlaw's crap-tastic excuse for a Blackboard- or Canvas-like class management system for law students) once you get your Westlaw accounts set up during orientation. In the meantime, the registrar posts a list of first-day assignments which will either appear here eventually or on some similar page.

[Stevoman]

As to DePianto for Torts, he is super nice, sometimes too nice in that he won't quickly shut down those people who like to hear themselves talk. Sit closer to the front so you can hear him, and be sure to read the Notes cases in the assignment. He seques from the main cases to those A LOT when he's talking and questioning. He is very helpful during office hours and is open to feedback. As to exams - he wants ALL the arguments. Throw it all at the wall and see what sticks.

I think I may have already said this, but ditto for Gaba. He talks very quiet and tends to ramble to himself. I sat on the front row and still struggled to hear him sometimes.

[thisiswater]

Hi all,

Hope everyone's semester is going well. I was wondering if anyone had suggestions for supplements for Martinez's Civ Pro. I am not getting it and need something to help.

Thanks!

[rad21]

Hi all,

Hope everyone's semester is going well. I was wondering if anyone had suggestions for supplements for Martinez's Civ Pro. I am not getting it and need something to help.

Thanks!

Search for one of Kalvano's old posts where he provided a link to an outline dump. I think there was a group of Martinez outlines in there. Good luck.

[emmy463]

Hey guys, it's been a little over a month now hope everyone is doing well.

I have a question about note taking. My two friends that I've become close with have been taking some pretty intense and detailed notes from the casebook. I have been taking some notes in class but nothing crazy. I haven't taken any from the casebooks at all...Should I have been taking notes from the readings like this all along? A little worried and I want to be able to go back and start taking some notes before we get too far. Thanks!

[BVest]

Hey guys, it's been a little over a month now hope everyone is doing well.

I have a question about note taking. My two friends that I've become close with have been taking some pretty intense and detailed notes from the casebook. I have been taking some notes in class but nothing crazy. I haven't taken any from the casebooks at all...Should I have been taking notes from the readings like this all along? A little worried and I want to be able to go back and start taking some notes before we get too far. Thanks!

Don't worry. It's not necessary unless it helps you to understand what you're reading (e.g. diagramming a confusing procedural posture that is somehow important to the ruling (like sometimes comes up in civ pro), or flowcharting a rule of law (like UCC 2-207). Even then, the prof will go over that stuff in class.

[TheJanitor6203]

Does anyone have a CivPro outline for Dorsaneo?

[Stevoman]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/z4t3lzmndbrww ... 5.doc?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/83rarpzmz3nyu ... e.doc?dl=0

[TheJanitor6203]

Thank you.

[BVest]

For those of you who are interested, I posted my 1L outlines in the law student forum.

Profs covered: Anderson, Thornburg, Palacios, Forrester, Ryan, Bloom. Sorry that this comes too late for K.

[swilson215]

Hey...anyone living in Oak Lawn/the gayborhood that would be interested in walking my dog a few times a week? (obviously I'll pay). It was a lot easier to find someone when I was living right across from campus, but I'm moving and wanted to give this a shot before I hired some stranger/company. Send me a PM if you are.

[miy]

Hey all, I graduated in May and am selling a ton of used books if anyone is interested. PM me what you are looking for and I'll let you know if I have it (I have like a 6 ft. stack of books ) Looking to get rid of them by next Friday- I live in the village til then.

[TheJanitor6203]

I started a SMU OCI thread in the legal employment section if anyone is interested in sharing info regarding call back's and offers as that info becomes available.

[downinDtown]

Hey all, I am a recent SMU graduate who is about to move and I have a ton of books that I was looking to sell at a discount--some are substantive and others are more directed to interviewing/job searching, and others still are exam prep. Price for each book bought is $10 unless otherwise noted. Bulk deals listed. Can meet to drop off at law school at mutually convenient time.

1L Substantive - $75 for the entire set (save $25)
1L - Examples & Explanations Property (3rd Edition)
1L - E&E Civil Procedure (5th Edition)
1L - E&E Criminal (4th Edition)
1L - Understanding Criminal Law by Dressler (5th Edition) (used for Palacio's class)
1L - Torts Casenote Legal Briefs (keyed to Henderson, Pearson, Kysar... 7th Edition), but many of the casebooks have most of the same seminal cases
1L - Contracts Casenote Legal Briefs (keyed to Crandall & Whaley's)
1L - Contracts Hornbook (4th Edition) by Farnsworth (used for Anderson's class)
1L - Contract Law Hornbook (2nd Edition) by Hillman (used for Anderson's class)
1L - Restatement 2d Contracts & UCC Article 2/2A (4th Edition) (used for Anderson's class - must read the Illustrations)
1L - Legal Writing -- Bluebook & Greenbook combo - $30

Upper-Level Substantive - $80 for the set (save $30)
E&E Secured Transactions (4th Edition) - Comes with my outline for Winship's class (got an A) and Secured Transactions Quick Study laminated reference guide
Glannon's Guide to Secured Transactions - Burnham
E&E Agency, P'ships, and LLCs (for Business Enterprises class) (2nd Edition)
Income Tax Hornbook (with Income Tax fold-out overview map) - $20
Federal Rules of Evidence (Rules w/ Advisory Notes) (2013 Edition)
Q&A Evidence (3rd Edition) - Leonard & Gianelli) - $20
Courtroom Evidence Handbook (2014-15 Student Edition) - Steven Goode - $30
Themis Upper-Level courses outline book for Con Law, Corporations/BE, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, and Wills/Trusts - FREE

Exam Prep - $25 for the pair (save $5)
Getting to Maybe - great exam prep resource - $20
8 Secrets of Top Exam Performance in Law School

Interviewing / Job Search - $35 for the set (save $15)
2014 Chambers Associate printed version - Student's Guide to Law Firms - $5
Guerilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams - $20
Nail Your Law Job Interview
Boost Your Interview IQ - $5
The 6P's of the Big 3 for Job-Seeking JDs


Also, if you have questions about certain firms during the OCI interview process, please feel free to PM me. Went through the process a couple of years ago and was fairly successful. Glad to help.

[TheJanitor6203]

https://docs.google.com/document/d/12Sy ... g=h.gjdgxs

Here's a registration bible that I've been trying to get updated. I know it's a little late for spring registration but feel free to use it in the future and try and help me update as we go along.

[TheJanitor6203]

Does anyone have any knowledge about taking an EW with Mayo, Kahn, or Colangelo? I'm enrolling in one of those 3 next fall but don't know which one yet.