Harvard Student(s) Answering Your Questions Forum

[ph14]

Is copyright with Fisher one of those classes you have to rank 1st to have a chance at? How about labor law with Sachs?

I don't think either are particularly hard to get into.

[dafaz16]

Is copyright with Fisher one of those classes you have to rank 1st to have a chance at? How about labor law with Sachs?

I don't think either are particularly hard to get into.

Are there any classes it'd be good to have taken before Copyright?

[ph14]

Is copyright with Fisher one of those classes you have to rank 1st to have a chance at? How about labor law with Sachs?

I don't think either are particularly hard to get into.

Are there any classes it'd be good to have taken before Copyright?

Not that I can think of.

[AllTheLawz]

Is copyright with Fisher one of those classes you have to rank 1st to have a chance at? How about labor law with Sachs?

I don't think either are particularly hard to get into.

I would definitely recommend copyright with Fisher. One of the very few classes at HLS where you will learn something useful. He is a bit eccentric and it is a lot of work but definitely a much more effective professor than the average. The class will seem a little ridiculous as you go through it but looking back it was excellent.

[despina]

Both Copyright with Fisher and Labor Law with Sachs were available through the firesale last spring. That means that at the end of the waitlist processing period, there were still open spots. That doesn't mean that they went through the entire waitlist and anybody on the waitlist automatically was able to take the class if they wanted to, but I think it's a good indication that you don't have to rank it first.

[ph14]

Both Copyright with Fisher and Labor Law with Sachs were available through the firesale last spring. That means that at the end of the waitlist processing period, there were still open spots. That doesn't mean that they went through the entire waitlist and anybody on the waitlist automatically was able to take the class if they wanted to, but I think it's a good indication that you don't have to rank it first.

Keep in mind too though that Sachs won the teaching award this past year, so enrollment in his classes might be up.

[bigbirdfly]

How's much work do HKS classes involve on average in comparison to law classes?

[Doorkeeper]

What is good if you want to work for the government (Think DOJ)

DOJ hired a grand total of 25 people last year through the Honors program. They could fill their entire class with students who had amazing grades, but many offices don't look at only grades. Basically, your grades have to be good enough to get a federal clerkship (whether district or circuit depends on the division and office), and then after that it's really about showing a strong and persistent interest in government work.

[Searchparty]

Would you just list the best professors you've had and hear are good (amazing)...

[ph14]

Would you just list the best professors you've had and hear are good (amazing)...

That's a lot of work. There are dozens of faculty members, I think. Narrow it down a little.

[094320]

..

[Doorkeeper]

Would you just list the best professors you've had and hear are good (amazing)...

Step 1: Look at the course evaluations for the classes you're interested in.
Step 2: Look for professors who score above a 4.50 in all relevant categories.

[Searchparty]

I've found that the course evals are basically useless in picking classes except for spotting which profs are widely considered ineffective and widely considered favorites since so many of the questions are irrelevant or poorly phrased. Since different people have different learning styles, I'd talk to 2Ls and 3Ls about favorite classes they've taken and what they liked about them.

I'm really just trying to get a sense of what professors are so good that you find some interest in a course topic that you weren't necessarily interested in.

I don't want to pick a class because it "sounds interesting." In the semester so far, it seems as though the professor has a great impact on what I actually find interesting. I could see myself becoming passionate about a topic I would have never thought I would be, simply because a professor has a great way of teaching it.

Besides just looking at courses I might like and looking at the course evals, I'd also like to know what professors may have provided that spark for you in a topic you didn't think you would end up liking. This will provide me a way to "branch out" from the things I'm normally drawn to and maybe find a passion somewhere else. Also, I really don't even know what I'm drawn to, but I want to learn and learn well and I find good professors facilitate that.

[Person1111]

I thought Larry Tribe was the best professor I had at HLS (actually, ever), hands-down. There are about 3 other professors (and my Climenko) who I also thought were outstanding. The rest varied from "pretty good" to "horrible". Pm me if you want specifics.

[ph14]

Here's a list of all HLS faculty. I've bolded names that seem to have reputations as exceptional professors. Note that this list relies on lots of hearsay and so you should make your own independent judgment, and because the faculty has so many professors that i'm sure my information is incomplete, at best. I've also underlined a few that I think you have to bid very high to get into their class. Obviously i've probably missed some professors that are exceptional and maybe included some here that other people have heard differently, so feel free to post any disagreements.

Howard Abrams, Visiting Professor
Hidetaka Aizawa, Visiting Professor
William P. Alford, Professor of Law
Robert Anderson, Visiting Professor
William D. Andrews, Professor Emeritus
Deborah E. Anker, Clinical Professor of Law
Sabrineh Ardalan, Lecturer on Law
James A. Baker, Lecturer on Law
Mark Barnes, Lecturer on Law
David J. Barron, Professor of Law
Elizabeth Bartholet, Professor of Law
Christopher T. Bavitz, Lecturer on Law
Lucian A. Bebchuk, Professor of Law
Yochai Benkler, Professor of Law
Roger Bertling, Lecturer on Law
Gabriella Blum, Professor of Law
Robert C. Bordone, Clinical Professor of Law
Scott Brewer, Professor of Law
Emily M. Broad Leib, Lecturer on Law
James Bromley, Lecturer on Law
Tomiko Brown-Nagin, Professor of Law
Victor Brudney, Professor Emeritus
Jessica Budnitz, Lecturer on Law
William Burke-White, Visiting Professor
Philip Burling, Lecturer on Law
Esme Caramello, Lecturer on Law
Peter A. Carfagna, Lecturer on Law
Chad M. Carr, Lecturer on Law
Dale Cendali, Lecturer on Law
Jeanne Charn, Lecturer on Law
Steve Churchill, Lecturer on Law
Robert C. Clark, Professor of Law
Richard W. Clary, Lecturer on Law
John C. Coates, Professor of Law
I. Glenn Cohen, Professor of Law
Rebecca Richman Cohen, Lecturer on Law
Susan Cole, Lecturer on Law
David Cope, Lecturer on Law
Daniel R. Coquillette, Visiting Professor
John J. Corrigan, Lecturer on Law
John C. Cratsley, Lecturer on Law
Susan P. Crawford, Visiting Professor
Timothy J. Dacey, Lecturer on Law
Susan Davies, Lecturer on Law
Seth Davis, Climenko Fellow
Alan M. Dershowitz, Professor of Law
Mihir A. Desai, Professor of Law
Christine A. Desan, Professor of Law
Bala Dharan, Visiting Professor
Bonnie Docherty, Lecturer on Law
Charles Donahue, Professor of Law
Justin Driver, Visiting Professor
Einer R. Elhauge, Professor of Law
Alonzo Emery, Lecturer on Law
Daniel Epps, Climenko Fellow
Richard H. Fallon, Professor of Law
Susan H. Farbstein, Assistant Clinical Professor of Law
Kenneth R. Feinberg, Lecturer on Law
Noah Feldman, Professor of Law
Allen Ferrell, Professor of Law
Martha A. Field, Professor of Law
William W. Fisher, Professor of Law
Joseph Fishman, Climenko Fellow
Anne Fleming, Climenko Fellow
Richard D. Forrest, Lecturer on Law
Jody Freeman, Professor of Law
Charles Fried, Professor of Law
Jesse M. Fried, Professor of Law
Gerald E. Frug, Professor of Law
Maggie Gardner, Climenko Fellow
Urs Gasser, Professor of Practice
Anna Gelpern, Visiting Professor
Julius Genachowski, Visiting Professor
Robert P. George, Visiting Professor
Jacob E. Gersen, Professor of Law
Judge Nancy Gertner (Ret.), Professor of Practice
Tyler Giannini, Clinical Professor of Law
Mary Ann Glendon, Professor of Law
Shaun A. Goho, Lecturer on Law
Erica Goldberg, Climenko Fellow
John C.P. Goldberg, Professor of Law
Jack Landman Goldsmith, Professor of Law
Annette Gordon-Reed, Professor of Law
Robert Greenwald, Clinical Professor of Law
Michael Gregory, Assistant Clinical Professor of Law
D. James Greiner, Professor of Law
Peter Grossi, Lecturer on Law
David A. Grossman, Clinical Professor of Law
Lani Guinier, Professor of Law
Janet Halley, Professor of Law
Daniel I. Halperin, Professor of Law
Jon D. Hanson, Professor of Law
Bruce L. Hay, Professor of Law
Benjamin W. Heineman, Lecturer on Law
David Richard Herwitz, Professor Emeritus
Philip B. Heymann, Professor of Law
Scott Hirst, Lecturer on Law
David A. Hoffman, Lecturer on Law
Karl Hofstetter, Visiting Professor
Morton J. Horwitz, Professor Emeritus
Masakazu Iwakura, Visiting Professor
Howell E. Jackson, Professor of Law
Vicki C. Jackson, Professor of Law
Sharon B. Jacobs, Climenko Fellow
Wendy B. Jacobs, Clinical Professor of Law
Elena Kagan, Visiting Professor
Louis Kaplow, Professor of Law
Andrew L. Kaufman, Professor of Law
David W. Kennedy, Professor of Law
Duncan M. Kennedy, Professor of Law
Randall L. Kennedy, Professor of Law
Vikramaditya Khanna, Visiting Professor
Michael Klarman, Professor of Law
Daniel Klerman, Visiting Professor
Reinier H. Kraakman, Professor of Law
Adriaan Lanni, Professor of Law
Richard J. Lazarus, Professor of Law
Lawrence Lessig, Professor of Law
Sanford V. Levinson, Visiting Professor
Catharine A. MacKinnon, Visiting Professor
Kenneth W. Mack, Professor of Law
Paul MacMahon, Climenko Fellow
Bruce H. Mann, Professor of Law
John F. Manning, Professor of Law
John H. Mansfield, Professor Emeritus
Margaret H. Marshall, Lecturer on Law
Harry S. Martin (Terry), Professor Emeritus
Maureen McDonagh, Lecturer on Law
Daniel J. Meltzer, Professor of Law
Frank I. Michelman, Professor Emeritus
Martha L. Minow, Professor of Law
Robert H. Mnookin, Professor of Law
Michael Morley, Climenko Fellow
John Muller, Climenko Fellow
Peter L. Murray, Visiting Professor
Daniel Nagin, Clinical Professor of Law
Ashish Nanda, Professor of Practice
Charles R. Nesson, Professor of Law
Gerald L. Neuman, Professor of Law
Nnena Odim, Lecturer on Law
Charles J. Ogletree, Jr., Professor of Law
William Ortman, Climenko Fellow
Richard D. Parker, Professor of Law
Deborah Alejandra Popowski, Lecturer on Law
Brian K. Price, Clinical Professor of Law
Nicholson Price, Lecturer on Law
Todd D. Rakoff, Professor of Law
J. Mark Ramseyer, Professor of Law
Michele Roberts, Lecturer on Law
Christopher Robertson, Visiting Professor
Stephanie Robinson, Lecturer on Law
Mark J. Roe, Professor of Law
Benjamin N. Roin, Assistant Professor of Law
Mindy Jane Roseman, Lecturer on Law
David Rosenberg, Professor of Law
Diane L. Rosenfeld, Lecturer on Law
William B. Rubenstein, Professor of Law
John Ruggie, Harvard Affiliated Professor
Benjamin I. Sachs, Professor of Law
Michael Sandel, Harvard Affiliated Professor
Frank E.A. Sander, Professor Emeritus
Lewis D. Sargentich, Professor of Law
John F. Savarese, Lecturer on Law
Emily R. Schulman, Lecturer on Law
Hal S. Scott, Professor of Law
David L. Shapiro, Professor Emeritus
Steven Shavell, Professor of Law
Stephen E. Shay, Professor of Practice
Beth Simmons, Harvard Affiliated Professor
Joseph William Singer, Professor of Law
Robert H. Sitkoff, Professor of Law
Jeffrey Skopek, Lecturer on Law
Henry E. Smith, Professor of Law
Mark Somos, Lecturer on Law
Holger Spamann, Assistant Professor of Law
Kathryn E. Spier, Professor of Law
Carol S. Steiker, Professor of Law
Henry J. Steiner, Professor Emeritus
Michael Ashley Stein, Visiting Professor
Matthew C. Stephenson, Professor of Law
Alan A. Stone, M.D., Professor of Law
Seth Stoughton, Climenko Fellow
Leo E. Strine, Jr., Lecturer on Law
Guhan Subramanian, Professor of Law
Jeannie C. Suk, Professor of Law
Ronald S. Sullivan, Clinical Professor of Law
Cass R. Sunstein, Professor of Law
Christopher P. Taggart, Lecturer on Law
James Tierney, Lecturer on Law
Susannah Barton Tobin, Lecturer on Law
Dalia Topelson, Lecturer on Law
Philip L. Torrey, Lecturer on Law
Laurence H. Tribe, Professor of Law
Mark Tushnet, Professor of Law
Dehlia Umunna, Lecturer on Law
Roberto Mangabeira Unger, Professor of Law
Detlev F. Vagts, Professor Emeritus
Adrian Vermeule, Professor of Law
Matthew Wansley, Climenko Fellow
Alvin C. Warren, Professor of Law
Paul C. Weiler, Professor Emeritus
Lloyd L. Weinreb, Professor of Law
Max Weinstein, Lecturer on Law
Scott A. Westfahl, Professor of Practice
Lucie E. White, Professor of Law
Alex Whiting, Professor of Practice
David B. Wilkins, Professor of Law
Lauren Willis, Visiting Professor
Susan R. Holmes Winfield, Lecturer on Law
Virginia Wise, Lecturer on Law
Jonathan J. Wroblewski, Lecturer on Law
Mark Wu, Assistant Professor of Law
Mikhail Xifaras, Visiting Professor
Larry Yackle, Visiting Professor
Jonathan Zittrain, Professor of Law

[delusional]

I would add Wu, Wilkins, and Barron as professors I would highly recommend. Also, I believe that Feldman is off this year.

[ph14]

I would add Wu, Wilkins, and Barron as professors I would highly recommend. Also, I believe that Feldman is off this year.

I added both of them. Leaving Feldman on there in case this list proves useful for future students.

[Searchparty]

Thanks a bunch... and yes, I'm definitely saving this list and using it for future semesters as well.

[tomwatts]

For sure Bordone, at least for the basic Negotiation Workshop, is highly sought after and very well respected among students. That's the most obvious heavily impacted course that's left off the list above.

[kcam1991]

Do you guys have any experience with summer associate money and it affecting your grant package? How severe is the package hit i.e dollar for dollar?

[Stinson]

Do you guys have any experience with summer associate money and it affecting your grant package? How severe is the package hit i.e dollar for dollar?

It wasn't dollar for dollar. I think I got maybe 6-000-8,000 or so less that year IIRC. It will vary from person to person though, depending on how much aid you're getting in the first place.

[wert3813]

Anyone have more to say on Wu? I've heard very positive and very negative stuff.

[Blessedassurance]

Do you guys have any experience with summer associate money and it affecting your grant package? How severe is the package hit i.e dollar for dollar?

http://www.law.harvard.edu/current/sfs/ ... ncome.html

[englawyer]

Do you guys have any experience with summer associate money and it affecting your grant package? How severe is the package hit i.e dollar for dollar?

It wasn't dollar for dollar. I think I got maybe 6-000-8,000 or so less that year IIRC. It will vary from person to person though, depending on how much aid you're getting in the first place.

also depends on age. in some cases, the SA money increase will be matched by an increase in aid because you are older. I forget the exact ages but for like 24-27 or something, the grant aid ratches up 25% each year.

[Doorkeeper]

Does anyone have experience with Separation of Powers for the winter term in terms of workload, and class environment? I'm like #2 on the waitlist and debating whether to switch into it if I can get in. I'm interested in the topic, but worried that it might be a pretty stressful experience, all things considered.