Boalt 1Ls taking questions Forum

[Sav]

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[Kronk]

Thanks, pkt66! Did any 2Ls or 3Ls have Bundy for Civ Pro and what is the best supplement for his teaching and exams?

He's a great teacher. I just used the Civil Procedure E&E for his class as a supplement. I didn't really do that much with it to be honest, just went through it, did the practice problems, and sue the parts that talked about the cases that we went over in class. Outlined from there moreso than the class notes or anything and took the test.

Thanks, Kronk. This is what bundy said today, "There are several overview texts that some students have found helpful. I have no personal experience, but some swear by J. Glannon, Civil Procedure: Examples and Explanations, while others recommend G. Shreve and P. Raven-Hansen, Understanding Civil Procedure." I was wondering which of the two to get.

I don't know but I honestly don't think it will matter I think supplements are mostly a matter of preference unless the author that wrote your text book also wrote the supplement. It's black letter law, they all mostly cover the same cases. I would just get the E&E, but maybe just look at Amazon reviews and make a decision.

[pkt63]

I have a Glannon's Guide to Civil Procedure (not E&E), and Acing Civil Procedure, both of which I would part with for cheap, if you are interested. Though in the interest of full disclosure, the library also has a number of supplements that you can borrow and use for free for up to like 4 hours (although you can't leave the library with them).

[Sav]

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[Kronk]

Don't know about Torts. I didn't use a supplement and it was my best grade. There isn't much black letter law there, it's wishy washy and I don't know that a supplement is necessary. I would go with the one your professor said.

[worldtraveler]

i'm curious how ppl find the crime at berkeley - i was reading the online version of the daily cal, and it seems like muggings/strong arm robberies are disturbingly frequent on/in direct proximity of campus. any empirical insight would be great...

Had a friend who got robbed twice in one year. Just really terrible luck on his part. The name of the game is, when you walk outside at night, you walk with friends. Never heard of a group of people getting into trouble that way.

eek whereabouts was he robbed, if it's okay to ask?

I have a friend who was mugged last year about a block and a half from the law school at dusk (wasn't even dark yet). I also know of a couple of other people robbed on or near campus. Maybe I just know people who get robbed all the time.

I think the biggest target is people using i-phones or other fancy electronics while walking around the streets as it's easy to steal those. Avoid that, and it should be fine. I've been at Berkeley 3 years and I don't know of anyone who was seriously injured anywhere near campus. I've also never had problems myself and I walk around all the time at night.

[Sav]

?

[Tanicius]

Having a really hard time in Bundy's Civ Pro class. I spend the most time reading for this class over others, and write out my briefs completely on paper, yet cannot follow the tangential issues others seem to do, and also the little details he brings up in class. Anyone have this experience and what is the best way to tackle the problem? More time reading does not seem to be the answer for me. Is this where study aids come in?

Chill. The vast majority of these details are not things anyone will remember on the test. You're doing more than fine by doing all the reading and writing briefs. Within a few weeks I will be very surprised if you continue to brief cases. Doing the reading, paying attention in class, and taking maybe a page of notes per class session should serve you well in just about every class you ever take.

[Sav]

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[Kronk]

Having a really hard time in Bundy's Civ Pro class. I spend the most time reading for this class over others, and write out my briefs completely on paper, yet cannot follow the tangential issues others seem to do, and also the little details he brings up in class. Anyone have this experience and what is the best way to tackle the problem? More time reading does not seem to be the answer for me. Is this where study aids come in?

Haha, I walked into that class every day thinking that I had that class dialed in and he left me behind at the starting line each time. I wasn't getting it until like territorial jurisdiction and minimum contacts discussions. I think a lot of it is just the way he has structured the class, if it's still the same.

Anyway, I still got a good grade, so just keep plugging away. Don't even need to brief casses. Just read carefully and don't worry about it. The E&E is good for practice problems I think, so if you really want to maybe do that but I didn't start outlining until week ten or so.

[Sav]

!

[Kronk]

Thanks, Where can we get sample outlines to see what it should look like? I'll try reading the E&E but i don't see where anyone has the time to read anything other than the cases!

I think you'll get much faster at reading the cases.

I don't know if these sites are the exact same, but here are some older Boalt outlines. http://www.boalt.org/outlines.html and http://www.boalt.org/outlines/

[SaintsTheMetal]

Could anyone in this thread comment on their PS they used to apply to Berkeley? Did you write a double length (4 page) PS for Berkeley, or did you just use the standard 2 page PS that every other school expects.

I feel very good about my 2 page PS, but I'm not sure if Berkeley would think I'm lazy for using that one and not getting to their length limit of 4 pages.

Thanks, the more feedback the better on this one.

[Tanicius]

Could anyone in this thread comment on their PS they used to apply to Berkeley? Did you write a double length (4 page) PS for Berkeley, or did you just use the standard 2 page PS that every other school expects.

I feel very good about my 2 page PS, but I'm not sure if Berkeley would think I'm lazy for using that one and not getting to their length limit of 4 pages.

Thanks, the more feedback the better on this one.

Nah you're good dude. Mine was about 2 and 1/4 pages. As long as you impress the folks who read it, length doesn't matter.

[Kronk]

Could anyone in this thread comment on their PS they used to apply to Berkeley? Did you write a double length (4 page) PS for Berkeley, or did you just use the standard 2 page PS that every other school expects.

I feel very good about my 2 page PS, but I'm not sure if Berkeley would think I'm lazy for using that one and not getting to their length limit of 4 pages.

Thanks, the more feedback the better on this one.

I just did the 2 page one as well. I thought it was solid and if I added stuff it would've been more likely to make it a mess than make it better.

[Rotor]

Could anyone in this thread comment on their PS they used to apply to Berkeley? Did you write a double length (4 page) PS for Berkeley, or did you just use the standard 2 page PS that every other school expects.

I feel very good about my 2 page PS, but I'm not sure if Berkeley would think I'm lazy for using that one and not getting to their length limit of 4 pages.

Thanks, the more feedback the better on this one.

I wrote a 3.25 pager that was 100% Berkeley specific (but using the core kernel from my main 2 pager). Because my GPA was below 25th %ile and my LSAT was below median, I felt I had to really sell myself on why I was a good fit for B. If B is a reach (or super-reach as it was for my #s), you may want to do more. But I agree with Tanicius quality >>> quantity.

[mushybrain]

Does anyone have insight on Torts with Schwartz? He has started using PowerPoints and is kind enough to put them on bspace, but I find it overwhelming because it's largely long direct quotes from the Restatements and he spends a lot of time reading them verbatim. And then he stands up there and reads hypos from the Restatements word for word. I don't know if it's the teaching method or what but I feel like I'm missing the big picture in this class and not really absorbing anything while drowning in giant Restatement quotes. I feel as though I understand the cases fine but it isn't coming together for me like it's beginning to in my other courses.

I haven't been able to find an outline for his course so figured I'd ask here. I haven't met many 2Ls or 3Ls yet so if anyone can help me locate that and a more recent Bundy CivPro outline than what's online I would be eternally grateful.

[Kronk]

Torts isn't really like crim or whatever in that there are specific elements of each issue. It's just reasonableness standards again and again. I would just chill with it.

[pkt63]

Torts isn't really like crim or whatever in that there are specific elements of each issue. It's just reasonableness standards again and again. I would just chill with it.

I agree. Torts pissed me off for the first half of the semester, and then I did really, really well. And even after the final, I didn't think I had done that well. Hang in there...

[mushybrain]

Thanks, that makes me feel better.

[bilbobaggins]

Could anyone in this thread comment on their PS they used to apply to Berkeley? Did you write a double length (4 page) PS for Berkeley, or did you just use the standard 2 page PS that every other school expects.

I feel very good about my 2 page PS, but I'm not sure if Berkeley would think I'm lazy for using that one and not getting to their length limit of 4 pages.

Thanks, the more feedback the better on this one.

I felt the same way, did the same thing and got in via the faculty review committee.

[goldenflash19]

Is Boalt worth sticker? It's by far my dream school, and I want to work in California post-grad. If I'm lucky enough to get accepted, though, it would be at sticker. I have my application all ready to send but am having a few second thoughts because of the price. If any Boalties could offer me some insight, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[worldtraveler]

Is Boalt worth sticker? It's by far my dream school, and I want to work in California post-grad. If I'm lucky enough to get accepted, though, it would be at sticker. I have my application all ready to send but am having a few second thoughts because of the price. If any Boalties could offer me some insight, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Just send it and see what happens. Take it one step at a time.

[mushybrain]

Agreed, send first, decide later. I don't think that's a good decision to make until you know what your options are. Maybe you'll get some massive scholarship elsewhere you just can't pass up. But maybe you won't, or not to a school you're willing to skip Boalt for, and you'll regret not even trying Berkeley. If it's your dream school, apply.

[timeandspace11]

Thank you for answering questions.

1. I know graduate degree GPAs don't count in LSAC GPA report, and I know LSAT and UG GPA are the most important factors, but can a master's degree provide an edge? How about an internship (I work for my state's Democratic Party headquarters)?

2. Also do you enjoy the area where you live? Is it possible to get around without a car?