208.9 sec. 004 - Fundamentals of U.S. Law (Fall 2025)
Instructor: Samantha Jacobs (view instructor's teaching evaluations - degree students only)
View all teaching evaluations for this course - degree students only
Units: 3
Grading Designation: Graded
Mode of Instruction: In-Person
Meetings:
TuTh 2:10 PM - 3:25 PM
Location: Law 110
From August 18, 2025
To December 01, 2025
ThF 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Law 100
From August 14, 2025
To August 15, 2025
Course End: December 01, 2025
Class Number: 32524
Enrollment info:
Enrolled: 0
Waitlisted: 0
Enroll Limit: 100
As of: 05/03 02:45 PM
Fundamentals of U.S. Law introduces foreign law students to the American legal system, common-law method of case analysis, and U.S. forms of governance. Orientation week classes focus primarily on (1) the structure of the American court system and sources of law and (2) case analysis through the study of the development of one area of legal doctrine. Students will learn how to read cases, find and synthesize holdings, and predict outcomes based on common law development. Classes during the rest of the semester will focus on the principal Constitutional doctrines that underpin the American legal and political system, including federalism and separation of powers, with a focus on how American law interacts with global concerns. Throughout the course, students will practice skills that will help them succeed in law school, on the bar examination, and in practice.
This course will meet as follows:
Thursday, August 14th 9AM-12PM
Friday, August 15th 9AM-12PM
Then Tuesdays and Thursdays, August 19th-December 1st 2:10-3:25PM
This course is taught by Sam Jacobs, a professor of Legal Research and Writing in the LLM program at UC Berkeley, a lecturer at USF School of Law.
Exam Notes: (F) In-class Final Exam
(Subject to change by faculty member only through the first two weeks of instruction)
Exam Length: 3 hours
Course Category: LL.M.-Only Classes
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