Legal English
This (non-credit) language-based class is offered during the fall semester. The eight-session class meets twice a week for a one-month period early in the fall semester to provide international entering students with a structured forum in which to practice legal discourse skills used in the U.S. law school classroom. Each week, students will verbally present cases in preparation for active participation in the law school classroom. In class, students will analyze and discuss the structure of selected U.S. statutes and written opinions. Students will closely examine court opinions in order to develop strategies to identify the parties, causes of action, relief sought, issues, legally significant facts, procedural history, holdings, dicta, rules, and other essential aspects of U.S. case law. Students will also discuss the role of hypotheticals in law school classrooms and will respond to hypotheticals based upon the cases that the students will be analyzing in class. Students will be individually critiqued. The main focus of the course is to improve each student’s ability to clearly present and discuss American law in the U.S. law school classroom.
Discussion Groups
In spring, the Law School offers informal discussion groups that provide a forum for improving English fluency and oral communication skills in a supportive, small-group setting in which students receive individual feedback. Students do not receive academic credit for participation. Meeting times will be announced in spring in the Law School Docket.
The University also hosts informal conversation groups for international graduate students interested in using their English conversational skills. These groups provide lively conversation in English and the opportunity to interact with graduate students from other Divisions of the University.
Prior to the LL.M.
Students interested in improving their English language skills prior to the LL.M. program, may be interested in NYU's American Language Institute. The Institute is one of the many schools and programs in New York and throughout the U.S. that offer English language instruction during the summer months and throughout the academic year.
