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Abstract:
This article presents a model for an LL.M. preparatory course for international law students. The course is for nonnative speakers of English at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. However, the same course could be the basis for an introduction to law and law school for native speakers preparing to enter law school or other legal studies at the graduate or undergraduate level. Students in the course have included visiting professors and students entering advanced degree programs such as J.S.D. and S.J.D. programs, which are equivalent to a Ph.D. program.

As the number of international students at U.S. law schools grows, law school communities can benefit from preparatory programs that adequately prepare international students for the language and cultural demands these students will face. General intensive language programs and linguistic programs focusing on English for Academic Purposes (EAP) are available, but they are not designed to address the unique needs of law students. A number of linguistic programs and U.S. law school programs exist, and law schools with international students should consider the pros and cons of sending students to an existing program or establishing their own in-house program.

The authors hope to generate further discussion about how to best prepare international students for the demands of a U.S. law school and the practice of law in a culturally diverse environment.

English for Lawyers, LL.M., preparatory course, international law students, introduction to law, introduction to law school, legal education, legal

Abstract:
In his essay, The 'Ideograph: A Link Between Rhetoric and Ideology', Michael Calvin McGee proposes that our system of beliefs is shaped through and expressed by words. We are consciously and unconsciously conditioned and controlled by the words we hear and use. Words carry ideology and convey and create meaning. Like Chinese characters, words are 'ideographs that 'signify' and 'contain' a unique ideological commitment', that is frequently unquestioned. McGee also suggests that by understanding that a single word can carry ideology and that ideology can be expressed in a single word, we are better able to expose and evaluate ideology and choose to accept or reject such ideology. However, if we fail to recognize the ideographic nature of words, we risk creating and promoting a reality that is removed from our system of beliefs. For the legal community, McGee's theory of ideograph is an important tool to understand legal argument and to construct arguments that effectively persuade decision-makers. When lawyers and law students select a particular word, we consciously and unconsciously express a certain view of reality. Our choice of words can help to resolve conflict and create conflict. Words shape our jurisprudence. Through this article, I hope to summarize McGee's theory. To illustrate, I model how McGee's theory can develop a lawyer's critical thinking and writing skills by identifying the ideographs in the cases prior to Modrovich v. Allegheny Count and by applying these ideographs to analyze the Modrovich case and the various court documents filed in the dispute. I also use these materials to offer practical suggestions as to how ideographic analysis could be used to construct legal documents. Finally, I conclude with some thoughts on how ideographic analysis might be used in legal education, focusing particularly on how they could be used to teach legal writing.

legal writing, instruction, legal argument, words, meaning, rhetoric, ideology, ideographic analysis, Michael Calvin McGee, language, understanding, jurisprudence

Abstract:
Individualized instruction is a major component of Professor Ann Sinsheimer’s Legal Analysis and Writing course. While the class meets as a group to cover the general principles for legal analysis and the format for legal documents, such as memorandum and appellate briefs, Professor Sinsheimer also meets with students several times a semester for individual conferences. It is during these one-on-one sessions that much learning occurs. In this work, Professor Sinsheimer shares her effective individualized instruction method.

legal writing, legal analysis, legal education, individualized instruction, legal instruction, methodology, individual conferences, student conferences, student-teacher conferences, legal analysis and writing, law school, teaching, law students

Abstract:
While our understanding of legal English as used in professional or legislative contexts has been growing, our understanding of English in academic legal contexts is very limited. Moreover, research in English for Academic Purposes has focused largely on areas other than law and therefore often does not apply. This is particularly true for research paper writing, given the discourse conventions of legal research or seminar papers. The study presented here offers an analysis of published student-written legal research papers, which can serve as a model for the teaching of seminar paper writing. After a discussion of some general characteristics of these research papers, we focus our detailed analysis on the introductory sections, and show how they are both similar to and different from those found in research article (RA) introductions as described in Swales (1990).

English for specific purposes, ESP, legal English, academia, law, academic legal English, legal context, legal research papers, student-written, academic legal research writing, law students

Abstract:
In this paper, I examine the impact of three language theories, nomenclaturism, segregationalism, and integrationalism, on our view of language. Specifically, I examine ‘'English Only'’ laws and the way in which the legal community has relied on language theories, implicitly and explicitly, in responding to these laws. The ‘'English Only'’ issue illustrates that the elements of 'a language' are diverse and highly contextualized, and, therefore, I propose that the principle of integrationalism is the best way to study the complex, multidimensional nature of language.