Summer Career Connections at SAVY 2018: Session 4, Day 5 – Think Like a Lawyer (Rising 7th)
It’s a wrap, and Think Like a Lawyer is over. Think of what you knew about our legal system at the beginning of the week, and compare it to what you know now. We began with the Constitution and the roles of the branches of our government. We learned about Article I and Congress’s enumerated powers. One of these is the Commerce Clause, about which we learned the aggregate principle from Wickard v. Filburn. We also learned about the Federal Bank in McCulloch v. Maryland, and that the Necessary and Proper Clause did not mean absolutely necessary.
Day two we learned about searches under the Fourth Amendment. Remember, a search is an invasion of a reasonable expectation of privacy, and that reasonable is determined by considering what subjective and objective expectations of privacy there are. Day two was also Contracts day, and you all came up with some clever agreements. We learned that some agreements must be in writing, like those for more than $500, for real property, or for agreements that cannot be completed within one year. Afterwards, we learned how every contract requires offer, acceptance and consideration, and that consideration means a “bargained for exchange.” But what about those promises that for some reason don’t amount to enforceable contracts? For those types of problems, don’t forget the equitable doctrines like promissory estoppel and unjust enrichment.
The third day was my favorite subject, property. We covered the four rights in the bundle of property rights, as well as the elements for nuisance. We spent a lot of time diving deep into the subject of eminent domain. We learned about how Washington, D.C. condemned the Southwestern quadrant and moved out a vulnerable population to redevelop the area. From there, we read about how Hawaii took land from lessors to give them to lessees. Justice O’Connor found this was a valid public use, and her reasoning would be later used in the Kelo v. City of New London decision, for which we listened to the oral argument in class.
Yesterday we studied torts, including assault, battery, trespass to chattels and negligence. This class was super rule heavy, but we stuck it out and kept track of all the different rules’ different elements. We tested our capacity to employ the rules by watching The Incredibles. There were many passionate arguments made on all sides.
Today, the class took the reins. Students prepared presentations on subjects varying from copyright, patent and trademark law; to the law on duress, misrepresentation and unconscionability; to res ipsa loquitor, false imprisonment, and the intentional infliction of emotional distress. Students read cases independently and did a great job thinking like a lawyer in organizing their presentations.
I hope parents enjoyed seeing what our class put together, and I hope your conversations about what they learned during the day has left you feeling like Think Like a Lawyer was a good choice. I truly appreciate the hard work, engagement and effort from everyone this last week of class, and I know you are going to do great things with your future. I wish you a great summer and nothing but success. It’s a wrap!
Sincerely,
Mr. Richards
Getting Open House Ready