Critical Legal Analysis
Instructor Manual • Summer 2026

Course-specific information and resources for this accelerated 7-week legal analysis and writing course.

Where to Begin

Getting Started

CLA student population, course approach, and special considerations

Student context, this course's pedagogical framework, red flags, and intervention strategies specific to this population.

Session Guides

Phase-by-phase lesson plans with activities

Detailed outlines for all 14 sessions, including learning objectives, minute-by-minute timelines, discussion questions, and facilitation notes.

Feedback Strategies

Effective, efficient student feedback

How to provide feedback that promotes learning, manage your workload, and use comment libraries effectively. Includes sample comments.

Course at a Glance

7-Week Accelerated Format

14 sessions (150 minutes each). Sessions 1-6, 8, 10, 12, 14 are in-person. Sessions 7, 9, 11, 13 are remote synchronous.

Three-Phase Structure

  • Phase 1: Foundations (Sessions 1–6)—Critical reading, rule extraction, CREAC structure, PS1
  • Phase 2: Synthesis (Sessions 7–10)—Multi-issue analysis, precedent use, PS2, ICA1
  • Phase 3: Integration (Sessions 11–14)—Statutory interpretation, PS3, ICA2

Major Assessments

  • Problem Set 1: Contracts (6 MCQ + 3 SA + Essay)
  • Problem Set 2: Torts (8 MCQ + 3 SA + Medium-Answer + Essay)
  • Problem Set 3: Employment (9 MCQ + 3 SA + Medium-Answer + Essay)
  • In-Class Assessment 1: 75-minute hybrid Part A + Part B format
  • In-Class Assessment 2: 75-minute two-task performance format
  • Reflection Journal: Study logs and self-assessments
  • Professionalism: Attendance, participation, and responsiveness to feedback

Core Pedagogical Approach

This course serves struggling law students who need explicit instruction and structured support. The approach rests on three pillars:

Explicit Instruction

Never assume students know how to synthesize rules or construct CREAC paragraphs. Make invisible processes visible through modeling, think-alouds, and step-by-step breakdowns.

Scaffolded Practice

Start with heavy support (templates, sentence stems, worked examples) and gradually release responsibility. By Phase 3, students self-monitor using internalized criteria.

Deliberate Feedback

Feedback is the primary instructional tool. It must be specific, actionable, prioritized, and returned within 48-72 hours while work is fresh in students' minds.

Jump to Common Tasks

Preparing for Class

Grading & Feedback

Understanding Assessments

Supporting Students

Course Preparation

Before the course begins: Read the Getting Started guide, review all Session Outlines, and set up your feedback system (comment library, grading templates). Plan 30 minutes prep time before each session.