The goals vary with the courses. Civil Procedure is an introductory survey of a vast area ranging from Middle English common law writs to state procedure to federal procedure, covering everything from jurisdiction to judgments. There, I hope students get a basic foundation on which to build in later classes and practice, and the ability to see problem-solving as a blend of substantive law and procedure. This contrasts significantly with federal courts, where we do an in-depth and focused study of federal jurisdiction under the Constitution and federal statutes. My goal here is to prepare federal litigators for areas like employment law, intellectual property, environmental law, civil rights, criminal defense, and complex litigation. In all my courses, I hope the students learn to see the law both for its formal structure and its tactical use in solving clients’ problems.
