4.7
stars
1,287 ratings

Ian Ayres

141,043 already enrolled

Offered By

A Law Student's Toolkit

Yale University

About this Course

38,569 recent views

Whether you are an advanced law student looking to review the basics, or an aspiring law student looking for head start, this course will help you build the foundation you will need to succeed in law school and beyond. This course will introduce you to terminology, concepts, and tools lawyers and legal academics use to make their arguments. It will help you follow these arguments—and make arguments of your own.
This course consists of a series of short lectures and assignments. A reading list complements each lesson, providing you with a roadmap to help you explore the subject matter more deeply on your own. Although the lessons may cross-reference each other, they are modular in nature: you should feel free to approach them in whatever order fits your schedule, interests, and needs.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Approx. 16 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Vietnamese, German, Russian, English, Spanish

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Approx. 16 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Vietnamese, German, Russian, English, Spanish

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.75/5 (219 Ratings)

Ian Ayres

William K. Townsend Professor

Yale Law School

180,016 Learners

3 Courses

Offered by

Yale University

For more than 300 years, Yale University has inspired the minds that inspire the world. Based in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale brings people and ideas together for positive impact around the globe. A research university that focuses on students and encourages learning as an essential way of life, Yale is a place for connection, creativity, and innovation among cultures and across disciplines.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating96%(11,562 ratings)

Week

Week 1

1 hour to complete

Introduction

An overview of what you will learn, how it will help you, and how to get the most from it.

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 7 min), 3 readings

6 hours to complete

Categories and Distinctions

Dichotomies and oppositions that will help you categorize legal rules and frame policy questions.

6 hours to complete

11 videos (Total 79 min), 8 readings, 4 quizzes

Week

Week 2

4 hours to complete

Law and . . .

Interactions between the law and academic disciplines such as economics, philosophy, and psychology.

4 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 71 min), 10 readings, 1 quiz

2 hours to complete

Legal Structures

Fundamental frameworks of legal analysis and procedure.

2 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 36 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz

Week

Week 3

1 hour to complete

Evidentiary Tools

Concepts from the law of evidence that can help you respond to questions and make compelling arguments

1 hour to complete

2 videos (Total 12 min), 2 readings

2 hours to complete

Preparation Tools

The tools you need to get the most out of law school.

2 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 32 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes

28 minutes to complete

Postscript

28 minutes to complete

2 videos (Total 8 min), 2 readings

Reviews

4.7

374 reviews

5 stars
78.96%
4 stars
16.10%
3 stars
2.77%
2 stars
0.92%
1 star
1.23%

TOP REVIEWS FROM A LAW STUDENT'S TOOLKIT

by MKJul 6, 2017

Great course. Very useful skills and helpful lessons. Definitely a lot of work and the lectures aren't incredibly intuitive, but useful if you are preparing for your first year of law school.

by JPDec 15, 2020

Very informative. Not for a beginner. The readings took much longer than estimated in the syllabus. Peer grading can be challenging. Much heavier workload than I expected but well worth it.

by CTOct 14, 2018

The course is gorgeous!!! Although I am an experienced lawyer in my country it was an excellent training for my brains, more over, the lectures were really very interesting!!! Strongly recommended!!!

by HKMar 28, 2016

I enjoyed this course but you really need to have some legal background to get the most out of it. The assignments were worth the time they took and I learned a lot trying to grade my fellow students.

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

A Law Student's Toolkit

A Law Student's Toolkit

About this Course