Mountain ridge

  • ‘Tis fifty years since

    Thanks to Alan Treleaven for sending me an interesting news item from the US National Center for State Courts (NCSC) that announced ‘the formation of an 18-month study committee that will examine the state of legal education and bar admission processes in the United States along with the decline in attorneys dedicating their careers to…

  • Redivivus

    To all three of my readers, apologies for my disappearance over the past year and more. Many things intervened, including job changes, illness, house moves ending up here on the Isle of Skye; the acquisition of a giant collie and a motorbike (more of which anon), the renewal of old acquaintances, Hannah Arendt, Adam Ferguson…

  • SC Workshop: Final plenary

    First, a word about the two sessions that weren’t recorded, namely the demo interview with Alexis Callen as lawyer and Dana Mohr as SC, and the panel: Alexis, Dana, Joan Rilling.  Alexis did exceptionally well as a 1L lawyer, and Dana was first rate at enacting the client, and then switching into feedback mode with…

  • SC Workshop: Simulated clients in PREP

    The final presentation of the workshop, from Erica Green and Angela Yenssen.  For background, see PREP.  Erica gave us a short overview of the PREP model (spiral learning, TELL > SHOW > PRACTICE > PERFORM > REFLECT > DEMONSTRATE). SCs were introduced throughout the 4 phases of the program thus: Phase 1: Foundation Modules LSIA…

  • SC Workshop: Making students client-ready: A new model in legal education

    John was the initiator of this radical bar program (running since 2005) in New Hampshire, working with the Supreme Court of NH to produce what has been a sigificant innovation in US legal education.  The graduates of the program achieve admission to the New Hampshire bar based upon demonstrated mastery of practical legal skills and…

  • SC Workshop: demo interview & panel

    In these two sessions we’re focusing on how things look from the (student) lawyer and SC perspectives.  In the interview, our student did a superb job with a difficult scenario, which didn’t have an obviously legal solution to it, and required a bit more information to understand what seemed to be a straightforward storyline.  Our…

  • SC Workshop: Noel Semple

    Noel talked about his use of SCs at Windsor U Law JD program, in the Windsor Legal Practice Simulation (WLPS) which he directs.  It is a mandatory course for all 160 1L students. It takes place over 4 days in November, during which time the students have no other classes.  Simulated clients are an integral part…

  • SC Workshop: Plenary

    It’s Friday 29 April, and our long-planned SC Workshop (SCW) is starting.  It’s hosted by Angela Yenssen and myself.  Angela is a Toronto lawyer, used to be my wonderful RA, and worked with me on many projects including SC projects at Osgoode.  She’ll be chairing most sessions, and I’ll be liveblogging the sessions where I…

  • Invitation to our Osgoode Sim Client Workshop

    For the last four years or so I’ve been working on a variety of projects with faculty in Osgoode Hall Law School & Osgoode Professional Development (OPD) and in Ontario more generally, and with regulators across Canada.  One project is the use of Sim Clients (SCs) in JD legal education, primary professional courses and CPD…