Introduction: Purpose

General Information

Goals

Research Paper Requirement

The overall purpose of this seminar is to explore, from horizon to horizon, the full 180-degree sweep of what we mean by "legal services" and the ways in which they are funded. How (a) has this been done in the past, (b) is it done now, and (c) might it be done in the future?

Otherwise put, what are the range of entrepreneurial and other opportunities open to you once you graduate?

To further explain, the focus is not on the variety of subject matter areas (e.g., patent law, tax law), or activities (e.g., court room litigation, office practice). We will, rather, explore the source of funds and theory of payment. Three examples might include (a) hourly billing for conventional legal work, (b) the contingent fee alternative (that makes quality legal service potentially available to those otherwise unable to afford it), or (c) public interest non-profit lawyers (funded by, say, foundation grants, or settlements and judgments).

Students will be encouraged to be innovative in coming up with new, and as yet untried, ideas for funding legal services.

Enrollment is limited in accordance with the College of Law requirements and registration process regarding seminars.

The experience is designed to serve a variety of students in a variety of ways.

• Some students will approach the seminar from a realization that the 21st Century is much less likely to provide “jobs” (in the 1950s sense), and more likely to demand entrepreneurial creativity.  The seminar will help them to think of innovative ways to support themselves financially.

• Some may think in terms of more traditional jobs with traditional law firms, but want to focus a bit more on the economic realities before they show up for work.

• And some will be thinking of “justice for all,” and methods of funding legal services for the poor or other “public interest” representation.

Papers will be required, and will, ultimately, become part of a Web site with the student work, and links to other resources, as a service of the University of Iowa College of Law to the legal profession.

 Last year's Web site, with links to student work, is available if you'd like to look at it.

Preparation of papers will require meeting a number of "milepost" deadlines throughout the semester, with penalties for late completion. A memo explaining the process in detail will be available prior to the beginning of the fall semester.

• Examples of mileposts include selection of topic, completion of initial research, preparation of an outline (or rough first draft), first draft, and (in accordance with the College of Law's requirement for seminar credit) final draft, an oral presentation to the class, and preparation of the paper for Web posting.

• In other words, preparation of the paper is not something that can be postponed to the end of the semester.

Casebook: There is no assigned casebook as such. Seminar readings will, to the extent possible, be drawn from the Internet (plus Westlaw and Lexis). The initial reading assignments are now posted as a link from the main class Web page. Others will be found and shared with seminar participants by students, either in connection with papers or generally.

Class meeting: The seminar meets Thursday afternoons, 3:30-5:30 p.m. in Room 125.

Contacts:  Feel free to stop in Mr. Johnson’s office (BLB 445) any time the door is open.  Or, if you prefer, you may make an appointment.  The best phone number for voice messages is 337-5555.  His e-mail address is njohnson@inav.net  His assistant is Jessie Kriebs, Room 433, 335-9091, jessie-kriebs@uiowa.edu. You are neither obliged nor encouraged to find out more about him, but for the benefit of any who may be curious, his Web page has links to, as he puts it, "more than even my mother would ever have wanted to know about me," including entire books and prior class Web sites. It is http://www.nicholasjohnson.org