This course, which is divided into two parts (Law in Literature & Law as Informed by Literature), will foster an appreciation of law as a literary profession and the obligation of every lawyer to commit to a lifetime of reading, writing, learning and professionalism through the study of various literary texts. Readings will include classic works by Franz Kafka, Harper Lee, and Herman Melville, as well as contemporary authors, such as John Grisham, Saul Bellow, and modern judges and scholars. Topics covered during the first part include the depiction of law, the legal system and the role and humanity of lawyers in literature. Topics covered during the second part include the role of literature and narrative techniques to enhance persuasion. As part of this course, students will complete five short essay assignments, one creative writing assignment, and a substantial scholarly paper involving a topic of choice based on a text authorized by the Professor. The scholarly paper, which may be used to satisfy the Upper Level Writing Requirement, is worth 50% of the course grade (allocated as 35% for the final written paper and 15% for the oral presentation of the “work in progress” mid-semester). No previous background in the study of literature is required and certain class sessions will be devoted to reviewing the process of researching and writing a scholarly paper.
The instructor of this course has talked about their experience of course design and delivery; see https://web.archive.org/web/20220429140742/https://sites.law.duq.edu/juris/2018/06/14/qa-with-professor-julia-glencer-law-literature-and-the-media/.
This information has been collected for the Post-Discipline Online Syllabus Database. The database explores the use of literature by schools of professional education in North America. It forms part of a larger project titled Post-Discipline: Literature, Professionalism, and the Crisis of the Humanities, led by Dr Merve Emre with the assistance of Dr Hayley G. Toth. You can find more information about the project at https://postdiscipline.english.ox.ac.uk/. Data was collected and accurate in 2021/22.
History
Subject Area
Law
Geographic Region
Middle Atlantic
University or College
Duquesne University
Funding Status
Private
Endowment (according to NACUBO's U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change* in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20) ($1,000)
472072
Annual Tuition and Mandatory Fees 2021-2022 ($) (Resident; Non-resident, where applicable)
51282
Course Title
Advanced Legal Writing: Law as a Literary Profession
Terminal Degree of Instructor(s)
JD
Position of Instructor(s)
Assistant Professor of Legal Research and Writing
Academic Year(s) Active
unclear, but ongoing
Course Enrolment
12
Primary Works on Reading List
Works by Franz Kafka, Harper Lee, and Herman Melville, as well as contemporary authors, such as John Grisham and Saul Bellow, and modern judges and scholars.