Penn Students Taking Questions Forum

[ymmv]

Hello again,

Does anyone know if there are major differences between the four-credit Corporations classes in the fall versus the three-credit Corporations class in the spring? I assume it covers less material, but any insight would be great. Also, these are the professors, if anyone wants to weigh in:

Bratton
Fisch
Paredes (three credit)
Skeel

Some people believe the 3-credit course is just as much work, but since no one's taken both who knows.

[PennBull]

Skeel is awesome and the most recommended

Bratton is funny and smart but is difficult to follow at times

Fisch is clear and an excellent teacher but you will not have fun at all

[Nelson]

Bratton is entertaining, but Skeel is widely regarded as a great lecturer. Also the main (maybe only) difference between a 3 and 4 credit class is how many class hours per week there are. You'll still have to take an exam either way. The amount covered in most 3 credit classes is usually almost as much/as much as a 4 credit class so the 4th credit is usually a freebie (at least in terms of the amount of shit you have to learn for the exam) assuming you don't mind going to more classes and/or don't go to class that much in general.

[No13baby]

SKEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLL

Also, apparently most of the LLMs take Corps with Fisch, so although the class itself is hard it has a reputation for having an easier curve (I didn't take it with her, so can neither confirm nor deny this).

[Penn16]

SKEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLL

Also, apparently most of the LLMs take Corps with Fisch, so although the class itself is hard it has a reputation for having an easier curve (I didn't take it with her, so can neither confirm nor deny this).

I'll just jump in here since I took Fisch for Corps last fall. She is tough but clear, and you will learn a lot. And yes, she picks on the LLMs all the time in cold-calling and I'm convinced their presence helped me with the curve.

[Nelson]

I think corporations is just a class a lot of LLMs take. I didn't have Fisch but my class was at least 1/4 LLMs.

[DCNTUA]

Thanks for all the helpful tips. It's nice to hear from people who have had these professors.

How do people feel about Robinson? He is teaching an Advanced Criminal Law class that seems cool, but I hear he likes to drop Cs on people.

[PennBull]

Thanks for all the helpful tips. It's nice to hear from people who have had these professors.

How do people feel about Robinson? He is teaching an Advanced Criminal Law class that seems cool, but I hear he likes to drop Cs on people.

Do something more fun with your life

[1880]

Hi, excited to be an incoming 1L in a few weeks!
I've looked back through this thread a decent amount, so apologies if this has already been asked, but I'd love to hear from somebody that's taken language courses while at penn, if anyone here has any experience with that.

Was pretty excited about the whole cross-disciplinary thing at first, but tbh it sounds a little limiting (though I'm a bit biased. At my UG there were no restrictions about classes taken between schools whatsoever). Right, languages. I want to keep up with learning Mandarin if at all possible, but I haven't really heard anyone talk about those few outside penn law credits being used towards languages...
Couldn't fit it in my schedule as a senior UG, took a year off, now afraid if I stay away for too long I'll lose it completely and I'd love to have it on my resume and, uh, not be completely lying. I know 1L obviously this is not a thing but 3L at the very least?
Any comments in general about the quality of language instruction? Speaking specifically to the Mandarin program +1, though pretty sure that's too much to hope for. TYIA!

[Nelson]

Hi, excited to be an incoming 1L in a few weeks!
I've looked back through this thread a decent amount, so apologies if this has already been asked, but I'd love to hear from somebody that's taken language courses while at penn, if anyone here has any experience with that.

Was pretty excited about the whole cross-disciplinary thing at first, but tbh it sounds a little limiting (though I'm a bit biased. At my UG there were no restrictions about classes taken between schools whatsoever). Right, languages. I want to keep up with learning Mandarin if at all possible, but I haven't really heard anyone talk about those few outside penn law credits being used towards languages...
Couldn't fit it in my schedule as a senior UG, took a year off, now afraid if I stay away for too long I'll lose it completely and I'd love to have it on my resume and, uh, not be completely lying. I know 1L obviously this is not a thing but 3L at the very least?
Any comments in general about the quality of language instruction? Speaking specifically to the Mandarin program +1, though pretty sure that's too much to hope for. TYIA!

You can slot it into 2L/3L but it comes out of your cocurricular credits that you may want to use for other things (clinic etc.). They're pretty casual about taking cocurricular classes all you need to do is get permission (from the other department and from the law school) and then work it into your schedule (which can be tough because the other schools use a different schedule). I know someone who took chemistry classes. No info on languages specifically, but Penn's a pretty big university so I'm sure you can find something.

[1880]

You can slot it into 2L/3L but it comes out of your cocurricular credits that you may want to use for other things (clinic etc.). They're pretty casual about taking cocurricular classes all you need to do is get permission (from the other department and from the law school) and then work it into your schedule (which can be tough because the other schools use a different schedule). I know someone who took chemistry classes. No info on languages specifically, but Penn's a pretty big university so I'm sure you can find something.

Gotcha, thanks for the info. Sounds like it'd just take time away from clinics/maybe getting a certificate, so maybe not.

On a completely different note... I know this probably seems like a silly question, but come exam time are there enough outlets for everyone to stay plugged in the whole time? Just checking because I know a lot of people seem to love their macs and some of them have pretty great battery life, so might not be an issue people consider. I, on the other hand, have a power-hungry thing that really needs to be plugged in the whole time, so...
I'd imagine this isn't an issue for exams, but at my UG there were outlets everywhere and I've come to find this isn't always a thing. How about in every classroom?

[Nelson]

On a completely different note... I know this probably seems like a silly question, but come exam time are there enough outlets for everyone to stay plugged in the whole time? Just checking because I know a lot of people seem to love their macs and some of them have pretty great battery life, so might not be an issue people consider. I, on the other hand, have a power-hungry thing that really needs to be plugged in the whole time, so...
I'd imagine this isn't an issue for exams, but at my UG there were outlets everywhere and I've come to find this isn't always a thing. How about in every classroom?

There's one outlet per seat in all of the classrooms (except maybe a couple of tiny seminar rooms), which are where the exams are. For exams, everyone is plugged in regardless.

[1880]

There's one outlet per seat in all of the classrooms (except maybe a couple of tiny seminar rooms), which are where the exams are. For exams, everyone is plugged in regardless.

Awesome, sounds good. Thanks!

[0heL]

can anyone talk to the Distressed Dealmaking Course taught by the Kirkland partners?

[BangShootBang]

Any opinions on Amy Wax for CivPro?

[Auxilio]

Any opinions on Amy Wax for CivPro?

I was talking to a 2L today so described her as a very controversial and driven prof. He didn't go that much into her teaching style etc, just mentioned she was a little infamous for jet views.

[Clearly]

Any opinions on Amy Wax for CivPro?

Haha oh you'll get opinions

[BangShootBang]

Any opinions on Amy Wax for CivPro?

Haha oh you'll get opinions

Care to go into more detail....

[Clearly]

Any opinions on Amy Wax for CivPro?

Haha oh you'll get opinions

Care to go into more detail....

I would not. I didn't have her for Civ Pro and so I'll let those who experienced it first hand share their experiences, but she's certainly considered a polarizing professor here.

[Auxilio]

I would love any opinions etc. on
Baker (Torts)
Gelbach (CivPro)
and Galbraith (contracts)

Thanks

[Clearly]

I would love any opinions etc. on
Baker (Torts)
Gelbach (CivPro)
and Galbraith (contracts)

Thanks

Baker is excellent. A little quirky as an individual, but a great guy and a great professor. PM me and when I get back to philly I'll send you the magic outlines.
Oh. The 24 hour take-home exam is actual torture.

[0heL]

no one knows anything about distressed dealmaking?

[purplepotatopie]

What a great resource of a thread.

Does anyone 2L or beyond have helpful input on section 1 (Wax for Civil Procedures, Wilkinson-Ryan or Hoffman for Contracts, Feldman for Torts)?

Feel free to PM as well.

Also out of curiosity, how does the legal practice skills class work? What is the difference between the professor part of the class and the 3L part?

And finally, is it okay to get old editions of books where they are a much more reasonable price (i.e. is it a significant disadvantage, and if so, is it surmountable with a little extra work)?

Thanks for any info.

[ymmv]

Also out of curiosity, how does the legal practice skills class work? What is the difference between the professor part of the class and the 3L part?

The "professor part" is having PowerPoints read aloud to you. It's a colossal waste of time. The "3L part" can be tremendously helpful if you have a good Littleton fellow, as they can give genuinely useful research tips, job app advice, that sort of thing.

And finally, is it okay to get old editions of books where they are a much more reasonable price (i.e. is it a significant disadvantage, and if so, is it surmountable with a little extra work)?

Depends on the area of law and how much you mind having to do a little page-flipping in class (which is not a big deal if you aren't a trigger-happy gunner type). I would generally say you can safely use old editions for common law courses that rarely change the cases taught - like Contracts, Torts, Crim, and Property - but you should probably stick with more recent editions for Con Law and Admin.

Also consider renting. And after 1L odds are good you won't need casebooks at all.

[PennBull]

Also out of curiosity, how does the legal practice skills class work? What is the difference between the professor part of the class and the 3L part?

The "professor part" is having PowerPoints read aloud to you. It's a colossal waste of time. The "3L part" can be tremendously helpful if you have a good Littleton fellow, as they can give genuinely useful research tips, job app advice, that sort of thing.

And finally, is it okay to get old editions of books where they are a much more reasonable price (i.e. is it a significant disadvantage, and if so, is it surmountable with a little extra work)?

Depends on the area of law and how much you mind having to do a little page-flipping in class (which is not a big deal if you aren't a trigger-happy gunner type). I would generally say you can safely use old editions for common law courses that rarely change the cases taught - like Contracts, Torts, Crim, and Property - but you should probably stick with more recent editions for Con Law and Admin.

Also consider renting. And after 1L odds are good you won't need casebooks at all.

Not necessary during 1L either so long as you have good outlines.