What do you think?
Rate this book
Law School for Everyone: Litigation, Criminal Law, Civil Procedure, and Torts
To many people, the law is both powerful and mysterious. We depend on lawyers to help us navigate rules, standards, and procedural codes that have been around for hundreds of years. Because we depend on their specialized skills in argumentation, logic, and critical thinking, we may wonder how they come to know so much about the inner workings of the law.
The law school. The refined skills lawyers wield every day in courtrooms across the country are the result of years of study. As much as we’d like to cultivate these very same skills, the truth is that you cannot know how a lawyer thinks and works without studying the law itself.
Even if you have no intention of joining the legal profession, learning how American law works, and how lawyers and judges operate within that law, is a critical part of any well-rounded citizen’s understanding of one of the central foundations of the American experiment.
Two things, however, keep many of us from attending law money and time. Law school is notoriously costly and typically results in hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt. Also, students are required to give years of their lives to studying how the law works—a commitment that involves tackling mountains of required reading every night.
Law School for Everyone brings four exceptional professors from four of the nation’s most distinguished law schools right to you, providing you with much of the foundational knowledge of expert lawyers without the enormous time and financial commitments. Over the span of 48 lectures, these experienced lawyers and teachers recreate key parts of the first-year student experience, introducing you to four main areas of law most every beginning student
litigation and legal practice,
criminal law and procedure,
civil procedure, and
torts.
Enriched with famous cases from the annals of American law, powerful arguments by some of history’s most successful lawyers, and Supreme Court rulings that provide insights into how our legal system has evolved since the nation’s founding, Law School for Everyone will teach you how to approach the law from the perspective of the best attorneys and high-court judges. Most No law degree is required for you to gain access to this intimidating—but surprisingly rich and exciting—field.
Litigation and Legal Practice
Law School for Everyone is organized into four 12-lecture sections that explore, in-depth, one of the cornerstones of a first-year law school student’s experience. Each section is delivered by a law professor who specializes in teaching their respective subjects.
You’ll start with 12 lectures on litigation and legal practice. Delivered by Professor Molly Bishop Shadel of the University of Virginia School of Law, this section offers a valuable orientation to the study of law. You’ll explore how our legal system is the direct result of democratic values, how the system works, and why we teach law the way we do.
“Over time, our system has achieved some amazing protections for civil rights, free speech, equal protection, due process, the right of each citizen to vote—innovations which keep our social fabric strong,” Professor Shadel says. “And each one of these social goods is the direct result of litigation.”
These lectures offer eye-opening answers to many questions about the subtle art and craft of litigation and the behind-the-scenes lives of lawyers. Questions
What are some dilemmas a lawyer can face when representing clients?
How does a lawyer craft an exceptional opening and closing argument?
How do lawyers handle issues like jury selection and problematic evidence?
When—and why—do lawyers raise objections during a trial?
You’ll also be prompted to rethink – and perhaps change – previously held conceptions about how lawyers work, and about the issues they struggle with each and every time they step in the courtroom.
Professor Shadel’s lectures prompt you to think
the place our judicial system occupies in the balance of powers;
the importance of credibility, logic, and pathos in the construction of an argument;
whether or not someone who committed a crime should be released on appeal due to procedural errors; and
why some trials, such as the Scopes trial or the O.J. Simpson case, capture the public imagination while others don’t.
By the time you finish these lectures, you’ll realize with startling clarity why legal training is valuable well beyond the courtroom and the other places lawyers work.
“If you can think like a lawyer, you have gained valuable insight into how things get done in this country,” Professor Shadel says. “And if you can think like a courtroom lawyer, then you are able to apply that knowledge quickly and use it to articulate your positions aloud. That’s a valuable skillset for anyone to have, particularly in a representative democracy such as ours.”
...
The law school. The refined skills lawyers wield every day in courtrooms across the country are the result of years of study. As much as we’d like to cultivate these very same skills, the truth is that you cannot know how a lawyer thinks and works without studying the law itself.
Even if you have no intention of joining the legal profession, learning how American law works, and how lawyers and judges operate within that law, is a critical part of any well-rounded citizen’s understanding of one of the central foundations of the American experiment.
Two things, however, keep many of us from attending law money and time. Law school is notoriously costly and typically results in hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt. Also, students are required to give years of their lives to studying how the law works—a commitment that involves tackling mountains of required reading every night.
Law School for Everyone brings four exceptional professors from four of the nation’s most distinguished law schools right to you, providing you with much of the foundational knowledge of expert lawyers without the enormous time and financial commitments. Over the span of 48 lectures, these experienced lawyers and teachers recreate key parts of the first-year student experience, introducing you to four main areas of law most every beginning student
litigation and legal practice,
criminal law and procedure,
civil procedure, and
torts.
Enriched with famous cases from the annals of American law, powerful arguments by some of history’s most successful lawyers, and Supreme Court rulings that provide insights into how our legal system has evolved since the nation’s founding, Law School for Everyone will teach you how to approach the law from the perspective of the best attorneys and high-court judges. Most No law degree is required for you to gain access to this intimidating—but surprisingly rich and exciting—field.
Litigation and Legal Practice
Law School for Everyone is organized into four 12-lecture sections that explore, in-depth, one of the cornerstones of a first-year law school student’s experience. Each section is delivered by a law professor who specializes in teaching their respective subjects.
You’ll start with 12 lectures on litigation and legal practice. Delivered by Professor Molly Bishop Shadel of the University of Virginia School of Law, this section offers a valuable orientation to the study of law. You’ll explore how our legal system is the direct result of democratic values, how the system works, and why we teach law the way we do.
“Over time, our system has achieved some amazing protections for civil rights, free speech, equal protection, due process, the right of each citizen to vote—innovations which keep our social fabric strong,” Professor Shadel says. “And each one of these social goods is the direct result of litigation.”
These lectures offer eye-opening answers to many questions about the subtle art and craft of litigation and the behind-the-scenes lives of lawyers. Questions
What are some dilemmas a lawyer can face when representing clients?
How does a lawyer craft an exceptional opening and closing argument?
How do lawyers handle issues like jury selection and problematic evidence?
When—and why—do lawyers raise objections during a trial?
You’ll also be prompted to rethink – and perhaps change – previously held conceptions about how lawyers work, and about the issues they struggle with each and every time they step in the courtroom.
Professor Shadel’s lectures prompt you to think
the place our judicial system occupies in the balance of powers;
the importance of credibility, logic, and pathos in the construction of an argument;
whether or not someone who committed a crime should be released on appeal due to procedural errors; and
why some trials, such as the Scopes trial or the O.J. Simpson case, capture the public imagination while others don’t.
By the time you finish these lectures, you’ll realize with startling clarity why legal training is valuable well beyond the courtroom and the other places lawyers work.
“If you can think like a lawyer, you have gained valuable insight into how things get done in this country,” Professor Shadel says. “And if you can think like a courtroom lawyer, then you are able to apply that knowledge quickly and use it to articulate your positions aloud. That’s a valuable skillset for anyone to have, particularly in a representative democracy such as ours.”
...
26 pages, Audible Audio
Published September 22, 2017
80 people are currently reading
492 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
January 29, 2019
As a Boy Scout, I recall learning how to apply a tourniquet to a severed limb, what to do if confronted by a bear, how to determine direction when lost in the woods by looking at moss and a 3-step process for breathing life into a drowned person. I am now 61 and it has occurred to me that I probably will never get to see if those procedures that I so dutifully memorized in Wolf Pack 2 are efficacious (I had to look up the spelling of "efficacious".) I have, however, had to sue someone, been threatened with a lawsuit, tried to advise a family member who had accrued multiple DUI's and hired an accountant whose methods, I was informed, may have constituted crimes. Law School for Everyone is not "The Law for Dummies". It gives a general overview of how the legal system in America works or is supposed to work. It doesn't tell you how to beat a speeding ticket or have your home declared architecturally significant. That said, by examining how the criminal and civil courts operate and touching on how legal decisions are made and handed down, I feel that, god forbid, should find myself in court that I will understand what the judge needs to make a ruling in my favor.
I didn't give it five stars just because "Law School for Everyone" had all the sexy criminal law in the beginning and ended with civil law. You don't go out on tort law. You will lose your jury.
I didn't give it five stars just because "Law School for Everyone" had all the sexy criminal law in the beginning and ended with civil law. You don't go out on tort law. You will lose your jury.
January 25, 2019
This is one of the better “great courses” programs, mostly because it was a broad selection of topics which gave fairly comprehensive coverage of the field. I was already pretty familiar with criminal law, constitutional law, data privacy/etc, and very familiar with homicide and self defense law. However, I had basically insufficient knowledge of the rules of civil procedure and almost no knowledge of torts and product liability. After the course, I don’t know anything more about criminal law (except some confidence my knowledge is comprehensive in scope), and I know the basics of civil procedure and product liability and torts. This is exactly what one would want from a program like this.
Everything was clearly presented, with good examples (the classic ones from law school.). You don’t particularly need any domain specific knowledge to follow it. Strongly recommend.
Everything was clearly presented, with good examples (the classic ones from law school.). You don’t particularly need any domain specific knowledge to follow it. Strongly recommend.
October 27, 2023
As a person who is interested in legal history, I really enjoyed this book. While I was familiar with many of the principles presented, the professors helped provide depth and context to many of the practices.
Learning about this history behind many of the expectations of the law provides context and makes it easier to understand how our legal system exists today.
The first third of the book was my favorite as it covered court cases and the professor talked about the ways lawyers approach each section of a trial. She analyzed various court cases (specifically Zimmerman and OJ Simpson) and how the attorney's performed. What did they do right? What did they do wrong? How might the performances of the attorney's affected the outcome of the cases.
Learning about this history behind many of the expectations of the law provides context and makes it easier to understand how our legal system exists today.
The first third of the book was my favorite as it covered court cases and the professor talked about the ways lawyers approach each section of a trial. She analyzed various court cases (specifically Zimmerman and OJ Simpson) and how the attorney's performed. What did they do right? What did they do wrong? How might the performances of the attorney's affected the outcome of the cases.
April 5, 2019
Coming from the Great Courses, this audiobook was both extremely informative and easy to follow. A very useful tool for anyone with an emerging interest in law.
July 15, 2019
I bought this audiobook to help me see if law school is a realistic goal for me. Anyone can read A Time To Kill or watch How to Get Away With Murder and think they would be a good lawyer, but I wanted to learn about the actual topics you will learn in your first year of law school: the judiciary, criminal law, civil procedure, and torts. Turns out I absolutely love even the "boring" stuff! For anyone thinking about law school, this book is a must.
January 17, 2021
It is a very good introduction to the legal system (the US legal system but applies to the legal system in many western countries as well), its components, and how different components work together. The book is full of interesting stories which makes it very enjoyable and easy to digest. If you are curious about how someone could sue McDonald's for serving their coffee "too hot" and win 400K in punitive compensation then give this book a read!
August 28, 2018
This is a lengthy, and yet enjoyable, introduction to the practice of law in the United States. It starts with a very informative chapter on litigation and legal procedures by Molly Bishop Shadel. She introduces the alphabet of litigation, puts everything in a historical and philosophical perspective, and she gets down to the knots and bolt of logical thinking. The latter was an interesting topic for me as I found many similarities between the reasoning in law and in science (e.g. there is a great deal of information about deductive and inductive reasoning and how things have changed since the time of Aristotle). Despite my initial hesitation, I also found the final chapter on torts interesting too.
The course suffers from an imbalanced scope. There is too much emphasis on civil and criminal procedures that could be easily shortened and replaced with other areas of law such as intellectual property, corporate, and international law.
Overall, I found the audio course and the accompanying booklet very educational for someone with no background in law.
The course suffers from an imbalanced scope. There is too much emphasis on civil and criminal procedures that could be easily shortened and replaced with other areas of law such as intellectual property, corporate, and international law.
Overall, I found the audio course and the accompanying booklet very educational for someone with no background in law.
August 1, 2021
Four Lecturers discuss mainly court-related topics of prosecution and defense using an abundance of contemporary and historical court cases. Obviously criminal and tort law receive the most attention. Molly Shadel and Edward Cheng were the most clear. There was a fair amount of overlap on some topics by the lecturers. I was disappointed that basic business law was not included — probably because the topic is so dry and specialized. But what about consumer, civil rights/voting, and environmental law? What about all those “legal” things we agree to when we download something from the internet?
September 23, 2018
Should have read this a while ago. I'm not sure that this is the most riveting book but it does outline a basic framework of the law that I think feels more like "fitting" in a complex Goedelian labyrinth than measuring out justice in a clockwork universe.
April 27, 2025
Good Introductory to Law course (101). 48 lectures from Criminal Law all the way to torts and product liability.
Full semester worth of three lectures a week (plus). Got a little dry near the end.
Full semester worth of three lectures a week (plus). Got a little dry near the end.
September 6, 2019
I felt that this was a strong layman's intro in US law and procedure. It covers a lot of material including; defining key terms, discussing historical aspects of state and federal law, the complexity of jurisdiction, the incorporation of the Bill of Rights into state courts, and historically important SCOTUS decisions. I feel like I now at least have a basic understanding of important terms in US law, politics, and history. This includes understanding what common law is, where it comes from, and how it works in a procedural manner. Even though it was a bit dry, criminal and civil procedure provides a lot of insight into how the system works. Even the tort law section provided a lot of basic knowledge that lawyers and politicians take for granted when communicating with the public.
I think one of the most important arcs throughout these lectures is the deep historical complexity of jurisdiction between federal and state courts and the Incorporation of the Bill of Rights from Federal into State law. I had no idea that only 80 or so years ago, most of the Bill of Rights only applied to Federal Courts. Additionally, the natural extension of the commerce clause of the constitution leads to some deep discussion about how State and Federal legal rights are only getting more complicated over time.
In summary, I think this lecture series does a good job providing fairly in depth introductions to such a huge and complex space. I also think that the many discussions relating around Incorporation Doctrine, Federal and State Jurisdiction, and the history of law all the way back to the founding provides some of the most rich insights. The one place it falls short is seemingly inevitable. There is so much raw knowledge, that it is difficult to keep track of it all and not forget huge amounts of details. There are also many times, where you will want to know much more about a specific section of the lecture, but time is not permitted here. I do not fault this work too much on this as this material is meant to be an introduction to US law, not a definitive source. It provides enough insight that someone who is new and interested in the subject can learn enough to then go out and dig deeper where they see fit.
I think one of the most important arcs throughout these lectures is the deep historical complexity of jurisdiction between federal and state courts and the Incorporation of the Bill of Rights from Federal into State law. I had no idea that only 80 or so years ago, most of the Bill of Rights only applied to Federal Courts. Additionally, the natural extension of the commerce clause of the constitution leads to some deep discussion about how State and Federal legal rights are only getting more complicated over time.
In summary, I think this lecture series does a good job providing fairly in depth introductions to such a huge and complex space. I also think that the many discussions relating around Incorporation Doctrine, Federal and State Jurisdiction, and the history of law all the way back to the founding provides some of the most rich insights. The one place it falls short is seemingly inevitable. There is so much raw knowledge, that it is difficult to keep track of it all and not forget huge amounts of details. There are also many times, where you will want to know much more about a specific section of the lecture, but time is not permitted here. I do not fault this work too much on this as this material is meant to be an introduction to US law, not a definitive source. It provides enough insight that someone who is new and interested in the subject can learn enough to then go out and dig deeper where they see fit.
March 6, 2019
I've really come to enjoy the Great Courses for their clarity and the great insight and humor displayed by the various narrators for the courses. This introduction to the American judicial system was no exception, and was actually extra fun for having four different professors instruct on their speciality. Each brought a great dose of personality to their respective section of the course, which made for some incredibly engaging, informative lectures. One thing to highlight in this course in particular was how much fun the various case examples are as a way of educating and emphasizing the sometimes ridiculous and yet incredibly deliberate setup of our law and court systems. Overall I definitely learned a lot, particularly about how to think like a lawyer and some more about how to navigate the particular oddities of American law. While I will never be ready to say that I'm an expert, I can definitely say that this course helped me to feel a bit more stable in my ability to read about and understand legal debates in the news or online, which is definitely a useful skill to have.
July 20, 2021
The law is the foundation for our society. It's what our (U.S.) founders developed via the Constitution to set the standard for how our society should operate. I've always been deeply fascinated by jurisprudence and probably would've gone to law school after college if I didn't have other conflicting interests. But in meantime, books like these are how I'll continue to satisfy my intellectual itch to "Think Like a Lawyer."
Law School for Everyone does an amazing job giving us an overview of the U.S.' past and present legal structure. In particular, the book (or I guess course) is broken down into 4 different sections: Litigation, Criminal Law, Civil Procedure, and Torts. Each offer 12 lectures, each which are taught by a different professor, for a total of 48 lectures.
Each section starts with a handful of pivotal court cases, an exploration into the legal theory, and concludes with why rulings turned out they way they did. If you love the United States' legal system as much as I do, this is a good book to start with!
Law School for Everyone does an amazing job giving us an overview of the U.S.' past and present legal structure. In particular, the book (or I guess course) is broken down into 4 different sections: Litigation, Criminal Law, Civil Procedure, and Torts. Each offer 12 lectures, each which are taught by a different professor, for a total of 48 lectures.
Each section starts with a handful of pivotal court cases, an exploration into the legal theory, and concludes with why rulings turned out they way they did. If you love the United States' legal system as much as I do, this is a good book to start with!
October 30, 2024
Great book (course). I truly enjoyed the philosophical and logical approach the legal system needs to bridge to be fair and effective. Its like philosophy in the real world, but only in it's true form. Many lawyers today twist it's natural traits for fairness for an unfair result for themselves and their clients.
Why do I recommend this book? One day, most of us will be pulled into the legal system for one reason or another, and understanding how it works or should work will be extremely helpful in how you present your case. Knowing the legal system before you become apart of it also helps you protect yourself and your family by making sure your contracts are clear, your liabilities are reduced, and your rights are protected. An ounce of legal prevention is worth a pound of cure.
I did read the audiobook which I am sure is better then the paper version.
Why do I recommend this book? One day, most of us will be pulled into the legal system for one reason or another, and understanding how it works or should work will be extremely helpful in how you present your case. Knowing the legal system before you become apart of it also helps you protect yourself and your family by making sure your contracts are clear, your liabilities are reduced, and your rights are protected. An ounce of legal prevention is worth a pound of cure.
I did read the audiobook which I am sure is better then the paper version.
August 17, 2020
This series comprises different topics covered in multiple lectures by different experts. Some landmark cases are referred back to on and off and serve as great bridges to the topics and show the complexity of issues that can arise from one case.
I love how the series brings together legal terms and concepts on how lawyers think and make points of argument to make cases as fair as possible in the legal system. Because this lecture series is about American Law, it may not apply to judicial systems that are different from it. But seeing that many tv shows and movies are from the US, it sheds light to the background to how the judicial system works and the cases behind the main argument.
I love how the series brings together legal terms and concepts on how lawyers think and make points of argument to make cases as fair as possible in the legal system. Because this lecture series is about American Law, it may not apply to judicial systems that are different from it. But seeing that many tv shows and movies are from the US, it sheds light to the background to how the judicial system works and the cases behind the main argument.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2023
Audible removed my access before I could finish, RIP.
There's a lot to like about this introduction. Its broken down into 4 sections with different authors for each, or at least the reader changed in the audiobook.
It was too detailed on procedures for my case. It explained various court room norms in detail, e.g. about the sequencing and rules around how evidence is presented. But there is almost no legal philosophy in this book (unless its all backloaded at the end). This means you're left with a dizzying number of procedures without really knowing how they evolved and what purpose they serve.
There's a lot to like about this introduction. Its broken down into 4 sections with different authors for each, or at least the reader changed in the audiobook.
It was too detailed on procedures for my case. It explained various court room norms in detail, e.g. about the sequencing and rules around how evidence is presented. But there is almost no legal philosophy in this book (unless its all backloaded at the end). This means you're left with a dizzying number of procedures without really knowing how they evolved and what purpose they serve.
June 16, 2018
Twelve lectures on litigation and legal practice using famous and/or unusual cases. SO INTERESTING. I think we all should know a touch more about the law.
I enjoyed most some history about how legal practices evolved, such as plea bargaining and Miranda. Who knew?
I listened to these 25 lecture hour each day while walking my dogs, but often kept listening afterwards. Highly recommend! No previous legal knowledge required.
I enjoyed most some history about how legal practices evolved, such as plea bargaining and Miranda. Who knew?
I listened to these 25 lecture hour each day while walking my dogs, but often kept listening afterwards. Highly recommend! No previous legal knowledge required.
August 1, 2018
Fantastic. Very relevant and principled discussion of the history and current status of our legal system. Very good at explaining the reasons for and backing of the legal system. I gained a much great appreciation for how well our system mediates disputes and balances costs vs justice.
The 48 lectures are broken up into four 12 part series, some more relevant than others. The first and last of the four were my favorites.
Can anyone say "offensive non-mutual issue preclusion"?
The 48 lectures are broken up into four 12 part series, some more relevant than others. The first and last of the four were my favorites.
Can anyone say "offensive non-mutual issue preclusion"?
February 12, 2020
I knew very little of US law. This was extremely educational and I now understand much better how the US system of works. The first two parts about law in general and criminal were the easiest to follow. The rest of the course is a bit harder to follow, but no less interesting. I especially liked the last part referring to Tort Law which I knew very little about. A great book if you are not familiar with the English or American legal system.
August 5, 2020
Its not for everyone, its for USA citizens. First and last lecturer seemed to me the best but other were also fine. I have to admit that i almost quit in the begining when i heard the lecturer defended USA on terrorism but i dont know much on that mater so i didnt judge.
This should be implemented in the school for sure, every nation should have its basic law thought not just expect that you know it.
The only thing this book lack for me was more comparisons with the rest of the world.
This should be implemented in the school for sure, every nation should have its basic law thought not just expect that you know it.
The only thing this book lack for me was more comparisons with the rest of the world.
September 23, 2019
A fantastic course for understanding the basics of legal and civil procedure, criminal law, and torts. It makes everything you see on TV or in the news make a lot more sense, and should be standard for GE as long as we have requirements. It is long, and some parts are certainly more interesting than others, but it can be immediately applicable to everyday life.
September 12, 2020
If you were always interested in going to law school, but choose not to go there. This audiobook is for you. While this course is the not the same as attending law school, but I am able to hold my own in talking with law students concerning subjects like tort and contract law.
I really liked that the law professors were engaging and provided the history of the case laws for the subjects.
I really liked that the law professors were engaging and provided the history of the case laws for the subjects.
January 10, 2022
This is a fascinating series of lectures geared toward those who have not gone to law school. Some of the history on how laws get created and enforced is truly interesting. This series is a big undertaking, but it really puts some of the legal cases you see on TV (real and crime shows) into perspective. It's equally inspiring and frustrating. But, it's genuinely worth checking out.
April 23, 2022
I have not met a Great Courses series that I didn't like.
This gem is up there with the best of them. In about 2 weeks I went from not really understanding how the legal system really works to feeling like I could take on clients :). I'd recommend this series to anyone, regardless of discipline.
This gem is up there with the best of them. In about 2 weeks I went from not really understanding how the legal system really works to feeling like I could take on clients :). I'd recommend this series to anyone, regardless of discipline.
June 23, 2018
Easy to follow and understand series of lectures. Most of the series was entertaining, but the portion related to procedure of law was boring. Unfortunately that same portion is also needed if you want to understand why courts operate the way they do.
August 26, 2018
Great stories. Excellent oration. Practical knowledge about the basics of American Law. You won't be an expert after this, but you'll have a general understanding of the relevant issues & guiding principles of the legal field. Which is all you can really hope for from an audiobook, right?
November 18, 2018
I learned a whole lot from this book and I highly recommend this audiobook for anyone who wants to learn the basics of law. The one star removed is for sections in the course that you might never find relevant in your life (Sorry maybe it was just me who got bored by specific sections).
January 21, 2019
Their are times when the stupidity of the legal precedents judges created made me want to hit someone or break something.
This is a good audiobook to go with demolition work or unarmed combat training.
This is a good audiobook to go with demolition work or unarmed combat training.
March 16, 2020
I love what I learned in this course about law and litigation, because it opened a world that we all hear hints of many times but don’t understand. It will probably stand me in good stead sometime in my life.
September 15, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyed this Great Course. It was a perfect balance of different lecturers and a variety of content. I rarely felt like the course got so specific or technical that it wasn't relevant and interesting. Highly recommend to anyone interested in learning more about the Justice System.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews