USC Gould School of Law held its 5th annual Gould Preview program for incoming 1L students. Led by Sara Berman, professor of lawyering skills and director of the Academic Success Program, and Barrett Schreiner, associate professor of lawyering skills and associate director of the Academic Success Program, the multi-day session provides a deep dive into what to expect and how to thrive in law school.
From the start, Berman and Schreiner worked to create a sense of belonging among the new students. According to one program participant, Gould Preview “reinforces the community that makes Gould so unique.”
The program included a welcome reception sponsored by Reed Smith LLP, during which Reed Smith partner Amber Finch (JD 2002) offered practical advice and sage wisdom to the cohort about the practice of law. The week also included law school skills sessions taught by Berman and Schreiner; classes in torts were conducted by Professors Greg Keating, Jody Armour and Matteo Godi; a legal writing course was taught by Professor Lybby Carroll, and a session on the many resources available at the Gould Law Library were led by law librarians Adrienne Kelish, Diane Ellis, Judy Davis and Paul Moorman. Gould Preview also included a case briefing session led by Academic Success Fellows and other information designed to acquaint students with law school expectations and the law school experience.
On the final day of the week, Berman and Schreiner administered a torts exam that they debriefed with students, sharing tips on how to write effective law exams. Schreiner said, “This experience of working through a mini-torts curriculum and taking a mock final exam helps new students understand from the get-go what will be expected from them at the end of the semester, leading to invaluable insights into what they need to do throughout the semester to prepare for finals.”
“Students benefit from seeing the structure of reasoning made explicit, learning how to approach issue spotting and policy questions,” noted Berman, whose newest book, “2L Success: Lawyering Skills Training & Professional Identity Formation for Upper Division Law Students,” was released in August.
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