OT: Free online law classes?

[MattTuck]

I know some of you are attorneys. I'm looking for a free online course on contract law. I know that MIT and Stanford have put various science/technology courses online, but haven't heard of legal courses being put online.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Kirk007]

We charge for that advice :)

More seriously, I haven't heard of any and with law school enrollments declining quite dramatically I wouldn't hold my breath. A decent substitute though might be to buy some of the bar review materials course review materials that you could probably get at a law school bookstore. I've noticed that some schools have outline type materials posted on the web. You might start with a google search for the course/subject you are interested in and see what it gets you. For instance, I googled "torts outline" and quite a few popped up.

[EDS]

Are you interested in learning about the principles of contract law or how to draft a contract?

[Fishbike]

You may trying searching for paralegal courses or legal assistant courses which are more likely to get to the core concepts more quickly than courses designed for would-be lawyers which are heavy on legal theory and light on 21st century business issues.

What are your objectives and why the interest?

Frankly, an intro course is not likely to assist much with the drafting and interpretation of contracts. A basic course would explore concepts such as what is an offer and what is acceptance; what is consideration; what must be in writing; when can a contract be revoked; what are implied contracts; what is impossibility of performance and frustration of purpose; what are the elements of breach of contract claims; etc.

[MattTuck]

Are you interested in learning about the principles of contract law or how to draft a contract?


What are your objectives and why the interest?


I took a business law class while I was an MBA student, and it provided some basics, offer, acceptance, consideration, etc. I guess the reason I'm interested now is because I'm looking to learn something new (take a class) and the topic was interesting and would probably be useful.

[cash05458]

move to Vermont...you can study on your own and pass exams ect and get a working relationship with an attorney to get thru it...I think one of only two states you can pass the bar without going to a law school...look it up...

[Fishbike]

I took a business law class while I was an MBA student, and it provided some basics, offer, acceptance, consideration, etc. I guess the reason I'm interested now is because I'm looking to learn something new (take a class) and the topic was interesting and would probably be useful.

Kudos for wanting to continue your studies. I think most folks in most professions would benefit from a better understanding of what are the important parts of various contracts. If you think about it contracts govern much of what we do in a day.

[happycampyer]

I would buy a course outline and read that. Emanuel even has a Kindle edition for contracts and other basic courses.

[EddieBirdsell]

If you should decide to pursue more of a self-study, here are two resources that provide a pretty comprehensive overview of contract law basics, the first coming from West and the second Lexis:

http://www.amazon.com/Contracts-Nutshell-7th-Claude-Rohwer/dp/0314925643/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1359647572&sr=1-1&keywords=nutshell+contracts

http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Contracts-Jeffrey-Thomas-Ferriell/dp/0820554502/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1359647501&sr=1-1&keywords=understanding+series+contracts

[Ahneida Ride]

Eventually, all college material will be placed online ... :banana: :banana:

Imagine a truly equal opportunity educational system.

ya wanna learn ? it's there.

[jasflyfisher]

Legal education hasn't embraced MOOCs like other disciplines have, and doesn't seem to be trending that way. With 2013 law school applications likely to be at a 30-year low in 2013, some law schools will struggle to meet their numbers. Several law schools have already laid off or bought out folks to make ends meet.

There are already some good suggestions here for some reading. I'd like to toss another into the ring. CALI - the Center for Computer Assisted Legal Instruction - publishes free and open ebooks for legal education. CALI currently has about a dozen titles available, including 3 volumes on contracts, and more topics in the works. Go to http://www.cali.org and click on free ebooks.

Good Luck!

[MattTuck]

Thanks guys! As usual, the depth and breadth of wisdom here blows me away. Will check out all of the suggestions.

[Derailer]

I, too, would suggest a condensed outline / hornbook. Chirelstein is the gold standard for contracts.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Chirelsteins-Concepts-and-Case-Analysis-in-the-Law-of-Contracts-6th-Marvin-A-Chirelstein/e/9781599417769?r=1&cm_mmc=GooglePLA-_-TextBook_InStock_26To75-_-Q000000633-_-9781599417769&cm_mmca2=pla

[malcolm]

Eventually, all college material will be placed online ... :banana: :banana:

Imagine a truly equal opportunity educational system.

ya wanna learn ? it's there.


Then it will cost you $250,000 FRNs to take the certifying exam.

[HenryA]

You might be able to audit a class at a law school. I think face to face in a class room has many advantages. If you work during the day you might look for a night school near you. Contracts is a first year course at most schools and its pretty straightforward. Go for it!

[weaponsgrade]

Nolo Press is another good resource as long as all you want is a general overview. If you really wanted to dive into it, then I'd suggest looking at a treatise on contracts. Some towns have dedicated law libraries that will stock such things.

[ofcounsel]

I, too, would suggest a condensed outline / hornbook. Chirelstein is the gold standard for contracts.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Chirelsteins-Concepts-and-Case-Analysis-in-the-Law-of-Contracts-6th-Marvin-A-Chirelstein/e/9781599417769?r=1&cm_mmc=GooglePLA-_-TextBook_InStock_26To75-_-Q000000633-_-9781599417769&cm_mmca2=pla

Hehe! Chirlestein was one of my professors! The man is a legend. And that's a great, simple book, about the most straightforward you'll find. And with the good ship Peerless on the cover of that book, no less.... But which good ship Peerless?

See Raffles v Wichelhaus

Chirlestein is also a giant in the field of Fed Tax.