Week One featured in Georgetown Law News and Events: For First Year Students, “Week One” Experiential Courses Bring Learning to Life.

Below are a few student testimonials from various First-Year Week One courses over the past few years:

  • I really liked the content and the feeling that we were finally connecting what we learn in class to real life and gaining a better understanding of the complicated ways that laws and theories interact with each other in practice.
  • I actually felt that it increased my confidence level in my overall law school experience. It made me see my own talents and capabilities actually play out in a setting outside the classroom which I appreciated. I think it is a good buffer between the two semesters.
  • I liked learning about the different penal policies in Europe and the international law ramifications of extradition and terrorism. I also liked working collaboratively with my classmates and having the opportunity to make an oral argument, something very scary for me, in a non-threatening environment.
  • I can’t really think of anything I liked best because everything was so fun and useful. It’s probably my favorite class thus far as a 1L. If forced to choose I think the development of lawyering skills is probably my “favorite” simply because it felt like I got to use my education right away and it felt like there was a payoff at the end of slogging through all these casebooks.
  • I really loved the team-work aspect of the program. Because the program is pass/fail and there are no grades involved, I felt a spirit of collaboration that’s missing from regular courses during the year. There were less obstacles to sharing thoughts and ideas. I felt encouraged to work with my team and share arguments with other teams, too.
  • The subject matter and the problem presented was the most interesting part of the course for me. I enjoyed its relevance to current events and in thinking through the issue, I could imagine working in this type of field as a career rather than just in a classroom.
  • The course design was highly effective, with interesting and engaging simulations [that] tackled poignant and plausible ethical issues that could very feasibly occur in legal practice.
  • The hands on aspect of all the exercises undertaken in the course was exactly what an experimental class should be. I found the oral argument segments riveting and they worked to confirm I’m in the right place at law school.
  • I appreciated the opportunity to practice real world interviewing and presentation skills.
  • The provided materials were excellent because they clearly explained the key elements of the FCPA using statutes, cases, and the resource guide. I really liked how interactive and challenging the course was. I think the interviews are a great way to gain hands-on experience and applying some of the skills and knowledge we have learned in law school so far.
  • This course was incredible. The professor created an environment where we could think critically and creatively about a problem that we were not very familiar with. He provided an opportunity to meet with experts and put into practice the work we were doing.
  • This will probably be the coolest and most fun and creative class I take in law school. I feel very grateful to have been a part of it.

You can also review course evaluations online.