The document provides guidance on academic planning for law students. It outlines graduation requirements including 86 units, skills, ethics, and writing requirements. It discusses identifying goals and surveying opportunities for classroom work, externships, clinics, journals, and more. The document provides tips on matching goals to opportunities and creating a tentative multi-semester plan while maintaining flexibility. Resources for academic advising are also highlighted.

1. 2015 Guide to Academic Planning
(the complete version)

2. Academic Planning
Table of Contents
• Lawyering Skills for Academic Planning
• Graduation Requirements
• How to Plan
• Identifying Goals
• Surveying Opportunities
• Matching Goals and Opportunities
• Key Resources
Academic Planning

3. Academic Planning
Lawyering Skills for Academic Planning
• Strategic & Creative Problem Solving
• Know the relevant rules
• Understand the client’s goals
• Identify and assess the options
• Select the options that best match the client’s goals
• Be prepared to engage in creative problem solving
• Statutory Reading

4. Academic Planning
Graduation Requirements
• Additional Key Graduation Requirements (beyond 1L courses & Moot Court)
• 86 units
• Skills Requirement
• Ethics Requirement
• Writing Requirement

5. Academic Planning
Graduation Requirements
• Additional Key Graduation Requirements
• 86 units (Acad. Reg. 101)
• ~14 units/semester (31 1L units  55 units in 2L/3L year)
• 12 min./semester (subject to exceptions). (Acad. Reg. 201-204)
• 16 max./semester (17 units okay in one semester if ≥2.7 GPA) (Acad. Reg. 301-302)
• 2.2 GPA minimum (Acad. Reg. 905)
• Maximum of ***20*** non-classroom units (Acad. Reg. 1203)
• E.g., clinic/externship fieldwork, independent study, TA, RA, competition team, journal
• The faculty recently increased this cap to allow students to count 20 (rather than 18) non-classroom
units toward the 86 units required for graduation.
• 6 semesters (Acad. Reg. 101)
• Skills Requirement
• Ethics Requirement
• Writing Requirement
Academic Planning

6. Academic Planning
Graduation Requirements
• Additional Key Graduation Requirements
• 86 units
• Skills Requirement (Acad. Reg. 704)
• C grade or better in a 2+ unit course “focusing on development of professional skills”
• Examples:
• Negotiation; Trial Advocacy; Clinic/externship fieldwork; Moot court competition;
Community Economic Development Seminar
• Identifying which courses
• Professional skills course list in the course catalog
• WebAdvisor/course catalog designation – “Satisfies professional skills requirement”
• Ethics Requirement
• Writing Requirement

7. Academic Planning
Graduation Requirements
• Additional Key Graduation Requirements
• 86 units
• Skills Requirement
• Ethics Requirement (Acad. Reg. 702)
• Legal Ethics (3 units)
• Professional Responsibility (2 units)
• Roles & Ethics in Practice (3 units)
• Writing Requirement
*** Ethics Requirement TIP***
Consider taking the MPRE in (or right after)
the semester in which you take your ethics class.

8. Academic Planning
Graduation Requirements
• Additional Key Graduation Requirements
• 86 units
• Skills Requirement
• Ethics Requirement
• Writing Requirement (Acad. Reg. 703)
• “Substantial research paper that demonstrates professional and scholarly proficiency in
research, analysis, and writing.”
• C grade or better, faculty certification, and additional requirements in the regulations.
• How to satisfy:
• Seminar that fulfills the requirement
• 2-unit independent study (graded)
• Be advised: Journal note ALONE does NOT satisfy the writing requirement.
• Identifying which seminars
• WebAdvisor/course catalog designation – “Satisfies writing requirement”
*** Writing Requirement TIP***
Use the writing opportunity as a networking tool and
as an opportunity to demonstrate your substantive expertise.

9. Academic Planning
How to Plan – Apply Lawyerly Skills
(Strategic & Creative Problem Solving Skills and Statutory Reading Skills)
Now that you know the basic rules . . . .
• Identify your goals for the rest of law school
• Survey the academic and extracurricular opportunities
• Determine which opportunities best advance your goals
(and read & comply with the rules that apply to those opportunities)
• Note: The rules include the Acad. Regs. & other Admin. announcements.
• Have backup plans & be creative and flexible in your planning

10. Academic Planning
How to Plan:
Identifying Goals for the Rest of Law School
• Prepare for the bar exam
• Get a well-rounded foundation in law
• Develop substantive expertise in a particular field of law
• Figure out which field of law interests you
• Hone your lawyering skills (or a particular lawyering skill)
• E.g., become a great legal writer, become trial-ready
• Get practical experience
• Satisfy your intellectual curiosity
• Make a difference in the community
• Figure out your goal for the rest of law school
• Other
***TIPS***
You cannot prioritize
everything. Sometimes,
you will have to choose
between opportunities.
So consider:
 What is your
#1 priority?
 What are your
#2 and #3
priorities?
 What other things
might be nice to do
if you happen to be
able to fit them in?

11. Academic Planning
How to Plan – Some Basics
2L/3L Bar Courses
• Business Associations or Corporations
• California Civil Procedure
• Civil Procedure II
• Community Property
• Constitutional Law II
• Criminal Procedure
• Evidence
• Remedies
• Wills & Trusts
• Professional Responsibility/Legal Ethics
• Critical Studies I & II
Strongly Recommended Courses
• Administrative Law
• Business Associations or Corporations
• Civil Procedure II
• Constitutional Law II
• Criminal Procedure
• Evidence
• Federal Income Taxation
• Financial Basics for Lawyers
• At least one international course
• At least one perspectives course (i.e. one that offers a
broad theoretical or historical view)
• At least one experiential course (i.e. a clinic or externship)

12. Academic Planning
How to Plan – Surveying Opportunities
• Classroom Work
• Non-Classroom Work
• Work at Other Schools
• Additional Opportunities

13. Academic Planning
How to Plan – Surveying Opportunities
Classroom Work
• Lecture courses
• Seminars
• Non-GPA courses
(mostly skills oriented)
• Fall, Spring, possibly Summer
***TIPS***
 Check course descriptions to see if a class
satisfies one of the SEW grad requirements.
 You can take 2 GPA lecture courses/seminars
on a “CREDIT/NO CREDIT” basis. Reg. 1007.
 Elect by Records deadline.
 Once made, election is irreversible.
 Some classes aren’t eligible.
See WebAdvisor description.
 When choosing classes, consider:
 Of course -- subject, prof., time/day
 Also -- Assessment methodology
 And -- Contribution to your key goals

14. Academic Planning
How to Plan – Surveying Opportunities
Non-Classroom Work
• Clinics
• Externships (Judicial or Legal)
***Clinic TIPS***
 Most 4th+ semester. Some 3rd semester.
 Applications/registration is EARLY.
For F’15, APRIL, before the end of class.
 Check out prerequisites.
 Comply with the regs. Reg. 2701-2704.
 For more info, contact Associate Dean
for Experiential Learning Nancy Stuart.
***Externship TIPS***
 4th, 5th, 6th semester ONLY.
 Judicial, government, and nonprofit placements ONLY.
 Must be arranged and approved BEFORE the start of the semester.
 As soon as you have a lead, contact Dean Stuart. Earlier is always better.
 Comply with the regs. Reg. 2801-2808.
 More info  Assoc. Dean Nancy Stuart

15. Academic Planning
How to Plan – Surveying Opportunities
Non-Classroom Work
• Clinics
• Externships (Judicial or Legal)
• Independent Study
• Journal
• Interscholastic Competitions
(e.g., moot court, trial team)
• Teaching Assistant
• Research Assistant
**Ind. Study TIPS**
 Have a clear idea about what you want to
study before approaching a professor.
 Comply with the regs. Reg. 2401-2406.
***Additional TIPS***
 More information forthcoming later in the semester. Stay tuned!
 Check the regs for applicable rules.
 Interscholastic Competitions -- Reg. 2501-2504.
 More info Assistant Dean Toni Young (moot court);
Adj. Prof. Waasted (Neg. & Med. Team); Adj. Prof. Hansen (Trial Team);
Adj. Prof. Carrera (Client Counsel. Team)
 Journals -- Reg. 2601-2612.
 More info Director of Scholarly Publications Tom McCarthy.
 Teaching Assistants -- Reg. 2875-2880.
 Research Assistants – Reg. 2890-2894.

16. Academic Planning
How to Plan – Surveying Opportunities
Work at Other Schools
• Study Abroad
• Joint Degree
• Coursework at other law schools
(including visits)
• Coursework at other grad. schools
**Study Abroad TIPS**
 Deadlines are VERY EARLY.
 Comply with the regs. Reg. 2206, 2208, 2211, 2212.
 More info Assoc. Dean for Int’l Programs Richard Boswell
**TIPS for Work at Other Schools**
 Have a plan that advances your academic and professional goals.
 Get approval IN ADVANCE.
 Comply with the regs. Reg. 2201-2214.
 More info Associate Academic Dean Heather Field
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17. Academic Planning
How to Plan – Surveying Opportunities
Additional Opportunities
• Concentrations
• Pro Bono
• Lawyers for America
• Startup Legal Garage
• UCH/UCSF Consortium
• Hastings to Haiti
• Student Organization Leadership
• And more….

18. Academic Planning
How to Plan – Surveying Opportunities
Additional Opportunities
• Concentrations
• Pro Bono
• Lawyers for America
• Startup Legal Garage
• UCH/UCSF Consortium
• Hastings to Haiti
• Student Organization Leadership
• And more….
Work at Other Schools
• Study Abroad
• Joint Degree
• Coursework at other law schools
(including visits)
• Coursework at other grad. schools
Non-Classroom Work
• Clinics
• Externships (Judicial or Legal)
• Independent Study
• Journal
• Interscholastic Competitions
(e.g., moot court, trial team)
• Teaching Assistant
• Research Assistant
Classroom Work
• Lecture courses
• Seminars
• Non-GPA courses
(mostly skills oriented)
• Fall, Spring, possibly Summer

19. Academic Planning
How to Plan – Matching Goals & Opportunities
1. Learn more about the opportunities that interest you.
• Info on UC Hastings website & from professors overseeing the opportunities.
• See above TIPS about how to learn more about various opportunities.
• For classes, review the Course Catalog, consult PACE reports, ask friends,
contact professors.

20. Academic Planning
How to Plan – Matching Goals & Opportunities
1. Learn more about the opportunities that interest you.
2. With your goals in mind, identify:
Things you DEFINITELY
want to do
Things you MIGHT
want to do
Things you feel you
SHOULD do

21. Academic Planning
How to Plan – Matching Goals & Opportunities
1. Learn more about the opportunities that interest you.
2. With your goals in mind, identify things you DEFINITELY want to do,
MAYBE want to do, and feel you SHOULD do.
3. Work backward & forward.
• Backward:
• What do you need to do soon in order to be able to do the DEFINITELY items later?
(e.g., prerequisites, grad requirements to free up time later)
• What do you need to do soon in order to preserve your ability to do the MIGHT items later?
• Forward:
• What can you do soon to help you figure out whether you actually want to do the MIGHT
items later?
• Take the opportunity to explore different areas and see if you want to pursue them further.

22. Academic Planning
How to Plan – Matching Goals & Opportunities
1. Learn more about the opportunities that interest you.
2. With your goals in mind, identify things you DEFINITELY want to do,
MAYBE want to do, and feel you SHOULD do.
3. Work backward & forward.
4. Map out a tentative plan:
• including the things you DEFINITELY want to do,
• including the items you identified in step #3,
• sprinkling the SHOULD items throughout to balance out your schedule, and
• take account of all activities anticipated, whether for units, money, or neither.
+

23. Academic Planning
How to Plan – Matching Goals & Opportunities
Map out a tentative plan:
Spring 2LFall 2L Spring 3LFall 3L2L/3L
Summer
?
1L/2L
Summer
? Class/Activity Units
Total
Class/Activity Units
Total
Class/Activity Units
Total
Class/Activity Units
Total

24. Academic Planning
How to Plan – Matching Goals & Opportunities
1. Learn more about the opportunities that interest you.
2. With your goals in mind, identify things you DEFINITELY want to do,
MAYBE want to do, and feel you SHOULD do.
3. Work backward & forward.
4. Map out a tentative plan.
5. Prepare alternative plans so that you can be flexible.
6. Revisit & reconsider your plan each semester.

25. Academic Planning
Registration
• Course catalog available soon.
• Registration for fall will be in late June.
• Register using WebAdvisor, just like registration for statutory classes.
• Be prepared with your alternate plans because classes do fill up.
• Beware of holds on your record.

26. Academic Planning
Key Resources
• Checking Your Progress
• Use “Program Evaluation” on WebAdvisor
• Academic Advising Resources
• Student Services
• Your faculty adviser (including at faculty advising mtgs later in the semester)
• A faculty member you know and like
• A faculty member in the area of law that interests you
• Associate Academic Dean

27. Academic Planning
If You Feel Overwhelmed
• That’s okay. That’s perfectly normal.
• Don’t try to do all of your planning at once.
• Start by spending some time over the next two months learning
more about different academic and extracurricular opportunities.
• Flip through the course catalog when it comes out, and put a star
next to courses/opportunities that seem interesting.
• Consider starting 2L year
• with some bar courses/strongly recommended courses
• by trying to get one or more SEW requirements out of the way
• Utilize academic advising resources.

28. Academic Planning
There is only ONE “right”
UC Hastings experience.
YOURS
And we are here to help you make it everything you hoped law school could be.