NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION

Recommended Reading

Some Faculty and Staff Favorites

Each year, the School of Law gives entering students a list of recommended books and films related to the field of law. This year, we also asked law faculty and staff for recommendations. Here are what we're calling "Faculty/Staff Favorites."

Vintage Books (1996)
Recommended by:

• Morton Cohen, Professor of Law
• "This book follows the actual path of litigation in a toxic tort class action from the time of the claimed harm to the end result. Although essentially from the perspective of the plaintiffs, it gives a very real sense of how such litigation occurs."
  
• David Oppenheimer, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Faculty Development
• "This book is helpful background for the 'Anatomy of a Lawsuit' presentation during Orientation. Also, some professors at Golden Gate use this book in their classes."
  
• Alan Ramo, Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Environmental Law & Justice Clinic
• "Written by a journalist, provides that rare commodity of a realistic and accurate portrayal of an actual massive toxic torts case with the drama behind the case. It also provides a rare glimpse into the human side of litigation, that is, what is it really like to be a lawyer litigating a complex case. It has everything: the complaint, motions discovery, and a wild trial. Don't miss the chapters when the plaintiffs' lawyer turns down a defense multi-million- dollar offer without telling the clients."

For more on A Civil Action, be sure to read the memorandum from your Civil Procedure professors that you will find in your orientation packet. Signet Classics (2000)
Recommended by:

• Michael Zamperini, Professor of Law
• This book is helpful for an individual trying to deal with confusing and contradictory rules (the Mad Hatter's tea party; the Queen and her rules about croquet, etc.) as well as someone being overwhelmed in a totally alien and topsy-turvy environment."

Times Books (2005)
Recommended by:

• Morton Cohen, Professor of Law
• "Justice Blackmun was the primary author of Roe v. Wade, the most important of the US Supreme Court's abortion and privacy cases. As well, astonishingly, he and Chief Justice Berger were high school friends but grew into an unfriendly relationship on the court. Linda Greenhouse, the main law reporter for the New York Times, writes about the efforts of Blackmun, as well as his interaction with Berger and others."

(2005)
Recommended by:

• David Oppenheimer, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Faculty Development
• "An article that is a good introduction to litigation." For more information, visit www.wvculture.org/history/buffcreek/bctitle.html.

Doubleday (2002)
Recommended by:

• Angela Dalfen, JD, Assistant Director for Public Interest and Student Leadership Programs, Law Career Services
• "This is a well-written and researched account of female mine workers who challenged the sexual harassment and discrimination that was rampant in their workplace. In addition to describing the various stages of the case, the book does a great job of providing insight into the lives of the plaintiffs and the impact that the litigation had on their community and their families."

Henry Holt & Company (2005)
Recommended by:

• Robert Calhoun, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
• "This novel is about an assistant district attorney in Portland, Oregon, whose murder case falls apart when one of her detectives uses questionable, but not clearly unconstitutional, tactics during interrogation. The book showcases the discretionary, behind-the-scenes prosecutorial decisions that truly drive criminal practice outside of the courtroom." Note: Prof. Calhoun shares this recommendation from the suggestions on the criminal law professors' listserv.

Random House, Inc. (2005)
Recommended by:

• Robert Calhoun, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
• "This novel is a very compelling account of a death penalty case. The coverage of procedural issues is mostly accurate. The book vividly exposes some of the problems with our present system." Note: Prof. Calhoun shares this recommendation from the suggestions on the criminal law professors' listserv.

Bantam Classics (1984)
Recommended by:

• David Oppenheimer, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Faculty Development
• "This book is a good introduction to Criminal Law."

2005 US Lexis 4656 (2005)
Recommended by:

• Morton Cohen, Professor of Law
• Decided June 6, 2005: "This decision by the US Supreme Court reviews considerations of the medical use of marijuana and the ability of Congress to prohibit the states from legalizing such use. In doing so, the Court, which recently has limited what Congress can do, reviews the power of Congress, the power of the states, and the medical use of marijuana. It is a useful case to read in reviewing how systems work in conjunction with important social issues."

Barron's Educational Series (2001)
Recommended by:

• Rodney Fong, Assistant Dean for Bar Services
• "A good book on avoiding the pitfalls of law school."

Lawpsided Press (2002)
Recommended by:

• Rodney Fong, Assistant Dean for Bar Exam Services
• "This book is a brief and entertaining overview of the first-year subjects written with real life examples."

Farrar, Straus and Giroux (2005)
Recommended by:

• Robert Calhoun, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
• "This novel is about several young associates and partners at a DC law firm and is dead-on about the law firm experience (and about clerking as well). The plot involves a toxic tort and a death penalty case." Note: Prof. Calhoun shares this recommendation from the suggestions on the criminal law professors' listserv.

Sterling Publishing (1994)
Recommended by:

• Rodney Fong, Assistant Dean for Bar Exam Services
• "This book is for pure entertainment."

New Society Publishers (1999)
Recommended by:

• Angela Dalfen, JD, Assistant Director for Public Interest and Student Leadership Programs, Public Interest Law Career Services
• "A wonderful resource for those who hope to weave their personal values into their work. Especially valuable for students concerned about staying focused on public service despite the burden of law school debt and pressure to seek high-paying private sector jobs."

Warner Books (1997)
Recommended by:

• Leslie Burton, Professor of Legal Writing
• "This book is a good introduction to the first year of law school."

Emanuel Pub. Corp. (2004)
Recommended by:

• Rodney Fong, Assistant Dean for Bar Services
• "This book has good chapters on the mind-set of success and class preparation."

Harcourt Brace Legal and Professional Publication (2000)
Recommended by:

• Susanne Aronowitz, JD, Associate Dean, Law Career Services
• "This book, based on interviews with lawyers who enjoy their work, offers a comprehensive look at 30 practice specialty areas, from antitrust to trusts and estates. The guide incorporates interviews with 130 attorneys from private law firms of all sizes, solo practitioners, public interest organizations, and government agencies. The profiled attorneys describe their career paths and provide insight into their daily work. The author describes the basics of each practice area, details what students/graduates need to know to practice in that area, and encourages readers to find a practice area that is a good fit with their own strengths and interests."

American Bar Association (2004)
Recommended by:

• Robert Calhoun, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
• "While a fictional account of two habitués of a state criminal court in Miami, the judge and his former assistant district attorney buddy/now defense attorney, it is extremely accurate in its description of a criminal trial and some of the criminal court processes (arraignment, bail, etc.) and includes a very good drug possession trial. The author is a practicing criminal defense lawyer in Miami, so he knows of what he speaks (and describes)." Note: Prof. Calhoun shares this recommendation from the suggestions on the criminal law professors' listserv.

Warner Books (1988)
Recommended by:

• Alan Ramo, Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Environmental Law & Justice Clinic
• "This fictional account in part of a trial of a black man for raping a white woman is every lawyer's definitive portrayal of what courage and integrity can mean in a courtroom and the potential and limits of our judicial system. The closing argument is a classic. Rent the movie after reading the book (Robert Duvall's dramatic breakthrough movie and the classic Gregory Peck role)."

Sterling Publishing (1992)
Recommended by:

• Rodney Fong, Assistant Dean for Bar Exam Services
• "This book is for pure entertainment."

A current best seller, a classic, a good beach read - whether it is law-related or not.
Recommended by:

• Markita Cooper, Professor of Law
• "You will be working intensely in your first year, so take time to indulge in fiction for pure enjoyment in the weeks before law school."