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A Seinfeld-Inspired Law School for the Rest of Us!

By Rebekah Page-Gourley posted 08-07-2020 15:29

  

Although the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose practice challenges for lawyers, it also presents some unique opportunities for building legal skills virtually. While ICLE resources are always your best bet for continuing legal education (check out our growing collection of certificate programs!), you might also enjoy taking a few supplemental classes at the Yada Yada Law School this summer.

Created by a group of Seinfeld-obsessed law professors from across the country, the Yada Yada Law School is a self-proclaimed “fake law school where real law professors teach classes about nothing, for charity.” While the Zoom classes are all free, the school asks that participating students donate to Legal Services NYC.

Although the faculty claim to be teaching about nothing, the courses range from core 1L subjects like property, contracts, and torts, to more specialized offerings like “Seinfeld, Gender, and Sexual Orientation,” “Seinfeld Securities Fraud,” and “Seinfeld and Race.” Courses are taught by professors from law schools including Washington & Lee, Stanford, NC State, and GW, under their secondary Yada Yada Law School titles like the “Susan Biddle Ross Memorial Professor of Law,” and the “Jackie Chiles Chair in Constitutional Criminal Procedure.”

The syllabus, which is continuously updated, links specific Seinfeld clips, caselaw, and other related readings for each lecture. Students can learn contract law via Jerry’s puffy shirt, analyze the muffin top episode for insights into corporations, and find out what the soup Nazi has to do with civil procedure. I have watched a few of the lectures and felt extremely nostalgic, both for Seinfeld and for my time in law school!

Those interested can sign up to receive Zoom links, though the only remaining live classes are “Seinfeld and Race” (August 12) and “Seinfeld and Professional Responsibility” (date TBD). All past lectures are available on the school’s YouTube channel.

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