When I first decided to attend law school, I knew that I learned best by doing. I hoped to gain the practical skills required to advocate zealously for my clients, whether in the boardroom or the courtroom. I never imagined that I would learn right from my first semester and that’s why I am a huge believer in Temple Law’s Introduction to Transactional Skills (ITS) course for first year students.
ITS is a multi-week session for first year students that immerses students in the art of dealmaking. Working in teams of two, students represent either the chef or the financier, tasked with negotiating terms and drafting contracts to create a hypothetical restaurant that aligns with their client’s needs. Through my participation in ITS, first as a student and then as a Teaching Assistant (TA), I have learned many skills that have tremendously helped in my legal career so far and continue to shape me into the lawyer I wanted to be coming into law school.
As a student in the ITS program during my first year at Temple, I was assigned to represent the chef. The most challenging part of ITS was navigating negotiations with opposing counsel while striving to fulfill our client’s wishes. Law students come from different places and have had different experiences, but the one thing that unites us is the desire to win for our clients. It quickly became apparent that adopting a win-at-all-costs mentality was counterproductive. ITS teaches students to navigate the fine line between overzealous advocacy and collegiality.
Drafting contracts was my favorite part of ITS. It let me translate my understanding of my client’s needs into written agreements that satisfied both parties. I brought knowledge from my fall classes, particularly Contracts where I had learned remedies to ITS. In Contracts, I had learned the importance of drafting to protect the client and bringing this knowledge to ITS gave me some creativity in my drafting.
My experience in ITS transcended the transactional space when I interned in the courts as a judicial intern over the summer. The skills and knowledge I had acquired through ITS proved applicable in various legal settings. Encouraged by the immense value I found in ITS, I enrolled in the yearlong Integrated Transactional Program (ITP) for second-year students and became a TA for the first year ITS program.
As a TA, representing the financier this time, instead of the chef, was an interesting view. It was amazing engaging with students and understanding their different ways of approach in fulfilling their clients’ needs. It was exciting to observe a complete negotiation, seeing how students navigate collegiality and advocacy and trying not to violate legal ethics.
The ITS program is truly a unique experience that many law students do not have the privilege of experiencing so early in their legal education. For first-generation law students like me who do not have access to lawyers and who cannot rely on Suits or Lincoln Lawyer, ITS is eye-opening.
ITS confirmed that law school was the right step for me. It let me work closely with co-counsel to understand our client’s needs and collaborate with opposing counsel to find common ground.
I cannot overemphasize the importance of the ITS program. I am excited to continue to support the program and see it transform other students’ lives.
