Melbourne Law School’s EAGLE Program is dedicated to helping first-year JD students develop their legal academic skills and successfully navigate law school. (EAGLE stands for Early Academic Guidance for Legal Education.)
How does it work?
In a small group setting, a senior JD student (the ‘facilitator’) will take students through important academic skills relevant to their JD studies.
The First Year Program is designed to equip you with the fundamental tools for success at law school. Sessions include:
- Reading and note-taking
- How to write answers to hypothetical problems (with a focus on your Obligations and Contracts mid-semester assignments plus exams for all subjects)
- How to construct a legal memo for both PPL and Disputes and Ethics
- How to research and write legal essays for subjects like Torts and Legal Theory
- How to prepare and practice for oral presentations
- How to make notes for exams
- How to prepare for exam
The EAGLE sessions are also a safe and supportive environment for students to ask any questions they may have about law life, including:
- Time management strategies
- How to access MLS’ wellbeing resources
- International and internship opportunities
- How to find law-related work and volunteering opportunities
- How to become involved in extracurricular activities at MLS
While the EAGLE program is an optional part of the first-year JD curriculum, the more sessions you attend, the better you’ll be prepared to handle your JD studies. Not only will you gain invaluable academic skills, you can also network with your peers!
How do I register for EAGLE?
Registration is essential, but classes are optional so there is no commitment to attend each week (even though we would highly recommend it!).
Registration opens the week before semester starts (19 February 2024) and closes on the first day of semester (26 February 2024).
REGISTER HERE for the First-Year program (link posted 19 February).
If you have difficulty, contact chantal.morton@unimelb.edu.au.
In 2024, classes are conducted both in person and online through Zoom.
We are still confirming the topics for 2024 but it is likely to look similar to the 2023 schedule.
2023 EAGLE Session Outline
First Year Program, First Semester
| EAGLE Weekly Schedule | |
| Session 1 | Building on Previous Experience and LMR |
| Session 2 | Writing research essays & approaching group assignments (Torts assignment) |
| Session 3 | Answering Hypotheticals (Obligations Assignment) |
| Session 4 | Writing Legal Memos & Introduction to AGLC (PPL Assignment) |
| Session 5 | Time Management & Wellbeing |
| Session 6 | Looking Back on Semester and Looking Forward to Exams (social session!) |
| Mid-Semester Break | |
| Session 7 | Creating Exam Ready Notes and Doing Practice Exams |
| Session 8 | Preparing for Exam Essays |
| Session 9 | Exam Hypothetical 1 (subject TBC) and Timing Strategy |
| Session 10 | Exam Hypothetical 2 (subject TBC) and Reading Time Strategies |
| Session 11 | Exam Hypothetical 3 (subject TBC) and Approaching SWOTVAC/ Exam Period
|