Case Synthesis

Beginning in your first few weeks of law school, you will probably hear discussions about case synthesis, and you might wonder what it means to synthesize the cases you have read for class. Reading cases is one important way that you will learn the law, and case synthesis is the act of connecting the elements in the cases you have read to create an understanding of the law as a whole -- you should work to identify the relevant pieces of authority for a legal issue and put the corresponding pieces together to determine a framework that reasonably supports the legal issue in question. The process of putting these elements of the rule together will create a complete body of law -- this is the principle of synthesis.

So, you might ask, how do you go about doing this task: you will want to start with the cases you read on a particular subject (i.e. battery in torts or offer in contracts). You should keep a focus on the rule, and look at each individual case to see what each case stands for in context (i.e. is the case illustrating an element of rule, a distinction, an exception to the rule, etc.). When synthesizing cases for your classes, you should look for patterns and similarities. These patterns will help you build a rule -- thus, in making sense of the cases you have read in class, and with a little practice, you will be able to formulate a picture of the law, a skill that will be invaluable throughout law school and into your legal career.