Willamette Common Law

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Podcast by Stephanie Davidson

Willamette Common Law

Podcast for Willamette University College of Law students. The first series, Matters of First Impression, is directed at incoming 1Ls. Seasons 1-2 created & hosted by Professor Kelly Gamble. Season 3 by Professor Stephanie Davidson.

Latest episodes

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09 August 2026

Learning a new Language in law school

This mini-episode introduces a core challenge for new law students: familiar words often carry compressed legal frameworks. I explain how terms like "issue," "reasonable," "consideration," "standing," "assault," and "discovery" are not merely vocabulary but labels that cue multi-step analyses.

Questions? Comments? Contact us!

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13:05

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03 August 2026

Torts and more: Professor Friedman

In this episode, I'm speaking with Associate Dean and Professor David Friedman about how the Torts class connects to just about every other subject in the law. He also talks about using legal analysis as a tool, while pursuing the values that brought you to law school -- plus a little baseball and some book recommendations!

Questions or comments? Contact us!

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55:56

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20 July 2026

Civil Procedure: Professors Dobbins & Simowitz

In this episode, I talk with Professors Jeff Dobbins and Aaron Simowitz about Civil Procedure, a foundational course for first-year law students. We discuss the importance of understanding the mechanisms of law and litigation and how a thorough knowledge of civil procedure can provide significant advantages in legal practice. We also talk about both professors' paths to teaching.

Questions or comments? Contact us!

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57:41

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13 July 2026

Contracts: Professors Bridgeman & Hatza

In this episode, we talk to the two professors who teach Contracts in the first year: Curtis Bridgeman and Nikki Hatza. During our conversation, we covered a wide range of topics, from the history behind cold-calling, to body doubling for productivity and focus, to the importance of reviewing what you're learning throughout the semester.

Questions? Comments? Contact us!

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01:04:15

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12 July 2026

How Law School is like Learning to Drive

In this mini episode, I talk about the skills law school tests on final exams, and how to prepare differently for those "driving tests," as opposed to the kinds of tests you experienced in college.

Questions? Comments? Contact us!

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07:52

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06 July 2026

A Conversation with the Dean of Students, Lexie Zirschky

Welcome back! In this first full episode of Season 3, we welcome Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Administration at the College of Law, Lexie Zirschky. Dean Zirschky talks about her love of the Pacific Northwest, what students ought to do this summer to prepare for law school, and habits of successful law students -- among many, many other topics.

Questions? Comments? Contact us!

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01:00:19