Part 1: For this assignment, you'll be given a real-world scenario and you'll have to complete a memorandum of law. Again, this is the sort of task you might actually do at a law firm.
Real-World Scenario
In this scenario, you work for a Illinois-based law firm as a paralegal. One day the senior partner in your law firm calls a meeting and describes to you a new case she's just taken.
According to your senior partner, Lou Thomas wanted to decorate his apartment, but he knew that he was hopeless with design. Lou had heard of this great designer who was decorating for the East Hampton crowd. The designer was Carson Caswell.
Lou met with Carson and loved his ideas. Carson began the renovation and design on his apartment; then, ten days into the project, Carson left a letter for Lou stating that he had opportunities in LA and was off to California.
Lou could not believe it. He had invested $50,000 in the renovation already and who knows what it would cost to hire someone else. Lou was not having any of this. He decided that Carson needed to finish the job.
Write a legal memorandum to your attorney. What actions in equity could Lou file to force Carson to perform? Are there legal remedies that would be sufficient to make Lou whole?
Steps
Define the issues in the real-world scenario.
Use Westlaw to research these issues based on Illinois law.
Use this Law Office Memo Template and write a legal memo to your attorney.
The memo should be at least 4-5 paragraphs.
Be sure to state the facts of the case, set out the problem, identify the source of authority, and draw your conclusions.
Cite any supporting case law and/or statutes you find in Westlaw using the Blue Book Citation method.
Your memo should answer the following questions:
What actions in equity could Lou file to force Carson to perform?
Are there legal remedies that would be sufficient to make Lou whole?
Part 2 For this assignment, you'll be given a real-world scenario and you'll have to complete memorandum of law. Again, this is the sort of task you might actually do at a law firm.
Real-World Scenario
In this scenario, you work for a Georgia-based law firm as a paralegal. One day the senior partner in your law firm calls a meeting and describes to you a new case she's just taken.
According to your senior partner, Galaxy Corporation wanted to lease some warehouse space from Manner Investment Group. The two entities entered into a "handwritten deal" that was executed on the warehouse property. The handwritten lease was one page long and contained the following information:
LEASE AGREEMENT
The parties, Galaxy Corporation, lessee, and Manner Investment Group, lessor, agree to lease warehouse property located in Gwinnett County, Georgia. The parties agree that the lease term shall be five years with monthly rent at $3570 for year one and a 5 percent increase over the term of the lease. The deposit for the warehouse is $5,000 payable at the time this agreement is executed.
Signed/ Marshall Shields, VP
Galaxy Corporation
Signed/ Diana Sutton, Managing Partner
Manner Investment Group
The handwritten date of April 29, 2015 was at the bottom of the document. Galaxy tendered the initial deposit and first month's rent. Later that week, Manner Investment sent Galaxy a formal lease agreement that included additional costs, which included the common area costs, real property taxes, and insurance premiums. Galaxy refused to sign the lease stating that the one-page handwritten document contained all the terms of their deal. Manner Investment wants to sue Galaxy.
Your senior partner now wants you to prepare the memorandum of law outlining the legal arguments for Manner. In addition, she wants you to prepare the counterarguments for Galaxy. She really wants you to focus on performance and discharge.
Please write at least at least 4-5 paragraphs for the memorandum of law and 1 paragraph for the counterarguments.
Steps
Define the issues in the real-world scenario.
Use Westlaw to research these issues based on Georgia law.
Use this Law Office Memo Template and write a legal memo to your attorney.
The memo should be at least 4-6 paragraphs, which includes at least one paragraph identifying the counterarguments.
Cite any supporting case law and/or statutes you find in Westlaw using the Blue Book Citation method.
Your memo should answer the following questions:
What are the legal arguments for Manner?
What are the counterarguments for Galaxy?
What role does performance and discharge play?