The Irene Diamond Professional Skills Center provides academic support to CUNY students through a variety of programs and services. Staff include David Nadvorney, Shirley Lung, Susan Markus, and Degna Levister.

The philosophy of the academic support programs at CUNY is skill-based: we believe that the best service we can provide is to help students develop the academic and study skills necessary to do excellent work. We try to build on the enormous strengths that each student brings to law school, and to assist students to identify their individual learning styles so that they can get the most out of the academic program.

These academic support programs begin in the summer before law school with the Summer Law Institute and continue with a variety of services in the First Year and the Second Year.

First Year Services

Skills Sessions
Through the entire first year, there are optional weekly Skills Sessions, for each section, designed to support students in developing the skills necessary for excellent work. The sessions track the required first-year doctrinal classes. Topics include preparing for class, case reading and briefing, note taking, outlining, and studying for and taking exams. In addition, the Skills Sessions address time and stress management, study groups, use of study aids, and some doctrinal review.

Exam Reviews
The Professional Skills Center runs optional review sessions for exams in all required courses, which include doctrinal review and practice exams.

Individual Assistance
During the first semester (and to a limited extent the second semester as well), individual appointments are available to students to discuss any issue related to their legal education. These appointments are useful for addressing specific problems with doctrine, skills, and generally how law school is going. There will be a sign-up sheet outside the Skills Center (room 305) with the times available for appointments.

Graduate Fellows
Second- and third-year students who have done well academically and have demonstrated an aptitude for instruction are available to work with first-year students individually and in groups. They hold periodic workshops, facilitate guided study group meetings, and meet with students one-on-one. The Graduate Fellows are supervised by Susan Markus.

Legal Methods
In the spring semester of first year, David Nadvorney teaches Legal Methods, an intensive academic support class. The class tracks the required second-semester courses, usually Torts, Law and Family Relations, and Contracts. Students work on building and refining academic skills such as course mapping and outlining, class note taking, and extensive exam practice. Enrollment in Legal Methods is limited; students on probation are required to attend; those with first-semester grade point averages of 2.3 - 2.7 are strongly encouraged to attend, and other students are admitted as space permits.

Second Year Services

In the fall semester of second year, Shirley Lung teaches Individual Skills Development, a course similar to Legal Methods, with a strong focus on developing successful strategies for previewing material and preparing for class. Prof. Lung also conducts review sessions at exam times for selected courses.