First Week Assignments

Fall 2026

First Week assignments

Civil Procedure (LAW 183) | Professor Michael S. McGinniss 

Required Textbook:

Second Edition (2024) of Howard M. Erichson & J. Maria Glover, Civil Procedure (Aspen Publishing) (“Textbook”). You are welcome to use either a print copy or an electronic version of the Textbook as you prefer. The required Supplement is a print copy of A. Benjamin Spencer, Federal Civil Rules Supplement 2026-2027 (West Academic), which contains the complete Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (“FRCP”), as well as the United States Constitution and selected federal statutes. The final examination in this course will be closed book.

At about 8:15 am on Monday, August 17 via Campus Connection, I plan to email to students registered for the course the password for accessing (on TWEN) the Syllabus, certain materials that will be included along with the Text and Supplement in assigned readings during the semester, and other materials of interest. If you register for the course after 8:15 am on August 17, please email me at michael.mcginniss@und.edu (note spelling “ss”) to request the password.

Class 1 - Tuesday, August 25

• Introduction to Civil Procedure                    

  Textbook: 1-32 (including Spahr file)      

  Supplement: FRCP 1, 2; U.S. Const. amends. 5 & 14

Class 2 - Thursday, August 27

• Pleadings:                                                                                               

  Complaint, Summons, Service                            

  Textbook: 33-34, 36-66

  Supplement: FRCP 3, 4(a)-(c),(e),(m); 6(a)(1), 8(a),(d)-(e); 10, 12(b)(6)

Professional Responsibility (LAW 232) | Professor Michael S. McGinniss 

Required Textbook:

Eighth Edition (2024) of Nathan M. Crystal & Grace M. Giesel, Professional Responsibility: Problems of Practice and the Profession (“Textbook”). The required Supplement is the 2025 and 2026 Edition of Lisa G. Lerman, Philip G. Schrag, & Anjum Gupta, Ethical Problems in the Practice of Law: Model Rules, State Variations, and Practice Questions, which contains the complete ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct (with Comments) (“MR”), as well as an excellent selection of multiple-choice questions that will be assigned for class, along with very helpful explanatory answers. You are welcome to use either a print copy or an electronic version of the Textbook and/or Supplement, as you may prefer. The final examination in this course will be closed book.

At about 8:15 am on Monday, August 17 via Campus Connection, I plan to email to students registered for the course the password for accessing (on TWEN) the Syllabus, certain materials that will be included along with the Text and Supplement in assigned readings during the semester, and other materials of interest. If you register for the course after 8:15 am on August 17, please email me at michael.mcginniss@und.edu (note spelling “ss”) to request the password.

Class 1 - Monday, August 24     

• Foundations of Professional Responsibility:               

      Lawyers as Responsible Fiduciaries,               

      Officers of the Court, and Persons       

  Textbook: 1-20

  MR: Preamble; Scope; 8.4; 4.3

Class 2 - Wednesday, August 26                    

• Going Beyond the Rules:                                                 

     Conceptions of the Lawyer’s Role and 

     Developing Your Philosophy of Lawyering                

  Textbook: 21-28, 30-38, 55-59

  MR: 1.2(b), 2.1, 1.16(b)(4), 6.2(c)

  TWEN: Tenn. Bd. on Prof. Resp. Op. 96-F-140

  Problem: 1-1 (p. 26)