Stephen Zamora

Stephen Zamora

Contracts 1

The following advice was anonymously contributed:

At least in our section, Prof. Zamora did not have a discernibly organized method of calling on people.He usually likes to take volunteers for questions, but oftentimes just calls on an apparently random person in the classroom. If he asks for volunteers and doesn't find any takers, he will also reluctantly call on someone (sometimes after giving the class a guilt trip for not speaking up) in an equally random fashion. He does make a note of those that volunteer or get called on, so for those that don't like to be called on, you will probably be called on only 2-3 times during the semester.

When you do volunteer or get called on to discuss a case, get ready to discuss the facts of the case in GREAT detail. While some professors ultimately expect only the black letter law (Crump comes to mind), Professor Zamora often expects that you will be able to accurately recite all the facts of the studied case (oftentimes in high detail of even the minutia). It is not uncommon for Prof. Zamora to spend 50%-75% of the total time used to discuss a case on just the recitation of the pertinent and oftentimes non-pertinent facts. The final exam is not designed the same way (although Prof. Zamora will probably dispute that fact). The open-book exam is going to mainly test the law that you learned throughout the semester. Prof. Zamora doesn't have a rigid structure that he prefers (at least not openly), but he does prefer more analysis than most other professors. It's here that the heavy fact analysis during the semester does come into play. Fortunately, contract law principles can generally be stated quite simply. The law should be briefly stated, which should leave a good deal of time for analysis. The facts should be considered thoroughly, and explain how the fact is relevant, what conclusion it leads you to, and why it leads you to that conclusion.

Prof. Zamora is also gives a lot of hypothetical questions for you to consider during or after class. These are also quite heavy in the facts, and usually deal with jalepeños. However, they usually follow a similar fact pattern from the case book and are generally limited to 1-2 legal principles. Finally, in class try not to get distracted as he pulls his pants up and down, twirls his glasses, and puts his glasses on the end of his nose.

A- Contracts outline – Spring 2014 – added 09-02-2015
Anonymous – A outline – Contracts – Spring 2012 – added 01-02-2013
Anonymous – Contracts outline – added 06/12/2011
Anonymously contributed contract outline - A Grade added 08-16-2009
Contracts outline - A grade - anonymous added 01-26-2009
Another contracts outline - anonymous contribution
Zamora Contract Outline
Zamora Contracts 1 A Outline (anonymously contributed)
Zamora Contracts 2 A Outline (anonymously contributed)
Zamora Contracts 1 Outline (thanks to Carl Galant, class of '05)
Zamora Contracts 2 Outline (thanks to Carl Galant, class of '05)