Joel Paul - University of California Hastings College of Law

Professor: Joel Paul

Department: TBD

College: University of California Hastings College of Law

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CONLA1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Prof Paul is awesome. Warm, engaging, brilliant. Everything you want in a law professor.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CONLA1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

My favourite professor. He is very clear and his lectures are extremely interesting. He goes out of his way to help.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PIL1
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Prof. Paul has a difficult time separating course material from his own opinions. Dissenting points of view not particularly welcome. By the end of the course I didn't feel particularly well-versed in Public International Law, but I could've written a law review note on the professor's worldview.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CONLA1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He lays out the material pretty clearly - outlining is easy. Inconsistent on letting students talk - either cuts them off sharply or lets them ramble. Does not really cold call, seems to call on the same people. Nice in office hours, somewhat intimidating in class.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CONLI
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He is very friendly and passionate about Constitutional Law! His lectures are extremely interesting and deep

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PBLCINTL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I wish this website existed when I was at Hastings. The lecture was not interesting and the class is not as good as some of the other electives available. The paper was worth a lot but I was not clear on his expectations.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CONLA1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

A little too much opinion, not enough clarity. His ConLaw I classes do have interesting discussion (usually thanks to the LLM students), but the overal concept clarity and tying together just aren't there. Also, the closed-book exam doesn't fit very well with his teaching style.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PIL1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Not a great teacher -- boring, unclear, sarcastic, and biased. Also a totally arbitrary grader, seems unfair. I wish I would have taken something else and advise others do the same.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CON1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Great prof. Allows too much student discussion though. I'd rather have heard more of his thoughts. Teaches con law with passion and adds a great historical perspective.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CONLAW2
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Class discussions are not much help but his explanantions in office hours are good. Take advantage.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PUBINTLLAW
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

People who had Paul for Con Law seem to like him less than people who had him for Pub Intl Law. Maybe that's because he himself is more interested in the latter. I found the lectures and discussions very interesting, and the test quite doable. He also has a great dog, whom he occasionally brings to class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PUBINTLLAW
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CONLAWII
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Weird grader. In Con Law I, I got a C+. In Con Law II, I got an A-. Maybe I improved, but he is an unpredictable grader, that is for sure. I also got a C+ from him in Int'l Trade. It is a gamble to take a class from him, but I did learn a lot from him regardless. I'm ambivalent about this guy.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CONLAWII
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

If you don't agree with Paul's brand of liberal politics -- forget this class. You will be miserable!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CONLAWI
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

The class discussions are painful. Make sure you have plenty of games to play while people love to hear themselves talk. Ugh. Paul can be a bit hostile towards students sometimes when answering questions or shooting questions at them. Be aware!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CONLAW
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Don't know if it's just the subject, but I find his lectures very confusing and unorganized. He doesn't always stick to what he asigns so he'll assign A LOT and then not get through it. I just don't understand him, but that can be me. But, very nice guy and funny.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CONLAW
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

the subject matter is not suppose to be clear...Exam is more than fair

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CONLAW
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

i thought the lectures were clear and interesting but the final came way out of left feild.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: INTERNLTRADE
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Dry class, but fairly straightforward. Very fair final (60%) and paper (40%).

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CONLAWI
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Maybe con law I just sucks as a class because of the subject matter, but Pauls' lectures seemed very unclear. But personality wise in class he is great.