Course: Introduction to U.S. Law
How does the American common law system work? What role do courts and judicial decisions play in the development of law? How do American lawyers analyse precedent and construct legal arguments? In October 2026, the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Szczecin will host a six-session course entitled “Introduction to U.S. Law”, taught by American attorney Terry E. Thomson, Esq.
The course provides an introduction to the history, structure, and methodology of the United States legal system and to the operation of American common law. Its purpose is not only to familiarise participants with the basic features of U.S. law, but also to develop their legal analytical skills through the study of case law.
One of the main components of the course will be the joint analysis of selected court decisions. Participants will become familiar with methods of legal education characteristic of U.S. law schools, including elements of the Socratic method, based on questioning, discussion, and argumentation drawing on materials read in advance.
The course will also provide an opportunity to compare two legal traditions: American common law and the civil law systems found, among others, in Poland and other European countries. The discussions will help participants better understand differences concerning sources of law, the significance of precedent, the role of courts, and methods of legal reasoning.
Course materials will include selected decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States and other materials relating to the U.S. legal system. Participants will receive assigned readings in advance of subsequent sessions.
Course Schedule:
October 19, 2026, 4:00–6:00 p.m. – Room 222
October 20, 2026, 4:00–6:00 p.m. – Room 222
October 21, 2026, 4:00–6:00 p.m. – Room 217
October 26, 2026, 4:00–6:00 p.m. – Room 222
October 28, 2026, 4:00–6:00 p.m. – Room 217
October 30, 2026, 4:00–6:00 p.m. – Room 218
October 20, 2026, 4:00–6:00 p.m. – Room 222
October 21, 2026, 4:00–6:00 p.m. – Room 217
October 26, 2026, 4:00–6:00 p.m. – Room 222
October 28, 2026, 4:00–6:00 p.m. – Room 217
October 30, 2026, 4:00–6:00 p.m. – Room 218
Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Szczecin, 17A Narutowicza Street, Szczecin
Registration is available via the form at the following link: https://tiny.pl/h4fs677kb
Lecturer – Terry E. Thomson, Esq.
Terry E. Thomson is an American attorney with extensive experience in both legal practice and legal education. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Washington and, in 1973, received his Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School. He is licensed to practise law in the states of Washington and New York and, over the course of his career, has also appeared before state and federal courts in other parts of the United States.
His professional practice has focused primarily on business law and litigation, contract law, real estate law, and employment law. He has also handled civil rights cases. He has tried more than 50 jury and non-jury cases in state and federal courts. For more than 15 years, he served as an arbitrator for King County Superior Court in Seattle and has also worked as a mediator, guardian ad litem, and trustee.
Since 2014, he has also developed an international teaching career. He has taught a total of 16 legal courses for law students and practising attorneys in five countries. His courses have included “Introduction to U.S. Law”, “Legal Writing”, “Introduction to Legal English”, “Business Organizations Law”, and “Property Law”.
Terry E. Thomson is also a co-founder of a boutique business-oriented law firm established in 1993. His professional background therefore combines many years of courtroom practice in the United States with teaching experience aimed at students and lawyers encountering the U.S. legal system from the perspective of other legal traditions.