Maslanka and Martinez's Experiencing Employment Discrimination Law

Experiencing Employment Discrimination Law is written by two seasoned practitioners, one of whom is a law professor. The book is designed as both a tool of pedagogy as well as a book that students can take into practice. It begins with six “Threshold Questions” that must be asked and answered before a lawyer proceeds to determine whether the law has been violated. Other books bury these issues in unrelated sections; this book ties them together in one place. Before each case throughout the book, the authors include “X-Ray Questions” to help students understand what they should be asking themselves as they read the case. This feature allows instructors to spend less time laying the groundwork for understanding a case and more time discussing the case’s import. The book also has many “Leaning Into Practice” sections based on challenging real-world fact patterns, which are designed to allow students to gain competence and confidence. These exercises can also be done in the classroom for instructors who want an alternative to the traditional case-summary method of teaching. Case selection focuses much more on interesting and engaging fact patterns and much less on stodgy majority, concurring, and dissenting Supreme Court opinions. These are the types of cases that practicing lawyers will use and interpret in their daily work. Through its “Beyond the Cite” sections, the book looks at a wide variety of contemporary issues such as whether prohibitions on certain hair styles constitute a proxy for racial discrimination. The mix of cases, exercises, and reading materials will provide a stimulating fulcrum to meet the pedagogical goals of different instructors. The book is written in a down-to-earth, highly readable style that will resonate with students, while still demonstrating a commitment to deep intellectual rigor.