A full list of classes offered by the law school
|
Number
|
Title
|
Credits
|
Syllabus
|
|
600
|
Civil Procedure
|
4
|
A Sample Syllabus for Civil Procedure
|
|
Description of course 600
:
|
This course will examine how civil litigation is conducted from the initiation of a lawsuit to its final resolution in a trial court. Students will examine issues relating to pleadings, joinder of claims and parties, discovery, summary judgement, motions for judgement as a matter of law, motions for a new trial, post-trial motions, and ethical limitations on pleadings and motions. The course may include a brief introduction to subject matter and/or personal jurisdiction.
|
|
605
|
Constitutional Law
|
4
|
A Sample Syllabus for Constitutional Law
|
|
Description of course 605
:
|
This course will introduce students to the United States Constitution and to the role of courts in interpreting it. Students will examine the governmental structures set up by the Constitution, including the relationship between the federal and state governments and the relationship among branches of the federal government. The course will intro- duce students to the protection of individual rights under the Fourteenth Amendment in areas like racial, sexual and other forms of equality; implied rights of equality in voting; access to the courts; and rights of privacy in mat- ters like marriage, family and sexual activity. Students will develop skills in framing and responding to con- stitutional arguments and in evaluating the role of courts in making policy through constitutional decisions.
|
|
610
|
Contracts
|
4
|
A Sample Syllabus for Contracts
|
|
Description of course 610
:
|
This course will examine the fundamental principles governing the enforcement of promises in the legal system. Students will explore topics such as the formation of con- tracts, excuses for performance of contractual obligations, breach of contracts, remedies for breach and the rights of third parties. In the context of contract law, students will develop their analytical skills using the common law, as well as statutory (e.g. the Uniform Commercial Code) and secondary (e.g., the Restatement (Second) of Contracts) authorities.
|
|
615
|
Criminal Law
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Criminal Law
|
|
Description of course 615
:
|
This course will examine the origins, development, purposes and application of the criminal law, which may be the most direct expression of a society's collective morality. The class will be both theoretical and practical. Students will study and discuss theories of crime and punishment, as well as the real-life consequences of enforcing these theories in an imperfect world. Students will learn the general prin- ciples of criminal liability and related defenses, the ele- ments of various crimes, the nature of criminal acts and the requisite mental states. The course will emphasize heavily the ethics of criminalizing behavior and society's treatment of criminal wrongdoers.
|
|
620
|
Lawyering Skills I
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Lawyering Skills I
|
|
Description of course 620
:
|
This course will introduce students to the fundamentals of legal problem solving through legal analysis, legal research and legal writing methods. Students will learn methods of legal analysis, including fact analysis and rule-based reasoning, using common law and statutory sources. Students will learn legal research in primary and secondary sources, in both traditional and electronic formats, emphasizing efficient research strategies. Finally, students will learn to structure, write and edit a formal memorandum of law. Instruction in lawyering skills will be integrated to focus on the problem-solving process and to help students begin to develop independent professional judgment.
|
|
625
|
Lawyering Skills II
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Lawyering Skills II
|
|
Description of course 625
:
|
This course will refine students' legal problem-solving skills using legal analysis, legal research, and legal writing strategies and will introduce students to additional lawyering skills. Students will advance from objective to persuasive legal writing projects set in an advocacy context and will draft typical litigation documents, such as plead- ings, pre-trial motions, and trial briefs. Students will consider various dynamics of the lawyer/client relationship, conduct a client interview, and prepare a client opinion letter. Finally, the course will explore alternative methods of dispute resolution.
|
|
630
|
Property
|
4
|
A Sample Syllabus for Property
|
|
Description of course 630
:
|
This course will cover fundamental issues associated with the law of property. Students will examine the rights arising from various interests in property, the concept of possession and how possession is acquired and protected and the ways in which possession is transferred, shared and divided. Additionally, students will explore the right to use or restrict the use of property. In the context of property law, students will explore various aspects of law- yering such as interviewing and counseling, fact invest- igation, dispute resolution, problem-solving and profess- ional responsibility.
|
|
635
|
Torts
|
4
|
A Sample Syllabus for Torts
|
|
Description of course 635
:
|
This course will examine the legal principles that determine whether civil liability will attach to conduct that results in injuries to persons or property. Students will explore in depth, the issues and principles related to the law of neg- ligence and its elements of duty, breach, causation and damages. The course will also address principles of liability for intentional torts. Throughout the course, students will explore the social and economic policies underlying tort law principles.
|
|
640
|
Foundations of Justice
|
1
|
A Sample Syllabus for Foundations of Justice
|
|
Description of course 640
:
|
Foundations of Justice is designed to equip students to discern and articulate the connections between law, social justice, and morality. A combination of large- and small-group discussions, individual reflection, and lectures explore topics such as human dignity, the social order, the role of the state, economic justice, truth and freedom, and the vocation of the lawyer. Students read a variety of religious and non-religious perspectives on a given topic, along with judicial opinions that reflect the law's relationship with the topic. Classrom exercises encourage students to wrestle with the implications that their own moral convictions have for their understanding of law and the lawyer's role. The class meets during orientation week (1 credit) and during spring semester (2 credits). Grades are based on two short reflection papers, a final written project and classroom presentation, and a final examination.
|
|
641
|
Foundations of Justice
|
1
|
A Sample Syllabus for Foundations of Justice
|
|
Description of course 641
:
|
Foundations of Justice is designed to equip students to discern and articulate the connections between law, social justice, and morality. A combination of large- and small-group discussions, individual reflection, and lectures explore topics such as human dignity, the social order, the role of the state, economic justice, truth and freedom, and the vocation of the lawyer. Students read a variety of religious and non-religious perspectives on a given topic, along with judicial opinions that reflect the law's relationship with the topic. Classrom exercises encourage students to wrestle with the implications that their own moral convictions have for their understanding of law and the lawyer's role. The class meets during orientation week (1 credit) and during spring semester (2 credits). Grades are based on two short reflection papers, a final written project and classroom presentation, and a final examination.
|
|
700
|
Business Associations
|
4
|
A Sample Syllabus for Business Associations
|
|
Description of course 700
:
|
This course will introduce students to basic concepts in agency and partnership law as well as the law of corporations under the Model Business Corporation Act. Students will examine fundamental legal rights and duties between corporate shareholders, directors and officers. The course will cover the legal issues of both closely held and publicly held corporations, as well as those of hybrid organizations like limited liability partnerships. If time permits, students will learn the fundamentals of corporate finance and federal regulation of corporate share trading.
|
|
705
|
Evidence
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Evidence
|
|
Description of course 705
:
|
This course will consider the rules governing the proof of disputed issues of fact at trial. Students will examine rules relating to relevance, presumptions and burdens, wit- nesses, scientific and demonstrative evidence, character evidence, hearsay and privileges.
|
|
710
|
Jurisprudence
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Jurisprudence
|
|
Description of course 710
:
|
This course will consider the answers offered by leading legal philosophers to the question, "What is law?" Students will review the major jurisprudential schools, including natural law, both classical and modern, positivism, and the historical school, the philosophical foundation of English common law and the doctrine of precedent. The course will examine developments in jurisprudence such as legal realism, legal pragmatism, and law and economics. Additionally, students will consider the relationship of religious faith to law and belief in natural rights.
|
|
715
|
Lawyering Skills III
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Lawyering Skills III
|
|
Description of course 715
:
|
This course will focus on the skills necessary for success- fully pursuing an appeal. After a brief introduction to the appellate process and its corresponding procedural rules, students will learn to evaluate a case for appeal, identify and narrow issues, develop a persuasive theory, and write an effective appellate brief. Additionally, students will present a 15-minute oral argument on their briefs to a moot court.
|
|
720
|
Federal Income Taxation
|
4
|
A Sample Syllabus for Federal Income Taxation
|
|
Description of course 720
:
|
This course will introduce students to the fundamentals of federal income tax law. Topics will include the nature of income, exclusions, deductions, and exemptions. Students also will examine the tax consequences of property trans- actions, capital gains and losses, and sales of business assets.
|
|
725
|
Professional Responsibility
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Professional Responsibility
|
|
Description of course 725
:
|
This course will examine issues of legal ethics and the professional responsibility of lawyers. Students will study the law governing the conduct of lawyers in areas like formation of the lawyer/client relationship, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, client communications and the lawyer's role within the adversarial process. Additionally, students will move beyond the legal rules and regulations to explore expanded and aspirational ideas of what a lawyer's role can and should be in the lawyer/client relationship, in the profession and in society.
|
|
750
|
Consortium Class
|
1
|
A Sample Syllabus for Consortium Class
|
|
Description of course 750
:
|
|
|
763
|
Islam & Civil Liberties
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Islam & Civil Liberties
|
|
Description of course 763
:
|
Students take an in-depth, comparative look at two cutting- edge subjects: (i) the European debate over whether to ban the headscarf and other forms of Islamic clothing and (ii) the controversy over the publication of the Danish cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed. Each student writes short reaction papers and then has a choice of either (i) a 7500- word paper, which will satisfy the upper-level writing requirement, or (ii) a shorter 4-6 page paper and a take- home final exam. (2 credits. Offered alternate years. ULWR.)
|
|
765
|
Remedies
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Remedies
|
|
Description of course 765
:
|
This course will focus broadly upon both legal and equitable remedies. The underlying goals and objectives of awarding remedies will be discussed, as well as the various legal vehicles available to obtain those goals and also whether the law adequately and appropriately achieves those goals. A wide range of both substitutionary and specific remedies will be discussed in depth, with particular attention upon compensatory damages (and related doctrines), injunctive relief, punitive remedies, ancillary remedies (such as contempt, collection, attorneys' fees, and others) and remedial defenses.
|
|
766
|
Domestic Violence
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Domestic Violence
|
|
Description of course 766
:
|
This course is intended to help students understand how domestic violence impacts all practice areas. The curriculum is interacitve and incorporates guest speakers regarding various topics such as representing adult victims of domestic violence; obtaining an order for protection; the children of battered women & battered women as mothers; the family law system; the criminal justice system; stalking and sexual assault issues; evidence; and immigration issues. The class will be a combination of the first hour lecture and the last hour small group discussion with featured guest speakers from the community. The course will provide an educational experience that will change lawyers to effectively represent victims of domestic violence and to serve as conscientious policy-makers integrating their awareness about domestic violence into their legal work to increase access to justice for all.
|
|
768
|
Federal Jurisdiction
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Federal Jurisdiction
|
|
Description of course 768
:
|
This course will examine the powers and limits of federal courts, with a focus on the federal courts' relationship to state courts (federalism) and to Congress and the federal executive branch (separation of powers). Topics will include standing to sue, the power of Congress to restrict the jurisdiction of the federal courts, the obligation of federal courts to apply state law, abstention by the federal courts in favor of state court decision making, the federal courts' power to issue writs of habeas corpus, constitutional limits on suits against states and a brief introduction to 42 U.S.C. 1983 and other leading federal civil rights statutes.
|
|
770
|
Comparative Constitutional Law
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Comparative Constitutional Law
|
|
Description of course 770
:
|
|
|
771
|
Int'l Law & CST
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Int'l Law & CST
|
|
Description of course 771
:
|
The course provides service-learning opportunities to students interested in advancing Catholic Social Teaching through international law. Class readings and other instructional materials provide a brief introduction to the international legal framework that governs international relations among states, with a special emphasis on the actions of the United Nations and the relationship of those actions to the domestic law of states. Particular issues addressed by Church teaching and international agreements or statements will be examined in preparation for student participation in lobbying activities at meetings of United Nation's bodies. After the conclusion of a one-week lobbying experience, students prepare two papers. Enrollment limited to 10 students admitted by permission of the instructor. 3 credits. Offered yearly.
|
|
772
|
Bankruptcy Clinic
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Bankruptcy Clinic
|
|
Description of course 772
:
|
A comprehensive clinical legal program that provides classroom sessions on bankruptcy law and guidance through one of two practical bankruptcy situations in the representation of real clients. The students will practice under the student practice rules of Federal Court and under the guidance of local bankruptcy attorneys. Students will actually appear in court and in front of the bankruptcy judges, argue motions, defend depositions, participate in settlement negotiations, counsel clients on the litigation risks, and try a jury trial in Bankruptcy Court. Enrollment limited to 8 students.
|
|
773
|
Legal Analysis Review
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Legal Analysis Review
|
|
Description of course 773
:
|
This course is designed to enhance study skills, exam-taking skills, and deductive and inductive reasoning skills and to help students organize and communicate complex legal materials in an effective manner. Materials will be drawn from the legal topics tested in common on the bar examination of nearly all American jurisdictions. Students will be graded on in-class quizzes, writing exercises, and Multistate Bar Examination exercises, and a final exam with components of the above plus a Multistate Performance Test question. This course is not a substitute for an outside bar review course, nor is it a substitute for any other course in the curriculum. Enrollment limited to 20 third-year students each semester, admitted by permission of the instructor.
|
|
780
|
Criminal Practice
|
4
|
A Sample Syllabus for Criminal Practice
|
|
Description of course 780
:
|
Criminal Practice is a practical class for those students who are committed to pursuing the vocation of criminal law. While Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure cover essential statutes and precedents, Criminal Practice teaches students how to use that knowledge and ethically practice criminal law in the field. For example, in Criminal Law students may have learned what a suppression hearing is, and in Criminal Procedure they will have studied the law that can be relied upon to suppress evidence. Criminal Practice builds on that knowledge and covers the actual preparation and presentation of a suppression motion-how to write the motion (and response), how to prevent evidence at the hearing, and how to interact with clients and agents before, during, and after the hearing. Because the course is rooted in practice, much of the student work is done in the form of exercises, which track the work done throughout the criminal case. As much as possible, these exercises are crafted to reflect the challenges faced in real cases.
|
|
782
|
Canon Law of Marriage
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Canon Law of Marriage
|
|
Description of course 782
:
|
This course will explore the principle canons on matrimony in their historical and doctrinal context. Students will examine the canonical definition of marriage and its ends and properties, canonical preparation for marriage, the impediments to canonically valid marriage, the laws concerning matrimonial consent, the canonical form, mixed marriage, dissolution of the bond, separation, convalidation and sanation. Students will subject some disputed questions concerning marriage to critical analysis from a theological and canonical point of view, e.g., the meaning of covenant, the requirement of faith, the nature of consent, indissolubility, the privilege of the faith and other grounds for dissolution of the marriage bond. Students will examine the nature of the Church's matrimonial jurisprudence and of selected capita nullitatis of particular relevance to practitioners in both the Roman Rota and American church courts: the so-called traditional capita as well as various psychological bases for nullity. Each Student will write a relatio (memorandum) and a sentence concerning the validity of a hypothetical marriage. ( 3 credits. Offered Alternate years.)
|
|
783
|
Sentencing
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Sentencing
|
|
Description of course 783
:
|
This course examines sentencing, the portion of the criminal process that often matters most to the defendant and to society. The course covers state law, federal law (including the federal sentencing guidelines), and the death penalty. Because far more cases result in a sentencing than go to trial, and because the doctrines and rules that control sentencing can be very complex, the subject is important and challenging. The course is useful for those planning to practice criminal law or those considering it, as well as for those considering federal judicial clerkships. Typically , the grade for the course is determined by a final exam and a sentencing exercise.
|
|
784
|
Intellectual Property Litigat
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Intellectual Property Litigat
|
|
Description of course 784
:
|
This course will cover intellectual property (IP) litigation , including litigation of patent, copyright, trademark, and trade secret cases. The course is not a trial practice course, but rather one in which students will study the strategy and practice of litigation IP cases. The course is designed for students who are interested in litigation, and does not require prior IP coursework. The course will step through litigation chronologically, covering pre-suit investigations, venue selection and jurisdiction, pleadings, discovery, issues regarding use of experts, pre-trial briefing, trial, post-trial briefing, and appeal. The course will place particular focus on contemporary, difficult, strategic issues that come up in intellectual property litigation. The course will involve extensive class interaction and discussion, and will involve the drafting of several litigation documents.
|
|
793
|
Topics
|
0
|
A Sample Syllabus for Topics
|
|
Description of course 793
:
|
The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule
|
|
794
|
Topics
|
0
|
A Sample Syllabus for Topics
|
|
Description of course 794
:
|
The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule
|
|
795
|
Topics
|
0
|
A Sample Syllabus for Topics
|
|
Description of course 795
:
|
The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule
|
|
796
|
Topics
|
0
|
A Sample Syllabus for Topics
|
|
Description of course 796
:
|
The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule
|
|
797
|
Topics
|
0
|
A Sample Syllabus for Topics
|
|
Description of course 797
:
|
|
|
798
|
Topics
|
0
|
A Sample Syllabus for Topics
|
|
Description of course 798
:
|
|
|
802
|
Administrative Law
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Administrative Law
|
|
Description of course 802
:
|
This course will examine the legal limits on administrative agencies under the Constitution, the Administrative Procedure Act and other statutes. Students will explore constitutional limits on Congress' power to delegate law- making and judicial power to agencies, procedural limits on agency rulemaking and decision making and limits on the availability and scope of judicial review of agency actions.
|
|
803
|
Advanced Torts
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Advanced Torts
|
|
Description of course 803
:
|
This course will explore in greater depth than is possible inthe first year Torts course the theories of liability that govern civil damage actions for injuries caused by negligence. Students will also examine theories and rules governing strict liability, products liability, defamation, invasion of privacy, and infliction of emotional distress.
|
|
804
|
Adoption Law
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Adoption Law
|
|
Description of course 804
:
|
This course will give students the opportunity to explore the ethical, moral and legal issues associated with the participants in the adoption process including birth fathers, birth mothers, adoptive parents, the state and most importantly, the children placed for adoption.
|
|
808
|
Bankruptcy
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Bankruptcy
|
|
Description of course 808
:
|
This course will introduce students to basic principles of bankruptcy law and practice. Students will explore topics like eligibility for bankruptcy, powers of the bankruptcy trustee, collection and distribution of the debtor's estate, rights of creditors and discharge of the debtor. Although the course will focus on individual bankruptcy under Chapter 7 of the bankruptcy laws, students will also examine issues of corporate reorganization under Chapter 11 and rehabilitation under Chapter 13.
|
|
809
|
Business Planning
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Business Planning
|
|
Description of course 809
:
|
This course will explore issues in forming, operating, and disposing of closely held businesses, building on the foundations laid in the Business Associations and Federal Income Taxation courses. Using readings, problem sets, class discussions, sample agreements, statutes, and regulations, students will explore the factors involved in selecting a sole-proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or limited liability company as the proper form for engaging in business. Students will draw on the experience of experts in the fields of investment banking, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance in examining issues related to the buying and selling of businesses. Students will learn how to draft documents relevant to these transactions. [Prerequisites: Federal Income Taxation and Business Associations]
|
|
810
|
Canon Law:Basic Principles
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Canon Law:Basic Principles
|
|
Description of course 810
:
|
This course will examine the nature, history and function of law in the Catholic Church by presenting an overview of the 1983 Code of Canon Law and other ecclesiastical laws and regulations concerning general norms (Book I), the rights and obligations of the Christian faithful and ecclesiastical structures (Book II), the teaching office of the Church (Book III) and temporal goods (Book V). The course will provide students with an understanding of the structures, processes and discipline directed to harmony and order for the Christian faithful. It will seek to engender a knowledge and respect for ecclesiastical law as a pastoral instrument and practical science that translates the Church's teachings into reasonable norms for members' everyday lives. Students will learn about the basic structures in the Church at the universal, national, diocesan and parochial levels and about resources helpful to their effective participation and ministries in the Church. The course will introduce students to a significantly different juridical system and body of law and will enhance their abilities to deal with legal issues arising in a distinctly different juridical context.
|
|
813
|
Ethical Leadership-Litigation
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Ethical Leadership-Litigation
|
|
Description of course 813
:
|
This course is structured similarily to Ethical Leadership in Corporate Practice described above except that it focuses on the student as an ethical advocate, counselor and servant leader in litigation. The biggest difference is that in nine of the thirteen classes, the speakers for that class are ethical leaders in a specific area of litigation practice (e.g. criminal prosecution, criminal defense, poverty law, complex civil litigation, ADR etc.) The speakers and the class discussion following the speakiers will consider servant leadership with clients, colleagues in the firm, adversaries, and decision makers in the context of the particular litigation area for that evening's class.
|
|
814
|
Consumer Law
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Consumer Law
|
|
Description of course 814
:
|
This course will examine the federal and state laws regard- ing unfair and deceptive practices, consumer credit trans- actions, debt collection and warranties. Students will examine federal statutes, such as the Consumer Credit Protection Act and the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, as well as state statutes and common law.
|
|
816
|
Corporate Finance
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Corporate Finance
|
|
Description of course 816
:
|
Corporate Finance will study the basic financing techniques and related legal instruments by which business corporations raise capital. Topics covered will include venture capital, bank finance, IPO's, public and private sale of long term debt, securitization and derivatives. More theoretical topics will be covered by the course professor and more practical topics by specialist practitioners from Dorsey & Whitney who will review and discuss model agreements and term sheets. Certain areas which are increasingly regulated under the Dodd Frank legislation of 2010 will receive particular focus. They include securitization, derivatives and credit rating agencies. Students will be asked to analyze final and proposed rules under Dodd Frank. Students will be given the opportunity to work with "real" documents, drafting from models and commenting on the drafts of others. For example, a student might prepare a section of an agreement for a lender and another student might comment from the point of view of a borrower. There will be a final exam counting for half the course grade with the balance of the grade dependent on written analysis and drafting as well as oral class participation.
|
|
818
|
Credit & Payment Devices
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Credit & Payment Devices
|
|
Description of course 818
:
|
This course will examine the laws governing lending money and making payments in both consumer and commercial contexts. Students will examine lending laws, including negotiable instrument law relevant primarily to commercial lending (UCC Article 3) and consumer protection law address- ing topics such as disclosure of lending terms, credit reporting, privacy and discriminatory lending practices and laws governing payment devices such as checks (UCC Article 4), electronic fund transfers (UCC Article 4A and the Electronic Funds Transfer Act) and credit and debit cards.
|
|
819
|
Criminal Procedure 1
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Criminal Procedure 1
|
|
Description of course 819
:
|
This course will explore law enforcement interactions with individuals and the ways in which constitutional constraints upon governmental investigative practices limit the use of evidence in criminal trials. In particular, students will examine interactions during police stops, searches and seizures, arrests and interrogation and will view all of these interactions in light of the rights conferred through the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments.
|
|
820
|
Criminal Procedure II
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Criminal Procedure II
|
|
Description of course 820
:
|
This course will cover the trial and appeal stages of a criminal prosecution and include such issues as the prosecutor's discretion in charging, the use of the grand jury, plea bargaining, speedy trial provisions, the right to jury trial, confrontation of witnesses, burdens of proof, jury deliberations, double jeopardy, and sentencing. Other issues may include ineffective assistance of counsel, prosecutorial misconduct, state court grounds for denying relief, exhaustion of claims and miscarriages of justice. Prerequisite: LAWS 819
|
|
821
|
Wrongful Convictions
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Wrongful Convictions
|
|
Description of course 821
:
|
Taught in conjunction with the Innocence Project of Minnesota, this course will educate students about the causes of wrongful convictions. As part of their midterm and final examinations, student will be required to evaluate in- mate applications for assistance submitted to the Innocence Project of Minnesota. Enrollment is limited to 20.
|
|
822
|
Disability Law
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Disability Law
|
|
Description of course 822
:
|
This course will explore the legal protections afforded to persons with disabilities. Through a focus on the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act, and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, students will examine the rights of individuals with disabilities in education, public accomodations, government programs, and the workplace. Students will evaluate critically the assumptions, philosophy, and tools that underlie the law's current approach and will consider alternative approaches. The course will give students substantial experience in using tools of statutory interpretation as they consider the applicable statutes and their emerging judicial interpretation.
|
|
823
|
Employment Discrimination
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Employment Discrimination
|
|
Description of course 823
:
|
This course will examine the federal laws prohibiting discrimination in the workplace, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Equal Pay Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students will learn about basic requirements for proving discrimination, by both overtly discriminatory employment policies and facially neutral rules with a discriminatory impact. Topics also will include affirmative action, pregnancy in the workplace, sexual harassment and reasonable accommodation under the A.D.A.
|
|
824
|
Crime and Punishment
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Crime and Punishment
|
|
Description of course 824
:
|
This course provides an opportunity for students to examine and confront one of the most vexing criminal justice issues of our time: how should we punish those who break our laws. Guest speakers include prosecutors and defense attorneys, judges and other court personnel, offenders, and others involved in reform efforts. The course may be offered in different formats in different semesters (including, in some semesters, a joint seminar with University of Arizona law students through interactive video). Grading is based on a final paper in lieu of an exam, on journal assignments, and on class participation. Enrollment is limited and requires the instructor's permission (Professor Hank Shea).
|
|
825
|
Environmental Law
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Environmental Law
|
|
Description of course 825
:
|
This course will examine the legal mechanisms available to regulate and remedy environmental harm. Although students will learn about some common law claims, most of the course will focus on federal environmental statutes and regulations like the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act and the statutes relating to hazardous substances. The course will introduce students to interviewing, counseling and negotiation skills in an environmental law context.
|
|
827
|
Family Law
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Family Law
|
|
Description of course 827
:
|
This course will explore the legal and policy issues relating to the creation and dissolution of family relation- ships. Students will examine topics such as marriage requirements, co-habitation, marital contracts, property distribution upon divorce, spousal support, child custody and child support.
|
|
831
|
Health Law
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Health Law
|
|
Description of course 831
:
|
This course will introduce students to legal issues relating to health and health care delivery. Students will explore the potential conflict between quality and cost concerns and may examine topics like patients' access to health care, the rise of managed care, health care delivery systems, health care insurance and health care financing. Additionally, students will examine the regulation, licensing and liability of health care porviders and will explore selected ethical dilemmas in law and medicine.
|
|
832
|
Immigration Law
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Immigration Law
|
|
Description of course 832
:
|
This course will explore issues under the immigration, nationality and naturalization laws of the United States. Students will study the laws relating to refugees, political asylum, citizenship, and deportation. They will examine the social and political policy underpinnings of these laws as well as the constitutional basis of the power to control immigration and the constitutional rights of aliens seeking admission to or resisting deportation from the United States.
|
|
834
|
Intellectual Property
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Intellectual Property
|
|
Description of course 834
:
|
This course will survey the major statutes protecting in- tellectual property - trademarks, copyrights, patents and trade secrets - together with related common law doctrines. The course will emphasize basic theories of legal protection as well as the limits on this protection that are designed to preserve a public domain of freely accessible inform- ation. The course will introduce students to practical as- pects of handling intellectual property, such as patent and trademark applications, licensing of intellectual property and handling of employee inventions. Students will explore the law's response to new technologies, the preemption of state laws by federal patent law, the impact of internation- al agreements covering intellectual property and the relationship of intellectual property to social justice and economic development.
|
|
836
|
Int'l Human Rights Law
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Int'l Human Rights Law
|
|
Description of course 836
:
|
This course will introduce students to the nature and sources of international human rights law, including United Nations and regional human rights treaties and enforcement mechanisms. Students will examine the theoretical and historical foundations for human rights norms, the evolution of economic, social and cultural rights, the treatment of international human rights law in domestic courts and individual remedies for human rights violations.
|
|
837
|
International Law
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for International Law
|
|
Description of course 837
:
|
This course will introduce students to the sources, history, institutions, and nature of public international law. Topics will include international law jurisdiction, international institutions, sovereign and diplomatic immunity, limits on the use of force, the law of treaties, international organizations, protection of individuals, protection of the environment and law of the sea.
|
|
838
|
Civil Pretrial Litigation
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Civil Pretrial Litigation
|
|
Description of course 838
:
|
This course will expose students to the civil pre-trial process - complaint, answer, discovery, despositions, motions and settlement.
|
|
840
|
Land Use Law
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Land Use Law
|
|
Description of course 840
:
|
This course will explore the potential conflicts between land use regulation and private property rights and will examine their respective constitutional bases. Students will consider topics like zoning, zoning relief, eminent domain, takings, wetland protection, historic preservation, develop- ment incentives and subsidies such as tax increment financing.
|
|
841
|
Infamous Trials
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Infamous Trials
|
|
Description of course 841
:
|
This course reviews historically prominent trials as a means of learning about the American criminal justice system. Each session of the class features one trail or, occasionally, two trials. From each such case, the course attempts to extract lessons about our justice system, including effective (and ineffective) litigation tatics, the effect of racial and other prejudice on juries, the interaction of public sentiment, politics, and litigation, ect. Prior to each session of this class, students are required to read several items about the trial featured in the class and to find and read additional materials about these trials. After a short quiz, most classes move to a discussion of the featured trial(s). Each student is required to participate in the discussion during each class. In addition, each student participates as a member of a two-student team to research and report upon a prominent trial in Minnesota or elsewhere. (2 credits. Offered alternate years.)
|
|
843
|
1st Amendment: Relig Libert
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for 1st Amendment: Relig Libert
|
|
Description of course 843
:
|
This course will explore the historical development of religious liberty and issues arising under the Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses of the First Amendment, including religious exemptions from general laws, school vouchers and other forms of government aid to religious organizations, school prayer and other issues concerning religion in government settings, and the involvement of religion in politics.
|
|
848
|
Patent Law
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Patent Law
|
|
Description of course 848
:
|
This course will introduce students to the legal framework of patent law and important aspects of patent law practice and litigation. Students will explore topics like patentable subject matter, requirements for obtaining a patent, drafting of patent claims, suits for infringement of a patent and remedies for infringement. Additionally, students will examine the relationship between patent law and other forms of intellectual property protection.
|
|
851
|
Real Estate Transactions
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Real Estate Transactions
|
|
Description of course 851
:
|
This course will cover an array of legal and practical aspects of real estate transactions. Students will explore legal and policy issues within the context of several common real estate transaction types, including purchase agreements and leases. the course will also introduce students to the process and art of critically analyzing, negotiating and documenting real estate transactions.
|
|
852
|
Sales
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Sales
|
|
Description of course 852
:
|
This course will cover the law governing contracts for the sale of goods under Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code. Topics will include contract formation, including the statute of frauds and the parole evidence rule; express and implied warranties; the mechanics of performance, including transfer of title and tender; and remedies for breach of contract.
|
|
853
|
Secured Transactions
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Secured Transactions
|
|
Description of course 853
:
|
This course will explore the rights and duties of parties to secured transactions under Article 9 of the Uniform Com- mercial Code. Students will examine what remedies are avail- able to secured and unsecured creditors in the collection of debts and what rights remain with debtors in protecting their assets from creditors.
|
|
854
|
Securities Regulation
|
0
|
A Sample Syllabus for Securities Regulation
|
|
Description of course 854
:
|
This course will examine federal and state securities laws that regulate the process of financing business by dis- tributing securities to the public. Topics will include the nature of a security, exemptions from registration, sec- urities distribution and trading, the functions of the Securities and Exchange Commission, registration and disclosure requirements, "blue sky" laws, proxy rules, broker/dealer regulation, the regulation of investment companies and civil liabilties. Prerequisite: Business Associations
|
|
858
|
White Collar Crime
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for White Collar Crime
|
|
Description of course 858
:
|
This course will examine the substantive law of white-collar crime and the practices, procedures, and strategies relating to federal white-collar criminal investigations and prosecutions. Topics may include conspiracy, mail and wire fraud, bribery and computer and internet fraud, and money laundering.
|
|
859
|
Wills, Estates & Trusts I
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Wills, Estates & Trusts I
|
|
Description of course 859
:
|
This course will introduce students to the law governing the transmission of property following death. Students will examine the justifications and limitations on the power to transmit one's property, the operation of intestacy statutes, the capacity to make a will, the requirements of a valid will, the construction of wills, and the inter-vivos trust and other will substitutes.
|
|
860
|
Workers Compensation
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Workers Compensation
|
|
Description of course 860
:
|
This course will cover the theory and administration of the workers' compensation laws. Students will examine the rights and responsibilities of injured employees and their employers under workers' compensation and will learn about employer/employee relationships, employees' remedies apart from workers' compensation, the classification of risks and disability and death benefits.
|
|
861
|
Personal Injury - Automobiles
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Personal Injury - Automobiles
|
|
Description of course 861
:
|
This course will focus upon the theory of no-fault insurance as well as the nuts and bolts associated with trying to resolve disputes about property damage and personal injuries involving automobile accidents in the context of Minnesota's no-fault insurance system.
|
|
864
|
Employment Law
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Employment Law
|
|
Description of course 864
:
|
This course wil consider the major legal issues arising out of the employment relationship. Students will consider the employment-at-will doctrine and sources of employment law, and then will examine issues involving the establishment and terms of employment; the obligations of employers and employees; the regulation of pay, hours, and the workplace environment; the termination of employment; worker's compensation; and post-employment benefits such as unemployment compensation, ERISA, and social security.
|
|
865
|
Ethical Leadership in Corp
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Ethical Leadership in Corp
|
|
Description of course 865
:
|
This course will help students explore their role as counselors and servant leaders in a corporate practice setting. Using a case study methodology common in business schools, students will discuss cases and real-world problems with a focus on counseling and problem solving. After reflecting on their own values, students will examine the concept of leadership within the profession and will hear from numerous guest lecturers who are leaders in Minnesota's legal and corporate communities.
|
|
867
|
Poverty Law I
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Poverty Law I
|
|
Description of course 867
:
|
This course will cover the most common issues facing private attorneys doing pro bono work for the poor, government attorneys advising state and local agencies offering poverty programs, and legal services attorneys. Course topics will include issues in landlord-tenant law, general government benefits law, housing discrimination law, and general elder law. Students will also explore topics that personalize life in poverty. The Poverty Law courses may be useful for students considering clinical courses.
|
|
868
|
Poverty Law II
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Poverty Law II
|
|
Description of course 868
:
|
This advanced course will examine specialized areas of poverty law often not covered extensively in traditional law school courses. For example, students may explore issues relating to civil juvenile law, including those involving child maltreatment and welfare; advanced elder law, includ- ing kinship caregiving and nursing home regulation; advanced housing law, including law regulating mobile home parks and public and subsidized housing; and advanced government benefits, disability, rural practice, immigration, education and migrant law. The Poverty Law courses may be useful for students considering clinical courses. [Students should strongly consider taking Poverty Law I before Poverty Law II but it is not a prerequisite. There is no overlap in cover- age between Poverty Law I and II.]
|
|
870
|
Pensions and Employee Benefits
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Pensions and Employee Benefits
|
|
Description of course 870
:
|
This course will study the laws regulating pensions and other benefits provided to employees by private employers, with a primary but not exclusive emphasis on the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Topics covered will include rules designed to prevent forfeiture of pension benefits, fiduciary duties under ERISA regulation of tax-qualified pension plans, the termination insurance program for pension plans, preemption of state law and a variety of issues relating to non-pension welfare benefits plans, such as those providing medical insurance.
|
|
871
|
Taxation of Business Enterp
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Taxation of Business Enterp
|
|
Description of course 871
:
|
This course will examine the tax treatment of the entity and the owners of a "C" corporation, an "S" corporation, a part- nership, and a limited liability company. The course will be useful as an introduction to business taxation to students who are interested in a practice involving tax planning and those interested in a general business practice. Taking an entity life-cycle approach, students will learn the tax con- sequences of organizing, operating, and liquidating these entities. Students will also consider contributions and dis- tributions of money and property, contributions of services, the treatment of losses and the effect of entity-level debt, allocations of tax items among the owners, and sales of own- ership interests. Students will learn the practical applic- ation of the issues studied through some basic drafting assignments. [Prerequisite: Taxation: Federal Income Taxation.]
|
|
876
|
Conflict of Laws
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Conflict of Laws
|
|
Description of course 876
:
|
The course is a general introduction to choice of law and related areas. Topics covered include the traditional approach to choice of law; modern approaches, including interest analysis and the Second Restatement; constitutional constraints on choice of law, including the Full Faith & Credit Clause; the Erie doctrine and Klaxon; and the recognition of other state, foreign and international judgments. There is a final examination; no paper is required.
|
|
879
|
Estate Plng and Administration
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Estate Plng and Administration
|
|
Description of course 879
:
|
This course will focus on the theory and practice of estate planning, including the role of planning to avoid or defer gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer taxes, and will study the ways in which planning impacts the administration of estates and trusts after death. Wills, Estates and Trusts is a prerequisite for this course.
|
|
882
|
Minn Justice Fndn Seminar
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Minn Justice Fndn Seminar
|
|
Description of course 882
:
|
This course, sponsored by the Minnesota Justice Foundation, will focus on applied legal research on issues of importance to poverty lawyers and their clients. Working singly or in small groups, each student will produce a research paper of publishable quality, addressing a legal issue chosen from a list submitted by local poverty law practicioners. Topics may include both civil and criminal law issues that have a significant impact on low income people. Student papers will be e-published, and will be available to practitioners nationwide. Students will be linked up with the poverty law- yer who submitted their research issue, and that lawyer will serve as a "field instructor", helping to supervise the stu- dent's project. Students will also spend about 20 hours in field, gaining an understanding of poverty law practice and of the context for their legal issue.
|
|
886
|
Litigation W/Fed Govt
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Litigation W/Fed Govt
|
|
Description of course 886
:
|
This course will introduce students to the unique principles that apply when the sovereign is a party to a court action. Because the federal government is a party in nearly one- third of all civil cases in the federal courts, an under- standing of these principles is vital for any student interested in litigation or government practice. Students will examine the role of the Department of Justice, the question of federal sovereign immunity, suits against federal officers,a nd awards of attorney's fees against the government. Students also will explore when and how the government responds to injuries that it has caused to its citizens.
|
|
887
|
Mergers & Acquisitions
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Mergers & Acquisitions
|
|
Description of course 887
:
|
This course will examine the planning, negotiation and completion of mergers and acquisitions. While the legal and business terms of typcial acquisition agreements (which may have applicability to many business transactions) will be covered, the M&A process itself will be made clear in a practical sense. The evolving duties of corporate manage- ment in both friendly sales and hostile takeovers will be explored. Prerequisite: LAWS 700
|
|
889
|
Small Firm Practice
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Small Firm Practice
|
|
Description of course 889
:
|
This course will introduce students to business decisions made in small firms. Students will examine Decision Areas and analyze them through Decision Issues. Students will develop a framework for making ethical business-side decisions, identifying stakeholders in decision-outcomes, and look holistically at the consequences of specific decisions on stakeholders. Students will prepare a mission statement and business plan.
|
|
896
|
Corporate Governance
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Corporate Governance
|
|
Description of course 896
:
|
This course will familiarize students with the issues and subjects involved in serving on, and counseling, boards of directors of entities charted under the law. Students will examine the responsibilities and liability of boards of directors, which have come under increasing scrutiny from legislators, regulators, courts, stakeholders, the media and the public. The course will explore the failure of some boards of directors to take responsibility for assuming the development of an ethical culture in the entity they oversee , and their failure to assume responsibility for the organ- ization's integrity. Students will be graded on papers, the preparation of model board materials and classroom participation.
|
|
897
|
Feminist Jurisprudence
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Feminist Jurisprudence
|
|
Description of course 897
:
|
This course will explore feminist legal theory and the ways in which such theories have shaped laws. Students will consider the various schools of feminist legal theory representing different perspectives on gender relations, such as equal treatment theory, cultural or dependency theory, critical race feminisim, and multicultural and faith-based perspectives. Topics will include: employment discrimination (including sexual harassment); dependent care policies; education and sports; abortion, contraception, and surrogacy; violence against women and pornography.
|
|
898
|
Complex Litigation
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Complex Litigation
|
|
Description of course 898
:
|
This course will examine a variety of issues associated with complex civil litigation. They will include joinder, disposition of duplicative or related litigation, class actions, discovery, remedies, and attorney fees. In con- sidering these issues, we will be looking at civil rights, employment, mass tort, and consumer litigation, as well as other types.
|
|
899
|
Great Books Seminar
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Great Books Seminar
|
|
Description of course 899
:
|
|
|
903
|
Alt. Dispute Resolution
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Alt. Dispute Resolution
|
|
Description of course 903
:
|
This course will examine the theory and practice of resolving legal disputes in ways other than by litigation. Students will explore the nature of conflict resolution among individuals and among groups. They will examine ADR processes like mediation, arbitration and summary jury trials, with a heavy emphasis on negotiation and settlement dynamics and techniques. The course will focus throughout on the ethical responsibilities of lawyers advising clients about settlement and ADR processes.
|
|
904
|
Client I & C
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Client I & C
|
|
Description of course 904
:
|
This course will examine perspectives on interviewing and counseling clients, with an emphasis on interviewing techniques, processes for facilitating and structuring inter -views, and active listening to clarify information and develop a relationship with a client. Students will learn to recognize psychological factors affecting the interviewing process, overcome client resistance and hostility and ident- ify legal issues and relevant facts. The course will develop skills through role playing and simulations. Students also will explore the ethical responsibilities of attorneys in the context of client counseling.
|
|
905
|
Negotiation
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Negotiation
|
|
Description of course 905
:
|
This course will examine the theory and practice of resolving legal disputes through negotiation, with an emphasis on negotiation theory, negotiation strategy and settlement dynamics. The course will develop negotiation skills through role playing and simulations. Students will also explore the ethics of negotiation and the ethical responsibilities of attorneys in the context of negotiations on behalf of a client.
|
|
906
|
Trial Advocacy
|
0
|
A Sample Syllabus for Trial Advocacy
|
|
Description of course 906
:
|
This course will teach trial preparation, technique and strategy. Through lectures, demonstrations and simulations, students will learn how to conduct pretrial negotiations, prepare and respond to motions, deliver opening and closing statements, introduce evidence, respond to objections and conduct direct and cross-examinations of witnesses. Prerequisite: LAWS 705
|
|
907
|
Advanced Trial Advocacy
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Advanced Trial Advocacy
|
|
Description of course 907
:
|
Prerequisite: LAWS 906 Trial Advocacy
|
|
908
|
Equal Justice Applied Research
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Equal Justice Applied Research
|
|
Description of course 908
:
|
In this course students choose research topics from the LSEJ research topic list and work singly or in small groups to produce research papers that advance equal justice. Classroom sessions focus on the development of project topics, research skills needed for equal justice issues, policy analysis and problem solving, working collaboratively, the role of the public interest lawyer, and additional topics of interest to the participants. Class members are linked with the attorneys whose legal issues generated their projects. These attorneys serve as "field contacts" to help supervise the project. In addition, students spend approximately twenty hours on field work (either with their field contacts or other local public interest practitioners) to gain an understanding of public interest practice in general, the legal issues involved in their individual projects, and the real world implications of their topics. Students' completed works are presented before a CLE audience of lawyers at the end of the semester and are made available to practitioners, students, faculty and others on the LSEJ website.
|
|
909
|
Community Banking Practicum
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Community Banking Practicum
|
|
Description of course 909
:
|
This course introduces community banking (typically banks with less than $1 billion in assets), utilizing basic information regarding the banking regulatory structure to explore current issues facing community bankers and their counsel in today's ever-changing environment. The course will explore: the legal definitions of banks and bank holding companies, the underlying regulatory framework, director responsibility and liabilities, regulatory enforcement actions, capital structure and capital raising, bank acquisitions and regulatory reform. Though focusing on the particular, highly-regulated business of banking, the course will offer practical insight into the general challenges of a corporate practice. While the course is oriented towards community banking in a regulated environment many of the concepts addressed, for example, director responsibilities raising capital and selling business will apply more globally to students interested in counseling small business owners in a nonbanking environment as well. This will be a practice oriented course, with sufficient background in doctrinal banking law to provide students with meaningful background necessary to explore the issues facing banking attorneys and their clients in today's marketplace. The initial classes will cover doctrinal banking law followed by practice-oriented classes dealing with current issues in today's banking environment. The end of the course will cover recent and ongoing legislation enacted to deal with the 2008 near-collapse of the financial system.
|
|
910
|
Judicial Externship
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Judicial Externship
|
|
Description of course 910
:
|
This course will offer students an opportunity to learn about the judicial process and the role of judges and judicial clerks while under the direct supervision of a state or federal judge or justice. The externship will involve 150 hours of total work over the course of the semester. The 150 hours include time spent in the classroom seminar, on readings and journals and a presentation to the seminar, and on the actual project work assigned by the judge. The externship is demanding in terms of the quality of expected work product and the degree of professionalism required. Judges will expect students to have excellent research, analytical, and writing skills. Judges will also expect students to be able to express their opinions about the issues under consideration. Students must be certain that they are prepared to commit to the work schedule a judge may require for a particular project- the work flow for this externship may be lumpy over the course of the semester. To be eligible for the Judicial Externship, a student must meet the following criteria: (1) The completion of three semesters of law school; (2) Good academic standing; (3) Successful completion of Evidence, Lawyering Skills I, II, Professional Responsibility and either Lawyering Skills III or the Upper Level Writing Requirement; (4) Enrollment at the University of St. Thomas School of Law during the semester immediately preceding the one in which the student expects to enroll in the Judicial Externship; and (5) Other prerequisites as required by the judge or justice. Prerequisites: LAWS 705, 725, 620 and 625
|
|
914
|
Mediation
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Mediation
|
|
Description of course 914
:
|
This course will examine different types of mediation, and will focus on developing mediation skills. These skills will then be put to use in simulations. We will also focus on the concept and process of "value creation". Students will be required to write a short paper in lieu of an examinaiton.
|
|
916
|
Transactional Drafting
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Transactional Drafting
|
|
Description of course 916
:
|
This course will focus on key drafting principles and provisions found in standard transactional agreements. Students will review key provisions found in Letters of Intent, Non-Disclosure/Confidentiality Agreements, Purchase Agreements, Independent Contractor/Employment Agreements, Technology Agreements (Software License, Maintenance Agreement) and Service Agreements. Students are graded based on in-class participation and several written assignments, either transaction documents or client memos highlighting issues and recommendations based on real contracts.
|
|
918
|
Public Interest Externship
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Public Interest Externship
|
|
Description of course 918
:
|
This externship offers students an opportunity to learn about public interest practice while engaging in significant hands-on legal work in a field placement at a public interest organization or government agency. Students will be challenged to discuss complex issues of ethics, access to justice, and professional growth through personal and group reflection exercises. Externship logs will serve both as a record of tasks accomplished and a reflection tool for the group project. The externship requires 150 hours of work from the student, between the field-placement and classwork components. Agencies will provide the extern with an appropriate workload designed to challenge the student while serving the mission of the organization. Enrollment in the externship is by application only. Prerequsites include: (1) The completion of three semesters of law school; (2) Good academic standing; (3) Successful completion of lawyering Skills I, II, and Professional Responsibility; (4) Enrollment at UST School of Law during the semester immediately preceding the one in which the student expects to enroll in the Public Interest Externship; and (5) Other prerequisites as required by the agency.
|
|
919
|
Consumer Bankruptcy Clinic
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Consumer Bankruptcy Clinic
|
|
Description of course 919
:
|
The Consumer Bankruptcy Clinic involves the filing of a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition on behalf of an individual or a married couple. You will participate in the intake and retention of the client or clients. You will meet directly with clients and obtain the necessary information to properly prepare a bankruptcy case. You will learn to analyze the financial situation of the debtor, prepare the bankruptcy petitiion, schedules and statement of financial affairs and file them with the court. If the case is a Chapter 13, you will also prepare a Chapter 13 plan under which the debtor will repay all or some of his or her debt. You will appear on behalf of the debtors at the meeting of creditors, and monitor the case through the clients receiving their discharge. This will include responding to any requests from the trustee. In addition to gaining valuable experience in (1) consumer bankruptcy and (2) dealing directly with clients, you will be providing a valuable service to those who are less fortunate than most.
|
|
920
|
Law Review
|
.5
|
A Sample Syllabus for Law Review
|
|
Description of course 920
:
|
The University of St. Thomas Law Journal embodies the school's unique mission by publishing excellent legal scholarship that inspires ethical and moral decision-making with an emphasis on social justice. The Journal hosts a series of on campus sympoisa designed to advance the mission and explore the theme reflected in its Latin sub- title, translated "faith and justice." The semiannual sym- posia also supplies the bulk of the material for each issue. The format promotes meaningful exploration of an intriguing legal issue, and encourages substantial collaboration be- tween law review and faculty membrs. It's an arrangement designed to draw on the faculty's expertise, while keeping creative and editorial control in the students' hands. First year students are selected as journal members based on a write-on competition help immediately after the spring semester.
|
|
930
|
Mentor Externship
|
0
|
A Sample Syllabus for Mentor Externship
|
|
Description of course 930
:
|
Each year of law study, students are paired with respected lawyers and judges in the community. Mentors introduce students to a wide range of lawyering tasks and judicial activities and share with them the traditions, ideals and skills necessary for a successful career. Second and third year students participate in an academic credit pro- gram that combines fieldwork with a contemporaneous seminar component. The seminar fosters the habit and skill of reflective lawyering and draws upon student/ mentor experiences to examine the law school's mission in a practical setting. Class topics are designed to bridge the gap between student learning and life as a lawyer. Each student is given the opportunity to individualize learning goals specific to his or her unique path of professional development.
|
|
931
|
Interscholastic Moot Court
|
1
|
A Sample Syllabus for Interscholastic Moot Court
|
|
Description of course 931
:
|
Interscholastic moot court competitions involve writing and advocacy against teams of students from other law schools. In a typical academic year, teams will be selected to part- icipate in the National Moot Court Competition during the fall semester and in a number of spring competitions. Teams are chosen by a committee of faculty members in consultation with student members of the Board of Advocates. Prior to participation in the competition, team members must write, edit, and submit a brief and practice oral arguments before students, faculty and attorneys. All interscholastic moot court teams work under the guidance of a faculty advisor.
|
|
933
|
Mentor Externship II
|
0
|
A Sample Syllabus for Mentor Externship II
|
|
Description of course 933
:
|
Each year of law study, students are paired with respected lawyers and judges in the community. Mentors introduce students to a wide range of lawyering tasks and judicial activities and share with them the traditions, ideals and skills necessary for a successful career. Second and third year students participate in an academic credit pro- gram that combines fieldwork with a contemporaneous seminar component. The seminar fosters the habit and skill of reflective lawyering and draws upon student/ mentor experiences to examine the law school's mission in a practical setting. Class topics are designed to bridge the gap between student learning and life as a lawyer. Each student is given the opportunity to individualize learning goals specific to his or her unique path of professional development.
|
|
934
|
Negotiations Competition
|
1
|
A Sample Syllabus for Negotiations Competition
|
|
Description of course 934
:
|
|
|
937
|
Business Externship
|
3
|
A Sample Syllabus for Business Externship
|
|
Description of course 937
:
|
In this course, students have the opportunity to gain hands- on experience by working in the in-house legal department of a business or in the corporate/business practice of a law firm. Students must complete 130 hours of work during the semester, an average of 10 hours a week, on which they receive feedback from supervisors at their placement. Students also come together weekly for a classroom component , taught by the course professor, that involves drafting exercises and reflection on the experiential learning in their placements. Prerequisites:LAWS 700 Business Associations, LAWS 725 Professional Responsibility, LAWS 715 Lawyering Skills III. Admission only by application to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.
|
|
938
|
Curricular Practical Training:
|
0
|
A Sample Syllabus for Curricular Practical Training:
|
|
Description of course 938
:
|
|
|
939
|
Moot Court Trial
|
2
|
A Sample Syllabus for Moot Court Trial
|
|
Description of course 939
:
|
|
|
940
|
Clinic: Elder Law Practice
|
6
|
A Sample Syllabus for Clinic: Elder Law Practice
|
|
Description of course 940
:
|
Students will represent senior citizens in cases raising issues such as Medicaid coverage for long-term care, Medicare benefits, guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, advance planning for incapacity and end of life ,subsidized housing issues for seniors, nursing home rights, elder abuse, and consumer scams targeting the elderly. Students will interview and counsel clients, research the law and investigate facts, draft transactional documents, draft and file pleadings, conduct discovery, negotiate settlements, and represent clients in administrative hearings and trials. Enrollment by permission only. [Prerequisite or Concurrent Enrollment: Professional Responsibility]
|
|
941
|
Clinic:Community Justice Prjct
|
6
|
A Sample Syllabus for Clinic:Community Justice Prjct
|
|
Description of course 941
:
|
Students will represent individuals and families facing crisis points within the family. Students may focus especially on helping victims of domestic violence and will participate in the expedited litigation practice involved in obtaining orders for protection. Students will receive instruction in applicable family, civil, criminal, and procedural law, as well as learn the skills of fact investigation, direct and cross-examination, oral advocacy, motion practice, and negotiation. Students may also handle issues surrounding child custody and family dissolution. enrollment by permission only. [Prerequisite or Concurrent enrollment: Professional Responsibility]
|
|
942
|
Clinic: Immigration Law Pr
|
6
|
A Sample Syllabus for Clinic: Immigration Law Pr
|
|
Description of course 942
:
|
Students will represent immigrants seeking to improve their legal status in the United States and may handle political asylum applications, claims under the Violence Against Women Act, and other forms of immigration law relief. Students may conduct client interviews, engage in local and international fact investigation, draft immigration applications and client affidavits, work with expert witnesses, draft legal briefs, and represent clients before immigration judges and immigration-related divisions of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Enrollment by permission only. [Prerequisite or Concurrent Enrollment: Professional Responsibility]
|
|
943
|
Clinic: Adv Practice Elder
|
1
|
A Sample Syllabus for Clinic: Adv Practice Elder
|
|
Description of course 943
:
|
A small number of students who have completed a semester in the Clinic: Elder Law Practice Group may be asked to part- icipate in the clinic practice for a second semester by continuing client representation and providing assistance to new clinic students. Enrollment by permission only.
|
|
944
|
Clinic: Adv Community Justice
|
1
|
A Sample Syllabus for Clinic: Adv Community Justice
|
|
Description of course 944
:
|
A small number of students who have completed a semester in the Clinic: Family Law Practice Group may be asked to part- icipate in the clinic practice for a second semester by continuing client representation and providing assistance to new clinic students. Enrollment by permission only.
|
|
945
|
Clinic:Adv Pract Immigratn
|
1
|
A Sample Syllabus for Clinic:Adv Pract Immigratn
|
|
Description of course 945
:
|
A small number of students who have completed a semester in the Clinic: Immigration Law Practice Group may be asked to participate in the clinic practice for a second semester by continuing client representation and providing assistance to new clinic students. Enrollment by permission only.
|
|
946
|
Adv Consumer Bankruptcy Clinic
|
1
|
A Sample Syllabus for Adv Consumer Bankruptcy Clinic
|
|
Description of course 946
:
|
A small number of students who have completed a semester in the Bankruptcy Clinic may be asked to participate in the clinic practice for a second semester by continuing client representation and providing assistance to new clinic students. Enrollment by permission only.
|
|
950
|
Supervised Resrch & Writing
|
.5
|
A Sample Syllabus for Supervised Resrch & Writing
|
|
Description of course 950
:
|
Under the supervision of a faculty member, a student may receive up to two hours of course credit for researching and writing a substantial paper on a topic of the student's own choosing. The student must receive the instructor's per- mission to enroll in this course and must meet periodically with the instructor for discussion, review and evaluation. Each faculty member may supervise the research of no more than five students each semester.
|