Course Descriptions, Natural Resources Law and Policy - Study Abroad Through Partner Law School

Natural Resources Law and Policy

LW 773; 2-3 hours. This two-credit course provides a general introduction to the field of natural resources law. It does so in two ways. First, it surveys the principal property, regulatory, and policy components of natural resources law, broadly construed: land, water, energy, public lands, mining, agriculture, and environmental law. Next, it places these components within several of the most important policy challenges in natural resources law: climate change; commons and common-pool resource problems; the role of the public; environmental justice; and property justice. No previous coursework is required.

Negotiation

LW 857; 2 hours. This class teaches negotiation theory and its practical application. Negotiating is one of the most important skills used by attorneys. The class will not focus on dispute resolution specific to litigation such as ADR or mediation. Rather, negotiations skill is learned by understanding strategy and theory, and students will have the opportunity to experiment through classroom exercises and simulations. The class will encompass a combination of readings, discussion and in-class exercises in which students will conduct negotiations and roleplay. In-class negotiations will draw from many potential scenarios, including business transactions, international disputes, labor and contract negotiations. Students will be evaluated based on self and peer review, results achieved in the mock negotiations, and a written paper or midterm.

Negotiation Competition

LW 777; 1-2 hours. Open to students who prepare for and compete in the ABA Regional Negotiation Competition. In addition to participating in the competition, students must submit a memorandum on one of the problems designed for the competition. Students may earn 1 hour per regional competition, not to exceed 2 hours. Credit, no-credit.

Oil and Gas Joint Operations

LW 856; 2 hours. In the course, students will learn the law and drafting technique associated with joint operations in the context of oil and gas projects. The course will be guided by the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL) model form for joint operation in the U.S. and contrast the U.S. approach to joint operation internationally. The international focus will be guided by the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN) model form for international operations.

Oil and Gas Law

LW 740; 3 hours. Some of the most complex contract and property law issues concern the determination of rights and obligations in the oil and gas natural resource. Students will learn the law governing oil and gas ownership, development, marketing, and transfer. This course also studies the “upstream” exploration and production elements of the oil and gas industry to fully appreciate how law can impact an industry, and how an industry can impact the law. Even students who may not have a particular interest in oil and gas law will find this course very useful in further developing their contract and property law skills. This class is a prerequisite for Advanced Oil and Gas.

Patent Law

LW 918; 2 hours. This course focuses on the patent component of intellectual property and includes instruction on determining patent eligibility, utility, novelty, nonobviousness, and the role of prior art. It also includes instruction on patent drafting, prosecution, post-grant protection, infringement, and remedies. International patent issues will also be addressed.

Patent Prosecution

LW 961; 2 hours. This course provides students with the practical skills needed to succeed as patent attorneys. Students will learn how to draft claims, prepare a written patent description, and respond to Office actions (communications from examiners at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office). Students also will complete short drafting assignments designed to help prepare them for the patent bar exam. While the course is not a comprehensive patent bar preparation course, it will help students prepare for a portion of the patent bar testing the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. The course will also cover cases illustrating application of patent concepts patent lawyers frequently encounter during patent prosecution, such as patent-eligible subject-matter, novelty, non-obvious subject matter, and content of a patent application.

Performance Writing

LW 942; 2 hours. This course provides a bridge between the writing instruction of the first year and the writing demands of the upper-level writing requirement, clinic participation, and competition teams by curating and supervising multiple closed-universe practice problems. The class will give students numerous opportunities to practice both objective and persuasive forms of legal analysis across both foundational and niche law doctrines for the benefit of different audiences types through the use of Multistate Performance Tests®. Enrollment by approval of instructor; preference will be given to rising 2Ls.
Prerequisite(s): Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing I; Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing II.

Pretrial Advocacy-Civil

LW 765; 3 hours. This course gives students an opportunity to develop a case from the time a client walks into the office with a problem to the final pretrial conference and is designed to provide a bridge to the world of real practice from the realm of legal theory. The class consists of a combination of lecture/demonstrations by faculty and frequent opportunities for student performances, both written and oral, which are critiqued by adjunct professor practitioners in small groups. All aspects of pretrial practice are covered. Each student develops and practices interviewing skills, drafts pleadings, drafts and argues motions, drafts discovery, prepares witnesses for deposition, conducts and defends a deposition, and participates in a final pretrial conference. Outstanding (equivalent of A work), credit (equivalent of C work), no-credit.
Prerequisite(s): Recommended-- Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Professional Responsibility.

Pretrial Advocacy-Criminal

LW 768; 3 hours. This course will focus on applying criminal procedures to two simulated cases. One case will involve a state prosecution, the other will involve a federal prosecution. Students will follow these criminal cases through every step of the pretrial procedure, acting as the attorneys in these cases. Each student will have the chance to handle one case as a prosecutor and one case as a defender. Practical skills taught will range from drafting complaints/informations; conducting bail arguments; presenting cases to a grand jury (for federal cases); conducting preliminary hearings (for state cases); making and responding to discovery demands; drafting and responding to motions to suppress evidence and motions to dismiss; conducting evidentiary suppression hearings; and participating in negotiations and pretrial conferences. Outstanding (equivalent of A work), credit (equivalent of C work), no credit.
Prerequisite(s): Criminal Procedure.

Professional Responsibility

LW 770; 3 hours. Study of the legal profession and the law governing lawyers, focusing on the ethical rules for professional behavior, the disciplinary system for ethical misconduct, and other legal rules controlling lawyer behavior. The course will also address the importance of cross-cultural competency, the risks of bias, and the influence of racism in the law and legal profession. This course is a prerequisite for Legal Malpractice Seminar, Externship, and Clinic Internship.

Property

LW 732; 4 hours. The course examines the concept of property, personal property interests, formation of interests in land, including freehold and non-freehold estates, concurrent ownership, adverse possession, marital interests, landlord and tenant relations, and allocation and development of land resources, including easements, covenants and equitable servitudes.

Public Employment Law

LW 959; 2 hours. This course provides an in-depth study of the law governing public employment, including union representation and collective bargaining in the public sector. The primary concentration will be on the law governing state and local government employees, with some limited study of the federal sector.

Public International Law

LW 928; 3 hours. This course will cover the nature, foundations, and sources of international law, explain the relations between international law and domestic law, explore the role of states, organizations, individuals, and corporations in international law, examine treaties and survey basic human rights instruments.

Public Land Law

LW 747; 3 hours. Examination of issues involved in managing land owned by the federal government, nearly one-third of the nation's land base. The course explores the constitutional and statutory rules that have been layered on top of each other since founding of the country, the problems presented in navigating through the layers and issues of federal/state relations raised by national ownership of land. Covered topics include federal water rights, regulation of mining, grazing and forestry, protection of wildlife and preservation of scenic and wild areas.
Prerequisite(s): Administrative Law (recommended).

Race and the Law

LW 902; 2-3 hours. This course explores the concept of race and civil rights issues from a multiracial perspective and examines anti-discrimination laws in such areas as interracial marriage, public accommodations, housing, education, employment and voting. Major institutions studied include courts and legislatures at both the state and federal levels, with particular emphasis placed on the role of these institutions in the preclusion and allowance of political, social and economic opportunities for racial and ethnic minorities. Meets upper division writing requirement.
Prerequisite(s): Constitutional Law II (or concurrent enrollment).

Real Estate Transactions

LW 733; 3 hours. This course focuses on the residential real estate transaction. Stressing the lawyer’s role in the real estate transaction, the course examines the numerous federal and state laws which regulate even the most basic land transaction – the single family residence. Other topics include the duties of broker and lawyer, financing arrangements (including mortgages, trust deeds and installment land contracts), the contract for sale of land, deeds, land descriptions, recording acts, title examination and protection.

Remedies

LW 739; 3 hours. This course surveys the law of remedies in civil litigation, exploring the most significant alternatives available to civil litigants-- compensatory and punitive damages; equitable relief, including injunctions and specific performance; legal, equitable and specific restitution; rescission; and reformation. The course considers remedies from a problem-solving perspective and as a set of choices made by clients and their lawyers.

Rural Practice Externship

See Externship: Rural Practice

Secured Transactions

LW 870; 3 hours. Examines Uniform Commercial Code provisions on secured transactions and related areas. The course also explores the application of bankruptcy law to secured transactions and the effects of consumer legislation on secured credit.

Special Education Law

See Education Law: Special Education

Specialized Legal Research: Business and Tax

LW 920; 1-2 hours. Specialized Legal Research: Business and Tax will provide students with an introduction to business and tax related materials and advanced training on the finding and utilization of these materials for legal research purposes. Topics covered during the business section of the course will include business forms, business filings, company information and SEC research, along with options for finding primary law and secondary sources for business­related issues. For tax, the course will also focus on resources and best practices for finding primary law and secondary sources in the tax field, with an emphasis on specialized databases geared toward the tax practitioner.

Specialized Legal Research: Foreign and International Law

LW 930; 1-2 hours. This course will introduce students to foreign and international legal research and sources of law. The course will focus on the development of research strategy and the “how-to” of conducting such research: identifying sources, finding tools, and following through by actually finding information.
Prerequisite(s): Legal Analysis, Research and Writing I and Legal Analysis, Research and Writing II.

Sports and the Law

LW 794; 2 hours. Sports law is not a specific area or type of law, but rather an avenue through which we can explore how various bodies of substantive law are applied in the context of the sports industry. Course will be a broad overview, and will touch on many aspects of law, including contracts, antitrust, torts, IP, and constitutional law, as they relate to sport on the professional, collegiate, and individual/Olympic level.

Study Abroad, Maastricht University

LW 990; 6-15 hours. See the Study Abroad, Maastricht University web site to learn more about this program.