2022-2023 WCL Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Course Descriptions
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Elective Seminars The law school makes all reasonable efforts to offer the following electives on a periodic basis but cannot guarantee that each course or seminar will be available to all students who wish to take it during their law school careers. More precise information on the courses and seminars that will be offered in a given semester, including those not listed here, is available from the registrar during the preregistration and general registration periods. |
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LAW - 985 Housing Law
(2 hrs.)
Focuses on housing law from both theoretical and practice perspectives. The topics covered include in-depth examinations of materials introduced in the first-year Property course, in particular tenant protections, as well as other topics, such as urban development patterns, rent control, residential/racial sorting, gentrification, homelessness, and the subprime crisis.
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LAW - 989 International Protection of Vulnerable Groups
(2 hrs.)
An introduction to the concept of vulnerable groups: who they are, why they are considered “vulnerable,” and what their rights under International Human Rights Law are. We will appraise state and non-state actors’ responsibility vis-vis vulnerable groups. We will analyze in detail the tripartite typology of state obligations in the field of human rights and a framework detailing obligations of non-state actors. The first vulnerable group that we will examine will be children. To this aim, we will explore the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the mandate of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. The examination of the practice of some regional human rights bodies that have enforced children’s rights will complete the overview of the protection of children under International Human Rights Law. Subsequently, the course will focus on the protection of people living with HIV/AIDS by analyzing Article 12 of the 1966 UN Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the practice of the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights. We will also tackle challenges of the protection of internally displaced persons (IDPs), both under International Human Rights Law and Humanitarian Law, and the legal protection of disabled persons at the UN, African and European level. The course will conclude with an analysis of the human rights of the Roma Population and the protection afforded to the human rights of the poor and destitute by the South African Constitutional Court and the Indian Supreme Court.
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LAW - 992 Criminal Justice Ethics
(2-3 hrs.)
It is essential that students who plan to practice as criminal defense attorneys or prosecutors be aware of and fully versed in their ethical responsibilities under the Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Many of the problems in the criminal justice system are caused, at least in part, by the failure of prosecutors and defense attorneys to fulfill their ethical duties. This course will fully explore the ethical duties and responsibilities of prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys and may be used to fulfill the Legal Ethics requirement.
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Clinical Program All clinics have their own seminar components for which students must register separately and which will be reported separately on their transcripts. Applications for enrollment in all clinics are due at the approximate time of preregistration during the preceding spring semester. Further information about the enrollment process is distributed to all students each spring. |
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LAW - 751 Clinic Fieldwork: Rising Justice
(4 hrs. per year)
Third-year students, in a closely supervised setting, represent indigents in the Landlord-Tenant and Small-Claims Courts Mediation Division of the D.C. Superior Court as part of the D.C. Law Students in Court Program. A seminar dealing with civil practice is an integral part of this course. Prerequisite: Evidence (LAW-633). Corequisite: DC Law Students in Court Clinic Seminar (LAW-757).
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LAW - 752 Civil Advocacy: Clinic Fieldwork
(4 hrs.)
Students in this one-semester clinic represent low-income residents of the District of Columbia and Maryland who have a wide range of legal problems. Legal issues vary but usually include family law, health law, consumer law, housing law, public benefits, and special education, among other civil bankruptcy law issues. Students represent clients in teams under the direction of clinical faculty and meet frequently in case supervision sessions. This clinic is open to second-, third-, and fourth-year students. Corequisite: Clinic Seminar (LAW-756).
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LAW - 753 Women and the Law: Clinic Fieldwork
(4 hrs.)
Students represent indigent women in the District of Columbia and Maryland. Representation usually begins with a family law or immigration matter, and students then decide whether to represent their client in related matters. Students have full responsibility for their cases, while working under the supervision of the faculty. The program focuses upon learning the essentials of being a lawyer, including representation in court and administrative proceedings, as well as in transactional matters, and examining the role of gender and law in shaping women’s experiences with the economy, state programs (such as social welfare, immigration and housing) and their families. Through the mixture of matters in each case, students explore how as lawyers they can assist their clients with issues that are critical in their lives. In addition to representing clients under the supervision of clinic faculty, students participate in weekly rounds about their cases and in a seminar about the theory and practice of client-based advocacy. Through this clinic, students may participate in a specialized focus on representation in proceedings addressing domestic violence (Domestic Violence Clinic). Students represent clients in actions in the District of Columbia Superior Court to obtain a Civil Protection Order and in immigration matters under the Violence Against Women Act. They examine how lawyers assist clients who face violence in their lives, exploring the consequences of and alternatives to legal action, as well as the role of gender in relationships involving violence. Some students may spend one semester prosecuting domestic violence cases criminally in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. In addition to work on their cases, students participate in weekly rounds and in a seminar about the theory and practice of client-based advocacy. Prerequisite(s): Prerequisite: Evidence (LAW-633) (for Domestic Violence Clinic). Corequisite(s): Evidence (LAW-633) (for general Women and the Law Clinic); Legal Ethics (LAW-550) and Clinic Seminar (LAW-756).
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LAW - 755 International Human Rights: Clinic Fieldwork
(4 hrs.)
Students in the clinic handle cases involving the application of international human rights law and principles in domestic and international or foreign tribunals. Domestic cases are largely asylum and asylum-related claims in administrative immigration proceedings. Students represent individuals and groups who assert violations of a wide range of basic human rights, through litigation or projects. Litigation involving human rights issues will be prepared and argued by students where rules permit student practice. Students will also be involved in projects involving non-litigation dimensions of human rights law and policy: reporting, lobbying, press relations, and related aspects. In both human rights and asylum cases and projects, students will develop a sound case theory, investigate facts, prepare witnesses, and present evidence in hearings or trials. The clinic will focus particular attention on the issues of representation of clients in a cross-cultural context. Knowledge of a foreign language, especially Spanish or French, is extremely useful for the clinic but is not required. Pre- or co-requisites: Clinic Seminar (LAW-756), Evidence (LAW-633), and an international law or human rights course or any immigration course.
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LAW - 756 Clinic Seminar
(2-3 hrs.)
The seminar component of the Clinics.
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LAW - 757 Rising Justice: Clinic Seminar
(2 hrs.)
The seminar component of the Rising Justice Clinic.
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LAW - 758 Glushko-Samuelson Intellectual Property Law: Clinic Fieldwork
(4 hrs.)
Prepares participants to be effective practitioners through direct experience with cases drawn from the full range of intellectual property specialties, including copyright, patent, and trademark. Students learn essential lawyering skills and acquire a critical understanding of the values and value conflicts that shape the development of intellectual property law and policy. Students gain experience in client counseling, transactional lawyering, and litigation, as well as administrative and legislative advocacy, as they represent individual creators and consumers, small businesses and communities of rights holders, and not-for-profit institutions and associations. Prerequisites or corequisites: Clinic Seminar (LAW-756), Evidence (LAW-633) and one intellectual property course.
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LAW - 759 Immigrant Justice: Clinic Fieldwork
(4 hrs.)
The Immigrant Justice Clinic prepares students to be effective practitioners on issues affecting individual immigrants or migrants and their communities, both here in the U.S. and overseas. Students handle a broad range of cases and projects relating to immigration law, immigrant employment rights, civil rights, and international human rights. Cases are brought in Immigration Court, federal district court, the courts of Maryland and D.C., and before federal and state agencies. The Clinic is designed to develop core litigation and trial techniques, while also cultivating important non-litigation skills, including legislative/policy advocacy, community organizing, and working with the media. Knowledge of a foreign language, especially Spanish or French, is helpful, but not required. Pre- or co-requisites: Clinic Seminar (LAW-756), Evidence (LAW-633), and an international law or human rights course or any immigration course.
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LAW - 761 Criminal Justice: Clinic Fieldwork
(4 hrs.)
Third-year students may spend one semester prosecuting and one semester defending criminal cases in various local courts or may focus exclusively on defense work. Defense students, under the close supervision of faculty members, represent indigent clients, taking full responsibility for the conduct of the defense. Prosecution students work with prosecutors in conducting the trial of criminal cases on behalf of the State of Maryland. A seminar involving an exploration of the lawyering process, including professional responsibility, client interviewing, strategic decision making, negotiation, client counseling, and trial skills, is an integral part of this program. Students also meet regularly with the instructors. Most students participate for two semesters. Some students participate for one semester on either the defense or prosecution side. Prerequisite: Evidence (LAW-633). Corequisites: Legal Ethics (LAW-550), Clinic Seminar (LAW-756), and Criminal Procedure I (LAW-508).
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LAW - 762 Janet R. Spragens Federal Tax: Clinic Fieldwork
(4 hrs.)
This clinical program provides students with experience in federal tax practice before the Internal Revenue Service and the United States Tax Court. Students interview and counsel taxpayer-clients, provide assistance in framing legal issues and in preparing appeals before the Internal Revenue Service, and represent taxpayers in the IRS appeals conference or in subsequent tax litigation. Prerequisite: Federal Personal Income Tax (LAW-647). Corequisite: Clinic Seminar (LAW-756).
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LAW - 764 Disability Rights: Clinic Fieldwork
(4 hrs.)
Students in this two-semester clinic represent people with mental and physical disabilities in a variety of contexts-special education, admission/commitment for people with intellectual disabilities, the American with Disabilities Act, mental health system grievances, and international human rights settings, among others. The clinic focuses especially on the interaction between people with disabilities and the various systems that affect their lives. Students work in teams of two under the supervision of faculty members and are responsible for all aspects of the client’s case. The clinic is open to second-, third-, and fourth-year students. Corequisite: Clinic Seminar (LAW-756).
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LAW - 768 Community and Economic Development: Clinic Fieldwork
(4 hrs.)
This program provides students with closely supervised lawyering experiences in a public interest law firm under the direction of members of the faculty. The teaching law firm concentrates on representing underrepresented clients through a variety of advocacy strategies: group and individual representation, litigation, regulatory and legislative advocacy, and public education. Currently, the clinic focuses on representing groups involved in tenant ownership and management in public and private housing, in community economic development, and in systemic advocacy. Individual meetings with the instructors, as well as a regularly scheduled two-hour seminar, are conducted each week. Unscheduled meetings may be called as required to conduct the work of the firm. Students are eligible for this program in either their second or third year. Corequisite: Clinic Seminar (LAW-756).
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Field Components Students must enroll for credit in all field components and in any course or seminar which the faculty member supervising the field component feels the student must take as a condition of participating in the field component. Audits are not permitted in either the field component or in any required course or seminar associated with the field component. |
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LAW - 707B1 Marshall-Brennan Fieldwork
(1 hr.)
This is a companion course to the Marshall-Brennan Seminar comprising the field credits earned for teaching in the DC area public schools.
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LAW - 712B Human Rights Litigation Fieldwork
(2 hrs.)
Instructor permission required
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Externship Program The law school’s Supervised Externship Program allows students to learn about the legal profession through law-related fieldwork and, at the same time, to develop their reflective learning skills under close faculty supervision. Students are placed in government agencies, nonprofit organizations, courts, and law firms engaged in pro bono activities, where they work under the supervision of practicing attorneys. In tandem with the field placement, students meet weekly in a seminar led by a faculty member. The seminar draws on the placement work and assists students in reflecting on the work of the lawyer and on their own professional goals. Students also meet frequently in small groups or individually with the faculty member to discuss the progress of the externship. In some cases, students may participate in independent tutorial externships, which must be arranged with and supervised by a faculty sponsor. |
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LAW - 769 Externship: Seminar
(2 hrs.)
Externship seminars provide students with an opportunity to engage in critical reflection about the legal profession, their own future legal careers, and their priorities and values as lawyers in conjunction with their field placement experiences. Externship seminars are open to students in a wide variety of field placements and, rather than emphasizing a particular area of law, focus on the lawyering experience, the legal profession, and the workings of legal institutions. Instructors choose various general themes for their own seminars, but within each seminar some specific topics are likely to include the nature of law practice in different settings (including private firms, public interest organizations, and government agencies), the varieties of lawyer-client relationships in these settings, and the dynamics and politics of the workplace. Other topics that may be covered include images of lawyers in fiction and popular culture, theories of bureaucracy in relation to the lawyering process, legal ethics in theory and practice, issues of gender, race, and difference in the legal profession, and the profession’s history. Finally, in all the seminars students have the opportunity to explore their own professional development through discussions of critique and self-evaluation, the transition from school to work, and career goals and career planning. Students in the Supervised Externship Seminar register for 2 credits. Students in the Advanced Externship Seminar register for 1 credit. Concurrent registration for field placement, LAW-899, is required.
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Externship Component Externship seminars are open to students in a wide variety of field placements and, rather than emphasizing a particular area of law, focus on the lawyering experience, the legal profession, and the workings of legal institutions. Instructors choose various general themes for their own seminars, but within each seminar some specific topics are likely to include the nature of law practice in different settings (including private firms, public interest organizations, and government agencies), the varieties of lawyer-client relationships in these settings, and the dynamics and politics of the workplace. Other topics that may be covered include images of lawyers in fiction and popular culture, theories of bureaucracy in relation to the lawyering process, legal ethics in theory and practice, issues of gender, race, and difference in the legal profession, and the profession’s history. Finally, in all the seminars students have the opportunity to explore their own professional development through discussions of critique and self-evaluation, the transition from school to work, and career goals and career planning. Concurrent registration for field placement, LAW-899, is required. |
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LAW - 754 Faculty Supervised Externship
(1-3 hrs.)
Under the terms of a formal agreement among student, individual faculty member, and supervising attorney in the field, students receive academic credit for legal field experience in a government agency, nonprofit organization, or private law firm engaged in pro bono activities. Over the course of the semester, the student and faculty supervisor meet regularly to discuss the progress of the externship. Each independent tutorial student must also complete a writing project.
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LAW - 899 Externship Field Placement
(1-4 hrs.)
Students who have completed one year of law school may receive academic credit for performing substantive legal work under the supervision of an attorney in a government agency, nonprofit organization, court, or private law firm engaged in pro bono activities. Students registered in the externship program also participate in an externship seminar which draws upon the field placement experience to enhance each student’s understanding of legal institutions and of the work of the lawyer. Concurrent registration for LAW-769 (Externship Seminar) is required.
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Research, Independent Study, and Journals |
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LAW - 765 International Law Review I
(2 hrs.)
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LAW - 766 International Law Review II
(2 hrs.)
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LAW - 767 International Law Review III
(4 hrs.)
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LAW - 770 Administrative Law Review I
(2 hrs.)
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LAW - 771 Administrative Law Review II
(2 hrs.)
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LAW - 772 Administrative Law Review III
(4 hrs.)
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LAW - 796 American University Law Review I
(2 hrs.)
First year on Law Review, 1 credit
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LAW - 797 American University Law Review II (Senior Editors)
(2 hrs.)
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LAW - 798 American University Law Review III (Editorial Board)
(4 hrs.)
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LAW - 799 Independent Study
(1-12 hrs.)
A student may earn academic credit after the first year (subject to program requirements) for independent study under a contract between the student and a member of the faculty upon approval of the dean. Such study may be a research and writing project for a faculty member. To be approved for credit, an independent study project must be designed to contribute substantially to the student’s development as a lawyer. Additionally, it must be established firmly at the beginning of the project that student and faculty sponsor will work together closely during the course of the project. For precise information on this program, copies of the faculty policy statement are available from the Office of the Registrar.
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LAW - 800 American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy, and the Law I
(2 hrs.)
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LAW - 801 American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy, and the Law II
(2 hrs.)
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LAW - 802 American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy, and the Law III (Managing Board)
(4 hrs.)
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LAW - 803 Moot Court Honor Society
(1-2 hrs.)
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LAW - 803A Moot Court Executive Board
(1 hr.)
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LAW - 803B Moot Court Executive Board
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LAW - 803C Moot Court Executive Board
(1 hr.)
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LAW - 803D Moot Court Executive Board
(1 hr.)
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LAW - 803E Moot Court Executive Board
(2 hrs.)
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LAW - 803F Moot Court Executive Board
(2 hrs.)
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LAW - 871A Moot Court Competitions
(1 hr.)
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LAW - 871B Moot Court Competitions
(1 hr.)
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LAW - 871C Moot Court Competition
(1 hr.)
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LAW - 871D Moot Court Competition
(1 hr.)
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LAW - 871E Moot Court Competition
(2 hrs.)
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LAW - 871F Moot Court Competition
(2 hrs.)
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LAW - 871G Moot Court Competition
(2 hrs.)
Second year of Moot Court competition
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LAW - 917 American University Business Law Review I
(2 hrs.)
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LAW - 918 American University Business Law Review II
(2 hrs.)
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LAW - 919 American University Business Law Review III
(4 hrs.)
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LAW - 995A Mock Trial Honor Society
(1 hr.)
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LAW - 995B Mock Trial Competition
(1 hr.)
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LAW - 995C Mock Trial Competition
(1 hr.)
Participation in Mock Trial Competition
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LAW - 995D Mock Trial Competition
(1 hr.)
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LAW - 995F Mock Trial Competition
(2 hrs.)
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LAW - 995G Mock Trial Competition
(2 hrs.)
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LAW - 996 Mock Trial Executive Board
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LAW - 996A Mock Trial Executive Board
(1 hr.)
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LAW - 996C Mock Trial Executive Board
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LAW - 996D Mock Trial Executive Board
(1 hr.)
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LAW - 996F Mock Trial Executive Board
(2 hrs.)
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Experiential Learning |
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LAW - 614 Alternative Dispute Resolution
(3 hrs.)
Examines various dispute resolution techniques, including negotiation, mediation, arbitration, minitrials, and negotiated rule making, as alternatives or supplements to court litigation and administrative agency adjudication. Tactical and ethical issues as well as emerging legal and public policy issues, e.g., use of mandatory arbitration clauses, will be covered, and student participatory role-plays will be used extensively to give the course a practical dimension.
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LAW - 649 Pre-trial Civil Litigation
(3 hrs.)
In Pretrial Civil Litigation students explore the pretrial process in federal civil litigation, including interviewing clients; drafting pleadings, written discovery and motions for summary judgment; taking and defending depositions; and presenting oral argument on motions for summary judgment. Students in this course use a simulated case file as the context for developing pretrial strategies and practical skills. Students work individually and in teams. This is an experiential learning course that incorporates in-class simulations and self-critique as components of the learning process.
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LAW - 650 Interviewing and Counseling
(3 hrs.)
Explores the lawyer-client relationship in the context of the essential lawyering skills of interviewing and counseling. Focuses on the theories underlying these skills and the application of theory in performing various lawyer and client roles in simulated exercises. Also examines the connection between clients and the “case” that lawyers present on their behalf and the allocation of power between lawyers and clients.
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LAW - 651 Lawyer Bargaining
(3 hrs.)
The course explores the attorney’s role in the resolution of disputes through nonadjudicatory processes such as negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and mini-trial. The course focuses on theories underlying each form of dispute resolution and the lawyering skills necessary to implement effectively those processes. The lawyer’s role and required skills will be explored from the dual perspective of the attorney as advocate and as impartial dispute resolver.
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LAW - 694 Criminal Trial Advocacy
(3 hrs.)
The Criminal Trial Advocacy course is based on trial simulations, practical instruction, learning by doing, and feedback from faculty and fellow students. The course focuses on case theory, trial strategy and tactics, opening statements, examination of witnesses, and closing arguments. In this course student-attorneys try three fictitious cases. Students try the final case in a courtroom before a real judge and jury panel of undergraduate students. Cases are tried under the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure and Evidence. Each section has two instructors, a judge and a law professor or attorney experienced in litigation. Special features of these classes are in-class discussions by a professional actor on the use of techniques to communicate more effectively. LAW-507 Criminal Law LAW-508 Criminal Procedure and LAW-633 Evidence
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LAW - 695 Civil Trial Advocacy
(2-3 hrs.)
The Civil Trial Advocacy course is based on trial simulations, practical instruction, learning by doing, and feedback from faculty and fellow students. The course focuses on case theory, trial strategy and tactics, opening statements, examination of witnesses, and closing arguments. In this course student-attorneys try three fictitious cases. Students try the final case in a courtroom before a real judge and jury panel of undergraduate students. Cases are tried under the Federal Rules of Civil procedure and Evidence. Each section has two instructors, a judge and a law professor or attorney experienced in litigation. Special features of these classes are in-class discussions by a professional actor on the use of techniques to communicate more effectively. LAW-501 Civil Procedure LAW-633 Evidence
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LAW - 708B Plea Bargaining
(3 hrs.)
The vast majority of criminal convictions - more than ninety percent - come not from a public trial verdict, but rather after a closed negotiation process ending in a guilty plea. In this course, Students examine plea bargaining and guilty plea jurisprudence, theory, and practice. They consider debates over the utility, coercive aspects, and constitutionality of plea bargaining and guilty pleas. Students also explore the role of the prosecutor, defender, and judge in plea bargaining, including ethical considerations for these institutional actors. Other topics include the collateral consequences of guilty pleas; procedural justice and cognitive bias in the plea process; and negotiation theory in the criminal context. The class will visit criminal court to observe guilty pleas, and all students will also plan for, conduct, and critique a recorded plea negotiation simulation.
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LAW - 716 Environmental Litigation
(2 hrs.)
This course explores the procedural, substantive, and tactical considerations in federal environmental litigation and provides practical litigation skills through in-class and homework assignments. The course will focus on one or more actual environmental cases in federal court. In addition to studying the substantive law and the key federal procedural rules, students will improve their litigation skills by drafting a complaint, drafting wirrten discovery, participating in a mock deposition, and arguing a dispositive motion.
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LAW - 733 Fact Witness Deposition
(1 hr)
This course offers intensive training in the applicable law, strategy, skills, and techniques of deposition practice as they pertain to fact witnesses. The course combines traditional lectures and demonstrations with learning-by-doing exercises. Students will have opportunities to prepare, take, and defend depositions, with substantial feedback and criticism.
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LAW - 734 Expert Witness Deposition
(1 hr)
This course offers intensive training in the applicable law, strategy, skills, and techniques of deposition practice as they pertain to expert witnesses. The course combines traditional lectures and demonstrations with learning-by-doing exercises. Students will have opportunities to prepare, take, and defend depositions, with substantial feedback and criticism.
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LAW - 735 Litigating in a High-Tech Courtroom
(1 hr)
This course features instruction and demonstrations of effective ways to present evidence such as timelines, video clips, and data compilations in a digital format during direct examination and closing arguments. Experts teach how to use technology to make strong, effective arguments that resonate with jurors and judges. Students will make in-class digital presentations followed by instructor critique.
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LAW - 747 Labor Law Topics
(3 hrs)
This course aims to give you an overview of the important topics in labor law as it evolves in the 21st century. The introductory labor law class is not a prerequisite for this course. This class will cover the basics of labor law while also reviewing some of the more advanced topics in labor law. The course will begin with an examination of the basic principles of labor law and venture into how labor law intersects with other areas of law in the 21st century context. The course will cover selected topics in labor law from public and private sector, negotiations, pensions, grievances and arbitrations. This course will review hypotheticals and engage in a negotiations simulation at the end of the course.
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LAW - 777 Legislative Practice
(3 hrs.)
A seminar focusing on the federal legislative process and the elements of policy, law, and politics that drive that process, taught by faculty members with extensive background in the federal legislative and policy arena. The seminar also emphasizes key skills vital to success in the legislative arena, including research, writing, legislative drafting, negotiation, and oral presentations. This course satisfies the Upper Level Professional/Experiential Skills Requirement.
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LAW - 779 Trade Secrets
(2 hrs)
This course considers the law and theory of the most ubiquitous form of intellectual property protection-trade secrets. Trade secrecy can protect a much wider range of information than other forms of intellectual property (including formulas, recipes, and customer lists). The course will cover trade secret protection and the related tort of misappropriation in the employment context, because it is within that context that trade secret litigation often arises. Thus, the course will examine issues such as non-competition agreements, confidentiality, and the inevitable disclosure doctrine. Additionally, we will be discussing the increasing importance of trade secrecy for international actors. To facilitate this, we will study comparative approaches to trade secret protection (particularly Mexico, China, EU, and Japan), in addition to the U.S. approach.
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LAW - 847 Appellate Courts and Advocacy
(2-3 hrs.)
Covers appellate advocacy in civil cases, with an emphasis on federal courts. The bulk of the course is devoted to brief writing and oral argument techniques. Also provides an overview of appellate procedure, including jurisdiction, finality, the collateral order doctrine, interlocutory appeals, mandamus, standards of review, and issue preservation and harmless error.
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LAW - 849A Legal Drafting: Contracts
(2 hrs)
In the practice of law, clients look to their attorneys to be not only an authority regarding legal interpretation, but to also understand and anticipate the nuances of complex transactions. When properly analyzed and crafted, a legal agreement will clearly allocate and describe legal responsibility and risk and, at the same time, articulate the obligations of the parties for future action. Combining discussions of relevant laws and legal scenarios, along with drafting and negotiation assignments, this class continues the academic introduction of contracts and offers essential skills for success in practice. Prerequisite: LAW-516 Legal Research & Writing I and LAW-517 Legal Research & Writing II.
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LAW - 849B Legal Drafting: Family Law
(3 hrs)
This experiential course simulates the real life practice of family law. The course has three primary goals. First, you will learn the principles of drafting transactional, non-litigation documents, such as settlement proposal letters, custody agreements, and agreement addenda. Second, you will draft litigation pleadings, discovery documents, and other documents to which you are not exposed in Legal Rhetoric. Third, you will participate in a settlement conference and a mediation session. The course emphasizes role play, hands-on exercises and individualized critique of student work. Like a litigation practice, this course is fast-paced and demanding, yet extremely practical for aspiring litigators in any discipline. Topics covered include, but are not limited to, custody, child support, grounds of divorce, spousal support, and property distribution. You do not need to have taken a Family Law class to enroll in this class. Prerequisite: LAW-516 Legal Research & Writing I and LAW-517 Legal Research & Writing II.
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LAW - 849C Legal Drafting: Corporate
(2 hrs)
This course will develop your skills in writing, editing and analysis through exercises in drafting corporate documents. We will explore issues of corporate formation and governance through the representation of one or more simulated social enterprises: mission-driven businesses that embrace new forms of for-profit organization in addition to traditional non-profit corporate forms. We will draft for a social enterprise client throughout its life cycle: from translating one great idea into creation as a formal entity; to establishing ground rules for management, control, membership and capitalization; and to helping the entity expand through relationships with other partners. We will address different options for operating a mission-driven business, including non - profit, for profit, cooperative and benefit corporations; and limited liability companies. “Clients” may include businesses with ambitions to supply better access to healthy food, workforce development and comprehensive transportation; or lawyers seeking to create a neighborhood-based law practice. Prerequisite: LAW-516 Legal Research & Writing I and LAW-517 Legal Research & Writing II.
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LAW - 849D Legal Drafting: Intl Contracts
(2 hrs)
The course will cover structuring and drafting of international sales and service transaction contracts for commercial enterprises and government institutions, including examples from major industry sectors such as manufacturing, technology, commodities supply, energy, telecommunications, transport and logistics, media/entertainment and hospitality/tourism. The course will focus on composing legal documents that efficiently accomplish clients’ objectives, provide clarity for the parties and subsequent users, manage and mitigate risks, avoid disputes and provide guidance for regulators, courts and arbitrators. Instruction will include short but challenging hands-on drafting and editing assignments and in-class exercises to illustrate good drafting techniques and lawyers’ use of use of available resources. Prerequisite: LAW-516 Legal Research & Writing I and LAW-517 Legal Research & Writing II.
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LAW - 849E Legal Drafting: Legislation
(2 hrs)
This course closely examines the legislative drafting process, including the tools needed for crafting effective legislation. Drafting guidelines and techniques are studied and applied in practical exercises and in the final legislative project/simulation; congressional rules and procedures and their impact on legislative drafting are analyzed; and trends in statutory interpretation are considered in order to provide insight into how drafting decisions affect judicial review and the ultimate success of legislation. Prerequisite: LAW-516 Legal Research & Writing I and LAW-517 Legal Research & Writing II.
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LAW - 852 Nonprofit Organizations
(2 hrs.)
Introduces the regulation of nonprofit organizations from both the federal tax and state fiduciary regulatory standpoints. Students consider the major aspects of nonprofit regulation, including substantive law, and the major public policy controversies over the proper role of tax-exempt nonprofit organizations emerging today.
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LAW - 860 Criminal Defense: Theory and Practice
(2-3 hrs.)
Taught through a combination of lecture, discussion, and simulation, the course is designed to teach the fundamentals of zealous, client-centered criminal defense advocacy. The first part of the semester will focus on the role of the criminal defense attorney, defense ethics, and selected legal issues in defense practice. The second part will focus on the application of defense theory and client-centered advocacy in the pretrial and trial context through simulated exercises, including the initial client interview, opening statements, direct examination, cross-examination, and closing arguments. Permission required Prerequisite: Criminal Procedure (LAW-508). Recommended: Evidence (LAW-633). Instructor permission required for enrollment.
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LAW - 878 Scientific Evidence and Expert Testimony
(3 hrs.)
This class is a practical course designed to enrich students’ understanding of the interaction between the Federal Rules of Evidence and science in a trial setting. Through a series of exercises, students are exposed to expert scientific evidence in deposition and trial contexts. In addition to these simulation exercises, the course has an instructional component which includes presentations by guest lecturers who are specialists in various scientific fields such as forensic pathology and toxicology, digital information, and trace evidence. LAW-633 Evidence
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LAW - 913 Trial Advocacy: Litigating in the High-Tech Courtroom
(2 hrs.)
Students explore through lecture, demonstration, and discussion the accumulation, organization and presentation of proof in the high-tech courtroom. The course includes an examination of evidentiary and procedural rules as they relate to visual advocacy, computer technology, and digital graphics. Students organize electronically stored information using CaseMap, take videotaped depositions, and prepare and present visual evidence using PowerPoint graphics, and Sanction trial presentation software. The course culminates in a mock jury trial presided over by a Federal Judge. LAW-633 Evidence Students must have a non-MAC laptop for use during class becausethe software can only be used in a Windows environment.
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LAW - 968 Trial Advocacy: Evidentiary Foundations and Objections
(3 hrs.)
A practical course designed to enrich students’ understanding of the Federal Rules of Evidence and their application in a trial setting. Through a series of exercises, which simulate pretrial motions and witness examinations, students develop the skills to advocate for or against the admissibility of evidence at trial. LAW-633 Evidence and LAW-694 Criminal Trial Advocacy or LAW-695 Civil Trial Advocacy
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LAW - 980 Advanced International Law and Peace Negotiations
(3 hrs.)
Provides students with an opportunity to explore the legal intricacies of peace negotiations, post-conflict constitutions, and war crimes prosecutions. The particular cases examined by students are constantly updated to ensure they are dealing with contemporary conflicts. Specific issues covered include ceasefires; human rights; refugee law; state structure; power sharing; fiscal devolution; demobilization and reintegration; reconciliation; international tribunals; peacekeeping; and self-determination.
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LAW - 984A Advanced Trial Advocacy: Challenges and Obligations of the Prosecutor
(2 hrs)
This course seeks to give students an understanding about the daily responsibilities of a prosecutor and the typical challenges that prosecutors face in practice. Topics covered in this course include ethical rules governing the conduct of prosecutors, grand jury practice, analysis required in deciding to prosecute a case, and rules governing discovery requests, as well as other prosecution related trial preparation and presentation issues. This course is a combination of theory and practice. LAW-508 Criminal Procedure I
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LAW - 990 International Business Negotiations
(2-3 hrs.)
The purpose of the course is to provide students with an opportunity to gain insight into the dynamics of negotiating and structuring international business transactions, to learn about the role that lawyers and law play in these negotiations, and to give students experience in drafting communications and actual negotiations. Students will also learn about the legal and business issues that may arise in joint ventures and licensing agreements. The thrust of this course is class participation and active involvement in the negotiations process. Students are expected to spend time outside of class, often working in teams of two or more, to prepare for class discussions involving the written exchanges as well as preparing for the live negotiations. Class discussions will focus on the strategy for, and progress of, the negotiations, as well as the substantive legal, business and policy matters that impact on the negotiations.
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LAW - 994 Litigating in the Digital Age: e-Discovery
(2 hrs.)
The ubiquitous use of computers, the Internet and Internet-related technology has dramatically changed the litigation landscape. Information sources are growing rapidly, including social media, voicemail, instant messaging, removable media, blogs, smart phones, etc. The courts have focused responsibility for solving the problems, and complying with the requirements of discovery (“eDiscovery”), squarely on the shoulders of litigation counsel. This course provides a basic understanding of the legal and practical parameters of eDiscovery and electronic case management. This skills-based course examines the legal and technological issues surrounding the use of electronically stored information during the litigation process. Students conduct mock interviews of company CIOs and brief and argue motions involving eDiscovery issues. Students also review and evaluate efforts made by professional groups and the courts to create reasonable parameters allowing parties to comply with their discovery obligations and ethical responsibilities while implementing a fundamental change in the adversary system from one of confrontation to one of cooperation.
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LAW - 997 Strategic Litigation in International Human Rights Law
(2 hrs.)
This seminar is an opportunity for both LLM and JD students to analyze, understand, and gain experience in some basic aspects of strategic litigation in the area of international human rights. Students will work in three areas of international human rights: corruption and due process of law; rights and conditions of incarcerated people in Latin America; and discrimination on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The seminar will involve the analysis and work on real cases before the Inter American system of Human Rights or the United Nations’ body treaties and the presentation, when possible, of amici briefs or participation in written and oral presentations of the ILP’s own cases. Spanish is notrequired.
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MLS Courses |
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LGLS - 600 Introduction to Courts & Law
(3 hrs.)
This course provides students with a working knowledge of the vocabulary and fundamental concepts of the institutional and substantive aspects of U.S. legal practice so that they may understand the problems and challenges of interacting with the legal system. This course also provides students with a foundation in select areas of law, including: constitutional law, federal courts and jurisdiction, civil procedure, and professional responsibility.
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LGLS - 601 Introduction to Regulatory Law & Compliance
(3 hrs.)
This course provides an introduction to the fundamental legal principles in the areas of statutory and regulatory interpretation, enforcement, and the principles of effective compliance programs. The course analyzes the processes of adopting, reviewing, and enforcing governmental regulations and the development and oversight of an effective in-house compliance program. This includes studying the judicial review of agency regulations as well as administrative adjudication. Finally, students will also learn about the rule-making process.
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LGLS - 602 Negotiation & Communication
(1.5 hrs.)
This course provides students with a practical skill set to effectively engage at the workplace to get things done. The course covers various forms of negotiation strategies, and it prepares students to become effective communicators. The course will be conducted in a markedly hands-on format, including simulations and mock negotiation session.
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LGLS - 603 Drafting Policies, Procedures & Contracts
(3 hrs.)
This course introduces students to the fundamental principles of drafting contracts, policies, and procedures, and emphasizes the development of drafting skills. This course will review the elements of an effective contract, contract structure and interpretation, key clauses, risk allocation, and enforceability. With respect to drafting legal and compliance policies and procedures, students will learn fundamental compliance principles and gain experience in drafting effective compliance policies and procedures that serve to ensure compliance with applicable laws. Students will gain hands-on experience in drafting and emphasis will be placed on understanding the legal and compliance purposes of the documents being drafted and how to draft with clarity and precision. The course will be conducted by a combination of lecture and student drafting both in team and individual settings.
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LGLS - 604 MLS Immersion: Negotiation
(1.5 hrs.)
The immersion program offer students the chance to expand on the relationships they develop in the online classroom, working closely with classmates and professors in a simulation setting. Students also hear from business and legal practitioners, collaborate with peers through group assignments, and explore the professional culture of Washington, D.C. Students are responsible for all immersion travel and accommodation expenses and arrangements.
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LGLS - 605 Ethics in the Law and Public Policy
(3 hrs.)
This course provides students with an overview of the moral and political values that inform the policies and political processes in the United States. Particular emphasis is put on the status of the non-elected public officials who face the challenges of working in a world shaped by politics. Many topics covered during this course are studied through the double lens of ethics and politics. To help guide the comprehension of the social realities, the course provides students with an introduction to various moral theories that have shaped contemporary policy debates, a consideration of the principal values that animate American politics, and issues and dilemmas in professional ethics.
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LGLS - 610 Criminal Justice
(3 hrs.)
This course examines the scope and nature of crime in the United States from a comparative and interdisciplinary perspective, focusing on the uses and limits of the criminal justice system. The course analyzes concepts of criminal process and the main elements of the criminal justice system, including police, courts, and corrections. It covers the main institutional features, challenges, and critiques of the processes through which suspects are apprehended, tried, and punished. The course encourages critical thinking about past and current trends and policy questions affecting the criminal system. Pending Faculty Approval. Only available to MLS students starting April 2019 and later.
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LGLS - 620 Business Associations
(3 hrs.)
The Business Associations course is designed to introduce students to the various types of business entities, from a sole proprietorship to a large publicly held corporation, as well as other entities such as partnerships and limited liability companies. Each entity has its own requirements and restrictions, especially large publicly held corporations. The course also covers the advantages and disadvantages of conducting business in the various entities.
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LGLS - 621 Government Contracting
(3 hrs.)
This course will provide students with an overview of the procurement laws, regulations, and principles governing the formation of US federal contracts. Students will gain a working knowledge of government contract law and policy applicable to sealed bids, negotiated procurements, simplified acquisitions, overseas contracts, and the forums for challenging federal procurements. Students will learn fundamental compliance principles and how they intersect with applicable laws and regulations. Through drafting and other hands-on exercises, students will learn practical legal and compliance skills that are foundational to the development, implementation, and maintenance of effective compliance programs. Pending Faculty Approval. Only available to MLS students starting April 2019 and later.
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