Course Descriptions | Emory University School of Law | Atlanta, GA

505. Civil Procedure

4 hours. Fall. This course examines the litigation process, by which civil litigation disputes are resolved in court. It entails study of the allocation of judicial power between federal and state courts, with particular attention to the jurisdiction, venue, and trial and appellate practice in the federal courts. Specific aspects of the litigation process include pleading, discovery, adjudication, including the function and control of juries, and post-trial motions. The course also engages problems inherent in a federal system of adjudication, including the roles of federal and state law as rules of decision.

530. Constitutional Law I

4 hours. Spring. An introductory study of the United States Constitution, including judicial review, the powers of Congress, the powers of the president, and the interrelationship of state and national governments. Includes an introduction to individual rights, with emphasis on the operation of the Fourteenth Amendment due process and equal protection clauses.

520. Contracts

4 hours. Fall. A study of the basic principles governing the formation, performance, enforcement, and imposition of contractual obligations, and the role of these principles in the ordering processes of society.

525. Criminal Law

3 hours. Spring. A study of common and statutory criminal law, including origin and purpose; classification of crimes; elements of criminal liability and the development of the law respecting specific crimes; emphasis on the trend toward codification; and the influence of the Model Penal Code, including a study of the circumstances and factors that constitute a defense to, or alter and affect, criminal responsibility.

535A. Legal Analysis, Research, and Communications (ILARC)

575. Legislation and Regulation

2 hours. Fall. This course introduces students to the central role of legislatures and administrative agencies in the practice of law today, addressing how statutes and regulations are generated, changed, and interpreted. This course is a primary building block for Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Legislation, and numerous specialized upper-level courses such as Employment Law, Environmental Law, Intellectual Property, International Trade Law, and Securities Law.

545. Property

4 hours. Spring. An introduction to alternative theories of property rights, the division of property rights over time (common law estates, landlord-tenant law), concurrent ownership, private land use controls (easements, covenants), and public land use controls (eminent domain, zoning).

550. Torts

4 hours. Fall. A study of compensation for personal and property damages growing out of negligence, intent, or strict liability, with special attention given to nuisance, misrepresentation, defamation, and privacy. Certain concepts, such as proximate cause and privilege, are considered in depth. Social policies underlying tort law prevention and loss shifting are analyzed.

Class Number: 4770; Catalog Number- LAW 679, 001

Credit: 2 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor: Prof. Costa, Jason 

Prerequisites: Criminal Law

Enrollment: Limited to 10 Students ONLY!

Grading Criteria: Attendance; Participation; & Performance

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Adoption 

Class Number: 5030; Catalog Number- LAW 619

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Woodhouse, Barbara 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Informed Participation, Attendance, & Quality Final Papers or Projects

Enrollment: N/A

Description: This course will explore the laws, policies and procedures governing the creation of child/parent relationships through adoption.  Among the topics to be covered are regulation of domestic and international adoptions by statutes, treaties and agreements, the rights of birth parents, adoptive parents and children, adoption of children with special needs, single parent, stepparent and kinship adoption, parental vetoes, voluntary consent and involuntary termination of rights, adoption across ethnic, racial and tribal boundaries, the role of adoption in LGBT families, open adoption and the opening of adoption records.  We will also explore the historical roots of adoption, and developmental, cultural, religious and social science insights into adoption law and policy.  Methods of teaching include lecture, discussion, media and in-class exercises. Attendance is required with a maximum of two unexcused absences.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Advanced Criminal Trial Advocacy

Class Number: 5052; Catalog Number- LAW 852

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Parmer, Molly 

Prerequisite: Criminal Law, Evidence, Trial Techniques, and either White Collar/Crim Pro Procedure.

Grading Criteria: Attendance, Participation, & Coursework

Enrollment: Limited to 3Ls Only!

Description: Designed in a case-simulation format, this course will enable students to develop substantive knowledge of criminal law and procedures, develop case theory and witness testimony, draft pleadings, and finally conduct a full jury trial. The course will build on the skills learned in Trial Techniques and develop students' facility with the advocacy techniques necessary to prosecute or defend criminal cases.

Attendance Policy: Class preparation and attendance are essential in order for the class to achieve its objective. Thus, both will be weighed heavily in the determination of grades. Failure to attend or be prepared for class will result in a decrease in the final grade. Weekly class preparation and presentations will account for 50% of the final grade, the writing assignments will account for 10% of the final grade, and the final mock trial will account for 40% of the final grade.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Advanced International Negotiations

Class Number: 5025; Catalog Number- LAW 842A

Credit: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Dr. Liwanga, Richard

Prerequisite: None 

Grading Criteria: Participation & Final Research Paper

Description: After a review of strategies and styles in two-party disputes, this seminar will look at complex multiparty international negotiations, including but not limited to: selected issues in Middle East Peace, the civil war in Syria, the Iran nuclear deal, the Korean peace process, the South American peace discussions, the African Great Lakes region peace talks, as well as current post-conflict discussions in Mali.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 5033; Catalog Number- LAW 657H (Case Law) 

Class Number: 5021; Catalog Number- LAW 657I (Regulatory Law)

Accelerated Class: Case Law Section-1st seven weeks of the semester; Regulatory Law Section- 2nd seven weeks of the semester. 

Credit: 1 Hour (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Profs. Christian, Elizabeth & Deese, Abigail

Prerequisite: None

Case Law Grading Criteria: Participation; Attendance; Coursework; & Take-home Final Exam

Regulatory Law Grading Criteria: Participation; Attendance; Coursework; & Project

Enrollment: Limited to 20 students! (No 1Ls Permitted)

Case Law Description: Advanced Legal Research – Mastery of Case Law Research is a practical, skills-based course designed to improve information literacy and prepare students for practice or future study. Through practical applications, including in-class exercises, homework exercises, a group project and a take-home final exam, students will become familiar with the principles, strategies, and best practices for doing case law legal research. Topics for class sessions will include research strategy and documentation, case law, jurisdictions, citators, judicial analytics and dockets.

Attendance Policy: This will be a one-credit, graded course meeting on an accelerated schedule for the first seven weeks of the semester. Because student participation and hands-on practice is essential for the learning experience in this course, attendance at each class is mandatory.

Regulatory Law Description: Mastery of Regulatory Research is a practical, skills-based course designed to provide students with a firm understanding of the fundamental structure of the US regulatory process and materials and to develop skills for finding and using those sources. Students will use traditional and transactional resources to complete skills-based tasks and complete a final project. 

Attendance Policy: This will be a one-credit, graded course meeting on an accelerated schedule for the second seven weeks of the semester. Because student participation and hands-on practice are essential for the learning experience in this course, attendance at each class session is mandatory.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 4703; Catalog Number- LAW 755A

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Elmore, Marvin & Prof. Goheen, Barry

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Pass/Fail

Description: Course includes a number of practical exercises including oral arguments and client and witness interviews. We anticipate, as in the past, having several guest speakers on topics such as e-discovery, RICO, and Class Actions.

Advanced Pre-Trial Litigation is for students who have taken Civil Procedure and Federal Courts, and are ready for an advanced strategy practicum that prepares them for the complexities of modern litigation practice. 

The Legal Strategy part of the course teaches students to consider the theoretical aspects of strategy and methods for working through a strategy problem, and then apply those theories and methods to practical problems.  The problems involve a small business that encounters a series of situations requiring advice with respect to strategy. 

In the second part of the course, the students will learn about negotiation theory and strategy and apply these techniques to the negotiation of an e-discovery dispute.  Discovery of electronic materials, usually in digital format, creates some especially difficult, time-sensitive responsibilities for lawyers.  Practicing successful methods for dealing with these responsibilities in a learning-by-doing setting provides an opportunity to adapt these methods to the individual lawyer’s own situation and style.

This is “entry-level” subject matter in the sense that it does not purport to cover all the specialized aspects of e-discovery, particularly those faced by very large companies or by companies with unusual records retention practices.  The purpose of this part of the course is to provide lawyers with a general methodology that will, in most cases, prevent sanctions against the client and the lawyer, while being responsive under the rules to e-discovery requests and minimizing unnecessary business interruption.  However, no general method can protect against every mistake or every type of intentional wrongdoing.  And no general method can minimize business interruptions in every situation. 

This course is structured around the requirements of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Federal Rules of Evidence.  States may have more or less restrictive requirements, but the federal rules provide a useful general benchmark, and many state jurisdictions follow them.  

E-discovery problems arise in two distinct phases:

• Preservation, production, and use of e-discovery; and
• Prosecuting or defending against challenges to the sufficiency of e-discovery.

These are quite different areas and require different skills.  For this reason, we have developed two separate sections on e-discovery.  The first part focuses on preservation, production, and use of e-discovery and seeks to develop the skills for interviewing, negotiating, and organizing your electronic discovery.  A second part focuses on challenges to the sufficiency of e-discovery and seeks to develop the skills for preparing, arguing, and defending against typical motions for protective orders, motions to compel and motions for sanctions. 

The e-discovery problems also develop skills in counseling clients, negotiating with opposing lawyers and dealing successfully with vendors.  These skills are directed at the first-in-time problems of e-discovery – getting it right at the start and preventing disputes or adverse decisions.  The course adapts established learning-by-doing teaching materials on interviewing and counseling, and on negotiation, for the special e-discovery setting.  The case law applies primarily to the second area of e-discovery:  prosecuting and defending against challenges to the sufficiency of e-discovery.

Finally, in part three of the course, we will deal with the strategy and law of class action lawsuits.  This part of the course will teach you how to make the decision whether to file a class action lawsuit or go it alone.  It will also examine how to think about your defense options: whether to agree to a class action for settlement purposes, fight class certification, or negotiate some variation between these two extremes,(including an overview of multidistrict litigation options).  This part of the course will also refine your understanding of the law and procedure (including appellate review) related to class certifications.

Attendance Policy: No more than 2 absences to pass this course.

Class Number: 4774; Catalog Number- LAW 605, 002 (Athans/Rogers) 

Class Number: 4691; Catalog Number- LAW 605, 001 (Broyde) 

Class Number: 5124; Catalog Number- Law 605, 003 (Williams) 

COURSES ARE NOT OPEN TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE TAKEN BUSINESS SCHOOL OR LAW SCHOOL NEGOTIATIONS. 

Credit: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Profs. Athans, Michael; Broyde, Michael; Rogers, Kathy; & Williams, Cassandra 

Prerequisite: None

Athans/Rogers Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, Coursework, & Final Paper

Broyde Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Scheduled Final Exam (Not Experiential Learning Approved)

General Grading Criteria:

• Attendance, Participation, Coursework, & Final Paper/Assignment

Enrollment: Limited to 16 Students! 

Athans/Rogers Description: This skills-training course addresses negotiation, mediation and arbitration principles through topical discussions and simulation exercises. You will be divided into teams for some classes. It is important that each member participate in the exercises, along with any question and answer sessions. Forty percent of your grade is based on your class preparation and participation based on the readings and weekly hand-outs.

Please keep any information you receive confidential so you do not spoil a simulation for anyone else. Confidential material for the simulations will be provided by e-mail or in class.

Menkel-Meadow, Love, Schneider & Moffitt, Dispute Resolution, Beyond the Adversarial Model, Third Edition. The required reading is outlined on the attached syllabus.

Attendance Policy: CLASS ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY!One excused absence is allowed, but prior notice must be provided to the professors at least one hour before class meets. Any additional absences will result in a zero grade being averaged for class that day.

Please Note: You will email a 3-4-page paper each week addressing a question assigned in class and email your submission to the Professors. The due dates are noted on the class schedule. Further details will be given in class. Send by e-mail to Professors Rogers and Athans no later than 5 p.m. on the due dates. If you miss a class you must nevertheless complete a Submission based upon the reading material and your thoughts about the information sent to you by the Professors. If you miss class, e­mail Professors Rogers and Athans for more information. Absence on a due date does not excuse a submission.

You will also write a 12 – 15 page final paper on a topic of your choice at the end of the semester. More details about the paper are provided on a separate hand out, along with additional information provided in class.

The following criteria will be used to evaluate your performance this semester. All of these criteria are important in assessing your final grade. The professors will work together to be consistent in applying these criteria.

Preparation for in-class discussions and exercises:

You are expected to be prepared in advance for every class to participate in discussions and assigned exercises or simulations. The thoroughness of your preparation is demonstrated by in-class performance that reflects completion of readings, advanced planning and strategic thinking. For each simulation, the professors expect you to have a plan and a thorough knowledge of the facts and any other information provided about each assignment. Watch your e-mail account weekly for materials distributed by one or both Professors.

Professionalism during in-class exercises:

This course simulates professional activities such as negotiations, mediations and arbitrations. Students are expected to observe the highest standards of professionalism throughout this course. Among the standards of professionalism that are especially important in this class are civility, cooperation, confidentiality and timeliness. Students are also expected to accept constructive criticism and seek to improve in the next performance.

Simulation performances:

Your class performance is a major factor in determining your grade in this course. Professors will be considering the following criteria in assessing your negotiating performance.

Knowledge of the facts

Organization

Preparation and Strategy

Command of techniques

Being clear, concise, and persuasive

Ability to adapt to the unexpected

Ability to respond to contrary positions

Use of highest legal ethics and standards of professionalism

Grade weight allocation:

Class preparation and participation:40%

Weekly submission:30%

Final research paper:30%

Broyde Description: This course will focus on arbitration law and process and spend only a small amount of time on mediation. It will explore the law governing arbitration in the United States by focusing on the Federal Arbitration Act.

Broyde Description: This course will focus on arbitration law and process and spend only a small amount of time on mediation. It will explore the law governing arbitration in the United States by focusing on the Federal Arbitration Act.

Williams Description: TBA/Ask Prof.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 4893; Catalog Number- LAW 605, GRAD

Credit: 3 Hours (Accelerated Course, see Format below)

Instructor(s): Prof. Logue, Bill

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Online Discussions, Simulations, & Final Paper

Enrollment: Limited to Grad (LLM & MCL) students only!

Description: The study of case law and the formal litigation process and the role it plays in our society is essential to effective lawyering. Yet less than 2% of civil cases are resolved by trial. This experiential course will explore the use of appropriate dispute resolution processes – negotiation, mediation and arbitration, and various hybrids –  by which most legal conflicts are resolved.

The course, taught in an intensive format over three weekends, will provide practical skills and experience through a combination of lecture-discussion, exercises, and simulations to ground students in both ADR theory and practice.

Course Objectives:

• Understand the various ADR processes of negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and hybrids, including the ability to consider and critique the strengths and weaknesses of each.
• Understand the causes of conflict and distinguish different negotiation styles and negotiation strategies such as integrative and distributive bargaining.
• Understand and compare the role that third parties such as mediators and arbitrators can play in dispute resolution and considerations in selecting a process.
• Understand the impact and implications of additional parties including lawyers/agents and multi-party disputes.
• Understand the ethical rules that apply to lawyers when negotiating, mediating and arbitrating a dispute.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of the field.

Course Format and Schedule: Three weekends with 8 hours on Saturday and 4 hours on Sunday. Before the start of class, students will engage in reading and online discussion. For each class, they will be required to read from a text and prepare for a number of simulations to be conducted in class. Following each weekend session, they will be required to engage in online discussion/reflection and/or write a brief reflective journal entry. After the final class students will be required to write a brief paper.

Class 1) January 18-19, Class 2) February 8-9, Class 3) February 29-March 1 and inclement weather make-up date April 11. Class times are 8:30AM-5PM unless otherwise noted by the professor.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 5051; Catalog Number- LAW 851

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Romig, Jennifer

Prerequisite: ILARC/ILA for JDs, ALWAR for LLMs, and ARC for JMs

Grading Criteria: Students will be graded on a combination of short assignments and quizzes, collaborative presentations with assigned groups, and their final blog. The final blog is an individul project designed around a topic students explore and develop throughout the course. This class involves several collaborative presentations with groups assigned by the professor and students in the group obtaining a collective group grade. Because up to 30 percent of the grade may be based on graded collaborative work, this course is subject to a recommended but not mandatory mean of 3.3.

Description: Many lawyers write for the public in client alerts and blogs, as well as shorter social media posts. This class introduces the theory, skills, and tools needed for legal blogging. Guest speakers will address specialized topics such as legal ethics and the use of images in social media. For their work in the course, students will write a series of blog posts about a topic they choose and discuss with the professors. The final project and the majority of each student’s grade is a final capstone blog consisting of a design theme, posts totaling approximately 4000 words, images to complement the text, and other blogging features. Students also present on various blogging topics in assigned groups. Prior technical knowledge of blogging software is not required. Students will learn to use WordPress, a leading blogging platform.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 4760; Catalog Number- LAW 560, GRAD

Credit: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Daspit, Nancy

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Coursework & Final Memo

Description: ALWAR I introduces students to the concepts of legal analysis and the techniques and strategies for legal research, as well as the requirements and analytical structures for legal writing in the American common law legal system.

Attendance Policy: Two or more unexcused absences can result in your grade being lowered. Note: Enrollment is restricted to only LLM students who received their first law degree from a law school/faculty in a country other than the United States.

Please Note: Enrollment is restricted to LLM students who received their first law degree from a law school/faculty in a country other than the United States; must contact the professor for approval to enroll.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 4785; Catalog Number- LAW 560B, GRAD

Credit: 1 hour

Instructor(s): Prof. Daspit, Nancy 

Prerequisite: ALWAR I

Grading Criteria: Coursework & Final Motion Brief

Enrollment: This class requires permission from Dean Jessica Dworkin

Description: This course continues the study of legal analysis, research and writing for practice in the American common law system. The topics covered include client letters, pleadings, and persuasive writing, along with enhanced instruction covering legal citation and advanced legal research sources and techniques. 

Attendance Policy: Two or more unexcused absences can lead to your grade being lowered.

Please Note: This class is open only to foreign-educated LLMs only. International LLM students who want to sit for the Georgia bar exam must take this class. If this class is not required for you, and you are undecided about taking the class, It is strongly recommended that you attend the first class to be considered for adding the course during the drop/add period.

If this class is not required for you and you are undecided about taking the class, it is strongly recommended that you attend the first class to be considered for adding the course during the drop/add period.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 4768; Catalog Number- LAW 734, 10A

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Shepherd, Joanna

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course explores the application of analytical methods from the social sciences and business profession to various areas of law. It will introduce essential concepts from economics, accounting, finance, statistics, and decision analysis to prepare students for legal practice in the modern world. These tools can be tremendously important and useful; not knowing something about them can be a serious detriment to the effective practice of law. Our focus will be on the application of analytical methods to real legal problems, such as the appropriate measure of damages or when to settle a case, rather than becoming adept at complicated calculations. By the end of the class, students should be able to recognize when an analytical method would be useful in a legal situation, understand the basic intuition of how that method applies, and have a general idea of how to use that method.

Attendance Policy: As required by law school policy, attendance is mandatory. If you miss more than 6 classes, you will receive an “F” with the option to petition for a “W-withdrawal” unless all absences have been approved by Dean Brokaw.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 4766; Catalog Number- LAW 702

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Arthur, Tom

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This is a survey of United States competition law. It covers agreements among competitors, horizontal and vertical mergers, unilateral conduct by monopolists, exclusive dealing and tying arrangements imposed on buyers by sellers, and restrictions imposed by manufacturers on distributors. Regular attendance is required and grades my be lowered due to excessive absences.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Analysis, Research, and Communication ("ARC")

Note: LAW 590E is an online course and is only open to JM students.

Class Number: 4819; Catalog Number- LAW 590E (JM & LLMs w/approval) 

Class Number: 5307; Catalog Number- LAW 590E (Online JM format Students Only)

Credit: 3 hours 

Instructor(s): TBA

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Regular Assignments & Final Project

Description: This course will provide an introduction to legal analysis, research and effective legal writing. Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of legal analysis and the structure of legal information. Students will learn how to navigate multiple legal resources to discover legal authority appropriate for different types of legal analysis and communications. Students will learn the concepts of effective legal analysis and will develop the skills necessary to produce objective legal analyses.

*Last Updated Spring 2018

Banking Law

Class Number: 4797; Catalog Number- LAW 604 

Credit: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Elliott, Jim

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course will examine the nature, content, and scope of the rules regulating the banking industry in light of economic and social purposes. The course will also look briefly at the history of the U. S. banking industry and will emphasize the economic and business aspects of the individual bank and of the industry as a whole.

*Last updated Fall 2015

Barton Appeal for Youth Clinic

Class Number: 4746; Catalog Number- LAW 635D

Credit: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Reba, Stephen

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: None (based on the individual student)

Description: Students in the Appeal for Youth Clinic provide a holistic appellate representation of youthful offenders in the juvenile and criminal justice systems. By increasing the number of appeals from adjudications of delinquency, we hope to end the unwritten policies and practices that result in youths being committed to juvenile detention facilities. Similarly, by providing post-conviction representation to youths who were tried and convicted as adults, we hope to decrease the number of youthful offenders who languish in Georgia's prisons.

*Last Updated Spring 2016

Barton Child Law & Policy Clinic

Class Number: 4693; Catalog Number- LAW 635C

Credit: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Carter, Melissa 

Prerequisite: Child Welfare & Policy Law, Kids in Conflict, Family Law II, or related seminars (Preferred)

Grading Criteria: Assessment of individual student performance and overall contribution to the clinic based on specific demonstrated competencies in the area of research and analysis, professional responsibility, written and oral communication, and project management.

Enrollment: Interested students must apply directly to Clinic

Description: The Legislative Advocacy Clinic is an in-house legal clinic designed to provide students with an opportunity to gain exposure to the lawmaking and political process while executing an advocacy strategy to advance the mission of the Barton Center. Through a range of experiential opportunities undertaken on behalf of or in partnership with policymakers and policy influencers, students will learn to integrate theory with practice in a context-based educational setting. Practice in agenda-setting, advocacy planning, policy analysis, direct advocacy, and related skills will be supported and reinforced by instructive feedback from supervising faculty and reflection on each student’s own performance.

Attendance Policy: Attendance at weekly clinic meetings is an integral part of the learning process and is a reflection of professional responsibility. Consistent with American Bar Association requirements, the law school requires regular attendance in all courses. Accordingly, you are expected to attend clinic meetings each week, arrive on time, and be prepared to participate in discussion and skills modules.

In addition to the weekly clinic meeting, you are required to keep regular office hours, which you will establish at the beginning of the semester.

Emory Law School’s mandatory attendance policy provides that excessive absences can result, without advance notice or warning, in any of the following sanctions: 1) reduction of the student’s final grade; 2) denial of permission to complete course work; or 3) receipt of a grade of F (Failing), all at the discretion of the faculty member teaching the course.

As this clinical course is concerned as much with professional development as it is with subject matter expertise and practical advocacy skills, students will be expected to practice their own professional judgment with regard to absences from the clinic meetings or office hours. Such judgment should also guide students to communicate with clinical faculty and their peers in advance of any expected absences and to make arrangements to have their duties covered.

Applications are accepted prior to pre-registration (watch for notices of the application deadline). Students must submit a resume, a statement of interest, an unofficial transcript, and a writing sample.

Detailed course information is on the Clinic website:  http://law.emory.edu/academics/clinics/barton-public-policy-and-legislative-advocacy-clinic.html

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Business Associations

Class Number: 4752; Catalog Number- LAW 500X, 001 (Freer)

Class Number: 4800; Catalog Number- LAW 500X, 002 (Georgiev)

Credit: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Profs. Freer, Rich & Georgiev, George

Prerequisite: None

Freer Grading Criteria: Participation/Attendance & Scheduled Final Exam

Georgiev Grading Criteria: Participation/Attendance & Scheduled Final Exam

General Description: This course surveys the formation, organization, financing, management, and dissolution of sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, limited partnerships, and limited liability companies. The course includes fundamental rights and responsibilities of owners, managers, and other stakeholders. The course also considers the special needs of closely held enterprises, basic issues in corporate finance, and the impact of federal and state laws and regulations governing the formation, management, financing, and dissolution of business enterprises. This course includes consideration of major federal securities laws governing insider trading and other fraudulent practices under Rule 10b-5 and section 16(b).

GeorgievDescription: A study of foundational concepts in agency, partnership, and corporation law. Topics include choice of business form, entity formation, organization, financing, and dissolution, as well as the rights and responsibilities of, and the allocation of power among, the business entity's owners/shareholders, management, and other stakeholders. The course also covers closely held enterprises, as well as basic issues in corporate finance and federal securities law. Students will be required to complete regular homework exercises and participate in a group exercise (ungraded) over the course of the semester.

Attendance Policy: Regular attendance is required. Excessive absences will result in a grade reduction.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 5055; Catalog Number- LAW 876

Credit: 2 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Kuck, Charles

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam or Paper (TBD)

Enrollment: N/A

Description: We will explore all of the methods for visiting, working, and immigrating to the United States through employers, investment, and other methods. We will explore the politics of immigration law and the ways that the current immigration system interacts with our economy and society. We will also discuss and analyze alternative immigration systems and options. Attendance will make you far smarter and will be a factor in the final grade.

Please Note: We will decide as a class whether you want to a paper or a final exam for your final grade.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 4692; Catalog Number- Law 658

Credit: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Moore, Josh

Prerequisite: Evidence, Criminal Law, & Criminal Procedure

Grading Criteria: Participation & Coursework

Description: This is a three-hour clinical course thought in conjunction with the Office of the Georgia Capital Defender, the state agency responsible for representing all indigent defendants statewide facing death penalty trials or on direct appeal from a death sentence. Second and third-year law students from Emory and Georgia State will assist Capital Defender trial attorneys in all aspects of preparing their clients’ cases for trial and appeal.

As an integral part of the defense team, students assist in conducting investigations, interviewing clients and potential witnesses, putting together forensic evidence, gathering documents, doing research, drafting pleadings, formulating a theory of defense and making strategic decisions for each phase of a capital case. Students will also have the opportunity to do “mock” motions arguments and to present a jury sentencing argument based on the facts of their actual cases. 

In addition to working directly with attorneys and staff, students gather weekly for discussions about the cases they are working on and topics in death penalty jurisprudence. The students in this clinic are involved in the effort to make a strong case for life at trial and to build factual and legal narratives that will lead to the reversal of death sentences on appeal. This means students will focus heavily on the real (and often tragic) stories of their clients’ lives, as opposed to technical or arcane points of law.

The classroom component of this clinic will meet for 2 hours each week at the offices of the Georgia Capital Defender in downtown Atlanta at the State Bar Building. A required text will be assigned. In addition to attending class, students will work on client matters for approximately 10 hours a week. A total of 150 hours is required for credit. The course is graded on a pass/fail basis. Timesheets will be collected on a weekly basis. Class meets on Tuesdays from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm. In light of the fact that the course is taught by a practicing attorney, it is recommended that students do not schedule classes after 5:30 pm on Tuesdays in the event that the class needs to periodically meet after business hours.

Attendnace Policy: Grading will not be based on attendance.

Please Note: Interested students must submit a letter of interest & resume to Josh Moore, Office of the Georgia Capital Defender at jmoore@gacapdef.org 

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 5042; Catalog Number- LAW 743

Credit: 1 Hour (Accelerated Course- 2nd Seven Weeks)

Instructor(s): Prof. Reid, Richelle

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: TBA

Description: TBA/Ask Prof. 

Attendance Policy: This will be a one-credit, graded course meeting on an accelerated schedule for the first seven weeks of the semester. Because student participation and hands-on practice is essential for the learning experience in this course, attendance at each class session is mandatory.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Citizenship and Immigration Law

Class Number: 5039; Catalog Number- LAW 727

Credit: 3 Hours 

Instructor(s): Prof. Price, Polly

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam 

Description: This course will explore the legal, historical, and policy perspectives that shape U.S. law governing immigration and citizenship. We will examine the constitutional and international law foundations underlying immigration regulation, the history of immigration law in the U.S., the source and scope of congressional and executive branch power in the realm of immigration, and the role of the judiciary in making and interpreting immigration law. In the course of that exploration, we will address citizenship and naturalization, the admission and removal of immigrants and nonimmigrants, and issues of undocumented immigration and detention.

Grades for the course will be determined by a scheduled final exam at the end of the semester. Class participation may also be factored in, up to 10% of your grade.

Attendance Policy: If you miss more than five (5) classes, you may be withdrawn from the course and not permitted to take the final exam.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Civil Trial Practice: Family Law 

Class Number: 4737; Catalog Number- LAW 958

Credit: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Wellon, Robert; Prof. Kessler, Randall; & Prof. Durrence, Amy

Prerequisite: Evidence & Trial Techniques

Grading Criteria: Course Work; Pretrial Conference; & Trial 

Description: This is intended as a learn-by-doing course, in which all phases of a real trial will be performed by each student and thereafter critiqued, following up on Trial Techniques but tracking a particular family law fact pattern. It is intended to further the pursuit of litigation skills, taught by well-qualified trial lawyers and judges known for their expertise in the courtroom, and the ability to analyze student performances. A mid-semester hearing followed by a final trial at the end of the semester before live jurors and judges are required, having built on the preparation of the case during the semester. Attendance is taken and will be used in the overall grade.

The course will not extend into the preparation for the final exam schedule.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Colloquium Scholarship Workshop

Class Number: 4861; Catalog Number- LAW 860A

Credits: 2 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Nash, Jonathan

Prerequisite: Civil Procedure; Constitutional Law; Contracts; Criminal Law; Leg/Reg; Property; & Torts.

Grading Criteria: Weekly Papers & Participation/Attendance

Enrollment: Limited to 6 students! Enrollment Students enroll in the CSW in accordance with the same procedures used for seminars (advance application during the pre-selection process). However, enrollment is limited to six students, instead of the usual 15. On the pre-selection form please indicate the basis of your interest in the CSW and your prior experience with scholarship in an academic setting (law or otherwise).

Preselection Form: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-colloquium-workshop-preselection-form-sp-2020/ 

Description: Would you like a close-up look at the world of legal scholarship and the exchange of scholarly ideas? Are you seeking more engagement with the Emory Law faculty outside of the traditional classroom setting? Do you want to become a stronger writer? Have you ever thought you might want to become a law professor? If so, consider applying to the Colloquium Series Workshop (CSW).

Components of CSW: Students who participate in this two unit workshop attend two meetings each week: the weekly faculty colloquium, which meets on Wednesdays over the lunch hour (and includes lunch) and a one-hour class session run by Professor Jonathan Nash, on Thursday afternoons. During each of these one-hour sessions, students discuss the colloquium work as a piece of scholarship (and as a piece of persuasive writing), critique the author's presentation, and review materials relating to the production of scholarship and the legal academic job market. In advance of the weekly meeting, students write short reaction papers to each colloquium piece.

The CSW will be graded on a pass/fail basis, but with high attendance and participation standards set for what constitutes a passing grade. Do not apply for this class if you have other commitments during the lunch hour on Wednesdays (even only sporadic).

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Commercial Law: Sales 

Class Number: 5028; Catalog Number- LAW 612

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Hay, Peter

Prerequisite: None 

Grading Criteria: Participation & Scheduled Final Exam or Take-Home (student choice)

Description: The first-year Contracts course typically is too compressed to deal in any depth with Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) which, in some form, is now the law in all States
and applies to contracts for the sale of goods in excess of $500. This course covers Article 2 in depth and adds some treatment of documentary transactions (bills of lading and letters of credit).
The Convention on the International Sales of Goods (CISG) was ratified by the United States and, as federal law, therefore supersedes the UCC, whenever its provisions cover an issue. The course,
therefore, supplements UCC study with all relevant provisions of the CISG. – The course is offered in the form of a workshop in which issues like contract formation, formalities, conditions, breach,
remedies are studied in a problem-solving format: Code (or CISG) law is applied to solve hypothetical cases, with court decisions serving as authoritative tools for the interpretation of the statutory
language. The study of Art. 2 is a very desirable completion of one’s understanding of Contract law

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Complex Litigaation

Class Number: 5027; Catalog Number- LAW 610

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Freer, Rich

Prerequisite: None 

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Description: A study of the metamorphosis of litigation from the simple two-party model to multi-party, multi-claim litigation increasingly prevalent today, including the causes of this change and ability of the legal system to resolve such disputes. The course centers on a detailed study of the class action device, including jurisdictional and due process implications. Also included is the study of the problem of duplicative state and federal litigation, judicial control of complex cases, including multi-district litigation procedures and the case management movement, discovery (including international and e-discovery), and problems relating to preclusion in complex cases.

*Last Updated Spring 2016

Conflict of Laws 

Class Number: 4777; Catalog Number- LAW 709

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Hay, Peter

Prerequisite: Civil Procedure (Preferred) 

Grading Criteria: Participation & Scheduled Final Exam or Take-Home (student choice)

Description: The course deals with all problems that arise in cross-border cases (state to state, state-foreign country), such as cross-border contracts, torts, inheritance, family law issues like child custody. The three parts of the course discuss when a court has jurisdiction over out-of-state defendants, what law it applies (its own or another state's), and how out-of-state judgments are enforced. Differences between state and federal court proceedings will be emphasized.

Attendance Policy: Attendance is required. A student may be dropped if there are more than two (2) unexcused absences.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Constitutional Criminal Procedure: Investigations

ClassNumber: 4823; Catalog Number- LAW 622A

Credit: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Levine, Kay 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Class Participation & Scheduled Final Exam

Enrollment: Limited to 60 Students!

Description: This class explores the constitutional problems posed by police behavior in the context of pre-trial proceedings: searches, seizures, and interrogations. We will also consider the challenges created by the courts’ attempts to regulate police behavior and explore other possible forms of police regulation that might better serve our constitutional values.

Attendance Policy: Students may miss 3 classes without penalty. At the 4th absence, I will impose a one-third of a step reduction in the final grade (from a B+ to B, for example). A student who has 7 or more absences will be dropped from the class.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Corporate Finance

Class Number: 4778; Catalog Number- LAW 712, 1

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Shepherd, George 

Prerequisite: Business Associations 

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Description: A study of the financial and economic theory underlying legal doctrines in corporate finance, and the relationship between these doctrines. Focuses on decisions about "value" in the context of such areas as bankruptcy reorganization, dissenters' appraisal rights, and public utility regulation. Problems of capital structure and the duties of directors to various classes of claimants are studied in light of decisions about dividend policy and reinvestment. Includes a brief review of modern portfolio theory. 

*Last Updated Spring 2018

Class Number: 4739; Catalog Number- LAW 959, 001

Class Number: 4728; Catalog Number- LAW 959, 002

Credit: 1 Hour (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Metzger, Janet

Prerequisite: Evidence & Trial Techniques

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, Coursework, & In-Class Final Exam

Enrollment: Strictly limited to 12 students and 3Ls Only!

Description: An introduction to the art of theater as it applies to the persuasion and motivation of jurors, using lectures, exercises, readings, performance and video playback.

Attendance Policy: A maximum of 2 absences is permitted. Students must submit a written summary of the class missed.

Please Note: Class meets 10 weeks for 75 minutes with the final administered during class the 11th week.

Criminal Competency/Responsibility Practicum

Class Number: 5031; Catalog Number- LAW 622E

Credits: 3 hour 

Instructor(s): Prof. Deets, Annie

Prerequisite: Criminal Law & Evidence

Grading Criteria: Participation, Court Performance, & Experiential Reactions Papers

Enrollment: Limited to 16 students! 

Description: Students will have the unique opportunity to see how justice is actually administered in the context of criminal cases involving issues of competency or criminal responsibility in Georgia Courts and to develop their courtroom advocacy skills. We will examine, through readings and classroom discussion, the ways in which mental health cases fit or rather do not fit within the framework of the traditional criminal justice system and the practical implication of raising issues of mental health issues of competency, criminal responsibility or even offering evidence of mental health as mitigation. This class will have a classroom component but will also extend beyond that into the real and very complex practice of criminal law involving mental health issues.

Students will take multiple off-campus trips, including touring the local mental health service providers, interacting with the NICK Project (a collaboration between the DeKalb Public Defender’s Office, Atlanta Legal Aid, and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities) and attending actual court sessions to observe criminal case proceedings. Student will also review real competency evaluations and will conduct interviews with actual defendants, participate in discharge planning with social workers and community service providers, observe actual competency evaluations, and participate in mock classroom hearings on issues of competency, responsibility, and civil commitment.

Lastly, students will be graded primarily on their performance in both classroom and courtroom hearings and their participation in classroom discussion, and secondarily on periodic papers analyzing their experiences.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Criminal Pretrial Motions Practicum 

Class Number: 4862; Catalog Number- LAW 622X

Credits: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Krepp, Thomas

Prerequisite: Constitutional Criminal Procedure: Investigations (can be taken concurrently)

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Coursework

Description: This workshop will provide practical skills training in the area of pre-trial criminal litigation for a small number of students. Class will meet once a week for approximately 3 hours, and will generally consist of each student performing an oral advocacy assignment. In addition, written advocacy assignments will be due from time to time. The emphasis of the class will be on building off of the students' substantive knowledge of criminal procedure by learning how it is applied to "real world" pre-trial criminal litigation.

Attendance Policy:Attendance is a critical part of the course. Students are permitted to miss one class during the semester; additional absences must be approved by the professor and may result in a decrease in the final grade.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Directed research is an independent scholarly project of your own design, meant to lead to the production of an original work of scholarship. Once you have secured a faculty advisor and have defined your project, you should download the directed research form (see below). In this form, indicate whether you are seeking one unit (a 15-page paper, double-spaced, exclusive of endnotes, tables, appendices, etc.) or two units (a 30-page paper, double-spaced, exclusive of endnotes, tables, appendices, etc.).

Complete information and the application form are available on the secure Directed Research web page »

Class Number: 4730; Catalog Number- LAW 659E, 001

Class Number: 4805; Catalog Number- LAW 659E, 002

Credit: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. MacKay, Christine

Prerequisite: None 

Grading Criteria: Course Work

STUDENTS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ACCOUNTING OR FINANCE COURSES ARE NOW PERMITTED TO TAKE THIS CLASS ON A PASS/FAIL BASIS ONLY WHICH WILL TAKE UP THREE OF THEIR SIX PASS/FAIL HOURS. 

Description: This course is designed for those liberal arts majors who know nothing about accounting and finance. Students will learn about the fundamental financial statement concepts. Then the course will turn to the study of how lawyers use those concepts in practice.

*Last Updated Spring 2016

Class Number: 4731; Catalog Number- LAW 659G

Credit: 3 Hours (Cross-listed w/B-School & Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Elliott, James & Prof. Taylor

Prerequisite: Real Estate Finance (concurrent okay); Contract Drafting; & Deal Skills (concurrent okay)

Grading Criteria: Midterm; Participation; & Drafting of Documents

Enrollment: Limited to 18 Students!

Description: This course will concentrate on sales, finance, and leasing of commercial real estate. It will require significant amounts of time devoted to the financial analysis of real estate projects and to negotiating and drafting of documents. It is designed specifically to include JD, LLM, and MBA students. Workgroups will consist of JD, LLM, and MBA students working together as lawyer and client to analyze, negotiate and document the acquisition and subsequent leasing of a shopping center. The text for the course is a business school real estate finance text. Legal materials will be made available as handouts. A basic knowledge of Excel will be helpful but not required.

*Last Updated Spring 2016

• Class Number: 4755; Catalog Number- LAW 659A, 001 
• Class Number: 4753; Catalog Number- LAW 659A, 002
• Class Number: 4763; Catalog Number- LAW 659A, 003
• Class Number: 4754; Catalog Number- LAW 659A, 004
• Class Number: 4769; Catalog Number- LAW 659A, 004 
• Class Number: 4886; Catalog Number- LAW 659A, 006 
• Class Number: 4802; Catalog Number- LAW 659A, 007  

Credit: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): TBA

Prerequisite: Business Associations (highly recommended as prerequisite, but can be taken concurrently)

Grading Criteria: Homework & Final Assignment

Enrollment: Limited to 12 students per section!

Description: This course teaches students the principles of drafting commercial agreements. Although the course will be of particular interest to students pursuing a corporate or commercial law career, the concepts are applicable to any transactional practice.

In this course, students will learn how transactional lawyers translate the business deal into contract provisions, as well as techniques for minimizing ambiguity and drafting with clarity. Through a combination of lecture, hands-on drafting exercises, and extensive homework assignments, students will learn about different types of contracts, other documents used in commercial transactions, and the drafting problems the contracts and documents present. The course will also focus on how a drafter can add value to a deal by finding, analyzing, and resolving business issues.

The grade will 30-page on specific homework assignments and class participation.

Please Note: CONTRACT DRAFTING AND DEAL SKILLS WILL BE PREREQUISITES TO ALL DOING DEALS CAPSTONE COURSES

*Last Updated Spring 2016

• Class Number: 4733; Catalog Number- LAW 659B, 001 
• Class Number: 4736; Catalog Number- LAW 659B, 002
• Class Number: 4803; Catalog Number- LAW 659B, 003
• Class Number: 4743; Catalog Number- LAW 659B, 004 
• Class Number: 4744; Catalog Number- LAW 659B, 005 
• Class Number: 4745; Catalog Number- LAW 659B, 006

Credit: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): TBA

Prerequisite: Contract Drafting (required – concurrent not okay); Business Associations

Grading Criteria: Homework, Participation/Professionalism; Negotiation Project; & Comprehensive Individual Project

Enrollment: Limited to 12 Students!

Description: Deal Skills builds on the skills and concepts learned in Contract Drafting and emphasizes the skills and thought processes involved in, and required by, the practice of transactional law.  The course introduces students to business and legal issues common to commercial transactions, such as M&A deals, license agreements, commercial real estate transactions, financing transactions, and other typical transactions.  Students learn to interview, counsel, and communicate with simulated clients; conduct various types of due diligence; translate a business deal into contract provisions; understand basic transaction structure, finance, and risk reduction techniques; and negotiate and collaboratively draft an agreement for a simulated transaction.   Classes involve both individual and group work, with in-class exercises, role-plays and oral reports supported by lecture and weekly homework assignments.  

Please Note: CONTRACT DRAFTING AND DEAL SKILLS WILL BE PREREQUISITES TO ALL DOING DEALS CAPSTONE COURSES

*Last Updated Spring 2018

Class Number: 5022; Catalog Number- LAW 659F

Credit: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Notte, Gregg

Prerequisite: Business Associations; Contract Drafting; & Deal Skills (concurrent not ok for BA or Contract Drafting)

Grading Criteria: Coursework

Description: In this course, students will develop transactional skills, with emphasis on possible differences in roles of in-house counsel and outside counsel in the context of a hypothetical
transaction that will be the focal point of the entire semester. The class will be divided between the lawyers representing the buyer and the lawyers representing the seller. Students will interview the
Professor (client) throughout the semester and develop goals, strategies, and documents that will meet the needs of the client. The semester will include the drafting and negotiation of a
confidentiality agreement, a letter of intent, an employment agreement, a Master Services Agreement, and a Stock Purchase Agreement.

Attendance Policy: Because student participation is essential for the success of this experiential simulation course, attendance is mandatory. Failure to attend will affect the course grade. This course also requires collaborative work with other students and meetings with the adjunct faculty. You will be required to schedule several meetings in addition to regular class time. In addition, any students on the wait list for this class must attend the first class meeting, which sets the stage for the first several weeks of assignments.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 4741; Catalog Number- LAW 659J

Credit: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Tapp, Elliot

Prerequisite: Business Associations; Contract Drafting; & Deal Skills (concurrent, not okay for any)

Grading Criteria: Class participation (incl. but not limited to attendance), Homework, Projects

Enrollment: Limited to 12 students!

Description: This course is designed to start a process of changing how you think about lawyering by shifting your focus from academia to application. We will do this in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) by providing a practical overview of the process and documentation involved and by participating in exercises designed to simulate those junior transactional associates are commonly expected to undertake. Our ultimate objective is to better prepare you for what will be expected of you in a law firm environment. Because of the experiential nature of this course, attendance is mandatory.

Note: Open enrollment will be available to non-transactional certificate students on a space-available basis to students with required prereqs once open enrollment starts.

*Last Updated Spring 2016

Class Number: 4808; Catalog Number- LAW 880

Credit: 1 Hour

Instructor(s): Prof. Ellis, Jeremy & Prof. Harrison, Chason

Prerequisite: Approved by Faculty Advisor (via tryout)

Grading Criteria: Participation (Graded on Pass/Fail Basis)

Description: Team members prepare for oral negotiations, practice negotiation techniques, and draft transactional documents under the direction of one or more faculty advisors for regional, and potentially national competitions. A student selected to compete is eligible for credit in the semester in which the competition is held. The faculty advisor(s) will approve course registration and assign a grade.

*Last Updated Spring 2017

Class Number: 4828; Catalog Number- LAW 659R

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Dozier, Martin

Prerequisite: Business Associations & Contract Drafting. Deal Skills is a recommended prerequisite but may be taken concurrently (or waived by the professor based on relevant experience or other factors).

Grading Criteria: Participation and Performance in Class (including but not limited to attendance), Homework as assigned; Comprehensive Individual Project

Enrollment: Limited to 12 Students!

Description: This course will simulate the structuring, formation, and regulatory work that would be performed by a junior associate or in-house counsel representing public investment companies, private investment funds, or other pooled investment vehicles.  The course will focus primarily on the regulation of investment companies subject to the Investment Company Act of 1940 and its companion statute, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; however, significant attention will be given to alternative investment vehicles, such as hedge funds, venture capital funds, private equity funds, real estate partnerships, and other private investment vehicles.   Students will gain experience in analyzing securities laws and regulations that govern a fund’s structure and operations; structuring public and private offerings; reviewing and drafting various documents included in a fund offering, and considering ethical issues that may arise.

These issues will be addressed through a combination of lectures, in-class exercises, homework assignments, a comprehensive individual project, and a prospectus summary project.  There will not be a final exam.  

Note: Students not pursuing the Transactional Certificate, can enroll during open enrollment if they meet the applicable prerequisites.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 4734; Catalog Number- LAW 659C

Credit: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Spear, Doug

Prerequisite: Business Associations; Contract Drafting; & Deal Skills (concurrent not okay for any)

Grading Criteria: Coursework

Enrollment: Limited to 12 Students!

Description: This course will study the business and legal issues in venture capital transactions. The course will be taught primarily through simulations.

*Last Updated Spring 2016

Class Number: 5023; Catalog Number- LAW 668X

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Dinner, Deborah 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, One (1) 1250-word paper, & Scheduled Exam.

Description: This course examines the rights and obligations of employers and individual employees. It does not cover employment discrimination or labor law governing the rights of employees to organize collectively, which are discussed in two separate courses. The range of topics discussed in employment law include: the common law rule of “at-will” employments; employees’ rights to sue for termination against public policy or under statutes such as whistleblower laws; minimum wage and overtime wage clams; public employees’ First Amendment, Fourth Amendment, and Due Process rights; family and medical leave; non-competition agreements; arbitration polices; unemployment insurance; and workplace health and safety regulation. Employment law embodies principles of contracts, torts, constitutional, and immigration law. In addition to current doctrine, we will learn something about the historical development of employment law in the United States. The course will have one in-class, four-hour exam and a short response paper of 1,250 words (requiring no outside research). Attendance and participation is critical to the course. Students who miss more than six classes will be required to withdraw or will receive a failing grade.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 4694; Catalog Number- Law 720

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Sanders, Scott

Prerequisite: Intellectual Property; Trademark Law; or Copyright Law (concurrent okay)

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course will provide an overview of the rapidly developing body of law associated with the entertainment industries concentrating in the areas of music publishing and commercial recording, live performance, literary publishing and motion pictures. The course will focus on a study of entertainment law cases, aspects of copyright law, personal rights, and negotiation of entertainment agreements.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Environmental Law

Class Number: 4742; Catalog Number- LAW 624X

Credit: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Purdom, Rebecca

Prerequisite: Legislation & Regulation

Grading Criteria: Participation & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course will focus on legal strategies to regulate and remedy environmental harms. The course is designed to prepare transactional lawyers, regulatory lawyers, and litigators, specifically including students interested in specializing in environmental law for corporate compliance, the government, or public interest. A major goal of the course is to introduce students to the analytical skills necessary to understand and work in environmental and many other predominantly statutory and regulatory fields. The course will therefore frequently involve analysis of methods of interpretation of statutes and regulations and analysis of the central role of administrative agencies in environmental law. The course will focus on various federal environmental statutes, including the Clean Air Act; Clean Water Act; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act; Endangered Species Act; and National Environmental Policy Act.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 4780; Catalog Number- LAW 620L

Credit: 2 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Tulibacka, Magdalena

Prerequisite: EU Law I recommended

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Final Paper

Description: The course allows students with an interest in the European Union to focus on a number of selected areas of substantive EU law and to understand their impact globally, including on U.S. businesses. The impact is becoming quite significant in many areas of law, and the course focuses on: data protection laws, antitrust laws, consumer protection laws, product liability laws, and elements of corporate and tax law. The students will have an opportunity to vote on one additional topic of discussion. They will also receive an introduction to European civil justice systems, giving them an idea of how law is taught and practiced, how cases are litigated, what challenges litigants may expect in European courts and when using ADR mechanisms.

Classes are interactive and discussion-based. Students are expected to prepare before classes. We shall be studying EU statutory law, judgments of the EU courts, academic commentary, some policy papers, and other materials.
Because of the nature of the course, attendance is mandatory and constitutes 20% of the final grade. Participation in class (including contributions to discussions, some case reviews, and participation in group exercises) constitutes further 30% of the grade. During the course, the students will be selecting, with the Professor’s help, the topic for a final paper (4000 words including footnotes). The paper will be the remaining 50% of the final grade.

Please Note: Guest speakers - for instance practitioners in tax law and corporate law and antitrust law scholars - will be leading discussion during some of the classes.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 4815; Catalog Number- LAW 632X, 04A (Carroll)

Class Number: 4742; Catalog Number- LAW 632X, 04B (Shepherd)

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Carroll, Lesley & Prof. Shepherd, George

Prerequisite: None 

Carroll Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Scheduled Final Exam

Shepherd Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Carroll Description: Survey course of the Federal Rules of Evidence. Exam is closed book and will include multiple choice, short answer, and an issue spotter.

Attendance Policy: You may miss up to three classes during the semester for any reason or no reason. If you miss four or more classes, your grade will be lowered.

Shepherd Description: : A general consideration of the law of evidence with a focus on the Federal Rules of Evidence. Coverage includes relevance, hearsay, witnesses, presumptions and burdens of proof,
writings, scientific and demonstrative evidence, and privilege. Must be taken in the second year.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Externship Program  

Catalog Number- Law 870I-Advanced; Law 870D- Civil Litigation; Law 870F- Corporate Counsel; Law 870H-Criminal Defense; Law 870C- Govt. Counsel; Law 870E- Judicial; Law 870J- Legislative Policy; Law 870G- Prosecution; Law 870A- Public Interest; Law 870L- Small Firm.

Credits: Varies (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Multiple

Selection: Application process submitted to Prof. Sarah Shalf (The Deadline has now passed, and if interested must contact Prof. Shalf)

Grading Criteria: Class Participation & Fieldwork

Description: Step outside the classroom and learn to practice law from experienced attorneys. Take the skills and principles you learn in the classroom and learn how they apply in practice. Emory Law's General Externship Program provides work experience in different types of practice (all sectors except law firms) so you can determine which suits you best and develop relationships that will continue as you begin your legal career. Students are supported in their placements by a weekly class meeting with other students in similar placements, taught by faculty with practice experience in that area, in which students have the opportunity to learn legal and professional skills they need to succeed in the externship, receive mentoring independent of their on-site supervisors, and to step back and reflect on their experience and what they are learning from it.

Our Small Firm Externship Program provides students especially interested in the small law firm practice setting with experience in specially-selected small law firms. The firms' attorneys participate with the students in our weekly class meeting, which focuses on the skills and attributes necessary to succeed in a small firm practice setting.

Students apply for externships via Symplicity in the semester prior to the externship and all placements must be preapproved. Available placements for the General program are listed on the Emory Law website, http://law.emory.edu/academics/academic-programs/externships/externship-search.html, and the currently-participating Small Firms are listed here: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/small-firm-externship-applicant-law-firm-ranking/

Warning: No student is allowed to be enrolled in more than one clinic or externship classes (except fieldwork) in a semester.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 4735; Catalog Number- LAW 633

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Carter, Melissa

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Take-home Final Exam

Description: This course explores the legal regulation of the family and its members. Materials and discussion will address the problems, policies, and laws related to the formation and dissolution of the marital family. Among the topics covered will be premarital controversies; constitutional limitations on entry into marriage; substantive and procedural regulation of marriage; marital rights and responsibilities; marriage equality; divorce; child custody, adoption, and other related topics.

Attendance Policy: Class attendance is an integral part of the learning process and is a reflection of professional responsibility. Consistent with American Bar Association requirements, the law school requires regular attendance in all courses. Accordingly, students are expected to attend class regularly, arrive for class on time, and be prepared to participate in class discussion.

Emory Law School’s mandatory attendance policy provides that a student who attends fewer than 80% of classes in a course, whether due to excused or unexcused absences, is presumed to have excessive absences. Excessive absences can result, without advance notice or warning, in reduction of your final grade.

A class roster will be circulated at each class to record attendance, and the official record of attendance will be maintained on Canvas.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Federal Income Tax: Corporations

Class Number: 4695; Catalog Number- LAW 642

Credit: 2 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Fowler, Lynn

Prerequisite: Fundamentals of Income Tax 

Grading Criteria: Take-home Exam

Description: Survey of the general structure of taxation of corporations. Considers the tax issues arising from the formation, operation, liquidation, and reorganization of corporations. An important course for anyone interested in transactional law.

*Last Updated Spring 2015

Federal Income Tax: Individual

Class Number: 5020; Catalog Number- LAW 640L

Credit: 4 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Brown, Dorothy

Prerequisite: All First-year Required Courses

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam (All Multiple Choice Exam)

Description: An introduction to federal income taxation with an emphasis on determination of income subject to taxation, which expenses are allowable deductions and whether certain income is excluded from taxation, along with the proper time for reporting items of income and deductions and which proper taxpayer should pay the tax.

Attendance Policy: Attendance is taken, and at least 80 percent of the classes must be attended to obtain credit for the course.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Federal Income Tax: Partnerships

Class Number: 4696; Catalog Number- LAW 942

Credit: 2 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Schueneman, Wade

Prerequisite: N/A

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course will provide an introduction to the federal income tax rules that apply to partnerships and their partners (principally those rules found in Subchapter K). Topics covered will include contributions, distributions, allocations of tax items and liabilities and anti-abuse rules.

Attendance Policy: Students will not be permitted to have more then two (2) unexcused absences.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

First Amendment: Religious Liberty

Class Number: 4865; Catalog Number- LAW 601B *Cross-listed w/School of Theology & Undergrad Dept. of Religion

Credit: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Witte, John

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, Coursework, & Take-home Final Exam.

Description: Religious liberty is one of the hallmarks of modern constitutional democracies, though it has come under considerable attack in recent years. This course analyzes the historical formation and current interpretation of the religious liberty guarantees of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Part I of the course explores the original meaning of the First Amendment guarantees of no establishment and free exercise of religion viewed in colonial and broader Western context. Part II analyzes the guarantees of free exercise and expression of religion guaranteed by First Amendment free exercise and free speech clauses and recent complementary statutes. Topics include religious liberty claims to polygamy, proselytism, Sabbath day observance, religious worship, ritual, and dress, and claims by religious individuals and groups to exemptions from general laws. It also includes the heated clashes between religious liberty and sexual liberty claims. Part III traces the requirements of no establishment of religion, particularly in cases concerning the role of religion in public education, the place of government in religious education, and the place of religious symbols and ceremonies in public and political life. Part IV analyzes the complex relationships between religious organizations and government. Topics include tax funding and exemptions for religious groups, the powers and limits of religious organizations to resolve their own internal disputes over polity and property, and their power to discipline their leaders and members for their beliefs, moral behavior, or sexual orientation.

The readings will consist of selected United States Supreme Court cases and a textbook, John Witte, Jr. and Joel A. Nichols, Religion and the American Constitutional Experiment, 4th ed. (Oxford University Press, 2016).

There will be a final take home examination, handed out the last class of the semester. The exam will offer a choice of three or four questions that explore different major course themes; students will pick one question and prepare a 3000-word answer based on their course notes and readings. The course has no prerequisites, and does not presuppose detailed knowledge of American history or constitutional law.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 5032; Catalog Number- Law 650

Credits: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Prusher, Craig

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam (80%) and Team Grades (20%)

Enrollment Limit: Limited to 25 students!

Description: Legal and business considerations, including the pros and cons of franchising; the franchising role in the economy; the franchiser/franchisee relationship; disclosure requirements; relevant state and federal laws; essential elements in representing franchisors and franchisees; basic terms and issues with franchise agreements; legislative issues; trademark issues; encroachment issues; system expansion issues; franchisee associations; new techniques in franchising; e.g. area development agreements, sub-franchising, niche franchising, master franchise agreements; international franchising; the role of alternate dispute resolution in franchising; product quality issues; legislative issues. Case studies of important franchise companies will be read and evaluated including Holiday Inns, McDonald's, Century 21, Pizza Hut and Dunkin Donuts. Prominent legal political and business franchising representatives will be guest speakers, students will be divided into teams for an oral and written presentation that will account for 20% of their grade.

Please Note: if a student misses more than 2 classes without the Professor's permission such student's name will be removed from the Class Roster.

Attendance Policy: More than two absences without my approval will result in loss of course credit

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Class Number: 4697; Catalog Number- LAW 890A

OPEN TO TI:GER STUDENTS ONLY. PROFESSOR PERMISSION REQUIRED.

Credit: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Morris, Nicole 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation

Description: Fundamentals of Innovation II is the second of the two-course sequence on various techniques and approaches needed to understand the innovation process. Issues explored will include patterns of technological change, identifying market and technological opportunities, competitive market analysis, the process of technology commercialization, intellectual property protection, and methods of valuing new technology.

The fall course and the companion course in the spring will provide the academic core to the student’s first year in the Technological Innovation: Generating Economic Results (“TI:GER”) program and will be taught as a series of learning modules. Each module and class session is lead by a faculty or guest instructor with in-depth experience in that particular technology commercialization topic. Students will take each course as a “community of participants” and will participate on both an individual and team level. Innovation teams that are comprised of the PhD candidates, MBA and JD students, will be formed mid-semester and will participate both in in-class activities and cases, as well as in an “engaged learning” experience intended to simulate the technology commercialization process. The technology/research that will drive the innovation teams will be provided by the PhD candidates and their advisors.

*Last Updated Spring 2017

Class Number: 4761; Catalog Number- LAW 736

Credit: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Naegele, Kim

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation & Take-home Exam

Description: Comprising nearly 20% of the economy, health care in the U.S. is a highly regulated system of providers, public and private payers, drug and device manufacturers, and various third-party intermediaries.  This course will provide an introduction to the legal framework underlying the dynamic and challenging practice of health law, including selected aspects of the recently enacted Affordable Care Act (commonly referred to as “Obamacare”).  Likely topics include:  regulation and accreditation of physicians and institutions, coverage and reimbursement of medical services and drugs/devices, patient confidentiality and informed consent, fraud and abuse, and antitrust issues with provider and insurer consolidation.  Coverage may also include recently enacted or proposed reforms, or areas of current debate with significant impact on the healthcare system.

Class Number: 4825; Catalog Number- LAW 570A, GRAD

Credit: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Koster, Paul 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Attendance/Participation, Oral Presentation, & In-class Final Exam

JM Description: This course provides an overview of the constitutional principles, history, and governmental structures that shape the U.S. legal system; the constitutional foundations of the U.S. legal system, including the concepts of separation of powers and federalism; the structure of the state and federal court systems and concepts of jurisdiction; the mechanisms by which the law is assessed and applied by the courts; the relationship between law and society; the primary subject areas of first-year legal study; the role of lawyers and non-lawyers in the management of legal matters; and legal analysis and advocacy skills.

LLM Description: Designed for lawyers trained outside of the United States, the course provides an overview of the constitutional principles, history, and governmental structures that shape the U.S. legal system; the constitutional foundations of the U.S. legal system, including the concepts of separation of powers and federalism; the structure of the state and federal court systems and concepts of jurisdiction; the mechanisms by which the law is assessed and applied by the courts; the role of lawyers and the relationship between law and society; and the primary subject areas of first-year legal study.

Please Note: OPEN ONLY TO FOREIGN-EDUCATED LLM STUDENTS & JM STUDENTS

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 4970; Catalog Number- LAW 609L

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Profs. Cobian, Magaly & Grubbs, Shelby

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Coursework

Description: This course covers international commercial arbitration, a system used to resolve business disputes between citizens including businesses from different countries. This course can be looked at as a kind of contractual civil procedure course, and students will be considering the manner in which the private arbitration system interacts with the public courts and how the competence to decide issues is allocated between private and public systems. Though the course covers mostly US cases, students will also be exposed to cases from other countries and other legal systems.

*Last Updated Spring 2020 

Class Number: 4788; Catalog Number- LAW 690L

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Van der Vyver, Johan

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, Weekly Assignments, & Scheduled Final Exam or Paper

Description: This course focuses on international concerns for the upholding of human rights standards in legal systems of the world. It defines the concept of human rights and distinguishes different categories of human rights that have developed over the years, namely (a) natural rights of the individual; (b) civil and political rights; (c) economic, social and cultural rights; and (d) solidarity rights. General problems relating to the theoretical basis of human rights will come under the spotlight in this section, including the universality and relativity of human rights, and the right to self-determination of peoples.

The course further deals with mechanisms for the protection and promotion of international human rights at three distinct levels: (a) globally, under auspices of the United Nations Organization, with emphasis on the binding effect of the human rights standards enunciated in the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, promotion and protection of those rights by the Human Rights Council, and the proclamation and enforcement of certain categories of rights in virtue of international conventions and covenants sponsored by the United Nations; (b) regionally, in Europe under auspices of the Council of Europe, the European Union, and the Helsinki Accord, in the Americas under auspices of the Organization of American States; and in Africa under auspices of the African Union; and (c) thematically, under auspices of specialized agencies such as the International Labor Organization (ILO) and UNESCO.

When dealing with the promotion and protection of human rights under auspices of the United Nations, special attention will be given to the question whether or not the provisions in the U.N. Charter dealing with human rights are self-executing in the United States, and decisions of the Human Rights Council dealing with, for example, the defamation of a religion, and human rights violations committed by Israel in the West Bank and in Gaza. We have also singled out particular rights and freedoms for closer scrutiny, such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion or belief, and the international protection of rights of the child.

The section on the Council of Europe pays special attention to the doctrine of a margin of appreciation developed by the European Court of Human Rights, which affords to High Contracting Parties a first bite at the cherry to decide whether circumstances exist in their respective countries that would warrant limitations to be imposed on particular rights or freedoms enunciated in the European Convention for the Protection of Basic Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and to the doctrine of positive obligations, which places on High Contracting Parties a duty to protect persons under their jurisdiction against violations of their rights by the State and by non-State actors. It further focuses on a selection of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, such as those relating to torture, sexual orientation, and extradition constraints (the latter involving the United States).

The section on the Inter-American system for the protection of human rights singles out decisions of the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights that condemned the United States for not observing basic principles of the Inter-American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man of 1948, for example ones that dealt with racial discrimination in the sentencing of convicted criminals, the death penalty, abortions, and non-compliance by the United States with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

The latter set of cases will also bring into contention three judgments of the International Court of Justice condemning the United States for non-compliance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, and responses from the U.S. Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court of Germany to those judgments. The enforcement of international human rights in federal courts of the United States in cases such as Medéllin v.

Texas and in virtue of the Alien Torts Statute and Article 1, Section 8, Paragraph 10 of the U.S. Constitution places the Vienna Convention judgments in a broader perspective.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

International Human Rights Law Practicum

Class Number: 4829; Catalog Number- LAW 690A

Credit: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Mickevicius, Henrikas

Prerequisite: International Human Rights Law (concurrent ok)

Preselection Form: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/international-human-rights-practicum-preselection/

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Coursework (Writing Assignments)

Enrollment: Limited to 4-6 Students!

Description: The Practicum builds upon existing connections with the United Nations (U.N.) system for the protection and promotion of human rights, including Treaty-bodies, Universal Periodic Review and Special Procedures mechanisms. A signature element of the course is supporting the mandate of the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID).

WGEID is the first mandate within the Special Procedures mechanism of the U.N. Human Rights Council (previously Commission) established in 1980 and designated to assist families in determining the fate or whereabouts of reportedly disappeared persons, to monitor States’ compliance with the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances, and to provide to States technical support in overcoming obstacles to the realization of the Declaration.

The Practicum allows students to act as junior lawyers in collaboration with and under direct supervision of a WGEID member Henrikas Mickevicius, who has 40 years of experience in national and international law practice as a judge and trial attorney, litigating, inter alia, at the European Court for Human Rights and the UN Human Rights Committee, trainer and academic instructor. You will work on about semester-long research projects and short-term tasks.
Weekly companion seminars will familiarize students with the relevant, both universal and regional, legal frameworks—hard and soft law instruments, mechanisms, venues, procedures and case-law, analyze the concept and elements of enforced disappearances, and train in skills you may need to employ to carry out assignments. Students will present their on-going research, reflect on their findings and receive specific feedback from the course instructor and classmates, to progress in their work.

Attendance Policy: The attendance policy of the Emory Law School applies. A student who attends fewer than 80% of classes in a course, whether due to excused or unexcused absences, is presumed to have excessive absences. Excessive absences can result, without advance notice or warning, in any of the following sanctions: 1) reduction of the student’s final grade; 2) denial of permission to complete course work; or 3) receipt of a grade of F (Failing), all at the discretion of the instructor.
There will be no final exam for this course. Students are expected to participate actively in companion seminars, demonstrate continuous progress on assignments, provide oral briefings and engage in discussions. Students must complete projects and short-term assignments in accordance with provided guidelines and in timely manner. The course accounts for a minimum of 150 work hours per semester, including seminars. Written assignments will constitute 70% of the final grade, and seminar attendance and participation 30%.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 5034; Catalog Number- LAW 676, 02A

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Van der Vyver, Johan

Prerequisites/Co-requisites: None

Grading Criteria: Attendance, Participation, Weekly Assignments, & Paper or Scheduled Final Exam

Enrollment: N/A

Description: September 11th, the war in Afghanistan and in Iraq, and the status of Afghani captives being held at Guantanamo Bay; the testing and stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction; the violent conflict in Israel and Palestine, and in Libya; and attempts to establish an Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria and Iraq are all matters that come within the range of international humanitarian law: the law of armed conflict. International humanitarian law applies to and in times of armed conflict and differentiates between international armed conflicts and armed conflicts not of an international character. The war in Bosnia/Herzegovina and jurisprudence of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) illustrate the complexities attending that distinction.

The U.S. Supreme Court decided in the Hamdan Case that the “war against terror” is an armed conflict not of an international character because it is not a war between States. This view is at odds with the jurisprudence of the ICTY and the International Criminal Court (ICC). It is also extremely difficult to establish precisely under what conditions an internal uprising would be considered an armed conflict for the purposes of international humanitarian law.

The rules of international humanitarian law fall into two main categories:
(a) the ius ad bellum (the law relating to armed conflict): under what circumstances is the taking up of arms to resolve an international or internal dispute legitimate, and when would it constitute the international crime of aggression?
(b) the ius in bello (the law applying in times of war), which comprises two main subject matters:

The rules regulating the means and methods of conducting hostilities (what weapons may be used, and what persons or objects may be targeted);
How must belligerent parties treat persons and objects not engaged in, or used for, actual combat, such as the wounded or sick members of the armed forces in the field; the wounded, sick or shipwrecked members of the armed forces at sea; prisoners of war; and civilians.

Under (a), the course will explore the legitimacy of, for example, wars of liberation, the right to self-defense, and humanitarian intervention, with special emphasis on the war in Iraq, the Israeli offensive in Gaza, the use of armed force in Libya, and the current bombing campaign in Syria and Iraq. Under (b)(i), questions such as the legality of the threat or use of a wide spectrum of armament, ranging from dumdum bullets to nuclear, bacteriological and chemical weapons, as well as legitimate/illegitimate targets of an armed attack, will be considered.

Under (b)(ii), matters such as the treatment of prisoners of war and of the wounded and sick soldiers, and the protection of civilians and civilian objects, including cultural property, in times of war will come under the spotlight. Particular problems that have emerged from recent judgments of the ICC and of the Supreme Court of Israel include the conscription and enlistment, and the use in actual combat, of children under the age of 15 years, and the use of a human shield to protect legitimate military targets from an armed attack.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 4727; Catalog Number- LAW 676C, 02A

Credit: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Blank, Laurie

Prerequisites/Co-requisites: International Law; International Humanitarian Law; International Criminal Law; International Human Rights; Transitional Justice; National Security Law

Grading Criteria: Based on individual student performance, please note that this class cannot be taken on a pass/fail basis!

Enrollment: By application, contact Professor Blank

Description: The International Humanitarian Law Clinic provides opportunities for students to do real-world work on issues relating to international law and armed conflict, counter-terrorism, national security, transitional justice and accountability for atrocities. Students work directly with organizations, including international tribunals, militaries, and non-governmental organizations, under the supervision of the Director of the IHL Clinic, Professor Laurie Blank.

The IHL Clinic also includes a weekly class seminar with lecture and discussion introducing students to the foundational framework of and contemporary issues in international humanitarian law (otherwise known as the law of armed conflict).

*Last Updated Spring 2018

International Law

Class Number: 4698; Catalog Number- LAW 732

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Blank, Laurie

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course provides a broad introduction to the nature, sources and operation of international law. In particular, this course will focus on the following key learning objectives: the sources, foundation and structure of international law; the participants in the international legal system and their respective roles; the application of fundamental principles of international law, including jurisdiction, immunities and state responsibility; the application of international law in the domestic law of nations, particularly in the United States; and key substantive issues, including statehood, human rights, international environmental law; the use of force, international criminal law and the law of armed conflict
Final grades will be based primarily on the final exam, but will also include participation in any practical exercises and general class participation throughout the semester.

Attendance Policy: Class attendance is mandatory; repeated absences or tardiness can negatively affect final grades.

*Last updated Spring 2020

International Legal Research: Foreign & Comparative Law Research

**Accelerated Class- First Seven Weeks of the Semester 

Class Number: 5044; Catalog Number- LAW 761A

Credit: 1 hour (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Flick, Amy

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Research practice exercises, Group presentation, & Final Research Project

Description: Foreign and Comparative Law Research will introduce specialized techniques for research in the legal materials of other countries. Students will become familiar with research in foreign and comparative law through lectures and practical application through in-class research exercises, homework exercises, a group presentation on the legal resources of another country, and a final research project on subject resources for the law of another country. Topics for class sessions will include categories of primary resources for other countries, comparative works and subject compilations, translations and use of legal resources in foreign languages, and research in the materials of select countries, both common law jurisdictions (United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia), and civil law jurisdictions (France and Mexico). This will be a one-credit, graded course meeting on an accelerated schedule for the first seven weeks of the semester. Because student participation is essential for the learning experience in this course, attendance at each class session is mandatory. Failure to attend will negatively affect the course grade.

Class Number: 4789; Catalog Number- LAW 608

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Morris, Nicole 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation/Attendance & Scheduled Final Exam 

Description: This course will introduce students to the concept of intellectual property through the three most important forms of intellectual property regimes in the United States: trademarks, copyrights, and patents.

Attendance Policy: Students are allowed up to 3 absences; 4 or more absences may impact the student's grade for the course. 

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Introduction to Legal Advocacy (ILA) formerly LWRAP II

Catalog Number- LAW 535B

Credit: 2 hours

Instructor(s):  Prof. Carroll, Lesley; Prof. Cooper, Karen; Prof. Kirk, Aaron; Prof. Mathews, Jennifer; Prof. Romig, Jennifer; Prof. Schwartz, Julie; Prof. Pinder, Kamina; & Prof. Koster, Paul

Prerequisite:  ILARC (or an equivalent course)

General Grading Criteria: Class assignments 

Cooper Grading Criteria: Participation, coursework, attendance, written product

Enrollment: This course is limited to first-year students and transfer students who need the course to graduate

General Description:  This course builds on skills presented in ILARC and introduces students to the process of effectively employing persuasive strategies in both written and oral formats.

Cooper Description: This course introduces students to the foundational legal analytical, research, and writing skills necessary to generate effective and well-reasoned predictive legal analysis. Attendance is required at all class meetings and more than two unexcused absences may affect one's grade.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 4783; Catalog Number- LAW 627

Credit: 3 Hours (Cross-listed with Cander School of Theology & Undergrad Dept. of Religion)

Instructor(s): Prof. An-Na’im, Abdullah

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Attendance & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: Origins and development of Sharia (Islamic law), review of major fields of the subject (constitutional law - law and religion issues, contract and commercial law, criminal law and international law), the relationship between Sharia and modern legal systems, international law and human rights.

Attendance Policy: Very strictly enforced attendance policy: a student who has an unexcused absence in 2 classes is penalized in the final grade, and absence in 3 classes or more will not be allowed to take the final examination, i.e. fail the course.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 4757; Catalog Number- LAW 664

Credit: 3 Hours (Cross-listed w/ Candler School of Theology & Undergrad Dept. of Religion)

Instructor(s): Prof. Pill, Shlomo 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Attendance, Participation, Critical Reading Responses, & Final Paper 

Description: This course explores Jewish law as one of the central organizing concepts of Jewish
religion and life. We begin by framing this conversation around some of the central questions
that animate Western jurisprudence: What is the nature of law; what are the goals and methods of
legal decision-making? With these concerns in mind, we explore the sources, principles, and
history of Jewish law before surveying several substantive topics in ritual, civil, and family law
that help illustrate the methodologies by which Jewish law evolves and responds to changing
contexts. Finally, we explore the ways in which halakhah is both more and less than what most
Western observers think of when they think of law. Halakhah is not a set of rules imposed by
the state, things that happen in court, or standards that regulate relationships among people and
between individuals and society. Halakhah does many of the things that other cultures treat as
philosophy, ethics, politics, and theology, while injecting them with a distinctly legal form.
While halakha no doubt legislates the rules and practices incumbent upon Jews, it is
simultaneously the primary vehicle through which Rabbinic thinkers have expressed their
thoughts on life, love, God, justice, community—basically all of life’s greatest questions.

Attendance Policy:You are expected to attend all scheduled classes on time. You will be permitted up to two
unexcused absences without any detriment to your grade. Each additional absence will result in
your Class Participation grade being reduced by one-half point (e.g., from an A- to a B+) unless
the absence is cleared with me in advance, or, in case of emergency, as soon as possible
thereafter. I will take attendance at the beginningof each class. Students who arrive late should see me after the end of class so they can bemarked “present/late.” Habitual tardiness over the course of the semester without an adequateexcuse will result in a full letter grade reduction to the Class Participation component of yourgrade. I will warn you in writing if your lateness is approaching “habitual” levels so that youmay correct the issue without detriment to your grade.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Juvenile Defender Clinic

Class Number: 4699; Catalog Number- LAW 699C

Credit: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Waldman, Randee 

Prerequisite: N/A

GradingCriteria: Based on individual student's coursework 

Description: The Juvenile Defender Clinic (JDC) is an in-house legal clinic designed to provide students with an opportunity to provide holistic legal representation to children in delinquency and status offense proceedings. Student attorneys represent youthful clients in juvenile court and provide legal advocacy in special education proceedings, school suspension proceedings, and other forums according to the clients’ needs, when such advocacy is derivative of a client’s juvenile court case. Through the combination of client representation and class sessions, students will learn to integrate theory with practice in a context-based educational setting.

Attendance Policy: Attendance at all clinic meetings and during office hours is mandatory. If you need to miss a clinic meeting for any reason, you must contact Professor Waldman in advance. If you will miss office hours, you must follow the procedures outlined in the Clinic Manual.

Please Note: Applications are accepted via Symplicity or e-mail to professor Waldman prior to pre-registration (watch for notices of the application deadline). Students must submit a resume, a statement of interest, an unofficial transcript, and a writing sample.

*Last updated Spring 2020

Kids in Conflict with the Law

Class Number: 4820; Catalog Number- LAW 699

Credit: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Waldman, Randee

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, Simulation Exercise, Short Paper, & Final Paper 

Description: The juvenile court was founded in 1899 on the philosophy that children are inherently different from adults, and that the state should take on the responsibility of protecting and rehabilitating young offenders. Beginning in the late twentieth century, the court has undergone both an ideological and an institutional change from its original form. This course will trace the trajectory of juvenile justice in the United States over the course of the last century, from its birth as a separate system in the early 1900s, through the due process revolution of the 1960s and 1970s and the widespread punitive reforms of the 1990s, to the recent rulings on the juvenile death penalty, juvenile life without parole, and juvenile interrogations. We will explore critical issues such as search, seizure, and interrogation of minors; waiver from juvenile to adult court; the unique procedural mechanisms of juvenile courts; sentencing and confinement; and implications of emerging scientific research on adolescent development. Finally, we will explore the relationship between the juvenile delinquency and school systems. Throughout the course, we will focus on two key questions:

• How are juvenile offenders treated differently from adult offenders?
• To what extent should they be?

Attendance Policy: Class attendance and participation, jointly, count for 15% of a student's grade. Students are expected to attend each class. Students seeking excused absences for religious holidays or illnesses should notify me by email in a timely manner before the expected absence or need arises. If illness or extenuating circumstances prevent advance notice, students should notify me as soon as possible after the absence.

Landlord-Tenant Mediation Practicum II

Class Number: 4824; Catalog Number- 870K

Credit: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Powell, Bonnie

Prerequisite: None

Preselection Form: Application process submitted thru Symplicity (Deadline has already passed as this is a year-long course)

Grading Criteria: Attendance & Participation

Description: Students will receive training in basic mediation skills in August prior to the start of the school year. This training is mandatory. Students will also submit a background check to the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution after being selected for the practicum.

Mediation of landlord/tenant cases will be handled by students for two semesters on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays at Fulton Magistrate Court and Dekalb Magistrate Court.
Attendance is mandatory.

Students should submit their resumes in the spring for consideration for the following academic year through OPUS during the resume drop period for field placements/clinics/workshops. All applicants will be interviewed.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 4702; Catalog Number- LAW 736A

Credit: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Kocher, Paula; Prof. Ghosh, Sudevi, & Prof. Amanti, Lena

Prerequisite: None, but Constitutional Law will be helpful and is strongly encouraged!

Grading Criteria: Participation (in-class project); Attendance; & Final Paper/Exam (take home)

Description: Law and public health are tightly intertwined. Law school students can benefit from an improved understanding of the legal principles and laws underlying the complex and cross-disciplinary field of public health practice in the United States. This course surveys law as it defines public health and is used by local, state, and federal government agencies as a tool to address contemporary public health problems in the United States. The course specifically addresses foundational sources for public health law in the United States, including constitutional, statutory, regulatory, and case law. It provides an examination of controlling law and emerging legal issues associated with selected topics drawn from public health emergencies; public health surveillance and outbreak investigations; and key public health topical areas, such as environmental issues; vaccination; foodborne diseases; and tobacco use-related problems.

Attedance Policy: Class participation and attendance are mandatory. Excused absences will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with prior notification to the instructors. Only two unexcused absences will be permitted.

Please Note: Though there are three primary instructors, the course does utilize a selection of guest speakers (attorneys and public health practitioners) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Justice, and other public health institutions. The course also includes a tour of the David J. Sencer CDC Museum.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 4806; Catalog Number- LAW 613A

Credit: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Fraher, Richard

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Attendance & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course will provide an overview of the legal and regulatory structure of payment systems in the U.S. These systems include legacy payments such as checks, wire transfers, automated clearing house transactions, and various forms of card based transactions. The course will also cover legal and policy issues related to emerging payments systems, including crypto currencies, faster or "real time" payments (including the Fed's proposal to offer a new service in support of faster payments in the U.S.), and some comparison between payments law in the US and in other countries.
Attendance policy: a student who misses more than two class sessions will become subject to a downward adjustment of her/his final grade 

Attendance Policy: If a student misses more than two class sessions, that student's final grade in the class will be adjusted downward from the grade they receive on the final examination.

• Class Number: 4858; Catalog Number- LAW 747, 003 (Broyde)
• Class Number: 4782; Catalog Number- LAW 747, 002 (Pinder)
• Class Number: 4700; Catalog Number- LAW 747, 001 (Koster)

STUDENTS CONSIDERING A LITIGATION FIELD PLACEMENT IN THEIR THIRD YEAR ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO TAKE LEGAL PROFESSION IN THEIR SECOND YEAR.

Credit: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Broyde, Michael; Prof. Koster, Paul; & Prof. Pinder, Kamina

Prerequisite: None

General Grading Criteria: Participation & Scheduled Final Exam

General Description: The rules and principles of professional ethics, other regulatory constraints on lawyers, the elements of malpractice liability and the values of professionalism. Study of the rules (primarily the ABA’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct) and deeper principles that govern the legal profession, including the nature and content of the attorney-client relationship, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, appropriate advocacy, client identity in business contexts, ethics in negotiation, and professionalism.

Broyde Description: Study of the rules (primarily the ABA's Model Rules of Professional Conduct) and deeper principles that govern the legal profession, including the nature and content of the attorney-client relationship, conflicts of interest, appropriate advocacy, client identity in business contexts, ethics in negotiation, and issues of professionalism. Attendance is considered in the final grade.

Attendance Policy:
Attendance will be taken every class. A student's final grade can be lowered at the professor's discretion for more than two absences.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Literature and Justice: Writers on Trial

Class Number: 5037; Catalog Number- LAW 621

Credits: 3 hours (Cross-listed with Laney Graduate School)

Instructor(s): Prof. Felman, Soshana

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Attendance; Class participation; 2 Short papers; Reading responses; and Oral presentation.

Enrollment: Graduate Seminar, M 4pm-7pm, Candler Library 212. (Limited to 16; Law School up to 10)!

Description: History has put on trial a series of creative thinkers. At the dawn of philosophy, Socrates drinks the cup of poison to which he is condemned by the Athenians for his influential teaching, charged with atheism, and corruption of the youth. Centuries later, in modernity, similarly influential (similarly charismatic and ironically subversive) Oscar Wilde is condemned by the English for his homosexuality, as well as for his provocative artistic style. In France, the most outstanding writers--Flaubert and Baudelaire-- are both indicted as criminals for their first (shockingly innovative) literary works; Emile Zola is condemned for defending a Jew against the state which has convicted him, flees from France to England to escape imprisonment. 

However different, all these accused have come to stand for something greater than themselves: something that was symbolized -- and challenged – by their trials. Through the examination of a series of historical and literary legal dramas, this course will ask: Why are literary writers, artists, and philosophers, repetitively put on trial, and how in turn do they put on trial culture and society? What is the role of art and literature as political actors in the struggles over ethics, and the struggles over meaning? 

Texts selected among: Plato’s Dialogues; Molière’s plays; Shakespeare’s plays; Oscar Wilde (Plays, Autobiography, Critical writings); Gustave Flaubert (novels, letters); Charles Baudelaire (poems, criticism, theory of art); Emile Zola (political writings); Herman Melville (novellas); Bertolt Brecht (plays)); Hannah Arendt (Essays, Interviews); Spinoza (Ethics); Sigmund Freud (Psychoanalytic Writings); Jacques Lacan (psychoanalytic seminar); E. M. Forster (novel); Virginia Woolf (novel); Franz Kafka (short stories, parables).

Particulars: Two short papers distributed throughout the course of the semester; Brief oral presentations; Intensive weekly reading (weekly one-page reading reports) and active preparation of texts for class discussion.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Mediation Advocacy

Note: **Short Course**  (Will meet 3 hours Tu/Th:  22/24 January, 29/31 January,  5/7 February, 12/14 February)

Class Number: 4799; Catalog Number- LAW 606

Credit: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Gmurzyńska, Ewa

Prerequisite: None 

Grading Criteria: Participation; & Take-home Exam

Description: Mediation is an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) method that has become an essential part of legal systems. Its institutionalization, as well as widespread application - particularly in many civil cases - requires lawyers to have a practical and theoretical understanding of mediation, especially to have a knowledge about effective representation in mediation. In Georgia, like a number of other states and federal courts, many cases are required to go to mediation before they go to trial. Mediation is also becoming a popular tool to resolve disputes in other countries, as well as in the international disputes arena, particularly in commercial disputes, and thus it is becoming a universal method for the resolution of many types of conflicts. Mediation is also an important part of effective legal representation - requiring a problem-solving approach to conflicts.

The course will make students familiar with US mediation rules and processes, as well as the international legal framework and law of mediation. Students will study mediation from a comparative perspective, including differences between court proceedings, arbitration, negotiation, and mediation, and with regard to the distinct role of a mediator, as opposed to a judge or arbitrator. The course will explore the mediation process from the perspectives of attorneys, but also the parties and mediators. During the course, students will learn about the role of lawyers in mediation including: choice of forum for dispute resolution, informing the client about mediation, preparing the case and the client for mediation and participation in mediation. Emphasis will be put on effective advocacy in mediation. Students will have an opportunity to practice effective communication skills and mediation role-playing. During each class, students will take part in role play. Teaching techniques including class discussion, presentation of video clips, skills exercises, and mediation role-playing will be utilized, which will require active participation by students. 

Attendance Policy: Because of the teaching methodology (role-playing, effective communication exercises, class discussion, etc.), attendance and active participation in the class are mandatory. 50% of the grade will be based on class participation and 50% on a take-home exam given at the end of the course. Unexcused absences will be taken into account in determining the grade for the course, as will class preparation. The materials will be provided by the instructor prior to the start of the course.

Short Course: Mediation Advocacy is accelerated - 2 credit hours course in Spring Semester. The class will meet 8 times total for four weeks. Classes will be scheduled twice a week. Each class will be 3 hours long. If you have any question, please contact me at: gmurzynska@wpia.uw.edu.pl

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Mergers & Acquisitions

Class Number: 4873; Catalog Number- LAW 636

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Savage, Audra 

Prerequisite: Business Associations (may be taken concurrently w/DD: Mergers & Acquisitions)

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This advanced course explores legal issues and regulations affecting the structure, timing, and price of corporate acquisitions, including mergers, stock purchases, and assets sales. Topics covered include acquisition structures and mechanics, shareholder voting and appraisal rights, board fiduciary duties, federal securities laws requirements and anti-takeover defenses. The course will emphasize the impact of state corporate law principles on the structure and implementation of an acquisition transaction.

Attendance Policy: Punctual and regular class attendance and preparation are both mandatory, and I reserve the right to take attendance into account in assigning final grades for the semester. Any student missing more than two (2) regularly scheduled class sessions, without a compelling justification for being absent (such as being sick or having an interview) is subject to being dropped from the course. Attendance records will be based on sign-in via Canvas each class.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

• Class Number: 4879; Catalog Number- LAW 656, 003 (Athans)
• Class Number: 5126; Catalog Number- LAW 656, 004 (Athans) 
• Class Number: 4701; Catalog Number- LAW 656, 001 (Lytle-Perry)
• Class Number: 4786; Catalog Number- LAW 656, 002 (Lytle-Perry)  

Credit: 2 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Athans, Michael; Prof. Rogers, Kathy; & Prof. Lytle-Perry, Courtney

Prerequisite: None

Athans' Grading Criteria: Attendance, Participation, Coursework, & Final Paper

General Grading Criteria:

• Class preparation/participation and written assignment – No Exam (Lytle-Perry)
• Attendance, Participation, Journals, & a Final Paper (Athans/Rogers)

Note: COURSE NOT OPEN TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE TAKEN ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION IN THE LAW SCHOOL OR NEGOTIATIONS IN THE BUSINESS SCHOOL

General Description: This hands-on skills course will explore the theoretical and practical aspects of negotiating settlements in both a litigation and a transactional context. The objectives of the course will be to develop proficiency in a variety of negotiation techniques as well as a substantive knowledge of the theory and practice, or the art and science of negotiations. Each week during class, students will negotiate fictitious clients' positions, sometimes proceeded by a lecture and followed by critique and comparison of results with other students. Each problem will be designed to illustrate particular negotiation strategies as well as highlight selected professional and ethical issues. Preparation for class will include the development of a negotiation strategy, reflective written memoranda required.

Athans/Rogers Description: The class will meet on Monday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Lectures and class discussions will last between 30 and 45 minutes. After a short break, the remaining time will be devoted to negotiation simulations, and de-briefing.

This skills-training course will help you become a more strategic negotiator. You will be divided into teams for some classes. It is important that each member participate in the exercises, along with any question and answer sessions. Fifty percent of your grade is based on your class preparation and participation.

Please keep any information you receive confidential so you do not spoil a simulation for anyone else. Confidential material for the simulations will be provided by e-mail most weeks or in class.

Korobkin Negotiation Theory & Strategy, Third Edition (2014). The required reading is outlined on the attached syllabus. Unless otherwise stated, skim the notes in each chapter and skip the questions.

Attendance Policy: CLASS ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY!One excused absence is allowed, but prior notice must be provided to the professors at least one hour before class meets. Any additional absences will result in a zero grade being averaged for class that day.

Please Note: You will keep a Negotiations Journal and hand in your entries twice during the semester. The due dates are noted on the class schedule. Details on the Journal are provided below. Further details on the Journal requirements will be given in class. Journals are due by e-mail to Professors Rogers and Athans no later than 5 p.m. on the due dates. If you miss class you must nevertheless complete a Journal entry based upon the reading material and your thoughts about the simulation hand out. Discuss your negotiation strategy that week, and analyze what you did or what you would have done if you were negotiating that week. If you miss class on a Journal due date, e­mail the entries to Professors Rogers and Athans. Absence on a due date does not excuse a late journal.

You will also write a 10 – 12 page research paper on a topic of your choice at the end of the semester. More details about the paper are provided on a separate hand out.

The following criteria will be used to evaluate your performance this semester. All of these criteria are important in assessing your final grade. The professors will work together to be consistent in applying these criteria.

Preparation for in-class exercises:

You are expected to be prepared in advance for every class to participate in each assigned exercise or simulation. The thoroughness of your preparation is demonstrated by in-class performance that reflects advanced planning and strategic thinking. The professors do not expect you to exhibit an immediate ability with each of the techniques being taught, but do expect you to have a plan and a thorough knowledge of the facts and any other information provided about each assignment. Watch your e-mail account weekly.

Professionalism during in-class exercises:

This course simulates professional negotiations practice. Students are expected to observe the highest standards of professionalism throughout this course. Among the standards of professionalism that are especially important in this class are civility, cooperation, confidentiality and timeliness. Students are also expected to accept constructive criticism and seek to improve in the next performance.

Negotiation performances:

Your class performance is a major factor in determining your grade in this course. Professors will be considering the following criteria in assessing your negotiating performance.

Knowledge of the facts

Organization

Preparation and Strategy

Command of Negotiating techniques

Being clear, concise, and persuasive

Ability to adapt to the unexpected

Ability to respond to contrary positions

Use of highest legal ethics and standards of professionalism

Grade weight allocation:

Class preparation and participation: 50%

Journal:20%

Final research paper:30%

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 5043; Catalog Number- Law 756

Credit: 2 hours

Instructor: Prof. Kirsch, Greg

Prerequisite: Patent Law or IP recommended

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Take-home Final Exam

Description: This course introduces the students to the fundamentals of patent practice before the U.S. Patent Office (USPTO), by focusing on the drafting of patent claims, patent specifications and responses and amendments to Office Actions, as well as undertaking patent clearance studies. In addition to learning such skills, students will become familiar with the U.S. patent statutes, USPTO regulations, case law and customs and practice relating to drafting and pursuing patent applications to issuance through the Patent Office.

The course has two primary components: (1) lectures that introduce the students to the subject matter to be studied, and (2) practical skills-oriented homework and in-class exercises that will allow the students to hone their patent practice skills.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Practical Lawyering Skills: Pro Bono in Practice Practicum

Class Number: 4832; Catalog Number- LAW 630A

Credit: 2 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Babcock, Sarah

Prerequisite: Evidence (concurrently ok) & must become certified under Student Practice Act.

Preselection Form: https://forms.gle/qGAonSveNMYXwpSG6 

Enrollment: Limited to 12 Students!

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, Mock & Actual Client Representation, & Written Assignments  

Description: This course will provide a holistic overview of pro bono work, examining why lawyers can (and should) do pro bono, discussing how to do pro bono well, and developing practical skills that students can leverage for success in the private law firm context. Through Pro Bono in Practice, students will: (1) explore why lawyers perform pro bono work and address some of the common challenges of doing pro bono work in private practice; (2) discuss the daily realities of poverty and analyze how those circumstances can impact pro bono representation of low-income clients; (3) develop client management, communication, counseling, and interviewing skills; and (4) practice newly developed skills through simulated and actual client representations. Attendance at each class session is mandatory and a significant part of the student's grade. Excused absences for illness, religious observance, etc. are permitted.

Please Note: This class includes an actual client representation, under the supervision of a legal services lawyer. It will be necessary to meet with the client and attend mediation and/or court outside of our class meeting time.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Presidential Power and the Constitution

Class Number: 5035; Catalog Number- LAW 686

Credit: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Dudziak, Mary

Prerequisite: Constitutional Law

Grading Criteria: Class participation and Scheduled Final Exam

Enrollment: N/A

Description: This advanced Constitutional Law course will examine presidential power and its limits under the U.S. Constitution, incorporating historical examples to illuminate the workings of constitutional power. Topics will include immigration, war and foreign relations power, secrecy and intelligence, presidential immunity, the separation of powers, and impeachment.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Rights of Prisoners

Class Number: 5053; Catalog Number- LAW 854

Credit: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor: Prof. Geraghty, Sarah

Prerequisite(s): Constitutional Law (preferred)

Grading Criteria: Class Participation, Attendance, & Two (2) Legal document-drafting Assignments

Description: Rights of Prisoners will explore the substantive, ethical, and strategic issues involved in litigating civil rights cases on behalf of people in jail and prison. The United States incarcerates approximately two million people. A basic knowledge of the rights accorded to incarcerated people is an important part of legal education because of the massive sweep and reach of the criminal legal system into the lives of millions of Americans.

We will study principles of First, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendment jurisprudence through the lens of prisoners’ rights litigation. Reading materials will include cases, statutes, articles, legal pleadings, and autobiographical accounts of imprisonment.Students will learn basic principles and apply them to litigation using problem sets.

This is an experiential learning course with opportunities for drafting legal documents, mock arguments, team case strategy sessions, and self-evaluation. Students will come away with a deeper understanding of constitutional law principles, and the application of those principles in litigation.

Attendance Policy:Students are expected to attend class and to take part in discussion of all assigned reading material.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 4772; Catalog Number- LAW 673, 06A

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Terry, Bob

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: In-class test (30%), In-class Final Exam, & Scheduled Final Exam (70%). Participation & Attendance may also affect the final grade. Each absence exceeding 5 will result in a small deduction to grade.

Description: This course approaches securities regulation from the standpoint of the intermediaries operating between issuers and investors - broker-dealers and investment advisers. It is intended to provide an academic foundation of relevant law, as well as practical information relating to issues frequently arising in practice.

Course coverage will include the SEC and state regulators, as well as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), a self-regulatory body that is the principal day-to-day regulator of the broker-dealer industry. In addition to the SEC and state regulators, FINRA is the entity with which broker-dealers and their counsel will commonly interact with regard to most regulatory matters.

In addition, the course will examine the regulation of investment advisers, a rapidly growing segment of the securities industry. Investment advisers are regulated either by the SEC or by state regulators, depending upon their size.

The course will also provide insights into the practical considerations of interactions among counsel, clients, and regulators, in both routine settings as well as enforcement matters. The course will consider recent developments in the rapidly evolving area of capital formation, including crowdfunding and challenges presented by cryptocurrencies.

The goal of this course is to provide students with an overview of many of the issues they might encounter if they enter into a securities-related practice, whether in private practice, a brokerage or investment advisory firm, a regulator, or with a public or private company. 

Attendance Policy: Attendance and participation are important. A student may miss up to 5 scheduled classes without the imposition of a grade penalty, but each additional class missed will result in a deduction of 3 points from the combined test and exam score (of 100). An attendance sheet will be provided. Students are expected to be prepared and participate, and meaningful participation may affect the final grade. Ask questions! Make comments! If you do, I promise you will get more from the class.

Please Note: There is no textbook for the class. I will assign readings from various sources. The readings themselves, or links to them, will be provided. The in-class exam, on the last scheduled day of class, is closed-book and is an objective test covering certain basic concepts and terms. The final exam, held during the scheduled exam period, is open-notes, open-everything including the internet (but not other people - no shout-outs!) and will seek analysis of and responses to questions based on fact situations.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Sports Law

Class Number: 5036; Catalog Number- LAW 693

Credit: 3 Hours 

Instructor: Prof. Mack, Sydnee

Prerequisite(s): First-year required courses

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, In-class Presentation, & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course explores how various bodies of substantive law and regulation are applied in the context of the sports industry— as it relates to both professional and amateur athletics. The course examines the legal relationships, duties and obligations among college and professional athletes, teams, leagues, agents, universities, coaches, governing bodies, sports facilities, licensees, and fans as threaded together through contract, antitrust, labor, intellectual property, constitutional, and tort law. Students will also study the impact that sports have on society, community, education and the human experience. Students will learn the concepts explored in this class through a variety of interactive experiences including but not limited to traditional lecture, mock negotiations, oral presentation, legal research and writing, basic contract drafting exercises and guest lectures.

Attendance Policy: Attendance will be taken at the start of every class meeting. Students who are unable to attend class on a given day should notify me prior to the class. Please arrive to class on time. If for some reason you cannot attend class, you are required to send me an e-mail notifying me of your absence. Excessive unexcused absences (more than THREE) may result in a forced withdrawal from the course. Your first two absences are free, meaning they do not require any excuse or justification to be excused (“freebies”). You will only need to email me to notify me of your absence.

Absences accrued beyond the allotted "freebies" are required to have a valid justification or excuse. Please send me an email to provide said excuse and accompanying evidence of your required absence. If you miss more than two classes after the add/drop period, you MUST see me. Failure to follow the procedures outlined in this policy and/or excessive absence can negatively impact your grade.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

State and Local Government

Class Number: 5040; Catalog Number- LAW 729

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Smith, Fred

Prerequisite: Constitutional Law

Grading Criteria: Short-writing Assignments & Take-home Final Exam

Description: This course will cover various aspects of local government, including: creation and dissolution of municipalities; political participation; the relationship between local, state, and federal governments; governmental liability and insurance; and economic development. Significant themes include: democracy, race, class, and federalism.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 4758; Catalog Number- LAW 641

Credit: 2 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Craft, Shannon (Loechel)

Prerequisite: Fundamentals of Income Tax

Grading: Writing Assignment, Participation, & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course will focus on the resolution of federal tax controversies through both administrative procedures and litigation. Specifically, we will consider filing requirements, audit procedures, administrative appeals, deficiencies, assessments, penalties, interest, and the statute of limitations. Additionally, we will take a practical approach to problems and considerations arising in the litigation of cases before the U.S. Tax Court, District Court, and the Court of Federal Claims, including jurisdictional, procedural, and evidentiary issues. We will examine the choice of forum, pleadings, discovery, privileges, and tax trial practice. Finally, we will discuss summons enforcement litigation, civil litigation, levy and disgracing, and the tax lien and its priorities.

Attendance Policy: Attendance is required. If possible, please notify me in advance if you will miss class. Class participation will be factored in to final grades.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

The First Amendment: Freedom of Speech 

Class Number: 4876; Catalog Number- LAW 601

Credit: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Perry, Michael

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Take-home Final Exam

Description: No right entrenched in the constitutional law of the United States is more important than the right to freedom of speech. In this course, we will discuss the principal freedom of speech issues addressed by the Supreme Court of the United States. The Court’s freedom of speech decisions have rarely been unanimous and have often been quite controversial. The learning objective is the same for all students, including JM students: An understanding of the freedom of speech issues discussed in the class, including an understanding of why the Supreme Court’s freedom of speech decisions have often been so controversial.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

The First Amendment- Freedom of Expression 

Class Number: 5102; Catalog Number- LAW 601A

Credit: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Arthur, Tom

Prerequisite: Constitutional Law

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course is a survey of the free expression clauses of the First Amendment. Doctrines are taught in large measure through problems from the Volokh casebook.

Attendance Policy: Regular attendance is required and final grades may be lowered if a student misses too many classes,

*Last Updated Spring 2020

The Professional Narrative

Class Number: 4793; Catalog Number- LAW 574

Credit: 1 hour

Instructor(s): TBA

Prerequisite: None 

Enrollment: Limited to 50 Students! Department Consent Needed!

Grading Criteria: Participation; Assignments; & Final Assignment 

Description: Professional Narrative in Practice will help students develop their professional "story" through the creation of job search materials, graded exercises, and small-group interaction in class.  In addition, the course will include a large component aimed at assisting students with an international background or interest and will address the cultural challenges of searching for a job and practicing law in a foreign country.  The course will be open to students who have secured (or are actively pursuing) a position as a law clerk, legal intern, or summer associate in a country other than their home country.  This course will require that students complete a legal internship and a submit a post-internship personal assessment and evaluation.  Students are eligible for one pass/fail credit.

*Last Updated Spring 2018

Transitional Justice

Class Number: 5038; Catalog Number- LAW 724

Credit: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Ludsin, Hallie

Prerequisite: None

Enrollment:N/A

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, Two (2) Short Assignments, & Take-home Final Exam

Description: This course explores the legal issues and real-life challenges in countries emerging from dictatorship, repression and armed conflict. Class sessions and reading materials examine key transitional justice principles and debates, the workings of multiple transitional justice mechanisms, and the dilemmas arising in societies transitioning from conflict and repression. In particular, this course will focus on:
• The history and theories that underlie transitional justice;
• The central goals of transitional justice and the interplay and friction between and among these goals;
• The central international law frameworks for transitional justice;
• The constituent elements, mechanisms and tools used to achieve key transitional justice goals;
• The key challenges related to the design and implementation of core transitional justice mechanisms;
• Contemporary transitional problems in several current conflicts.

Attendance Policy: Class attendance is mandatory; repeated absences or tardiness can negatively affect your grade.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Transnational Criminal Litigation

Class Number: 5041; Catalog Number- LAW 732C

Credit: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Ramirez Bajin, Shannon

Prerequisite: None, however, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, & International Law will be helpful

Enrollment:N/A

Grading Criteria: Participation/Attendance/Prepardness (25%) & Final Research Paper (75%)

Description: Transnational criminal procedure describes the intersection of two or more domestic criminal justice systems across international borders—unlike international crime, which refers to wrongs that are criminalized under international law and sometimes tried by international tribunals, whether they are also criminalized in states’ domestic laws. We will examine the fundamental concepts and principles of domestic criminal law in the United States occurring across national boundaries and apply this knowledge to current problems. Topics covered include: extradition and rendition, extraterritorial application of United States criminal law on matters such as public corruption and human trafficking, cross-border evidence-gathering, counterterrorism, special jurisdiction treaties, and immunities. This practical course will enable you to respond to issues in the news today, such as Mexico’s extradition of Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman and issues navigating America’s extraterritorial sanctions targeting Iran and Russia.

Late Papers & Missed Classes: Final research paper grade is penalized 5% per day late. Preparedness, participation, and attendance grade is penalized 3% per missed class.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Trial Techniques

Class Number: 4729; Catalog Number- LAW 671

Credit: 2 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Ginsberg, Mike

Prerequisite: Evidence

Grading Criteria: Attendance at all sessions in May & Active Participation

Description: Trial Techniques is a "learning-by-doing" course. The students will receive instruction on various trial skills and then be asked to perform those skills. The Spring sessions will focus on case analysis, direct and cross examination, impeachment, and use of exhibits at trial. The May sessions will take the students through a entire case, with a Daubert hearing mid-week and a jury trial on the final day of the program.

Attendance Policy: Because of the integrated nature of the program, attendance is mandatory. Students may request one excused absence of one Spring session class or one-half day of the May session. Excused absences will be granted at the sole discretion of the Director of Trial Techniques, and make up work will be required. Because Trial Techniques is mandatory, a student who fails to complete the course will have to repeat the course in the following year.

Please Note: This course is required for all 2L Students. Also, The Spring sessions will take place on the following dates: January 31; February 14; February 21; and March 20. The May session will take place each day from May 2 - May 8.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Turner Environmental Law Clinic 

Class Number: 4726; Catalog Number- LAW 697C

Credit: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Goldstein, Mindy

Prerequisite: Environmental Advocacy (Prerequisite or Co-requisite)

Grading Criteria: Based on individual student performance on various projects assigned. 

Description: The Turner Environmental Law Clinic provides important pro bono legal representation to individuals, community groups, and nonprofit organizations that seek to protect and restore the natural environment for the benefit of the public. Through its work, the clinic offers students an intense, hands-on introduction to environmental law and trains the next generation of environmental attorneys.

Each year, the Turner Environmental Law Clinic provides over 4,000 hours of pro bono legal representation. The key matters occupying our current docket – fighting for clean and sustainable energy; promoting sustainable agriculture and urban farming; and protecting our water, natural resources, and coastal communities—are among the most critical issues for our state, region, and nation. The Clinic’s students benefit and learn from immersion in these real-world complex environmental representations.

*Last Updated Spring 2016

Water Resources Law

Class Number: 5029; Catalog Number- LAW 617

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Thompson, Andrew

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Attendance, Participation, Two (2) Take-home Projects, & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: Water Resource Law will explore various themes common in the practice of environmental and natural resources law, including administrative and civil litigation, permitting, and regulatory development, focusing in the area of water as a resource and water pollution control. The class will cover concepts in the traditional riparian and prior appropriation rights; the federal Clean Water Act permitting program; drinking water, coastal and wetland protection programs; as well as the environmental and natural resource problems concerning water quality protection. Class attendance is important and expected.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

SEMINAR: Animal Law

Class Number: 5048; Catalog Number- Law 837

Credit: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Satz, Ani

Prerequisite: None 

Grading Criteria: Paper (Satisfies Upper-level Writing Requirement)

Enrollment: Limited to 16 Students!

Preselection Form: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-spring-2020-seminar-preselection/ 

Description: Animal law is a burgeoning field. Over 135 law schools in North America offer courses in animal law, six specialty journals are devoted to the topic, and at least one poll indicates a career in the area is in the top seven of all desired careers. Whether it is our clothing, food, household products, companions, or back yards, our daily lives are touched by animals. Nonhuman animals are considered property under law, and a sprawling body of federal and state civil and criminal law regulates human use of them.

This seminar will explore our legal and ethical obligations to nonhuman animals, focusing on domestic animals. Selected topics may include: conceptions of animals, standing to sue on behalf of animals, preemption of animal protection statutes, companion animal abuse, breed discrimination, exotic pets and public health, veterinary malpractice, farm animals, hunted and poached animals, exhibited animals, service and emotional support animals, police and military dogs, exhibited and entertainment animals, laboratory animals, animals used for fiber and medicine, animals and religious freedom, and animal trusts and custody.

The seminar is divided into eleven topics from which we will choose eight or nine. Longer topics may be discussed over two weeks or covered in part. I estimate we will spend ten to eleven weeks on the topics and a few weeks on our class conference. 

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 5049; Catalog Number- LAW 840

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Woodhouse, Barbara

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Informed Participation, Attendance, & Quality Final Research Paper (Satisfies Upper-Level Writing Requirement)

Enrollment: Limited to 16 Students! (No Open Enrollment, must be selected by prof.)

Preselection Form: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-spring-2020-seminar-preselection/

Description: The year 2020 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). During that same period we have witnessed changes in the the ecology of childhood. Global forces, far from being distant and abstract, are wreaking havoc in children’s environments, even in economically advanced countries. Globalization’s discontents—unrestrained capitalism and technological change, rising inequality, mass migration, and the juggernaut of climate change—have been rapidly destabilizing the social and physical environments necessary to our collective survival and well-being. This seminar will explore the implications of contemporary global challenges through the lens of children's human rights. Attendance is required, with no more than two unexcused absences from class.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

SEMINAR: Comparative Constitutionalism

Class Number: 4871; Catalog Number- LAW 809

Credit: 2 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. An-na'im, Abduh

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Paper

Enrollment: Limited to 16 Students!

Preselection Form: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-spring-2020-seminar-preselection/

Description: This seminar examines the relationship between constitutionalism, legal systems, and religion in a range of Western and post-colonial African and Asian countries. Emphasis will be on the evolving nature of these institutions and possibilities of transformation.

Final grade will be based on:

10% for class participation

30% for one paper on a topic to be specified in the Seminar Outline,

60% for a final paper on a topic agreed with the instructor

Students who wish to use this Seminar for satisfying their writing requirement will submit a single final paper on a topic agreed with the instructor.

Students taking this option must submit:

-Substantial (app. 20 page) draft  

-Final version 

The final papers must satisfy the length and format specifications of writing requirement papers, as set by the Registrar of Emory Law School.

Consultation with the class about the following format for evaluation of this 3 CREDIT seminar. Each student will

1. write an initial short paper on the nature and scope of the subject of this seminar,
2. select a project in consultation with Instructor,
3. make a class presentation on her/his project, coupled with a short paper, and
4. write a final paper on the same project.

SEMINAR: Constitutional Rights/Controversies

Class Number: 5054; Catalog Number- LAW 863

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Perry, Michael

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Research Paper (Satisfies Upper-level Writing Requirement) 

Enrollment: Limited to 16 Students!

Preselection Form: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-spring-2020-seminar-preselection/

Description: In the last half century, the Supreme Court of the United States has resolved, on the basis of the Constitution of the United States, many greatly contested "rights" controversies—controversies concerning, e.g., abortion, capital punishment, race-based affirmative action, physician-assisted suicide, the Second Amendment “right to bear arms”, and, most recently, same-sex marriage.  In this seminar, we will study several such controversies and evaluate the Supreme Court’s decisions.

Each student will write a research paper on a rights-based constitutional controversy—and the grade for the seminar will be based mainly on the final draft of the paper.  A student who wants to do so may write the paper in satisfaction of the writing requirement.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 5046; Catalog Number- LAW 821

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Georgiev, George

Prerequisite: BA or an equivalent course introductory course in corporate law

Grading Criteria: 30-page research paper, several short papers, & class participation (Satisfies Upper-Level Writing Requirement)

Enrollment: Limited to 16 Students! (No Open Enrollment, must be selected by prof.)

Preselection Form: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-spring-2020-seminar-preselection/

Description: Corporate governance is in a state of tremendous flux as a result of the global financial crisis of 2008-09, the corporate accounting scandals of the early 2000s, heightened public scrutiny of corporate conduct, and the rise of shareholder activism. This seminar will provide an overview of the main academic theories of corporate governance and examine some of the ongoing debates about the efficacy and adequacy of recent reforms, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, and related SEC rulemaking. Possible topics include: the structure and composition of the board of directors, executive compensation, shareholder activism, the role of proxy advisory firms, the financial crisis, corporate social responsibility, and the nexus between SEC disclosure obligations and corporate governance practices.

Attendance policy: Regular attendance is required. Excessive absences will result in a grade reduction.

Please Note: We will meet for a double session (4:15pm - 8:30pm, with a break), either on Tuesday, April 7, or on Tuesday, April 14. Please make sure that you are available on those days before applying for the class. This double class session will be in lieu of one of our regularly scheduled sessions.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Seminar: Equality at Emory

Class Number: 5047; Catalog Number- LAW 825

Credit: 3 hours 

Instructor(s): Prof. Dudziak, Mary

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation & Paper (Satisfies Upper-Level Writing Requirement)

Enrollment: Limited to 16 Students!

Preselection Form: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-spring-2020-seminar-preselection/ 

Description: This seminar will explore the civil rights history of Emory Law School and Emory University. Readings will cover the history of inclusion and exclusion in higher education on the basis of race, gender, religion, disability, immigration status, and LGBTQ identity. Students will do historical research, using local archives and interviews, and will write research papers that illuminate an aspect of law school or university civil rights history. Although students will have different topics, the class will work together as a research team, sharing insights and research strategies.

Professor Dudziak is an expert in the history of civil rights, foreign relations and constitutional law. Her books include Cold War Civil Rights: Race and the Image of American Democracy. Before moving to Emory in 2012, she regularly taught course in civil rights history and individual constitutional rights.

*Last Updated Spring 2016

Seminar: Family Law- From Partners to Parents

Class Number: 4821; Catalog Number- LAW 823

Credit: 3 Hours (Cross-listed w/ WGS 730)

Instructor(s): Prof. Fineman, Martha

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Paper

Enrollment: Limited to 16 Students!

Preselection Form: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-spring-2020-seminar-preselection/

Description: This seminar will explore the trends in family law governing marriage and parenthood over the past several decades. During the latter part of the 20th century, substantial changes in behavior have occurred, reflecting attitudinal shifts about women’s equality, sex and sexuality, and the importance and permanence of the marriage bond. Often identified as battlegrounds in the “cultural wars,” these are areas where the law has scrambled to adjust to evolving expectations and emerging notions of equity and equality. We will look at “traditional” marriage, challenges from those excluded from marriage, the “breakdown” of marriage, and alternatives to formal marriage, such as contract and non-marital cohabitation. Laws governing the parent-child relationship have also changed in response to or as part of the disruption of the traditional family model. The very idea of absolute parental rights has been questioned as the child has partially emerged from the cloak of family privacy and is seen as an independent rights holder in some circumstances. The seminar will also consider how new technologies and altered attitudes about assisted reproduction have presented unique challenges for the law in regard to who is or how one becomes a parent.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

SEMINAR: Hate Speech Free Speech

Class Number: 5045; Catalog Number- LAW 810

Credit: 3 hours 

Instructor(s): Prof. Seaman, Julie

Prerequisite: Constitutional Law

Grading Criteria: Participation & Paper (Satisfies UpperLevel Writing Requirement)

Enrollment: Limited to 16 Students! (No Open Enrollment, must be selected by prof.)

Preselection Form: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-spring-2020-seminar-preselection/

Description: Regulation of hate speech and other expressions that implicates equality values often comes into conflict with the First Amendment.  Recent events on university campuses, including at Emory, demonstrate the complexities that arise when listeners claim that others’ expression impacts their feelings of safety and inclusion.  This seminar broadly considers the intersection between these two fundamental constitutional values of freedom of expression and anti-discrimination.  Students will examine these issues from a variety of perspectives, including legal, comparative and interdisciplinary materials.  The basic constitutional law course is a prerequisite; prior coursework on freedom of speech is helpful but not strictly required.

*Last Updated Spring 2018

SEMINAR: Judicial Behavior

Class Number: 5050; Catalog Number- LAW 844

Credit: 3 hours 

Instructor(s): Prof. Shepherd, Joanna

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation & Paper (Satisfies Upper-Level Writing Requirement)

Enrollment: Limited to 16 Students! (No Open Enrollment, must be selected by prof.)

Preselection Form: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-spring-2020-seminar-preselection/

Description: The Judicial Behavior seminar provides students with a unique opportunity to read and analyze cutting-edge scholarship that focuses on how judges reach their decisions. In a case law system such as that of the United States, a realistic understanding of judicial behavior, which conventional legal instruction does not convey, is essential to the understanding and practice of law. Topics include: theories of judicial decision-making; demographic factors influencing judicial behavior, judicial selection and retention; constraints under which judges operate; intra- and inter-court relations; the separation of powers; the role of public opinion; lawyer influences on judicial decisions; and judicial behavior across countries. By the end of the course, students should understand different theories of judicial behavior and be able to apply them to predict how different institutions, case issues, and political factors may influence judicial decision-making.

As required by law school policy, attendance is mandatory. If you miss 3 or more classes, you will receive an “F” with the option to petition for a “W-withdrawal” unless all absences have been approved by Dean Brokaw.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

SEMINAR: Law & Development

Class Number: 5017; Catalog Number- LAW 860

Credit: 3 hours 

Instructor(s): Prof. Sybllis, Martin

Prerequisite: First-year required courses

Grading Criteria: Attendance, Participation, & Research Paper (Satisfies Upper-Level Writing Requirement)

Enrollment: Limited to 16 Students! 

Preselection Form: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-spring-2020-seminar-preselection/ 

Description: This seminar will study a range of theories that seek to explain the relationship between law and development. We will first examine various meanings of “law” and “development,” and proceed to focus on the role of law and legal institutions in the economic, social and political advancement of societies. We will explore development through the lens of legal institutions in developing countries and consider the influence of international organizations, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), United Nations (UN) and World Bank (WB), on the transformation of domestic legal institutions. We will also seek to place domestic legal reforms aimed at economic growth in their appropriate context (cultural, historical and political).

*Last Updated Spring 2020

SEMINAR: Law & Vulnerability

Class Number: 4822; Catalog Number- LAW 833

Credit: 3 Hours (Cross-listed w/ WGS 585)

Instructor(s): Prof. Fineman, Martha 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Paper (Satisfies Upper-Level Writing Requirement)

Enrollment: Limited to 16 students!

Preselection Form: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-spring-2020-seminar-preselection/

Description: This seminar explores the relationship between law and vulnerability from both a theoretical and a practical perspective. The course is anchored in the understanding that fundamental to our shared humanity is our shared vulnerability, which is universal and constant and inherent in the human condition.  It will offer students an opportunity to engage with multiple perspectives on vulnerability, with an emphasis on law, justice, state policy, and legislative ethics. While vulnerability can never be eliminated, society through its institutions confers certain "assets" or resources, such as wealth, health, education, family relationships, and marketable skills on individuals and groups.  These assets give individuals "resilience" in the face of their vulnerability. This seminar will explore how a society now is structured, however, certain individuals and groups operate from positions of entrenched advantage or privilege, while others are disadvantaged in ways that seem to be invisible as we engage in law and policy discussions.

*Last Updated Spring 2020

Class Number: 4801; Catalog Number- LAW 806A

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Van der Vyver, Johan 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Paper (Satisfies Upper-Level Writing Requirement)

Enrollment: Limited to 16 Students! 

Preselection Form: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-spring-2020-seminar-preselection/

Description: For many years now, the international community of states have attempted to place an embargo on the use of force as a means of settling international disputes. Article 2(3) of the Charter of the United Nations thus provides: “All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.” The UN Charter authorized military action in two instances only, namely (a) if the Security Council authorizes an armed intervention as a means of counteracting a situation that constitutes a threat to the peace, a breach of the peace, or an act of aggression (art. 42), and (b) as a matter of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations (art. 51). This raises the question of whether or not the UN Charter deals comprehensively with instances of armed conflicts that would be lawful under contemporary rules of international humanitarian law.

The United Nations itself recognized armed interventions not mentioned in the UN Charter, for example in the Uniting for Peace Resolution of 1950 affording to the General Assembly the competence to authorize military action to counteract a breach of the peace or an act of aggression, by supporting wars of liberation against colonial rule, foreign occupation, or a racist regime, and by extending the provisions of Article 51 to legalize pre-emptive self-defense action. There is furthermore overwhelming support for upholding the legality of humanitarian intervention to protect a population from acts of supreme repression by their own government. Currently, the ISIS crisis has prompted the development of an emerging norm of jus ad bellum which contemplates the legality of an armed intervention against perpetrators of terrorism if the Government of the State from which those acts of terror violence are being launched is either unwilling or unable to counteract the atrocities.

In laboring the above principles of law, reference will be made to (a) armed interventions authorized by the Security Council (the Korean War, Operation Desert Storm and airstrikes in Libya,); instances of humanitarian interventions (NATO airstrikes in Serbia, and military interventions in Syria contemplated by France, the United Kingdom, and the United States following the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian Government against rebel groups in that country); and acts of aggression committed by the United States (in Nicaragua in the 1980’s pursuant to the Reagan Doctrine, and the Gulf War of 2003), and by the Russian Federation (in Georgia and in Ukraine).

A special emphasis of the seminar is the current state of affairs relating to the prosecution of the crime of aggression in the International Criminal Court.

Students are required to submit a 30-page essay on an approved topic within the confines of the seminar focus. The final draft must be handed in on before April 11.

Textbook: Johan D. van der Vyver, Acts of Aggression and Prosecuting the Crime of Aggression (2015).

*Last Updated Spring 2018

Advanced Civil Trial Practice

Class Number: 4265; Catalog Number- LAW 847, 06A.

Credits: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Wellon, Robert

Prerequisite: Evidence & Trial Techniques

Grading Criteria: Class Work & Mock Trial 

Description: Designed to build on the litigation techniques and skills first encountered in the Trial Techniques Program. Using a simulated case file in an employment case, the class will help develop the skills, strategies, and tactics necessary to be effective courtroom advocates. The course will employ lecture, demonstrations, movie and videotape simulations as well as regular participation by the students and constructive criticism and helpful hints from the course instructors, who are all very experienced litigators and judges. Invited guests who litigate regularly in this area of practice will also participate. Courtroom technology and visual aids will also be explored. The course will conclude with student teams conducting a trial in a real courtroom setting, which is now planned for November 17th where participation is mandatory.

*Last Updated Fall 2015

Advanced Commercial Real Estate

Class Number: 4321; Catalog Number- LAW 617A.

Credits: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Minkin, David

Prerequisite: Property & Real Estate Finance (recommended)

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Take-Home Exam 

Description: What is commercial real estate all about? We will look at getting control of property (purchase and sale agreements), raising equity (limited liability company operating agreements), raising debt (loan documents), creating revenue from the property (leases), and documents related to financial restructure issues, all from the perspective of how they work and how our clients view them. Essential concepts for the course are what are clients' expectations with regard to their attorneys and how do those expectations affect the approach required with respect to negotiations and ultimate documentation? We will review not only real documents used in sophisticated commercial real estate transactions but also business school cases that discuss commercial real estate issues from the business person's perspective. Because the classroom presentations and discussions present much of the required materials, regular attendance is critically important.

We will also try to bring in one or two noted real estate professionals in Atlanta for in-class discussions. For example, we have had in class in past years the CEO of a major national real estate developer, bankers who had worked with major national banks and an expert in troubled real estate workouts.

Attendance Policy: Attendance is expected at every class unless the student has talked with the professor beforehand. 

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Advanced Legal Research

ACCELERATED CLASS (Check OPUS for Dates)

Catalog Number- LAW 657, 02A

2 Sections: 

Class Number: 4483 (Statutory Rsch.-1st 7 weeks)

Class Number: 4307 (Secondary Sources-2nd 7 weeks)

Credits: 1 hour (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Reid, Richelle & Prof. Deese, Abby

Prerequisite: None

Secondary Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, Research Homework Exercises, & Final Research Project

Statutory Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, Group Homework, Projects

Mastery of Secondary Sources Description: Mastery of Secondary Sources in Legal Research is a practical, skills-based course designed to improve information literacy and prepare students for practice or future study. Through practical applications, including in-class exercises, homework exercises, and a final research project, students will become familiar with critical principles, strategies, and best practices for identifying and using secondary sources for effective and efficient legal research. Topics for class sessions will include research strategy and documentation, advanced search techniques, legal periodicals, interdisciplinary databases, legal encyclopedias, treatises, legal news, and current awareness, transactional law and litigation sources, formbooks, and select state materials. Attendance Policy: This will be a one-credit, graded course meeting on an accelerated schedule for the first seven weeks of the semester. Because student participation and hands-on practice are essential for the learning experience in this course, attendance at each class session is mandatory. Failure to attend will affect the course grade.  

Attendance Policy: This will be a one-credit, graded course meeting on an accelerated schedule for the first seven weeks of the semester. Because student participation and hands-on practice are essential for the learning experience in this course, attendance at each class session is mandatory. Failure to attend will affect the course grade.

Mastery of Statutory Research Description: Advanced Legal Research- Mastery of Statutory Legal Research is a practical, skills-based course designed to improve information literacy and prepare students for practice or future study. Through practical applications, including in-class exercises, group homework exercises, an oral presentation, and a final research project, students will become familiar with the principles, strategies, and best practices for doing statutory research. Topics for class sessions will include research strategy and documentation, advanced search techniques, the legislative process from introduction of a bill to codification, legislative history, using the US Code in its official and annotated forms, and state codes.

The course will focus primarily on the federal legislative process, however, there will be some coursework dealing with state materials. 

Attendance Policy: This will be a one-credit, graded course meeting on an accelerated schedule for the second seven weeks of the semester. Because student participation and hands-on practice are essential for the learning experience in this course, attendance at each class session is mandatory. Failure to attend will affect the course grade.  If a student is unable to attend a class, they should notify the instructor as soon as possible to make alternative arrangements. Unexcused absences will result in a grade reduction.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Advanced Legal Writing & Editing

Class Number: 4277; Catalog Number- LAW 648, 04A.

Note: Lab times/dates will be scheduled at a later date, for now, enroll in the lab placeholder- LB1-4453 along with class.

Credits: 2 hours (Pass/Fail Only)

Instructor(s): Prof. Terrell, Tim

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Take-home Final Exam

Description: The basic content of the course is reflected in its required text: S. Armstrong & T. Terrell, Thinking Like a Writer: A Lawyer's Guide to Writing and Editing (PLI 3d ed., 2008). A frequent misconception about this course is that it is merely an extension of your experience in ILA. It is not. It will instead often challenge you to reconsider approaches to writing guidance that you have may previously encounter.

The course consists of two components. First, everyone enrolled will meet once a week on Monday afternoon for 1 1/2 hours, and that time will be consumed by lecture and review of numerous writing examples at every level of a document from overall structure to sentences and word choice. Second, all students will be assigned to a small-group discussion section, administered by a teaching assistant who is a third-year who took this course last year. Those sessions will meet once a week for an hour, during which the course materials, and additional examples, will be discussed, and editing exercises will be assigned.

Although this is a writing course, it is unusual in that its emphasis will be on editing rather than original drafting. One of the keys to becoming a good writer is understanding how readers (for purposes of this course that means you) react to documents written by others. That experience then yields important insights regarding the defects in one's own prose, and how to cure them efficiently. To this end, the course will begin with some examination of deeper theories of communication, which will, in turn, allow the course to focus on fundamental writing principles rather than narrower rules or tips. The course will also analyze writing challenges from the top down: We will begin with issues of overall macrostructure and organization and work down toward micro details.

This class will not count towards satisfying your Upper-Level Writing Requirement. 

*Last Updated Fall 2017

Administrative Law

Class Number: 5224; Catalog Number- LAW 701.

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Volokh, Alexander

Prerequisite: Legislation & Regulation

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Exam

Description: Most areas of contemporary legal practice require lawyers to work with administrative agencies and a large body of law concerning such agencies. This course is a study of how agencies are empowered, the procedures and modes through which agencies carry out their tasks, and legal constraints on these agencies. Topics include constitutional limits on Congress' power to delegate legislative and judicial power to agencies; procedures imposed upon agency adjudication and lawmaking by the Constitution, the Administrative Procedure Act, and other statutes; the scope of judicial review of agency decisions, including the methods by which courts restrict and control agency discretion, and the limitations on the availability of federal judicial review of federal agency actions. In addition, the course will explore several recent "regulatory reform" initiatives.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

CatalogNumber- LAW 605

3 Sections:

Law 605, 04A; Class Number: 4253 (Williams)

Law 605, 05A; Class Number: 4254 (Athans- Experiential Learning Approved)

Law 605, 06A; Class Number: 4371  (Williams)

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Athans, Michael & Prof. Williams, Cassandra

Prerequisite: None

Athans Grading Criteria: TBA

Williams Grading Criteria: 1) Preparation for in-class discussions and simulations 2) Professionalism during in-class discussions and simulations 3) Simulation performance: a. Knowledge of the facts b.

Enrollment: Limited Enrollment, small capacity course

Athans' Description: Ask Prof.

Williams' Description: This skills training course addresses negotiation, mediation, and arbitration principles through topical discussions and simulation exercises. One excused absence is allowed, but prior notice must be provided to the professor at least one hour before class meets. Any additional absences will result in a zero grade being averaged for class that day.

This class will include team/group projects. It is important that each of you participate in any assigned team/group projects. Fifty (50%) percent of your grade is based on your class preparation and participation.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

American Legal Writing, Analysis, & Research I

CatalogNumber- LAW 560  

2 Sections:

(GRD1); Class Number: 4314

(GRD2); Class Number: 4344

Credits: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Daspit, Nancy

Prerequisite: None, but see Note, below.

Grading Criteria: Coursework & Final Memo

Enrollment: Enrollment is restricted to LLM students who received their first law degree from a law school/faculty in a country other than the United States; must contact the professor for approval to enroll.

Description:  ALWAR I introduces students to the concepts of legal analysis and the techniques and strategies for legal research, as well as the requirements and analytical structures for legal writing in the American common law legal system.

Attendance Policy: Two or more unexcused absences can result in your grade being lowered. Note: Enrollment is restricted to only LLM students who received their first law degree from a law school/faculty in a country other than the United States.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

American Legal Writing, Analysis, & Research II

Class Number: 4350; Catalog Number- LAW 560B, GRD.

Credits: 1 hour

Instructor(s): Prof. Daspit, Nancy

Prerequisite: ALWAR I

Grading Criteria: Coursework & Final Motion Brief

Enrollment: This class requires permission from Dean Jessica Dworkin.

Description:  This course continues the study of legal analysis, research and writing for practice in the American common law system. The topics covered include client letters, pleadings, and persuasive writing, along with enhanced instruction covering legal citation and advanced legal research sources and techniques. Note: International LLM students who want to sit for the Georgia bar exam must take this class.

If this class is not required for you and you are undecided about taking the class, it is strongly recommended that you attend the first class to be considered for adding the course during the drop/add period. 

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Bankruptcy

Class Number: 4252; Catalog Number- LAW 716, 10A.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Pardo, Rafael

Prerequisite: Contracts & Property (concurrent enrollment NOT allowed)

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam and potential grade penalties for violating classroom policies, including attendance requirement

Description: An introduction to the law of bankruptcy. Covers issues relating to eligibility for bankruptcy relief; commencement of a bankruptcy case; property of the bankruptcy estate; the automatic stay and relief therefrom; use, sale, and lease of property of the estate; property that an individual may exempt from the bankruptcy estate; creditor claims against the bankruptcy estate; plan confirmation; and the discharge of debts. This course is a general survey course reviewing the basics of Chapter 7 cases (liquidations), Chapter 13 cases (adjustment of debts of an individual with regular income), and Chapter 11 cases (reorganization).

Attendance Policy: I expect you to attend class regularly. If you miss more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the regularly scheduled class sessions, your final grade will be reduced by two quality points on the 4.0 scale (e.g., from a B+ to a D+).

Please note that a canceled class session will not constitute an absence for purposes of the attendance policy. In furtherance of my expectations and requirements regarding class attendance, an attendance sheet will be made available at the podium before the start of each class session. Should you arrive late, please sign the attendance sheet at the end of class. It is your responsibility to sign the attendance sheet (i.e., someone else may not sign on your behalf). Failure to do so will constitute an absence. Should you forget to sign the attendance sheet, I will consider updating my records to reflect your attendance in class only if you send me an e-mail on the same day as the class session for which you forgot to sign the attendance sheet. The e-mail must (1) state that you forgot to sign the attendance sheet that day and (2) request that I update my attendance records. It is incumbent upon you to keep track of your absences throughout the semester. I will not tally them until the semester has ended. Unless you expressly request to know whether you are in jeopardy of violating the attendance policy, no warning will be forthcoming.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Barton Appeal for Youth Clinic

Class Number: 4304; Catalog Number- LAW 635D, 000.

Credits: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Reba, Stephen

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Group work (based on individual student)

Enrollment: Must obtain professor's permission

Description: In the Barton Appeal for Youth Clinic, students engage in post-conviction representation of Georgia inmates who are incarcerated for crimes they allegedly committed as children. Focusing on direct appeals and habeas corpus litigation, students spend their time researching, writing, and preparing for hearings. Grading is based on the student's individual performance and attendance is required at weekly meetings, which are set according to the students' class schedules court litigation attacking inmates' convictions and sentences. Students should have an interest in criminal procedure, juvenile law, and/or social justice. 

*Last Updated Fall 2018

Class Number: 4247; Catalog Number- LAW 635C.

Credits: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Carter, Melissa

Prerequisite: Child Welfare Law and Policy, Kids in Conflict, Family Law II, or related seminars. (Preferred, Not Required)

Grading Criteria: Assessment of individual student performance and overall contribution to the clinic based on specific demonstrated competencies in the area of research and analysis, professional responsibility, written and oral communication, and project management.

Enrollment: Interested students must apply directly with the professor

Description: The Barton Policy Clinic is an in-house curricular offering through which students will engage in public policy development and advancement through research, training, and support to the public, the child advocacy community, leadership of state child-serving agencies, and elected officials in Georgia. Students in the clinic work in teams to conduct extensive research, gather data and stakeholder perspectives, analyze legal authority and issue context, identify options for changing policy, plan strategies, and assist organizational clients in efforts to improve the juvenile court, child welfare, and juvenile justice systems. Approximately 9 law and other graduate students are selected each semester to participate in the clinic.

Attendance Policy: Students selected for enrollment in the policy clinic receive 3 hours of graded credit for the fulfillment of 150 hours of work. Accordingly, students commit to 11-12 clinic hours per week, which are established at the outset of the semester. Adjustments to the weekly routine are to be requested in advance whenever possible, and hours missed must be made up. Students submit weekly time sheets accounting for their activities and hours, and students must complete the full 14-week semester.

Detailed course information is on the Clinic website:  http://www.bartoncenter.net 

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Business Associations

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Profs. Shepherd, George & Prof. Savage, Audra

Prerequisite: None

Savage Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam & Participation

Shepherd Grading Criteria: Homework Exercises & Scheduled Final Exam

Savage Description: This course surveys the formation, organization, financing, management, and dissolution of sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, limited partnerships, and limited liability companies. The course includes fundamental rights and responsibilities of owners, managers, and other stakeholders. The course also considers the special needs of closely held enterprises, basic issues in corporate finance, and the impact of federal and state laws and regulations governing the formation, management, financing, and dissolution of business enterprises. This course includes consideration of major federal securities laws governing insider trading and other fraudulent practices under Rule 10b-5 and section 16(b).

Attendance Policy: Regular attendance is mandatory and participation is expected. Each student can have up to two excused absences 

General Description: A study of foundational concepts in agency, partnership, and corporation law. Topics include choice of business form, entity formation, organization, financing, and dissolution, as well as the rights and responsibilities of, and the allocation of power among, the business entity's owners/shareholders, management, and other stakeholders. The course also covers closely held enterprises, as well as basic issues in corporate finance and federal securities law. Students will be required to complete weekly homework exercises.

Attendance policy: Per ABA Rules, "regular and punctual attendance" is required.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Note: THIS PRACTICUM WILL REQUIRE A YEAR-LONG (two semester) COMMITMENT

Class Number: 4485; Catalog Number- LAW 658, 000.

Credits: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Moore, Josh

Prerequisite: Criminal law, Criminal Procedure, & Evidence.

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Coursework

Enrollment: Interested students must submit a letter of interest, unofficial transcript, & resume to Josh Moore, Office of the Georgia Capital Defender at jmoore@gacapdef.org 

Description: This is a three-hour experiential course thought in conjunction with the Office of the Georgia Capital Defender, the state agency responsible for representing all indigent defendants statewide facing death penalty trials or on direct appeal from a death sentence. Second and third-year law students will assist Capital Defender trial attorneys in all aspects of preparing their clients' cases for trial and appeal.

This workshop requires a full-year commitment. As an integral part of the defense team, students assist in conducting investigations, interviewing clients and potential witnesses, putting together forensic evidence, gathering documents, doing research, drafting pleadings, formulating a theory of defense and making strategic decisions for each phase of a capital case. Students will also have the opportunity to do "mock" motions arguments and to present a jury sentencing argument based on the facts of their actual cases. In addition to working directly with attorneys and staff, students gather weekly for discussions about the cases they are working on and topics in death penalty jurisprudence. The students in this clinic are involved in the effort to make a strong case for life at trial and to build factual and legal narratives that will lead to the reversal of death sentences on appeal. This means students will focus heavily on the real (and often tragic) stories of their clients' lives, as opposed to technical or arcane points of law.

The classroom component of this clinic will meet for 2 hours each week at the offices of the Georgia Capital Defender in downtown Atlanta at the State Bar Building. A required text will be assigned. In addition to attending class, students will work on client matters for approximately 10 hours a week.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Career Strategy & Design

Class Number: 4526; Catalog Number- LAW 599B, 001.

Credits: 0 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Rooks, Mareasa

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Attendance; Assignment Completion

Description: Career Strategy and Design (CS&D) is a mandatory, non-credit course offered to 1L students by the Center for Professional Development & Career Strategy (Career Center).  The goal of the course is to help you successfully bridge the gap from law school to practice. The program will benefit students interested in traditional legal careers and those seeking non-traditional paths. Topics include identifying professional strengths, choosing a career path, approaching the job search, creating job search documents, establishing and building relationships, preparing for interviews, and learning about the 1L summer recruiting and 2L fall externship and clinic application processes.

Attendance Policy: Attendance is mandatory for all sessions. Conflicts may be considered excused absences for academic or other University-approved reasons (e.g., a make-up class, participation in clinical work, observance of a religious holiday, etc.). Please contact your assigned Teaching Assistant in advance regarding any attendance issues. Make-ups will be provided for students with excused absences. 

Class Number: 4398; Catalog Number- LAW 698B.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Dr. Liwanga, Roger-Claude

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Class Participation, Oral Presentation, and Papers

Description: Despite the proliferation of international human instruments on the protection of children, there are several million children worldwide who are subjected to hazardous labor, sexual exploitation, trafficking, female genital mutilation and/or illegal judicial detention. The course will: examine the legal framework on child protection; explore the different factors challenging the child's rights protection; analyze child vulnerability cases; and evaluate the needs of children exposed to exploitation. The course will also critically examine the policies and strategies that aim to create a protective environment for children at the international, federal and state levels. The course will start with an introduction to the concept of child protection and its scope. Different violations of children's rights, including child labor, child trafficking, child sexual exploitation, child soldiering, child persecution and child illegal detention will be covered as well.

Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend every class (with notification to instructor beforehand for an excused absence) and required to come to class prepared to discuss the day's readings. Attendance will be recorded on daily sign-in sheets. 

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Child Welfare Law and Policy

Class Number: 4286; Catalog Number- LAW 635, 02A.

Credits: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Carter, Melissa

Prerequisite: None, but this course qualifies as a pre-requisite or co-requisite for students enrolled in the Barton Policy or Legislative Advocacy Clinics.  

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Final Paper

Description: This course will explore the various factors that shape public policy and perception concerning abused and neglected children, including: the constitutional, statutory, and regulatory framework for child protection; varying disciplinary perspectives of professionals working on these issues; and the role and responsibilities of the courts, public agencies and non-governmental organizations in addressing the needs of children and families. Through a practice-focused study, students will examine the evolution of the child welfare system and the primary federal legislation that impacts how states fund and deliver child welfare services. Students will learn to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of legal, legislative, and policy measures as a response to child abuse and neglect and to appreciate the roles of various disciplines in the collaborative field of child advocacy. Through lecture, discussion, and a range of analytical writing assignments, students will develop an understanding of this specialized area of the law and the companion skills necessary to be an effective advocate.

Attendance Policy: As a collective undertaking to learn and teach together, your attendance, advance preparation and active participation in every class is essential and expected. Attendance will be taken at every class meeting, and participation constitutes up to 10% of your course grade. More than three (3) unexcused absences, chronic tardiness, or a pattern of coming to class unprepared will negatively impact your grade. Accommodations and Excused Absences: Students requesting classroom accommodations relating to special needs or seeking excused absences for religious holidays, illness, or job interviews should notify me by email in a timely manner before the expected absence or need arises. If illness or accident prevents advance notice, students should notify me as soon as possible after the absence.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Chinese Law

Class Number: 4361; Catalog Number- LAW 615.

Credits: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Ruskola, Teemu

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation & Take-home Final Exam

Description: This course is an introduction to the comparative study of Chinese law and legal culture. It starts by analyzing the tradition of imperial Chinese law and its theoretical foundations and then turns to early twentieth-century law reforms and the introduction of socialist law and jurisprudence. The course ends with the study of post-Mao law reforms and their implications for the future of Chinese law. In addition to its substantive focus, the course considers methodological problems involved in the study of law across cultures. Some of the general themes that run throughout the course include the following: To what extent is law a useful analytical category in Sino-American comparison? How is law related to capitalism and socialism, and to culture and socio-economic organization more generally? How and why has Chinese law changed over time? What happens when "Eastern" and "Western" legal cultures come in contact with each other? Attendance is mandatory.

*Last updated Fall 2019

Colloquium Scholarship Workshop: War & Security in Law, Culture, and Society

Class Number: 5225; Catalog Number- LAW 860A, 02A.

Credits: 2 or 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Dudziak, Mary

Prerequisite: Civil Procedure; Constitutional Law; Contracts; Criminal Law; Leg/Reg; Property; & Torts.

Grading Criteria: Papers, Participation, & Attendance

Enrollment: Limited to 6 students!

Preselection Form: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-fall-2019-seminar-preselection/

Description: This is a law and graduate seminar which approaches the study of law, war, and national security from an interdisciplinary perspective. The theme for 2019 is: The Politics of Ongoing War. We will read and discuss related books and articles in law, history, and political science that illuminate the ways the culture and politics of U.S. war may undermine political restraints, enabling ongoing conflict. Outside speakers may present works in progress. Students are required to read and comment on course readings and write a 20-page paper. Law students may enroll for an additional credit (for a total of 3 credits), and instead, write a 30-page research paper. The 30-page research paper, which can satisfy the law school writing requirement, will require more extensive research and will involve additional assignments, including a first draft.

Attendance Policy: regular attendance and participation are important. Attendance is a factor in participation points which can affect your final course grade.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Comparative Law

Class Number: 4421; Catalog Number- LAW 707.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Ruskola, Teemu

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation & Take-Home Exam

Description: This course is an introduction to studying the political, social, cultural, and intellectual phenomenon to which usually refer by shorthand as "law," and we will do so by using comparison as our predominant method of study. To start with, we will consider the basic jurisprudential differences between Anglo-American common law and continental civil law. However, going beyond this traditional comparative framework, we will expand our focus geographically, outside the West, as well as historically, to analyze a variety of jurisprudential concepts in different periods. Among other things, we will examine the jurisprudential foundations of various types of religious law and international law.

Although the course will cover a wide range of topics, geographic areas, and time periods, its two main underlying themes will be the analysis of methodological problems in the cross-cultural and trans-temporal study of legal concepts. Drawing on comparative jurisprudence, legal history, legal anthropology, and other areas of inquiry, the questions that we will attempt to answer include the following: What is law? Is it universally present in all societies? Who gets to decide who has law, and what are the normative implications of having, or not having, it? Is law a useful analytical category in cross-cultural comparison? How is law related to other aspects of culture and socio-economic organization? How does law construct national subjects, racial subjects, and gendered subjects? How and why does law change through time? What happens when the legal institutions of different cultural groups come in contact with each other? What happens when multiple legal orders coexist within one society? 

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Class Number: 4400; Catalog Number- LAW 622A, 02A.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Tomkovics, Jim

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course is devoted to the study of rights guaranteed by the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, rights that provide protection against police and prosecutorial practices designed to investigate and prove criminal cases. Included are the 4th Amendment right against unreasonable searches and seizures, the due process guarantee against involuntary confessions, the 5th Amendment privilege against self-incrimination-based constraints upon securing and using confessions extended by the Miranda doctrine, the 6th Amendment right to counsel shelter against efforts to obtain and use admissions of guilt, and the exclusionary rules and remedies that enforce these constitutional guarantees. If there is time, due process and right to counsel protection against eyewitness identification evidence generated by police procedures (e.g., lineups) will also be considered.

Attendance Policy: I ordinarily enforce an attendance policy - students must be present for 75% of the course meetings to be eligible for course credit.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Constitutional Litigation

Class Number: 4263; Catalog Number- LAW 675, 04A.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Weber Jr., Gerald 

Prerequisite: Constitutional Law (recommended) 

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, Two Assignments (no exam)

Enrollment: Limited to 15 Students!

Description: Constitutional Litigation will explore the substantive, ethical and strategic issues involved in litigating civil rights actions. This course will allow students to both learn basic principles of governmental liability/defense and apply their knowledge of torts, constitutional law and civil procedure in a litigation setting. The course projects will center upon a case problem that may deal with free speech, police brutality, racial profiling, gay and lesbian rights or current civil rights or civil liberties issue. Students are expected to attend class and to be prepared to take an active part in class discussions of assigned materials. Students will have two projects for the semester. No independent research will be required for the projects. Students will utilize cases cited in the readings along with a list of supplementary cases. Students will draft a complaint and explanation of decisions made in drafting their complaint. This project will account for 50% of the student's grade. Students will also draft a short brief supporting or opposing summary judgment or a preliminary injunction. This project will account for 40% of the student's grade. The remaining 10% of the student's grade will be tied to participation in class discussions.

Course will be limited to 15 students given the practice orientation of the course and break-out groups.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Corporate Compliance: Oversight, Culture, & Management of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act & Other Legal Risks. 

Class Number: 5322; Catalog Number- LAW 759A.

Credits: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Rogers, Dewitt & Prof. Snyderman, Mark

Prerequisite:  None

Grading Criteria: Attendance/Participation, & Take-home Final Exam

Description: Compliance programs have become increasingly essential for corporations and other organizations, both as a set of tools to mitigate the risk of compliance failures and as a driver of culture. In just a few years, these programs have evolved from specialized procedures for companies in highly-regulated industries to a necessity for organizations of all types, particularly those with operations in the developing world, where corruption risks are often of paramount concern. This course will offer an overview of the history and standards driving such programs, and, most importantly, will present practical content and best practices on how compliance programs work. The course also will focus on the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the world's preeminent anti-corruption law, the enforcement of which has figured prominently in the development of corporate compliance programs. This course will be of value to anyone considering compliance as an alternative to a more traditional legal career, and those who anticipate working in or advising modern corporations.

Attendance Policy: More than two absences must be approved by the instructors. Unapproved absences will affect the final grade.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Courtroom Persuasion & Drama I

Catalog Number- LAW 959

2 Sections:

(02A) Class Number: 4249

(02B) Class Number: 4248

Credits: 1 hour (Experiential Learning & Accelerated Course)

Instructor(s): Prof. Metzger, Janet

Prerequisite: Evidence & Trial Techniques

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Assignment completion.

Enrollment: Restricted to 3L's who have completed Evidence and Trial Techniques.

Description: This course applies theater arts techniques to the practical development of persuasive presentation skills in any high-pressure setting, especially the courtroom. Using lectures, exercises, readings, individual performance, and video playback, the course helps students develop concentration, observation skills, storytelling, spontaneity, and physical and vocal technique. Small class size encourages frequent opportunities for "on your feet" practice. Held in the Law School courtroom, the class provides the optimal simulation of a real-life experience.

Assignments and in-class exercises are designed to help students learn how to appear and feel confident; project their voice and use more vocal variety; cope with anxiety; stand still and move with purpose; improve eye contact with jurors as well as witnesses; gesture effectively and create a compelling story. The student will complete the course with increased confidence and ample tools for artful advocacy.

Maximum class size: 12 Requirements: Limited to 3L's who have completed Evidence and Trial Techniques. The class meets for 10 weeks plus an in-class final exam not during the exam period. Class periods are 75 minutes.

Attendance Policy: no more than two absences are permitted to receive a passing grade.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Criminal Procedure: Adjudication

Class Number: 4471; Catalog Number- LAW 622B.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Levine, Kay

Prerequisite: Criminal Law

Grading Criteria: Attendance, Participation, 6-8 Page Paper, & Modified Open-Book Scheduled Final Exam.

Description:  In contrast to a more conventional criminal procedure course, we will examine how lawyers and judges actually behave in the criminal courts throughout the United States. Topics include the doctrinal and practical dimensions of discovery, pre-trial detention, jury selection, prosecutorial charging and bargaining, ineffective assistance of counsel, double jeopardy, and speedy trial issues. Perhaps most importantly, we learn about the realities of our overburdened criminal justice system and discuss how prosecutors and defenders can operate within that system without sacrificing the rights of victims or defendants in the name of expediency. 

Attendance Policy: This class has a strict attendance policy. Students can miss 3 classes without penalty; at the 4th absence, the grade will be reduced by 1/3 of a step. "at the 7th absence, you will not receive credit for this class." Excused and unexcused absences are treated the same.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Cross-Examination Techniques

Catalog Number- LAW 767

(001) Class Number: 4472; (002) Class Number: 5221

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Costa, Jason (002) & Prof. Lott, Rhani (001)

Prerequisite: Evidence (concurrently ok)

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, Coursework, & Final Presentation

Description: This course is designed to conduct an exhaustive exploration of the science and art of cross-examination with extensive in-class exploration and performance of advanced cross-examination techniques. In addition to performance, students will critique and analyze the cross-examinations of their peers and example cross-examinations from high-profile cases. 

Attendance Policy: Because of the experiential nature of this course, attendance, punctuality, and participation are required for all class meetings and activities. Excessive absences will result in a grade reduction.

*Last Updated Fall 2015

LAW 897. Directed Research

Class Number: Varies

Credits: 1-2 hours 

Instructor(s): Multiple (Adjunct & Assistant Professors must have full-time professors co-sponsor)

Prerequisite: None 

Grading Criteria: Based on supervising faculty's evaluations of Paper

Description: Directed research is an independent scholarly project of your own design, meant to lead to the production of an original work of scholarship. Once you have secured a faculty advisor and have defined your project, you should download the directed research form (see below). In this form, indicate whether you are seeking one unit (a 15 -age paper, double spaced, exclusive of endnotes, tables, appendices, etc.) or two units (a 30-page paper, double spaced, exclusive of endnotes, tables, appendices, etc.).

Complete information and the application form are available on the Law School Registrar homepage under "Important Forms and Links" here.

Doing Deals: Commercial Lending Transactions

Class Number: 4302; Catalog Number- LAW 659M, 04A.

Credits: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Gooch, Kevin

Prerequisite: Business Associations, Contract Drafting (concurrently NOT okay), and Deal Skills (concurrent okay)

Enrollment: N/A

Grading Criteria: Coursework

Selection: Preselected Transactional Certificate Students will receive an email informing them how/when to enroll. Non-transactional certificate students who meet the pre-reqs will be able to try to enroll during Open Enrollment. 

Description: This course is designed to give the student an opportunity to (i) explore in depth a variety of secured transactions, recognizing the contrast to unsecured transactions, and the creditor's rights, remedies, and benefits thereunder, (ii) understand the nature and corresponding requirements of secured transactions, including knowledge of, and familiarity with applicable regulations, statutes and rules, and (iii) engage, as counsel, in the representation of secured creditor(s) or borrower(s) in an actual secured transaction from beginning to end throughout the semester.

*Last Updated Fall 2018

Doing Deals: Complex Restructuring and Distressed Acquisitions in Chapter 11

Class Number: 4272; Catalog Number- LAW 659P, 05A.

Credits: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Marsh, Gary

Prerequisite: Bankruptcy (concurrently okay) and Contract Drafting (concurrently NOT okay) Prerequisite. Students will complete some advanced exercises during the course.

Enrollment: N/A

Grading Criteria: Coursework

Selection: Preselected Transactional Certificate Students will receive an email informing them how/when to enroll. Non-transactional certificate students who meet the pre-reqs will have to wait until Open Enrollment.  

Description: This course will take students down the path of a complicated corporate restructuring and/or sale. During class time, students will learn the key features of a modern corporate restructuring and distressed sale, using a hypothetical company for illustrations. Students will also be asked to prepare and present in class one or more summaries/presentations regarding hot topics in the bankruptcy and restructuring world. Outside of class, students will assume the roles of various parties to the restructuring, such as debtor, lenders, key suppliers, key customers, private equity sponsor, and the like. The students will be asked by their "clients" (the instructors) to negotiate transaction terms and to draft definitive documents for various parts of the restructuring. The students will also be asked to prepare various bankruptcy-related transactional documents and pleadings, leading to a contested, bankruptcy court sale of the hypothetical company at the end of the course.

Students will be assessed based on: Participation (10-20%), In-class Presentations (20-30%), Out-of-class Projects (transaction documents, memos, legal briefs, etc.) (20-30%), Final Pleadings and Argument for the sale hearing (20-30%).

*Last Updated Fall 2018

Doing Deals: Contract Drafting

Catalog Number- LAW 659A.

Class Numbers: See OPUS for specific section numbers

Credits: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Payne, Sue; & Adjunct Professors

Prerequisite: Business Associations (concurrent okay)

Enrollment: Limited to 12 students per section (Only 9 seats available during the initial registration period) 

Grading Criteria: Coursework

Selection: Transactional Certificate Students have priority, any remaining seats will be made available during Open Enrollment.

Description: This course teaches students the principles of drafting commercial agreements. Although the course will be of particular interest to students pursuing a corporate or commercial law career, the concepts are applicable to any transactional practice.

In this course, students will learn how transactional lawyers translate the business deal into contract provisions, as well as techniques for minimizing ambiguity and drafting with clarity. Through a combination of lecture, hands-on drafting exercises, and extensive homework assignments, students will learn about different types of contracts, other documents used in commercial transactions, and the drafting problems the contracts and documents present. The course will also focus on how a drafter can add value to a deal by finding, analyzing, and resolving business issues.

The grade will be based on specific homework assignments and class participation.

*Last Updated Fall 2018

Doing Deals: Deal Skills

Catalog Number- LAW 659B.

Class Numbers: 04A- 4255; 04B- 4301; 04C- 4311; 04D- 4382

Credits: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Koops, Katherine;  Adjunct Professors 

Prerequisite: Business Associations (concurrent NOT okay); Contract Drafting (concurrent NOT okay)

Enrollment: Limited to 12 students per section

Grading Criteria: Coursework

Selection: Preselected Transactional Certificate Students have priority, any remaining seats will be made available during Open Enrollment.

Description: Deal Skills builds on the skills and concepts learned in Contract Drafting and emphasizes the skills and thought processes involved in, and required by, the practice of transactional law.  The course introduces students to business and legal issues common to commercial transactions, such as M&A deals, license agreements, commercial real estate transactions, financing transactions, and other typical transactions.  Students learn to interview, counsel, and communicate with simulated clients; conduct various types of due diligence; translate a business deal into contract provisions; understand basic transaction structure, finance, and risk reduction techniques; and negotiate and collaboratively draft an agreement for a simulated transaction.

Classes involve both individual and group work, with in-class exercises, role-plays and oral reports supported by lecture and weekly homework assignments.  The course grade is based on homework, class participation, a negotiation project, and a comprehensive individual project.

*Last Updated Fall 2018

Doing Deals: General Counsel

Class Number: 4308; Catalog Number- LAW 659F, 06A.

Credits: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Notte, Gregg

Prerequisite: Business Associations (concurrently NOT okay), Contract Drafting (concurrently NOT okay), and Deal Skills (concurrently okay).

Enrollment: N/A

Grading Criteria: Coursework

Selection: Preselected Transactional Certificate Students will receive an email informing them how/when to enroll. Non-transactional certificate students who meet the pre-reqs may try to enroll during Open Enrollment. 

Description: In this course, students will develop transactional skills, with emphasis on possible differences in roles of in-house counsel and outside counsel in the context of a hypothetical transaction that will be the focal point of the entire semester. The class will be divided between the lawyers representing the buyer and the lawyers representing the seller. Students will interview the Professor (client) throughout the semester and develop goals, strategies, and documents that will meet the needs of the client.  The semester will include the drafting and negotiation of a confidentiality agreement, a letter of intent, an employment agreement, a Master Services Agreement, and a Stock Purchase Agreement.

*Last Updated Fall 2018

Doing Deals: Intellectual Property Transactions

Class Number: 4287; Catalog Number- LAW 659N, 04A.

Credits: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Lytle-Perry, Courtney

Prerequisite: Contract Drafting (concurrently NOT okay) and Deal Skills (Deal Skills concurrently ok)

Enrollment: N/A

Grading Criteria: Exercises, Class Participation, & Final Paper/Presentation

Selection: Preselected Transactional Students will receive an email informing them how/when to enroll. Non-transactional certificate students who meet the pre-reqs may try to enroll during Open Enrollment.  

Description: This course is designed to offer students with an interest in intellectual property the opportunity to explore a limited number of current and cutting-edge intellectual property topics in depth and to experience first-hand how these legal concepts would manifest in a transactional practice setting. Students will complete a variety of in-class and homework assignments typical of those encountered in transactional IP practice, from contract negotiation and drafting to strategic analysis and client interaction.

The course is intended for students with an interest in this subject area; no specific prior IP courses are required, but if a student has not taken any other IP offerings, please contact the instructor for suggestions of materials to review over the summer. Grading is a combination of small projects, class participation, and a final paper/presentation. There is no exam. Students taking this course as a Capstone Course will complete some additional requirements over the course of the semester. Due to the nature of this course, regular attendance is mandatory!

*Last Updated Fall 2018

Doing Deals: Private Equity

Class Number: 4264; Catalog Number- LAW 659D, 04A.

Credits: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Crowley, Kevin 

Prerequisite: Business Associations (concurrently NOT okay), Contract Drafting (concurrently NOT okay), Deal Skills (concurrently okay). Recommended Prerequisites/Corequisites: Corporate Finance, Accounting in Action or Analytical Methods.

Enrollment: N/A

Grading Criteria: Midterm & Scheduled Final Exam, Group course work, & Class participation.

Selection: Preselected Transactional Certificate Students will receive an email informing them how/when to enroll. Non-transactional certificate students who meet the pre-reqs may try to enroll during Open Enrollment.

Description: The course is designed as a workshop in which law students and business students work together to structure and negotiate varying aspects of a private equity deal, from the initial term sheet stages, through execution of the purchase agreement, to completion of the financing and closing. Private equity deals that are economically justified sometimes fail in the transaction negotiation and documentation phase.

This course will seek to provide students with the tools necessary to understand and resolve difficult issues and complete successful transactions. Students will be divided into teams consisting of both lawyers and business people to review, consider and negotiate actual transaction documents. Issues presented will include often-contested key economic and legal deal terms, as well as common ethical dilemmas. To reinforce the key legal and financial points of an LBO transaction, there will be a short midterm and a final exam.

Course Learning Outcomes: -Understand the various steps of the LBO process -Use an Excel model to evaluate how financing structures and business forecasts impact LBO returns -Prepare some of the basic legal documents and correspondences related to LBOs -Negotiate term sheets with counterparties (buyer or seller) -Review transaction structures & tax impact -Gain an understanding of key contract provisions and how they interrelate -Draft contract terms with clarity and without ambiguity

Attendance Policy: I do not take attendance every class - however class participation will be factored in when assigning final grades.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

DUI Trials

Class Number: 4319; Catalog Number- LAW 745.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Tatum, Melissa

Prerequisite:  Trial Techniques

Enrollment: Limited to 12 Students!

Grading Criteria: Participation, Motions Completion, & Final Trial Completion

Description: This course is designed to allow students to learn DUI statutes and case law, practice the skills necessary to argue DUI motions as a prosecutor or defense attorney, and apply those skills in a mock trial scenario. All phases of trial specific to DUI, including introduction of evidence and expert testimony, will be addressed. Area-specific presenters will be on-hand to explain field sobriety test procedures, motions practice, and specific defenses.

Attendance Policy: Attendance is mandatory for motions dates and trial dates. 1-2 absences on regular class dates is permissible.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

E-Discovery & Litigation Technology

Class Number: 4401; Catalog Number- LAW 879L.

Credits: 1 hour

Instructor(s): Prof. Grounds, Alison

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Coursework 

Description: eDiscovery & Legal Technology is a Pass/Fall Course based on attendance, participation & assignments. A practical course focusing on all phases of eDiscovery in litigation or investigations including applicable legal standards and technical tools/processes for preservation, identification, analysis, and production of electronically stored information (ESI). Taught by eDiscovery partner and guest lecture experts in the field. Hands-on coursework including drafting discovery documents, using Relativity software, and conducting a 26(f) meet and confer. 

Attendance Policy: Must attend the required number of classes to pass.

Special outside speakers including technologists, practicing attorneys and clients with expertise in eDiscovery and technology. May have unique meetings patters depending on availability.

*Last Updated Fall 2018

Education Law & Policy

Class Number: 4403; Catalog Number- LAW 662, 04A.

Credits: 2 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Waldman, Randee

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, attendance, short paper (5-7 pages) and long paper (10-15 pages)

Description: This course will survey constitutional, statutory and policy issues affecting children in our public elementary and secondary schools. An emphasis will be placed on issues that impact the children most at risk for educational failure and that contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline. Topics will include the right to an education, school discipline, special education, school climate, and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, No Child Left Behind / Every Student Succeeds Act, the rights of homeless youth and youth in foster care, students' rights to free speech in schools and laws designed to address bullying in our schools.

Attendance Policy: Attendance will be taken at every class meeting, and attendance and class participation (together) will count as 15% of the total class grade.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Class Number: 5227; Catalog Number- LAW 669, 02A.

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Dinner, Deborah 

Prerequisite: Constitutional Law & Leg/Reg (preferred)

Grading Criteria: Paper & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course considers legal prohibitions on employment discrimination. It focuses on Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits employment discrimination based on "race, color, religion, sex, or national origin." Legal readings will be supplemented by materials from history, psychology, philosophy, economics, and literature. The course will address topics including how to define discrimination, frameworks for proving discrimination, sexual harassment, affirmative action, and accommodation. We will examine questions including whether employment discrimination law should focus on protecting classes, eliminating stereotypes, or something else, whether the law should account for research from other disciplines such as psychology, and whether the law should forbid discrimination on the basis of additional categories.

Attendance Policy: Students missing six classes, except in cases of serious and prolonged illness, will be required to withdraw from the course.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Employment Discrimination Lab

Class Number: 4271; Catalog Number- LAW 669X, 06A.

Credit: 1 Hour

Instructor(s): Prof. Shultz, Chad 

Prerequisite: Employment Discrimination 

Grading Criteria: Participation, attendance, writing, & performance in a jury trial.

Enrollment: Limited to 8 students! JD Students Preferred. 

Description: The class walks through a sexual harassment case from meeting the client, discovery, motions, and ultimately a mock jury trial. Students are divided into two law firms (one representing the Plaintiff and the other the Defendant). The class limit is 8 students to allow for the most valuable experience for each lawyer.

We meet for 2 hours, every 2 weeks, for a total of 7 classes, so Attendance is expected! The last class is a jury trial. The class is very interactive and practical. responding, discussing discovery, taking a deposition, writing a summary judgment brief or responding, and participating in a mock jury trial. 

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Class Number: 5332; Catalog Number- LAW 694, 00D.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Volokh, Alexander 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Description: English legal history began around the year 600; when King Aethelberht of Kent promulgated his famous legal code: "If a person strikes off a thumb, 20 shillings. If a thumbnail becomes off, let him pay 3 shillings. If a person strikes off a forefinger, let him pay 9 shillings. If a person strikes off a middle finger, let him pay 4 shillings. . . ." From Aethelberht to modern-day workers compensation codes (in Georgia, $60,000 for the loss of a hand) is but a brief step. But in between, we get to cover Domesday Book, Magna Carta, the dissolution of the monasteries, the Instrument of Government, and the Bill of Rights.

More precisely: this course is a survey of the law of England between, approximately, the years 600 and 1800. Why study English legal history? There are at least two possible reasons: (1) to know "how we got here from there" and thus to better understand our modern legal system, or (2) to understand the period on its own terms, that is, to see what it was like to be a lawyer in the 14th century. I'm personally partial to approach (2), but there will be plenty for those who favor approach (1) as well.

We'll cover some private law, some criminal law, and some constitutional law (and we'll discuss why it's correct to talk of "constitutional law" when a country has no written constitution). I anticipate that we'll spend less time on criminal law than on private or con law. The theme of private law is that our law of property, torts, and contracts is largely the result of unplanned accidents, lawyers seeing how far they could stretch existing legal remedies to cover situations they were never designed for. The theme of con law is that we have our democratic representative institutions thanks to irresponsible, high-spending kings: the more irresponsible the king, the more often he would call an assembly to ask for more money. Little by little, the legal system will come to resemble what we learned as 1Ls.

The readings will be a mix of primary sources (in modern English translation) and secondary sources. No knowledge of foreign languages or English history is required or assumed.

*Last Updated Spring 2018

COURSE REQUIRED FOR ALL STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE TURNER ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CLINIC. THIS COURSE DOES NOT MEET THE WRITING REQUIREMENT.

Class Number: 4251; Catalog Number- LAW 697, 04A.

Credits: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Zygmont, Max

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Writing Assignments, Simulations, & Classroom Participation

Description: The Environmental Advocacy Workshop will include reading assignments, written exercises, seminar-like discussion, and simulations with an emphasis on legal practice. The course will develop students' abilities to function as successful environmental advocates in many contexts, including client interactions, administrative proceedings, negotiations, and litigation. Other issues covered include advocacy related to environmental protection.

Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend class and actively participate. Unexcused absences make it difficult for a student to participate in class and may be reflected in their classroom participation grade.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

European Union Law I: Constitutional and Institutional Issues

Class Number: 4346; Catalog Number- LAW 620.

Credits: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Tulibacka, Magdalena 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Open-book Scheduled Final Exam (60%), Participation (30%), & Attendance (10%)

Description: The European Union "the world's largest economy and trading block"  is an important source of unique policies and legal norms. These policies and norms are affecting trade and investment relationships globally. The overlapping geopolitical concerns and shared values make the European Union one of the United States' most important partners economically, politically, and socially. U.S. lawyers, public servants, and activists are consequently being called upon to engage with (and understand) European legal principles and practices to an ever-growing degree. With this in mind, the course will examine the theoretical fundamentals of the EU legal system and their practical applications, with the particular emphasis on the differences and commonalities with the U.S. system. We will begin by reviewing the history of the European Communities and the genesis of the European Union. This will be followed by an analysis of the constitutional framework of the EU, including its political and legal nature, its aims and guiding values, membership, and the division of powers between the EU and the Member States. The institutional makeup and the allocation of powers across the major institutions, sources, and forms of EU law and lawmaking will be examined. We will also cover developments in the protection of fundamental rights, EU citizenship and the structure and role of the EU judicial system. Building on the latter, we will then turn to the EU common market and examine the main principles governing the free flow of goods, services, establishments, capital and persons within the EU. We will conclude with the Union's model of judicial review and the complex interaction between the EU and national legal systems in enforcing EU law.

Classes will combine lectures and interactive sessions where students will explore the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union and national courts of the EU Member States, analyze hypothetical cases, solve problems, and assess relevant political and legal developments.

ATTENDANCE IS COMPULSORY

*Last Updated Fall 2018

Evidence

Catalog Number- LAW 632X; 2 Sections:

(12A) Class Number: 4288

(13A) Class Number: 4320

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Seaman, Julie & Prof. Tomkovics, Jim

Prerequisite: None

Seaman Grading Criteria: There will be two non-cumulative graded in-class quizzes (each worth 20% of the final grade) and a cumulative scheduled final exam (60% of final grade). Your grade may be lowered for lack of preparation or non-attendance.

Tomkovics Grading Criteria: Grades are based on the Final Scheduled Exam.

Seaman Description: A general consideration of the law of evidence with a focus on the Federal Rules of Evidence. Coverage includes relevance, hearsay, witnesses, presumptions, and burdens of proof, writings, scientific and demonstrative evidence, and privilege.

Attendance Policy: You may miss up to three classes during the semester, for any reason or no reason at all, without incurring a grade penalty. If you miss more than three classes, your final grade will automatically be lowered by one grade level (i.e. A to A minus; A minus to B plus; etc.) for each additional missed class. If you miss more than six classes during the semester, you will not receive credit for the class. I will monitor attendance with a sign-in sheet at each class session. You should write your last name legibly in the relevant space next to your typed last name. Signing another person into class for any reason is an honor code violation and may also result in a grade of "F" for the course. It is your responsibility to ensure that you sign the attendance sheet. If you forget to sign it or otherwise fail to sign it for any reason, you will be counted as absent for that date, with no exceptions. 

Tomkovics Description: This course focuses on a study of the federal rules of evidence. Topics include: the meaning and requirement of relevance; the exclusion of relevant, but prejudicial evidence; the hearsay rule and its many exceptions (a major topic in the course); special rules of relevance pertaining to character evidence, habit evidence, and various other types of evidence that generate special policy concerns (e.g., subsequent remedial measures, compromise offers, offers to pay medical and similar expenses, pleas and plea discussions, etc.); privileges and competence; the best evidence rule; both lay and opinion evidence; and authentication.

Attendance Policy: I ordinarily enforce an attendance policy - students must be present for 75% of the course meetings to be eligible for course credit.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Externship Program

Class Number: Multiple- See OPUS; Catalog Number- LAW 870.

Credits: 1 hour (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Multiple

Prerequisites: Students must register for fieldwork concurrently (listed as a separate course). Students are registered by default in 2-credit fieldwork course, which in combination with the seminar is a total of 3 credits (requiring 150 hours of total work). Certain placements (listed in the information provided on Symplicity) have been approved for 3-5 credits (50 additional hours of work per additional credit), for 3Ls only, and those students must specifically request to be enrolled in higher credits by sending an email to lawexternships@emory.edu. Student fieldwork schedules are to be worked out between the student and placement based on the student's course schedule. 

Selection: Application process submitted to Prof. Shalf, Sarah

Grading Criteria: Class participation and Successful completion of fieldwork.

Description: Step outside the classroom and learn to practice law from experienced attorneys. Take the skills and principles you learn in the classroom and see how they apply in practice. All externships are approved for Experiential Learning credit. Emory Law's General Externship Program provides work experience in different practice settings (all sectors except law firms) so you can determine which suits you best and develop relationships that will continue as you begin your legal career.

Students are supported in their placements by a weekly class meeting with other students in similar placements, taught by faculty with practice experience in that area, in which students have the opportunity to learn legal and professional skills they need to succeed in the externship, receive mentoring independent of their on-site supervisors, and to step back and reflect on their experience and what they are learning from it -- about themselves, and about the practice of law. Our separate Small Firm Externship Program provides 3Ls with experience in specially-selected small law firms for students who express an interest in working the small firm practice setting.

Students apply to the program and once accepted, are matched to law firms that suit their interests and skills. The firms' attorneys participate with the students in our weekly class meeting, which focuses on the practical business and professional skills necessary to succeed in a small firm practice setting. Once an externship offer is accepted (see "Application Information"), students are assigned one of the courses below based on the externship placement's setting, and with rare exceptions, may not take a different course. Information about which courses are assigned to a placement is on Symplicity.

Law 870I- Advanced -- for students in civil externships who have already taken the assigned course Law 870D- Civil Litigation -- placements (government, nonprofit and in-house) with an emphasis on civil litigation Law 870F- Corporate Counsel -- in-house corporate settings Law 870H-Criminal Defense -- federal, state and local criminal defense settings (advanced students repeat this course) Law 870C- Govt. Counsel -- government agencies where litigation is not the primary focus of the office Law 870E- Judicial -- federal and state judicial and quasi-judicial (ALJ) settings Law 870G- Prosecution -- federal and state prosecution settings (advanced students repeat this course) Law 870A- Public Interest -- nonprofit legal services and policy/advocacy organizations Law 870B - Public Policy & Legislative -- in spring only, legislators, caucuses and policy/advocacy organizations (in fall, those placements are in Public Interest) Law 870L- Small Firm -- private firms of 15 or fewer attorneys (students must specifically apply to this program and agree to be matched to a firm) With the exception of the Advanced class, which meets as a group less frequently, the seminar meets for one hour, once a week.

Attendance Policy: Students may have no more than 2 unexcused absences. Certain externship placements have mandatory meetings, either for orientation or for regular on-site meetings, in addition to the seminar meeting. These should be in the externship posting or disclosed in the interview.

Application Information: Students first apply for individual externships in the General Program, and to the Small Firm Program, via Symplicity in the semester prior to the externship. Information about the application process and timeline and available placements are available on the Externships Website [http://law.emory.edu/externships]  (including the Student Guide to Externships linked to that page), and important information specific to the current application period is posted on Symplicity immediately prior to and during the application/offer process (March-May and September-November).

Repeating an externship placement is disfavored and must involve substantially different work; students cannot reapply to the placement and must wait until after the placement has made decisions on new applications before petitioning Prof. Shalf to repeat a placement. Offers are made and accepted through Symplicity, and once an offer is accepted, the Externship Program will register students accordingly. All externship registration requests or questions should be directed to lawexternships@emory.edu. Students may not take more than one externship in a single semester, and if they would like to do a clinic or practicum as well as an externship in a single semester, must request advance permission of both the externship director and the clinic or practicum director prior to accepting offers.

Before accepting an offer, read Symplicity postings and information carefully and ask supervisors about their requirements, to ensure you can meet all of the placement's requirements as well as the seminar meeting requirements, in light of the remainder of your course schedule. Once you accept an offer with an externship placement, you cannot drop the externship or switch placements unless it is impossible to fulfill your commitment due to unforeseeable reasons beyond your control (government shutdown, security clearance problem, etc.). As a condition of registration for an externship, you will be asked to sign an agreement in Symplicity that any other reason for reneging will be considered a "Withdrawal" or "W."

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Family Law II

Class Number: 4309; Catalog Number- LAW 643, 12A.

Credits: 3 hours 

Instructor(s): Prof. Carter, Melissa

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Take-Home Exam.

Description: Family Law II examines the legal constructs and social contexts that have informed the contemporary understanding of what relationships the law regards as constituting a "family" and what protections the law affords to families and their members. Students will engage with the policies and laws that influence the modern definition of families and the role of the state in regulating families. Topics covered will include the parent-child relationship, family creation through adoption and assisted reproductive technologies, alternative family structures, child maltreatment, and the expression and regulation of children's rights.

Attendance Policy: As a collective undertaking to learn and teach together, your attendance, advance preparation and active participation in every class is essential and expected. Attendance will be taken at every class meeting, and participation constitutes up to 10% of your course grade. More than three (3) unexcused absences, chronic tardiness, or a pattern of coming to class unprepared will negatively impact your grade. Accommodations and Excused Absences Students requesting classroom accommodations relating to special needs or seeking excused absences for religious holidays, illness, family emergencies, or job interviews should notify me by email in a timely manner before the expected absence or need arises. If the circumstance prevents advance notice, students should notify me as soon as possible after the absence.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Class Number: 4347; Catalog Number- LAW 721.

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Nash, Jonathan

Prerequisite: Constitutional Law; Civil Procedure

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam, Attendance, & Participation.

Description: This course deals with the allocation of judicial business between the state and federal courts, as well as the jurisdictional tensions that arise from a dual judicial system. In addition, the course considers the relationship between the federal judiciary and Congress, particularly as it implicates the legislature's power to structure and limit the federal courts' subject matter jurisdiction. This is a very practical course, as well as one that implicates important theoretical issues about decision-making institutions under our federal system of government.

ATTENDANCE POLICY: Attendance is required. I expect you to let me know in advance if you cannot be present in class, or if you will be present but unprepared. I reserve the right to adjust student grades based on attendance and preparation. Beyond that, if you miss in excess of seven (5) classes after the add/drop period ends, you may receive a grade of "F" for the course without additional warning. I will distribute an attendance sheet in each class after the add/drop period; it is your responsibility to sign the sheet. If you do not sign the sheet for a given class, you will be deemed to have been absent for that class.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Federal Indian Law

Class Number: 4370; Catalog Number- LAW 626.

Credits: 3 hours 

Instructor(s): Prof. Saunooke, Robert

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Paper

Description: History of Federal Indian Law and the political, economic, and social influences impacting how the federal government, state governments, and tribes interact and deal with one another for criminal, economic, and jurisdictional issues.

Attendance Policy: Attendance is mandatory at all classes, including a field trip to Cherokee, NC to visit the Cherokee Tribal Court and Tribal government.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Federal Prosecution Practice

Class Number: 4374; Catalog Number- LAW 760, 06A.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Barron, Lynsey

Prerequisite: Evidence

Grading Criteria: In-class performance, Written assignments, Attendance, & Take-home Final Exam.

Enrollment: Limited to 14 students only!

Description: This class will explore the powers, principles, and responsibilities that come with being a federal prosecutor. Class segments will focus on the various stages of the criminal justice system, and students will be expected to evaluate facts, issues, and law from both a prosecution and a defense perspective. We will discuss the motivating factors that guide federal prosecution decisions in light of legal, policy, practical, and ethical considerations. The class will involve a mix of lecture and "learn by doing" exercises that will be geared towards developing your analytical, oral, and written advocacy skills. Students will be expected to play the roles of both prosecutor and defense counsel at different points in the class.

Attendance Policy: Class attendance and participation are critical ingredients to success in this class, and will be used to break ties in the grading process. If you have what you believe to be an excusable absence, we can discuss it in advance.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Class Number: 4260; Catalog Number- Law 650, 04A.

Credits: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Aronson, Mort

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam (80%) and Team Grades (20%)

Enrollment Limit: Limited to 25 students!

Description: Legal and business considerations, including the pros and cons of franchising; the franchising role in the economy; the franchiser/franchisee relationship; disclosure requirements; relevant state and federal laws; essential elements in representing franchisors and franchisees; basic terms and issues with franchise agreements; legislative issues; trademark issues; encroachment issues; system expansion issues; franchisee associations; new techniques in franchising; e.g. area development agreements, sub-franchising, niche franchising, master franchise agreements; international franchising; the role of alternate dispute resolution in franchising; product quality issues; legislative issues. Case studies of important franchise companies will be read and evaluated including Holiday Inns, McDonald's, Century 21, Pizza Hut and Dunkin Donuts. Prominent legal political and business franchising representatives will be guest speakers, students will be divided into teams for an oral and written presentation that will account for 20% of their grade.

Note if a student misses more than 2 classes without the Professor's permission such student's name will be removed from the Class Roster.

Attendance Policy: More than two absences without my approval will result in loss of course credit

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Class Number: 4328; Catalog Number- LAW 640X.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Pennell, Jeff

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Midterm & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: Introductory study of the general structure of the federal income tax; nature of gross income, exclusions, and deductions; the income tax consequences of property transactions; the nature of capital gains and losses; basis and non-recognition. Regular attendance and satisfactory participation as "class expert" are essential to receiving a passing grade.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Fundamentals of Innovation I

OPEN TO TI:GERSTUDENTS ONLY. PROFESSOR PERMISSION REQUIRED!

ClassNumber: 4258; Catalog Number- LAW 890, 04A.

Credits: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Morris, Nicole

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Group projects, Participation, & Deliverables

Description: Fundamentals of Innovation I is the first of a two-course sequence on various techniques and approaches needed to understand the innovation process. Issues explored will include patterns of technological change, identifying market and technological opportunities, competitive market analysis, the process of technology commercialization, intellectual property protection, and methods of valuing new technology.

Attendance Policy - We have an attendance sheet where we record attendance.

This course is a part of a cross-institutional program and we have students from Georgia Tech who will take this course. Therefore, we will need to course to start at 6pm.

*Last Updated Fall 2018

Global Public Health Law

Class Number: 4353; Catalog Number- LAW 736B.

Credits: 2 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Brady, Rita-Marie JD, MPH

Prerequisite: Public Health Law or Health Law courses are helpful, but not required.

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Final Course Paper

Description: Global Public Health Law will use foundational legal principles of international and domestic law, as well as international regulatory frameworks, guidelines, and their respective actors, and apply them to global public health issues. This will be accomplished using interactive case studies and simulations to further course lectures with classroom interaction. The course utilizes multi-disciplinary perspectives, skill-sets, and source materials to provide a comprehensive approach for studying current global public health law topics. Specific focus areas will include (but are not limited to): infectious disease, environmental health, public health emergencies, human rights and health, injury, and tobacco control. Guest speakers/presenters will provide insights from their respective disciplines highlighting current global public health issues and the unique legal challenges they present.

Attendance Policy: Due to the interactive nature of the course, class participation is a grading factor for this course. Class participation includes regular attendance. Note: missing three or more classes would constitute irregular attendance and could impact the student's participation grade. After three absences, the instructor may, at their discretion, remove the student from the course roll. Excessive tardiness (15 minutes late to class) may also lower a student's participation score.

Enrollment Note: Priority enrollment is given to students in the School of Law. Public Health Law or Health Law courses are helpful, but not required. The class format will include subject matter lectures by either the instructor or a guest speaker, followed by either small or large group break-out discussions with a focus on multi-disciplinary interaction and actors.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

History of Church-State Relations in the West

Class Number: 5231; Catalog Number- LAW 645.  

Credit: 3 hours (cross-listed w/ Candler School of Theology)

Instructor: Prof. Witte, John Jr.

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Take home exam; Class attendance and Participation.

Description: This course will explore the interaction between religious and political authorities and institutions from the time of the Roman Empire until the American founding era. We shall analyze the variety of constitutional and other legal arrangements developed to facilitate the separation, cooperation, and mutual protection of churches and states. We shall analyze the gradual development of religious rights and liberties in the Western legal tradition, but also the systematic and oft-brutal denial of these rights to Jews, heretics, and other religious outsiders. And we shall analyze the competition among different models of church and state that emerged repeatedly in the West, and the remarkable change introduced by the First Amendment command to disestablish religion and to protect the free exercise rights of all.

The course will focus on four periods: (1) the 4th and 5th century Roman Empire and the establishment of Christianity by Roman law, and the firm new state prohibitions on Judaism and heresy; (2) the High Middle Ages of the 11th to 13th centuries and the rise of papal and clerical power and religious establishment by the church's canon law; (3) the Protestant Reformation movements of the sixteenth century, and the fresh rise of new religious establishments by state civil law as well as new forms of separation of church and state; and (4) the American colonial experience of the 17th and 18th centuries, and the gradual rise of constitutional principles of religious liberty that culminated in the First Amendment and state constitutions.

Readings will consist of a blend of primary and secondary sources, calibrated for the uninitiated but interested reader. Classes will consist of lecture and discussion, with students rewarded for regular classroom participation.

Attendance Policy: Students can miss up to three classes, with prior notification. Further missed classes will require a documented need for accommodation.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Human Rights Advocacy

Class Number: 4379; Catalog Number- LAW 690B.

Credits: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Ludsin, Hallie

Prerequisite: Int'l Human Rights or International Law Course (Courses taken in under-grad ok, but must verify you meet before attempting to enroll, those who do not and try to enroll will be subsequently dropped)

Grading Criteria: Participation, Coursework, 2 Drafts of Paper, & Final Paper (25-30 pages).

Enrollment: Limited to 4 students only!

Description: Human Rights Advocacy Course Description: Human rights organizations and human rights lawyers play essential roles in protecting and promoting human rights, the rule of law and democracy, both at home and abroad. They expose injustices and demand accountability for them; they pressure governments to fulfill their democratic and human rights obligations, and they help the voiceless reclaim their voice. This course is designed to build the skills of the budding human rights lawyer to achieve these goals. It will start with a brief overview of international human rights law and then will be divided between lectures focusing on skills development, examining the anatomy of a human rights campaign, and highlighting the ethical dilemmas and barriers to change human rights lawyers regularly face. To reinforce these lessons, each student will be assigned a research project on an issue supplied by human rights organizations from across the globe. Past participating organizations included Human Rights Watch, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Women's Law Centre (South Africa) and The Carter Center.

The course is 3 credits and is limited to 8 students. It will require either several short written projects or one larger research report for an organization (35%), including a first and second draft (15% and 20%, respectively), along with an annotated outline (15%) and a draft introduction (5%). Class participation counts for 5% of the grade.

Attendance is mandatory except with prior permission from the professor. Each unexcused absence will result in a deduction of 2% of the student's grade.

Depending on project needs, students will receive special training. Last year's special training for the whole class included how to interview persons affected by human rights violations and how to right narrative non-fiction to aid advocacy work.

*Last Updated Fall 2018

International Commercial Arbitration

Class Number: 4323; Catalog Number- LAW 609L.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Reetz, Ryan

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Joint Class Exercises & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: A consideration of arbitration as a dispute resolution process in the domain of international commerce. Analyzes the composition and the jurisdiction of arbitral tribunals, the procedure followed by arbitrators, effective advocacy in the arbitral context, recognition, and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards, and other related issues. In order to understand the arbitral process, the class will examine numerous key stages of arbitration from drafting the arbitration agreement (start) to enforcement of the award (finish). We will use a hypothetical case to explore the issues and other challenges that arbitrators and counsel must confront throughout the life of the process. This class will be very hands-on and practical. Participation is important and there will be role-playing. As international commercial arbitration cannot exist in a legal vacuum, we will also consider the legal framework that governs it in various civil law and common law countries.

Attendance policy: the American Bar Association's standard requirements for class attendance apply to this course.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

International Criminal Law

Class Number: 4250; Catalog Number- LAW 653, 10A.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Van der Vyver, Johan

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Final Paper

Description: On Wednesday, March 14, 2012, the International Criminal Court (ICC) delivered its very first judgment.  Thomas Lubanga Dyilo was convicted of the war crime of conscripting or enlisting persons under the age of fifteen years into the armed forces of a militant group and using such persons to participate actively in hostilities. Lubanga was the founder and leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots responsible for the violence that erupted in 2002 in Ituri, an eastern province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, between the Hema and Lendu ethnic groups. The situation in Ituri was referred to the ICC by the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In the Lubanga Case, several complicated issues came up in the course of the pre-trial proceedings, which commenced when a warrant for the arrest of Lubanga was issued by a Pre-Trial Chamber of the ICC in February 10, 2006: Was the conflict in Ituri an international armed conflict or one not of an international character? Is there a difference between the enlistment or conscription of child soldiers if committed in an international armed conflict or in an armed conflict, not of an international character, respectively? What degree of knowledge (mens rea) is required on the part of the perpetrator in regard to the age of a person enlisted or conscripted into the armed forces or used to participate actively in the hostilities? What is the meaning of using a child soldier "to participate actively in hostilities"?  The trial and tribulations that attended the pre-trial proceedings in the Lubanga Case also included interesting issues of criminal procedure: The duty of the Prosecutor to obtain evidence for the defense; the effect of (non-) compliance with municipal (Congolese) laws in regard to searches and seizures; requirements to be satisfied for a person to qualify as a "victim" and the right of victims to express their "views and concerns" in the investigation stage of the proceedings.

These problems and questions are some of the substantive issues included in International Criminal Law. The focus of the course is on the structures and proceedings of the ICC.  The ICC Statute was adopted by a Diplomatic Conference of Diplomatic Plenipotentiaries on an International Criminal Court, which was held in Rome on June 15 through July 17, 1998. Following 60 ratifications of the ICC Statute, the ICC became a reality on July 1, 2002, with its seat in The Hague in the Netherlands.  To date, the ICC Statute has been ratified by 121 States.

Earlier, the Security Council of the United Nations established the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), and subsequently offered its support for a Special Court to prosecute international crimes committed in Sierra Leone (SCSL), and for judicial chambers to bring perpetrators of international crimes in East Timor and Cambodia to justice. Jurisprudence of the ICTY, ICTR, and SCSL, as well as cases decided by the Nuremberg Tribunals, are included in the course. 

The course also includes an overview of the history of the establishment of the international tribunals; and as far as the ICC is concerned, its subject-matter, territorial, personal and temporal jurisdiction; the composition of the ICC and its organs; trigger mechanisms for prosecutions in the ICC (the U.N. Security Council, States Parties, and the Prosecutor conducting investigations proprio motu); and the rules of admissibility of a case (the principle of complementarity).

When dealing with the definitions of crimes within the subject-matter jurisdiction of the Court (genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression), we shall single out certain crimes for closer scrutiny, for example the crime of genocide, gender-specific crimes, child soldiers, torture, environmental malpractice, resettlement of populations in occupied territories, and terrorism.

In dealing with the rules of procedure and evidence to be applied in the ICC, special attention will be given to international principles of criminal justice that are at odds with the American criminal law and criminal procedure, for example the concept of mens rea, the presumption of innocence, the rule against double jeopardy, the protection of victims, and sentencing factors.

Special attention will also be given to the ongoing conflict between the African Union and the ICC over the indictment of President Al Bashir of Sudan to stand trial in the ICC centered upon the (non-) applicability of sovereign immunity of a sitting head of state.

The United States was one of seven States that voted against approval of the ICC Statute. The course includes concerns of the United States and others (including Israel, India, and some Arab States) that prompted a negative vote or abstention.  President Clinton did sign the ICC Statute. The Bush administration, on the other hand, adopted a particular hostile attitude toward the ICC, for example by cancelling the American signature of the ICC Statute, enacting the Military Servicemembers Protection Act of 2002, and imposing sanctions against States that refused to enter into bilateral agreements with the United States that would preclude them from surrendering American nationals for prosecution in the ICC. In 2009, the Obama administration re-engaged with The ICC and the United States is currently a "co-operating non-party State".

International Human Rights Law Practicum

Class Number: 4426; Catalog Number- LAW 690A.

Credit: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Mickevicius, Henrikas

Prerequisites: International Human Rights Law (concurrent ok)

Preselection: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/international-human-rights-practicum-preselection/

Grading Criteria: 150 work hours per semester, including the weekly seminars, and assignments and projects. Assignments will constitute 70% of the final grade, and seminar attendance and participation 30%.

Enrollment: Enrollment is limited to 4-6 students and subject to instructor’s approval. Candidates will need to demonstrate a serious commitment to human rights work and an ability to take initiative, work independently, and use discretion. Work on reports alleging Enforced Disappearances "EDs" is subject to a confidentiality agreement. Knowledge of an official U.N. language, other than English, is preferred. 

Description: The Practicum offers students a one-of-a-kind experiential education opportunity to deepen their knowledge of international human rights law, policies and enforcement mechanisms. The Practicum allows students to act essentially as junior lawyers in collaboration with and under the direct supervision of an Adjunct Professor Henrikas Mickevicius, who 40 years of experience in national and international law practice and are a member of the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID). A signature element of the Practicum will be support for the mandate of the WGEID.

Students will work on substantive projects and short-term tasks related to the WGEID. Weekly 2-hour companion seminars, taught by Prof. Mickevicius, will familiarize them with the relevant legal frameworks—hard and soft law instruments, mechanisms, venues, procedures, and case-law—and the skills they will need to employ to carry out assignments. Students will present and reflect on their findings and receive specific feedback from their instructor and classmates, to progress in their work. 

The course accounts for a minimum of 150 work hours per semester, including weekly seminars,  assignments, and projects. Assignments will constitute 70% of the final grade, and seminar attendance and participation 30%. There will be no final exam for this course.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

International Humanitarian Law Clinic

Class Number: 4246; Catalog Number- LAW 676C, 02A.

Credit: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Blank, Laurie

Prerequisites/Co-requisites: International Law; International Humanitarian Law; International Criminal Law; International Human Rights; Transitional Justice; or National Security Law, either may be taken concurrently

Grading Criteria: Clinic work, Participation, & Presentations

Enrollment: By application to the professor

Description: The International Humanitarian Law Clinic provides opportunities for students to do real-world work on issues relating to international law and armed conflict, counter-terrorism, national security, transitional justice and accountability for atrocities. Students work directly with organizations, including international tribunals, militaries, and non-governmental organizations, under the supervision of the Director of the IHL Clinic, Professor Laurie Blank.

The IHL Clinic also includes a weekly class seminar with lecture and discussion introducing students to the foundational framework of and contemporary issues in international humanitarian law (otherwise known as the law of armed conflict).

*Last Updated Fall 2018

International Law

Class Number: 4267; Catalog Number- LAW 732, 10A.

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Van der Vyver, Johan 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Description: Public international law primarily regulates the relations between States. But public international law can also be applied to individuals, relationships, and transactions across national boundaries. Public international law also dictates the uses of international common spaces. In short, international law can mean many different things. This course explores, in an introductory fashion, what international law means today, not only for practicing lawyers but also for statesmen, policy-makers, human rights advocates, environmentalists, in short, anyone who has an interest in our world and international relations.

Public international law has its own legal system, with unique ways of making rules and enforcing them. Because of its sense of separation from municipal or domestic legal systems, international law has been criticized as not being "law" at all. We will carefully examine this criticism throughout the course. At the same time, we will also understand that international law and domestic law interact in a number of ways, and at a number of different levels. As a consequence of all this, the class is organized around four units.

The first unit considers what may be called the "sources and methods" of international law. These are quite different from the cases and statutes you have learned to use thus far in your law studies. This unit will examine, among other things, treaties and the role of custom in making international law.

The second unit will focus on the subjects and objects of international law. It used to be accepted that the law of nations considered only States to be worthy of legal attention. Today, individuals, legal persons (including business associations), and organizations are also subjects of international law. We will briefly examine the law of human rights, as well as the constitutional jurisprudence of the leading international organization, the United Nations. Moreover, we will look at new "objects" of international control, including ocean areas and the international environment.

This leads us to the third unit of the course, dealing with the relationship between domestic law and international law. This is the part of the course most closely focused on the demands of an American law practice. At the same time, we hope to introduce students to other nations' views on such issues as jurisdiction, diplomatic immunity, sovereign immunity, the act of state doctrine, making and breaking of treaties, and other concerns in the conduct of a nation's foreign relations power.

The fourth and final unit of the class deals with issues of war and peace. After all, international law's success as a legal system is largely dependent on its ability to manage and resolve disputes. We will consider, therefore, different approaches for the peaceful settlement of disputes, including the role of international adjudicatory and arbitration bodies, such as the International Court of Justice. We will also look at the limits placed by international law on the use of force and on the conduct of hostilities.

This is intended as a broad survey class. Some topics will, however, be considered in more depth than others, depending on our interests. The course represents just an introductory offering in public international law.

The required text for the class is Mark Janis and John Noyes, International Law: Cases and Commentary (5th ed.) (West Publishing).

The pace of the class will be quick, so consistent attendance of lectures is important.  So, too, is class participation. Students will often be specially assigned to participate in case studies or other in-class exercises. Your final grade may be slightly adjusted to reflect your individual class participation. Your final grade may be affected if you are absent from class more than five (5) times. Otherwise, the course grade will be based upon a three-hour, in-class, closed-book, final examination consisting of essay questions. The last regularly-scheduled class will be devoted to a summary and review session.

I am delighted to meet with students at any times, depending on my class schedule (I have classes, besides the ones in International Law, on Mondays from 2 to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12 30 p.m.). Just drop by or make an appointment. I prefer face-to-face conversations rather than answering e-mail inquiries. My phone number is 404-727-6991, and my E-mail address is jvand02@emory.edu.

Attendance Policy:  Regular attendance is required. Missing five classes without prior notification to the Instructor or genuine emergency will result in a reduction of one tier in the final grade (e.g. from A-minus to B plus). Additional unexcused absences will result in a further reduction of the final grade. 

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Internet Law

Class Number: 4273; Catalog Number- LAW 631A, 06A.

Credits: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Nodine, Larry

Prerequisite: Intellectual Property, Copyright, or Trademark strongly recommended as a significant portion of the class will employ these principles. Co-requisites okay.

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Description: In this course, we will cover jurisdiction over activities on the internet, Internet governance, enforceability of "click to proceed" contracts, domain name disputes, right to privacy, net neutrality and liability of intermediaries like ISPs and websites like eBay and Facebook. Interactive lecture format.

We occasionally invite guest speakers who have special expertise to address the class. For example, I am an arbitrator for domain name disputes administered by WIPO in Geneva. Several former students of this class have worked as case managers at WIPO and they have sometimes Skyped in to discuss their experience.

*Last Updated Fall 2018

NOTE: OPEN ONLY TO FOREIGN-EDUCATED LLM STUDENTS

Catalog Number- LAW 570A

Class Number: 4330 (LLM Section)

Credits: 2 hours

Instructor(s): TBA

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: In-class Final Exam

LLM Description: This course covers the constitutional principles, history, and governmental structures that shape the American legal system.  Designed for lawyers trained outside of the United States, the course introduces basic principles of federalism, common-law reasoning, and an overview of the primary areas of first-year legal study

*Last Updated Fall 2017

NOTE: OPEN ONLY TO JM STUDENTS

Catalog Number- LAW 570B

Class Number: 4514 (JM Only)

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): TBA

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: In-class Final Exam

OJM Description: This course covers the Constitutional principles and governmental structures that shape the American legal system.  It examines the structure of the U.S. judicial system and basic principles of legal reasoning.  The course also incorporates a series of guest lectures in the primary areas of first-year legal study (contracts, torts, etc.).

*Last Updated Fall 2017

Jurisprudence

Class Number: 4375; Catalog Number- LAW 670, 10A.

Credits: 3 hours (Cross-listed with Theology-ES 687 & Philosophy Department)

Instructor(s): Prof. Terrell, Tim

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Mid-term Essay & Take-home Final Exam Essay

Description: This course is about normative disagreement:  disputes about values and systems of values, and in the political realm, quarrels over rights and duties.  But the course is not, as you might expect, about how to avoid or resolve discord and conflict, and thus bring us together in harmony around a shared sense of justice.  Instead, it will celebrate our contentious spirit, demonstrating that controversies about how we should govern ourselves are in fact inevitable, unavoidable, and never-ending. 

But this is not bad news.  Disagreement is not, as most seem to assume, inexorably disagreeable.  In fact, for lawyers, it should be appreciated, perhaps even celebrated, for fun and profit.

And this good news is not nearly as cynical as it might appear.  Law itself, after all, is a monument to the inability of people to get along productively without limits and direction.  But this course goes deeper, as it explores the next disconcerting step:  What happens when we also disagree about the limits and directions themselves that are supposed to help us avoid disputes in the first place (and settle them once they arise), that is, when we disagree about the nature of legal guidance itself?  In the toughest cases you will face, the dispute will actually go underneath traditional elements of law, like court decisions and statutes, to the values that give these sources authoritative life.  Confronting those questions is indeed advanced legal reasoning, it requires a "philosophy of law", that somehow makes one legal argument stronger than another.  That level of the legal game is "jurisprudence."

The course will consist of two overlapping pieces.  The first will examine the foundations of legal reasoning in challenging, controversial circumstances (the focus will be on Terrell, The Dimensions of Legal Reasoning, Carolina Academic Press, 2016).  Because those fundamentals inevitably involve normative values, the second part of the course will explore various philosophical perspectives within political and legal theory (e.g., John Stuart Mill, John Rawls, Ronald Dworkin, Robert Nozick, Drucilla Cornell, and others).

*Last Updated Fall 2018

Juvenile Defender Clinic

Class Number: 4259; Catalog Number- LAW 699C.

Credits: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Waldman, Randee

Prerequisite: Evidence is a co-requisite. Criminal procedure and kids in conflict with the law, juvenile law or family law 2 are strongly encouraged, and priority will be given to those students who have taken these courses.

Grading Criteria: Grades are based upon demonstration of lawyering skills throughout the semester. Those skills include: Attorney-client relations, professional responsibility, oral and written advocacy, practice management, case analysis, and reflective skills development

Description: The Juvenile Defender Clinic (JDC) is an in-house legal clinic designed to provide students with an opportunity to provide holistic legal representation to children in delinquency and status offense proceedings. Student attorneys represent youthful clients in juvenile court and provide legal advocacy in special education proceedings, school suspension proceedings, and other forums according to the clients' needs, when such advocacy is derivative of a client's juvenile court case. Through the combination of client representation and class sessions, students will learn to integrate theory with practice in a context-based educational setting.

Attendance Policy: Students must be present for all office hours and the weekly clinic meetings.

*Last Updated Fall 2018

Labor Law

Class Number: 4324; Catalog Number- LAW 651.

Credits: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Wilson, Brent

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Attendance; Class Participation; & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: Focuses primarily on the National Labor Relations Act and Representation Case and Unfair Labor Practice Case Rules, Procedures and Case Decisions of the National Labor Relations Board(NLRB) and Federal Courts. Discussion of developments under the Trump NLRB and recent reversals and expected reversals of decisions of the Obama NLRB.  Historical matters regarding the Labor Movement in the U.S.  Coverage of additional matters such as union campaigns, collective bargaining negotiations, grievance, and arbitration procedures and a comparison of the National Labor Relations Act and the NLRB to the Railway Labor Act and the National Mediation Board.

Course Objectives JD Students: To provide a working understanding of U.S. Federal Labor Law applicable to private industry and labor unions to prepare you to advise, advocate for and represent clients in private practice as well as serve as legal counsel to labor unions, private industry and government with an emphasis on:

1. Knowing and Understanding substantive and procedural federal labor law;
2. Interpreting, applying and analyzing applicable case law;
3. Representing clients in administrative and judicial proceedings.

Course Objectives Juris Masters Students: To provide students with a foundation in U.S. Federal Labor Law to prepare them to serve in Human Resources, Union Business Agent and Labor Relations roles with an emphasis on :

1. Understanding the administrative and judicial processes;
2.  Understanding certain legal concepts in order to equip you to explain and describe to others;
3. Applying the foregoing to your professional role and your chosen profession/ industry.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Land Use

Class Number: 4407; Catalog Number- LAW 695.

Credits: 2 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Strum, Kasey

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Class Participation & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course will explore the legal principles underlying the public regulation of private land use, from traditional judicial doctrines, such as nuisance and eminent domain, through statutory comprehensive planning regimes and environmental laws. We will cover traditional zoning and planning issues, such as Euclidian zoning, nonconforming uses, variances, and special exceptions. The course will also introduce students to the content and controversies of land use and environmental laws.

Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend class and actively participate. Unexcused absences make it difficult for a student to participate in class and may be reflected in their participation grade.

*Last updated Fall 2019

Landlord-Tenant Mediation Practicum I

Class Number: 4486; Catalog Number- LAW 870K.

Credits: 3 hours per semester (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Powell, Bonnie

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Attendance and Participation

Enrollment: Application process submitted thru Symplicity. Note that this a year-long course, you will need to re-enroll in the Spring.

Description: I. Instructors Director/Adjunct Professor Bonnie Powell phone: 404.918.3581 (cell) email: bonnie@powellADR.com Assistant Directors Teresa DiPonzio Hank Kimmel phone: 678.437.2765 (cell) phone: 404.735.9132 (cell) email: tadiponzio@gmail.com email: hwkimmel@gmail.com

II. Clinic Hours and Training Class and mediation sessions will be on Tuesdays from 8:45 am - 4:00 pm or Thursdays from 8:45 am - 4:00 pm in the Fulton County Justice Center Tower, 185 Central Avenue, Courtroom 1B.

Students will coordinate with Bonnie Powell during registration to select a clinic day. Additional clinic hours will be available throughout the year at the DeKalb County Magistrate Court. All students who receive and accept an offer to participate in the clinic must complete a criminal background check application within 30 days of accepting the offer. Students must pass the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution criminal background check to participate in the clinic. There will be mandatory mediation training in August. Training dates will be emailed to all clinic participants in April, and training logistics will be finalized in July. All students will receive a certificate of attendance upon completing the 28-hour general civil mediation training. Attendance is required for each day of training. If you are unable to complete training, please do not interview for or accept an offer from this clinic.

Your training, as well as your background check and registration with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution, will be paid for by the Fulton County ADR Board and will be active for a period of 15 months.

III. Course Philosophy and Goals This course focuses on the process by which mediators assist others in resolving disputes. The clinic is designed to give students a thorough understanding of the mediation process and practical mediation experience. You will study the theory, strategy, skills, and public policy issues involved in the mediation of disputes, and you will put your skills to work by mediating real cases in the Fulton County State/Magistrate Dispossessory Court. By the end of the year, you should be able to: -Know the differences between arbitration and mediation; -Define terms, concepts, and core values key to mediation; -Effectively mediate non-complex issues; -Listen, question, problem solve, negotiate and use professional judgment; -Work well with parties, understand parties' interests, and help parties generate creative solutions for resolving legal problems; -Understand the limits of your skills and the limits of the mediation process, and appreciate the advantages and disadvantages to mediation and to litigation as dispute resolution mechanisms. -Be more thoughtful about your professional work and your own approaches to dispute resolution, both as advocates and as mediators.

IV. Course Materials For mediation training purposes and future reference material, the following book will be provided for your use throughout the school year. The Art of Mediation by Mark D. Bennett, Scott Hughes and Michelle Hermann (2nd ed., NITA 2010). You will also receive an electronic copy of a landlord-tenant outline by Dennis Goldstein and David Webster. You will need to have access to this outline during the majority of the lectures in the fall. Recommended Reading: Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, by Roger Fisher, Bill Ury and Bruce Patton (2nd ed., Penguin 1991). This book is available in libraries, bookstores and online.

Attendance Policy: V. Attendance, Punctuality, and Dress Code Attendance are required. However, I understand conflicts arise. If you must miss class, you must send me an email prior to the day you plan to miss. If an emergency arises the day of class, you must call or text me. Please do not send an email message if you are canceling the day of class. Often I am unable to check email until late in the day and by then it will be too late to find a replacement for you if needed. Punctuality is essential. You are expected to arrive on time to prepare for the session's caseload. Traffic and/or parking issues are not acceptable excuses for tardiness. Consider both to be ongoing factors when traveling to the courthouse and include them in your travel time. Each student must complete a daily timesheet. The timesheets will be checked twice a month to make sure you are on track to meet your requirement of 150 hours per semester. No student shall be permitted to end the semester early regardless of the number of hours worked. All students are required to be in business attire.

VI. Conflicts of Interest If you have previously worked with an organization that represents landlords or tenants, please inform me at the beginning of the semester. You should not mediate cases where there is a conflict of interest. VII. Fieldwork Experience This clinic will require you to work with parties who have already filed an action in Dispossessory Court. Our goal is to mediate cases and provide an opportunity for parties to reach a resolution before proceeding on to litigation. In Week 1, you will observe experienced mediators. In Week 2, you will co-mediate with experienced mediators. In Week 3, you will begin mediating cases on your own. You can expect to mediate between 2-10 cases per day.

VIII. Grading Policy This course is ungraded: the two possible grades are "Credit" and "No Credit." If you complete the course requirements, you will receive a grade of "Credit."

IX. Class Presentations In the spring semester, you will be required to present on a topic related to either Alternative Dispute Resolution or Landlord/Tenant law. The topic will be one of your choosing subject to my approval. You may present individually or as a group. You will receive credit of up to three hours for research and preparation. Individual presentations should be 20-30 minutes in length. Group presentations should be 45-60 minutes in length. You are free to organize your presentation however you like and you are free to choose whether to use powerpoint (or an equivalent) to aid in your presentation. Presentation Dates: mid-January-March.

X. Confidentiality An essential aspect of your learning experience relies heavily on our Mediation Case Rounds discussions and our ability to discuss sensitive issues that arise in mediation. During this time, we will discuss specific issues you encounter. Beyond our class Mediation Case Rounds, you must abide by the Georgia ADR rules on confidentiality. We will have a lengthy discussion on confidentiality during training.

XI. Feedback and Observation Each student will be observed at least twice in the first semester and once in the second semester. The first observation will occur when you begin mediating on your own and will focus primarily on your ability to deliver an opening statement with all the necessary elements and transition from opening statements to discussion. The second observation will be toward the end of the semester and will focus on your mediation style and the use of various mediation tools, including the use of caucus.

XII. Journaling You will be required to submit five journal entries. The journal entries should be at least two, but not more than three, pages. Double space, please. No bullet points or incomplete sentences. Due dates will be given during the year. Below are suggested topics for your journal entries. You may deviate from the suggestions below. Topics must be pre-approved by the instructor. Journal 1: During training, what did you learn about mediation that surprised you the most and why? What were your expectations, if any, before training? Journal 2: Describe a situation during one of your sessions when you faced an ethical dilemma. If you haven't encountered an ethical dilemma, comment about an ethical dilemma discussed during one of the case studies. Journal 3: Reflect back to the beginning of the semester. What did this experience teach you about your own skills or challenges with conflict as a mediator? Journal 4: After a semester of mediating, have you changed the way you communicate or negotiate? Provide an example and the results of the change in behavior. Journal 5: When you find yourself at an impasse, what works for you in terms of generating movement? What you learn and the experience you have in this clinic in large part depends on your effort. You will get out of it what you put into it. Every mediation session is an opportunity to improve your skills and enhance your experience. 

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Law and Religion: Theories, Methods, and Approaches

Class Number: 4357; Catalog Number- LAW 708.     

Credits: 3 hours (Course is cross-listed w/ Candler School of Theology as ES 680) 

Instructor(s): Prof. Pill, Shlomo

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Paper

Enrollment: 8 slots are reserved for Journal of Law and Religion students, and 5 slots are reserved for JD students and 3 seats are reserved for students cross-registered from Candler School of Theology.

Description: Interdisciplinary scholarship is often lauded for challenging assumptions, contributing new perspectives, and leading to groundbreaking new insights that would not be possible without crossing disciplinary borders. While there are certainly benefits to interdisciplinary scholarship, such approaches also pose a unique set of challenges. The success of interdisciplinary scholarship depends on the scholar's ability to communicate to audiences who often use different nomenclature, evidence, and analytical methods. A failure to appreciate these challenges can lead to attempts at interdisciplinary scholarship that are reductive, one-sided, vague, or confused.

In this course, students will survey the interdisciplinary field of law and religion. The course will begin by discussing the nature of the field known as law and religion. What areas of inquiry constitute this field? What do we mean when we talk about "law" and "religion"? The course will then cover different substantive areas and methodological approaches by reading, analyzing, and critiquing examples of law and religion scholarship from leading scholars. Students will be asked to think about the choices that scholars make: What is the relationship between law and religion in this example of scholarship? What does the scholar draw on as evidence for her argument? How does the scholar construct his argument? How does the scholar think about law? How does the scholar think about religion? These and other questions will help students understand how different approaches function; what they can achieve; what they cannot achieve; and why a scholar would choose a certain approach. This course is recommended for students in advance of a significant writing project in law and religion, including a journal comment, major seminar paper, or thesis.

Attendance Policy: Regular class attendance is expected. A student may be absent from one class period without penalty. Further unexcused absences will reduce the student's class participation grade by 1/3 of a letter grade per absence. Further excused absences are given only in extenuating circumstances and following consultation with the Law School's Assistant Dean for Academic Engagement and Success or the equivalent administrator at other academic units. Students should plan their absence accordingly. Chronic tardiness will also impact the student's class participation grade.

The course will meet once a week for a three-hour block.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Law, Sustainability, and Development

Class Number: 4385; Catalog Number- LAW 628B.

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor: Prof. Samandari, Atieno 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Attendance, Participation, Reflections, Group Project, & Take-home Final Exam.

Description: This course examines the role of law and the legal system in economic and social development, with a focus on emerging markets and developing countries. It will explore how law, in its various forms, may bring about or impede development, however, defined, and how development may affect or change the legal system of the country concerned. International organizations, foreign aid agencies, and local and international nongovernmental organizations have become extraordinarily active in this field, spending hundreds of millions of dollars every year. The conceptions of development that underlie those efforts are diverse development may be seen as growth or improvement in, among other things, income, education, health, and human rights.

We will take a similarly expansive view of "law," recognizing that in many contexts it blurs into politics, governance, and social custom. The course will seek to challenge conventional approaches to law and development and enhance the appreciation of the point of view of developing countries and marginalized communities regarding development. The course will begin by interrogating the concept of `development' and some of the problems that it encompasses. We will then explore the role of law and how/whether it may be used as an effective instrument for developing and implementing solutions to development problems. The course will cover a broad (but by no means exhaustive) set of issues in law and development and will take a critical perspective and include growing awareness of the importance of sustainability in development.

Attendance Policy: Attendance, conscientious preparation for, and participation in all classes are expected from each student. Any class absence must be communicated to the professor in a timely manner.

There is no standard text, readings will be assigned each week and students are to read the relevant material in advance of each class. Participation in class discussion and short essays: 20% Each student will select 4 topics from the syllabus early in the semester and prepare 2 pages of reflections, questions, criticisms, or comments on the readings assigned for those topics. Reflections are to be submitted by email to the Professor by 6pm on the Friday preceding the class in which they will be discussed. The comments will be anonymously distributed to all students prior to the relevant class. Group presentations: 30% Students will make group presentations on one development topic of the group¿s choice (e.g. health, environment, gender, FDI, international aid, sustainability etc.) highlighting the role of law in that issue. Each group presentation will last approximately 15 minutes with 10 additional minutes to respond to questions from the class (Total presentation time per group including questions and answers will be 25 minutes). Final Exam: 50% Completion of the seminar requires timely submission of a final take-home exam.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Legal Profession

Catalog Number- LAW 747, 02A/02B.

2 Sections:

(02A) Class Number: 4316 (Elliott) 

(02B) Class Number: 4467 (Romig) 

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Elliott, James & Prof. Romig, Jennifer

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, Team Projects, & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: Study of the rules (primarily the ABA's Model Rules of Professional Conduct) and deeper principles that govern the legal profession, including the nature and content of the attorney-client relationship, conflicts of interest, appropriate advocacy, client identity in business contexts, ethics in negotiation, and issues of professionalism. Attendance is considered in the final grade.

*Last Updated Fall 2018

Mental Health Issues in the Criminal Justice System

Class Number: 4349; Catalog Number- LAW 622D.

Credits: 2 hours 

Instructor(s): Prof. Deets, Annie

Prerequisite: Criminal Law & Constitutional Law

Grading Criteria: 75%- Final Paper (10-15 Page Policy Paper); 10%- 5 Page Reflective Paper on Crazy; 15%- Oral Presentations/Class Participation. 

Description: Mentally disabled individuals often find themselves entangled in the criminal justice system due to a lack of resources and support in the community. Our jails and prisons have become warehouses for those suffering from mental disability. It has been estimated that over half of those individuals in our jails and prisons suffer from some kind of mental disability.

This course is designed to provide law students with a working knowledge of the major areas of mental health in the context of the criminal justice system. This course will explore the impact and interaction of mental disability and criminal law. Topics will include: mental illnesses: comparison and contrasts between clinical and legal definitions; functional implications of mental disorders; criminal forensic evaluations; competence to stand trial; insanity and related defenses; disposition of those adjudicated incompetent or not guilty by reason of insanity; competence to be executed; involuntary hospitalization; involuntary treatment; right to treatment; right to refuse treatment; ethical considerations in representing this population; rights of criminally and civilly committed persons; and diversion treatment courts.

This course is intended to be interactive and while the core of the course is pre-determined, some of the content will be adapted to address interests and needs of students. The structure of most sessions will begin with case presentations highlighting the day's topic, followed by a didactic portion from the instructor, ending with an interactive discussion between class members and invited panelists. The class will also observe mental health issues in the criminal justice system first hand by visiting local jails, prisons, state mental hospitals, and courts.

Grades will be based on class participation, a 3-5 page paper, a group presentation, and a 15-20 page policy paper objectively weighing and assessing the tensions between individual rights and community public safety concerns and to conclude with reform proposals consistent with established legal principles directed at reconciling the tensions. The subject of the paper shall be focused on one of three areas examined by the course. 1) Examining the Mental Health Care in the Jail, Prison, and Mental Health Hospitals 2) Competency, Insanity and Mens Rea Reexamined 3) Traditional Punishment and Diversion Treatment Alternatives to Punishment - Social Morality, Public Safety, and Recidivism Examined Proposed texts: Crazy: A Father's Search Through American's Mental Health Madness-Pete Earley Videos: Frontline (PBS), The New Asylums; and The Released.

Attendance Policy: Attendance is required and excessive unexcused absences will impact your grade.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Class Number: 5232; Catalog Number- LAW 652, 10A.

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Blank, Laurie 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course surveys the framework of domestic and international laws that authorize and restrain the pursuit of the U.S. government's national security policies. Central issues include the sources, foundation and structure of national security law; the participants in the national security system, their constitutional roles, and the nature of power-sharing among branches of government; and the law applicable to specific national security issues such as the use of military force, the activities of the intelligence community, and counter-terrorism activities.

*Last Updated Spring 2018

Class Number: 5233; Catalog Number- LAW 657B, 001.

Credit: 1 Hour (Accelerated & Experiential Learning Approved Course)

Instructor(s): Prof. Glon, Christina 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, and Final Project. 

Description: National Security Law Research will offer an introduction to a few of the many statutes, agencies, and regulations that operate to secure and protect our homeland. Using statutes such as the Homeland Security Act or the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, this class will examine how statutes and regulations work together to detect and prevent threats to the United States through agencies such as the CIA, the DOJ, the Treasury, and the DHS. Research exercises will be designed to help cultivate a thorough understanding of the interplay between statutes and regulations as well as allow students to develop appropriate research strategies for a variety of homeland security issues. National Security Law Research will be a 1-credit, graded course, meeting once a week for a two-hour time period using the accelerated class model.

Attendance Policy: Because student participation and hands-on practice are essential for the learning experience in this course, attendance at each class session is mandatory. Failure to attend will affect the course grade. 

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Negotiations 

Catalog Number- LAW 656, 06A/06B/06C

3 Sections:

(06A) Class Number: 4894 (Athans- Experiential Learning Approved)

(06B) Class Number: 4895 (Perry)

(06C) Class Number: 5014 (Perry)

Credits: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Athans, Michael; and Prof. (Lytle) Perry, Courtney

Prerequisite: None

Note: THIS COURSE IS NOT OPEN TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE TAKEN ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION OR BUSINESS SCHOOL NEGOTIATIONS!

Athans Grading Criteria: Attendance, Participation, Coursework, Journals, & Final Paper. No Exam

Athans Description: The Negotiations course is a skills training class to address negotiation theory and practice. The students participate in simulations every week after the first, and attendance is required, with one absence permitted without impacting the final grade. There are written submissions in the form of 2-page journals for each class and a final paper in the 10-12 page range.

There is a different topic every week, and students will try to implement the information learned that week to build on their negotiation and problem-solving strategy skills.

Perry GradingCriteria: Ask Professor

Perry Description: Ask Professor

*Last Updated Fall 2018

Patent Law

Class Number: 4360; Catalog Number- LAW 754, 001.

Credits: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Holbrook, Tim

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam & Class participation

Description: This course begins with a discussion of the theoretical justifications for patents. It then explains the nature of the patent document itself. Next, the course explores the core patentability requirements of patentable subject matter, utility, novelty, non-obviousness, and adequate disclosure. Included in this coverage are the new provisions under the America Invents Act. The course then shifts from validity to infringement, covering claim construction, infringement, limits on patent scope, and defenses. The course concludes with a discussion of remedies and an overview of post-issuance administrative proceedings at the USPTO

Attendance Policy: Class attendance and participation are vital to success in this class. Students will be required to sign a roster at the beginning or end of each class. If a student forgets to sign the roster, the student may email the professor on the same day of the class, explaining the failure to sign in. At the professor's discretion, he will add the student to the roster. If a student fails to sign in for 10 or more classes, the student's grade will be dropped a partial letter grade (e.g. from an A- to a B+). Class participation, both quantity, and quality, will be a factor in determining the final grade. Students can be moved up one partial letter grade if their participation is outstanding (i.e. from an A- to an A). If a student is chronically unprepared or absent, he or she can be knocked down a partial letter grade (from B- to C+, for example). This is in addition to any penalty for missing ten or more classes. So a student could be dropped two partial grades (e.g. from B+ to B-). Students are expected to be prepared on the days they are up, or to have found a substitute for that day.

For the purposes of class preparation, the class will be divided into three groups alphabetically. Thus, an individual student will be potentially called on once every three class sessions. Voluntary participation is, of course, welcomed and students receive full credit for voluntary contributions. If a student is not prepared on a day that his group is up, or if a student is going to be absent, then that student may swap responsibility for that day with another student before the class.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Pretrial Litigation

Class Number: 4257; Catalog Number- LAW 755, 06A.

Credits: 4 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Profs. Geary, Don; Bessen, Diane; & Hydrick, Stacey.

Prerequisite: Primarily for 3L students who are interested in civil litigation. Students must have already taken Trial Techniques class. 2L students must get permission from Lead Adjunct to take this class.

Grading Criteria: Coursework, Participation, Attendance & Oral Argument.

Enrollment: See Prereqs.

Description: This is a civil case litigation skills/simulation course. There are no exams but there are approximately six (6) written assignments along with preparation for two (2) oral arguments. Students will work as two-person teams to draft pleadings, written discovery, and conduct evidentiary and motions hearings.

Attendance Policy: Attendance is required although excused absences are permitted so long as the Adjuncts have been notified prior to the absence.

The class is meant to expose 3L students to actual, practical skills utilized by civil trial litigators. There will also be approximately six (6) guest speakers throughout the semester to discuss and introduce certain topics, as well as a final class of first and second-year associates who previously took this class, who are now practicing attorneys.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Real Estate Finance

Class Number: 4376; Catalog Number- LAW 616, 12A.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Hughes, Jr., James 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course first examines in detail the elements of basic real estate conveyances including the sales contract, instruments of conveyance and title assurance (recording acts, title insurance, warranties). The second half of the course is devoted to alternative methods of financing a real estate acquisition including various mortgage instruments, transfers of mortgaged property, and foreclosure questions.

*Last updated Fall 2017

Religion, Culture, and Law in Comparative Practice

Class Number: 5238; Catalog Number- Law 711

Credit: 2 hours

Instructor: Prof. Ludsin, Hallie

Prerequisites: None

Grading: Take-home exam and short weekly assignments

Description: Debates rage worldwide over what role religion and culture should play in law and governance and whether granting them a role conflicts with democratic principles. Increasingly, religious and ethnic groups are demanding that religious and cultural practices form the basis of the legal system or, at the very least, a separate legal system governing only their members. Western policymakers are finding it difficult to respond to these claims. While they see them as possibly antithetical to the principles of tolerance and equality built into liberal democratic theory, there is something uncomfortable about rejecting these demands when they come from a majority of a population or from a minority group that has suffered severe discrimination. This course will explore the issues that arise in the debates about the appropriate role for religion and culture in democratic governance. It will examine different models for incorporating religion and culture into law as well as at models that wholly reject this incorporation using case studies from the US, Europe, Asia, and Africa

*Last Updated Spring 2016

Remedies

Class Number: 5235; Catalog Number- LAW 741, 00D

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Partlett, David

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Description: Rights in tort, contract, and constitutional law are enforced in court. Whether the remedies that enforce rights are part of the substantive right or supplementary to it, remedies are theoretical and practically essential in understanding, and being fully equipped to practice in, both private and public law. This course will cover legal and equitable remedies. Restitution and monetary damages (including the "rightful position" principle, consequential damages, and damages for dignitary and constitutional harms) form the core, while injunctions "preventive, reparative, and structural" supplement remedies with which students will be familiar from courses in torts, contracts, property, and constitutional law. Other topics will include declarative judgments, contempt, and attorneys' fees, which are necessary to understanding the power of the courts to deliver justice. Reference will be made to the scope of self-help and apology, and similar non-monetary relief.

*Last Updated Spring 2015

Securities Enforcement: Procedures & Issues

Class Number: 4409; Catalog Number- Law 667A.

Credits: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Jospin, Walter & Prof. Lipson, Aaron.

Prerequisite: LAW500 (Business Associations); or LAW667 (Securities Regulation); or LAW673 (Securities: Brokers/Dealers); or LAW683 (White Collar Crime); or LAW875 (Advanced Issues in White Collar Crime).

Grading Criteria: Class Participation and Take-Home Final Exam

Enrollment: Limited to 10 Students!

Description: This course will examine the enforcement of the federal securities laws from the perspectives of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") staff, the Department of Justice, and defense counsel. An important focus of the course will be discussing the relevant statutes, regulations, case law, and other legal principles, and applying them to practical situations that arise in securities enforcement investigations. The required weekly reading will consist of securities enforcement cases, statutes, regulations, and other relevant documents. Given the highly evolving subject matter, many classes will include a short discussion of recent developments. As events occur during the semester, we may supplement or replace the reading materials for additional materials. We also will invite guest instructors with relevant government and private practice experience to address specific topics. Additionally, at points throughout the semester, we will have "practical" classes that will involve workshops in which students will be expected to demonstrate their understanding of the course material in simulated real-world settings.

Attendance Policy: As class will meet only once per week, absent exceptional circumstances, students may miss no more than two classes during the semester. Additionally, attendance at the first class is mandatory.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Sentencing Practice

Class Number: 4410; Catalog Number- LAW 725A.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Marbutt, Jason

Prerequisite: Criminal Procedure

Enrollment: Limited to 14 Students!

Grading Criteria: Participation, Mock Sentencing Hearings, & Scheduled Final Exam.

Description: The vast majority of cases do not end in a trial; they end by plea. The vast majority of trials do not end in acquittals; they end in convictions. What happens next? The purpose of this class is to examine the sentencing process. The class will be 80% experiential learning, and 20% legal knowledge. We will discuss the basic legal framework for a sentencing hearing, and we will engage in a series of mock-sentencing hearings. The fact patterns are based on real-world cases that are challenging- ethically, legally, morally, and emotionally. Students will take on the role of prosecution or defense (and witnesses as needed). They will present their case to a Judge, including questioning witnesses and arguing for an appropriate sentence.

We will have guest speakers to help guide us through the issues of the case, and we will have class discussions about, "What's it worth?" The guest speakers will be professionals who dealt with the real-world case that our fact patterns are based on. The ultimate goal is for each student to have a better understanding of the factors that influence sentencing while gaining skill in articulating those factors to others.

Attendance Policy: Attendance is required and part of our grade.

*Last updated Fall 2019

Sentencing: Past, Present, & Future

Class Number: 5325; Catalog Number- LAW 725B.

Credits: 1 hour (Accelerated Course)

Instructor(s): Prof. Wood, Lisa

Prerequisite: Criminal Law

Grading Criteria: Class participation (1/2); Reflective journal (1/2); pass/fail course

Enrollment: Please send a letter of interest and resume to the email address- lori_phillips@gas.uscourts.gov 

Description: The Sentencing Workshop explores theories of punishment, the Constitutional and policy restraints on sentencing schemes, the current practice of sentencing in various states and in the federal government, and the possibilities of reform. 

Note: Accelerated Course meets T/Th/F for two hours (September 9-20)

Attendance policy: Must attend all classes.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Note: OPEN TO TI:GER STUDENTS ONLY. PROFESSOR PERMISSION REQUIRED.

Class Number: 4266; Catalog Number- LAW 891, 04A.

Credits: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Morris, Nicole

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, Attendance, & Paper

Description: Special Topics in Technology Commercialization I is a capstone course designed to acquaint students with many of the legal issues associated with starting a new business enterprise. The course objective is to give students an introduction to the legal problems they are likely to encounter in an entrepreneurial setting either as lawyers for the enterprise or as owners of an equity position in the enterprise. Students will learn current case law that highlights the legal principles involving parties and situations facing startups. These include choice of entity, financing arrangements, selection of a company name and trademark, protecting the intellectual property of the new company, supply chain management, business operational agreements.

Attendance Policy: Expectations and Class Participation Class attendance and participation are vital to success in this class. Participation, both quantity, and quality will be a factor in determining the final grade. Students can be moved up one partial letter grade if their participation is outstanding (i.e. from an A- to an A). If a student is chronically unprepared or absent, he or she can be knocked down a partial letter grade (from B+ to B, for example). Voluntary participation is, of course, welcomed and students receive full credit for voluntary contributions.

Grading 70% of the final grade will be based on a 15-20 page paper (double space, 12 pt. Times New Roman font) discussing any legal issue related to technology innovation. 25% of the final grade will be a 5-10 page draft of your innovation paper. Substantive feedback and comments will be provided on the topic and the draft paper so that the student is adequately prepared to complete the final paper.  

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Trademark Law

Class Number: 4363; Catalog Number- LAW 719, 001.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Bagley, Margo

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course examines the law governing trademarks and other means of identifying products and services in the minds of consumers. Instruction primarily will focus on the federal statute governing trademarks and unfair competition, the Lanham Trademark Act of 1946, but students will learn about state laws and state law doctrines in the field as well. Topics include the protectability of marks, including words, symbols, and 'trade dress'; federal registration of marks; causes of action for infringement, dilution, and 'cybersquatting'; and defenses, including parodies protected by the First Amendment.

Attendance: Class attendance and preparation are both mandatory, and I reserve the right to take attendance, as well as the quality of classroom participation, into account in assigning final grades for the semester. Any student missing more than four (4) regularly scheduled class sessions, without a compelling justification for being absent (such as being sick or having an interview) is subject to being dropped from the course.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Trial Practice Advocacy

Catalog Number- LAW 671A

2 Sections:

Class Number: 4468 

Class Number: 4413 (Accelerated Course- Mock Trial Section)

Credits: 2 hours (Experiential Learning Approved) 

Instructor(s)- Non-Mock Section: Prof. Norman, Justin; PD Liz Markowitz; ADA Gardner, Lindsay; & ADA Hylton, Simone

Instructor(s)- Mock Section: Prof. Norman, Justin & Prof. Deets, Annie

Prerequisite: None, but Evidence recommended (concurrently ok).

Enrollment: Both sections are capped at 16 students, the mock trial section is only for incoming students accepted into the program. 

Grading Criteria: Attendance/Participation, Advocacy Experiences, Trial Notebook, & Final Trial Assignment 

Description: This course is meant to be a pre-cursor to Trial Techniques and is a more hands-on approach to concepts that will be discussed generally in Trial Techniques, for those who have already completed Trial Techniques, this course will focus more on various trial advocacy styles and techniques. 

The course will cover the following areas: housekeeping matters, motions in limine, opening statements, direct and cross-examinations, how to object & respond to objections, the introduction of evidence, impeachment, and closing arguments. 

You are presumed to have read each day's assignments & PPT slides before attending the lecture, but please note the readings are meant to supplement your understanding of the materials covered in class and the course will not be based on the textbook.

In this class, emphasis will be placed on the demonstration of techniques rather than substantive law. As is true for practicing trial attorneys, preparation and organization are the keys to success. Therefore, you will also be required to participate in advocacy experiences held at local courthouses.

There will be a final trial but your grade will also be dependent on your performance and participation throughout the semester as students will be expected to perform/act out each portion of a trial. 

Please note that for the final trial assignment: You are expected to be able to perform your opening statement and closing argument without reading them. In other words, NO NOTES. You will participate as an advocate, witness and possibly a juror. 

At the end of this course, you should be able to accomplish three objectives:

• Understand the purpose and techniques involved in all components of a civil and/or criminal trial as evidenced by successfully trying a case at the end of this course;
• Exhibit a working knowledge of the Federal Rules of Evidence by demonstrating, in class, the ability to correctly and timely make and defend evidentiary objections during an opening statement, direct examination, cross-examination or closing argument; and
• Reveal an understanding of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct by conducting all aspects of a trial in a respectful, ethical manner on both the plaintiff/prosecution side as well as the defense side of a case.

Attendance Policy: Attendance/Participation is critical for success in this course as it only meets once a week, students expecting to receive a passing grade may miss no more than 2 classes.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Trusts and Estates

Class Number: 4245; Catalog Number- LAW 674, 08A.

Credits: 4 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Pennell, Jeff

Prerequisite: Property

Grading Criteria: Midterm & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: Study of the law of intestate succession, limitations on testamentary powers, formalities necessary for executing or revoking wills and trusts, incorporation by reference and the doctrine of independent legal significance, problems of construction and interpretation of wills, trusts, and will substitutes, plus limited study of the use of future interests in trust and powers of appointment.

Regular attendance and satisfactory participation as "class expert" are essential to receiving a passing grade.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Turner Environmental Law Clinic

Class Number: 4268; Catalog Number- LAW 697C.

Credits: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Prof. Goldstein, Mindy

Prerequisite: Environmental Advocacy (concurrently ok)

Grading Criteria: Legal work & Participation

Enrollment: Email prof. for approval. More information can be found at www.law.emory.edu/turner 

Description: The Turner Environmental Law Clinic provides important pro bono legal representation to individuals, community groups, and nonprofit organizations that seek to protect and restore the natural environment for the benefit of the public. Through its work, the Clinic offers students an intense, hands-on introduction to environmental law and trains the next generation of environmental attorneys. Each year, the Turner Environmental Law Clinic provides over 4,000 hours of pro bono legal representation. The key matters occupying our current docket "fighting for clean and sustainable energy; promoting sustainable agriculture and urban farming; and protecting our water, natural resources, and coastal communities" are among the most critical issues for our city, state, region, and nation. The Clinic's students benefit and learn from immersion in these real-world complex environmental representations.

Attendance Policy: Students are required to work in the Clinic 150 hours/semester and attend a weekly Clinic meeting.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Veterans Benefits Law

Class Number: 4325; Catalog Number- LAW 685A.

Credits: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Early, Drew

Prerequisite: None, but Administrative Law is recommended

Grading Criteria: 25% class participation and 75% written exam. 

Description: This course introduces students to the body of administrative law and associated rules that govern the administration of veterans' benefits, both through the Department of Veterans Affairs and the relevant courts. It teaches the law and procedure applicable to claims by veterans and their families at all stages of the Veterans Affairs (VA) adjudication process: initial fact-finding by VA regional offices, appellate claims to the Board of Veterans Appeals, and appellate review by the United States Court of Veterans Claims.

In addition to instruction in relevant doctrine and policy exposure, students will engage in exercises directed to the basics of the disability rating process, to establishing the service connection to a disability, and to discharge review. Students will also be exposed to typical claims issues raised in veterans' cases handled by the Emory Law Volunteer Clinic for Veterans. Law students interested in administrative law, personal injury, and civil litigation will benefit from this course, as will students interested in public service, who will be better prepared to serve as pro bono counsel to veterans in the future.

This field will be one of growing importance, as the war in Afghanistan winds down and the military continues to shrink. Attendance is mandatory as there is a significant class participation component to grading, with one excused absence authorized. There is a written scheduled exam administered during the exam period.

Attendance Policy: As there is such a high-class participation component to the course, attendance is mandatory.

Textbook: Veterans Law Cases and Theory by Prof James Ridgway of GMU  (who is also the senior staff attorney at VA's Board of Veterans Appeals).  

*Last Updated Fall 2019

White Collar Crime

Class Number: 4414; Catalog Number- LAW 683.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Cloud, Morgan

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam 

Description: This course examines criminal liability for organizations, including corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships, and government offices. We will study how an organization's agents, including employees, officers, and directors, can incur personal criminal liability and create liability for the entity, as well. The crimes we will study include those at the center of many current legal and political controversies. These include perjury, obstruction of justice, false statements, mail and wire fraud, computer fraud, conspiracy, and racketeering. The course includes analysis of the responsibilities and potential liabilities of lawyers representing organizational clients.

Attendance policy: Attendance is required for all class sessions. I will take attendance at the start of each class session, using a signature roster. You must only sign your own name on the roster. It is a violation of the honor code to sign another student's name. During the semester, you are entitled to miss three (3) classes. You must send me an email (to morgan.cloud@emory.edu) stating that you will miss, or have missed a class, including the date of the class. If you miss more than three classes during the semester and the additional absences have not been specifically approved by the professor, your final grade will drop by 1/3 of a step (from an A- to a B+, for example).

*Last updated Fall 2019

Judicial Opinion Writing: Writing for the Judicial Chambers 

Class Number: 5237; Catalog Number- LAW 649

Credit: 2 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Parrish, Robert

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: 1. Bench memo 2. Final judicial opinion 3. Class participation

Description: This course will introduce you to the writing process that judges and law clerks use to complete their work. By the end of the course, you should feel comfortable researching, drafting, and revising appellate opinions and trial orders. You should also feel more confident about thinking through legal questions and articulating your reasoning out loud. We will examine the division of labor between judges and law clerks, as well as the different perspectives of judges and litigants in resolving legal disputes.

The course is designed for students who are considering clerkships, students leaning towards litigation, or students interested in the philosophical underpinnings of decision-making. Moreover, as part of the legal writing program here at Emory, the course will perfect your skills of analysis, research, and oral and written communication.

Attendance Policy: As the class meets only once per week, students are only permitted one unexcused absence for the semester. Any additional absences will result in a fixed percentage decrease in the student's final grade.

Please note that the final judicial opinion assignment will be derived largely from the bench memo assignment. Students are in reality completing one large writing project divided into two parts. We will also take a class day to visit the chambers of one of the local courts to get a first-hand perspective from the clerks and judge of their experiences and seek some advice for those wishing to join their ranks.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

Class Number: 5347; Catalog Number- LAW 869, 001.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Vertinsky, Liza

Preselection: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-fall-2019-seminar-preselection/ 

Prerequisite: None, but recommended for ECGAR students.

Grading Criteria: Participation, presentation, & Paper 

Enrollment: Limited to those preselected initially, any remaining students will be made available during Open Enrollment.

Description: This seminar will examine the relationships between corporations and their employees, their customers, their local communities, and the environment. It will cover a variety of contemporary topics in corporate governance and accountability that may include trends in regulatory strategies, executive compensation, board structures, the corporate social responsibility movement, corporate sustainability, shareholder activism and the use of alternative business models such as benefit corporations.

Attendance policy: Attendance and preparation for class are required and your grade will reflect both. If you have to miss a class you must inform your professor in writing before the class you will miss. In the absence of special circumstances approved by the professor, you may not miss more than two classes during the semester.  

*Last Updated Fall 2019

SEMINAR: Critical Race Theory

Class Number: 5236; Catalog Number- LAW 811

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Brown, Dorothy

Grading Criteria: Paper, participation, Attendance; weekly 1-2 page papers on reading assignments.

Prerequisite: Completion of 1st Year of law school

Preselection: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-fall-2019-seminar-preselection/   

Enrollment: Limited to 15 Students, Class will not be open during Open Enrolment, must obtain Prof. permission to be enrolled.

Description: Critical Race Theory centers race and racism at the center of American law. This class will examine racial biases in judicial decisions, particularly those covered in the first year of law school: Torts; Contracts; Criminal Procedure; Criminal Law; Property; and Civil Procedure.

Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend every class given that it meets only once per week.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

SEMINAR: 867. Global Histories of Sovereignty 

Class Number: 5323; Catalog Number- LAW 867.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Ruskola, Teemu

Preselection: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-fall-2019-seminar-preselection/ 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation & Research Paper

Enrollment: Limited to those preselected, Class will not be open during Open Enrolment, must obtain Prof. permission to be enrolled.

Description: This seminar explores international law and theories of sovereignty through a comparative and historical lens, examining them from multiple perspectives beyond the North Atlantic world. We will read and discuss books and articles from several disciplines on distinctive conceptions of sovereignty in different places at different times, and we will investigate their implications for international law today. Students will read, discuss, and write short reflection papers on course readings. In addition, each student will write a research paper on a topic chosen together with the instructor.

Attendance Policy: Mandatory attendance.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

SEMINAR: Implementation of U.S. Law in International Law 

Class Number: 4322; Catalog Number- LAW 817.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Van der Vyver, Johan

Preselection: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-fall-2019-seminar-preselection/ 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Paper

Enrollment: Class is available during Open Enrollment until capacity is met.

Description: An overview of American foreign policy, highlighting among other things what has come to be known as American exceptionalism and contrasting that with the post-World-War I American policy of isolationism, the promotion of American interests in international law, and a shift in American foreign policy brought about by the Obama administration; The prosecution of offenses against the law of nations in the United States, with special emphasis on Article VI, Clause [2], and Article 1, Section (8), Clause [10], of the Constitution, and with special reference to the prosecution of torture and genocide in the United States; Non-ratification by the United States of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, with special emphasis on the influence of religious groups that oppose the ratification on biblical grounds, and the role of federalism (the rights of the child are almost exclusively within the jurisdiction of states) that may preclude the federal authorities from ratifying the Convention; The United States and the jurisprudence of international tribunals, with special emphasis on reluctance of the United States to submit itself to the jurisdiction of such tribunals, the Nicaragua Case in which the International Court of Justice in the 1980s condemned the United States for its assistance to the Contras, and the fairly recent judgment of the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Medelln v. Texas, as well as decisions of the American Commission on Human Rights relating to non-compliance by the United States with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (by not always informing an alien detainee of his or her right to consular assistance); The International Criminal Court (ICC), with special emphasis on the positive role played by the United States in the drafting of the ICC Statute, hostility of the Bush administration toward the ICC, and re-engagement by the Obama administration with the ICC in 2009 to become a cooperating non-party State; and how this is to be reconciled with the American Servicemembers Protection Act, which in essence prohibits the United States from cooperating in any way with the ICC.

Military Interventions by the United States, with special reference to provisions in the U.N. Charter that instruct Member States not to settle their international disputed through the taking up of arms, questions as to legality under the norms of international humanitarian law of anticipatory self-defense, humanitarian interventions, and wars of liberation, the Reagan Doctrine, and the recent armed interventions in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

*Last updated Fall 2019

SEMINAR: International Environmental Law & Vulnerability

Class Number: 5876; Catalog Number- LAW 843.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Samandari, Atieno

Preselection: 

Prerequisite: None, however, a background in Int'l Law will be helpful

Grading Criteria: 30-page Seminar Paper

Enrollment: Class is available during Open Enrollment until capacity is met.

Description: This seminar will examine the development of international environmental law, focusing on the major areas of global environmental protection including climate change and biodiversity loss. The course will unpack principles underlying the regime, including, the “polluter pays” principle, precaution, sustainable development, vulnerability, and others. We will delve into new developments in climate change law around the world. We will also learn about the growing movement towards granting legal person-hood to nature. The goal is to understand the current trajectory of international environmental law and the need for global environmental cooperation to expand in a socially just manner.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

SEMINAR: International and Comparative Patent Law 

Class Number: 4487; Catalog Number- LAW 816.

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Bagley, Margo

Preselection: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-fall-2019-seminar-preselection/ 

Prerequisite: IP Survey, or Patent Law, concurrent enrollment is permissible. Relevant patent experience may be deemed a substitute with permission from Professor Bagley

Grading Criteria: Participation, Coursework, & Final Paper

Enrollment: After preselection, any remaining seats will be made available during Open Enrollment.

Description: This course will provide an introduction to key aspects of U.S., international, and comparative patent law and the myriad policies at play in ongoing global patent harmonization conflicts. The value of patents is increasing in many areas while at the same time the scope of patent-eligible subject matter is in flux. We will explore the impact of these forces in the creation and implementation of international agreements concerning patents, such as the Paris Convention, Patent Cooperation Treaty, the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property, and various bilateral agreements. 
Against the backdrop of the U.S patent system, we also will consider the importance of regional patent systems such as the European Patent Convention, as well as features of other major patent players such as India, Japan, and China, and emerging issues on the continent of Africa. A discussion of current issues such as access to medicines, protection of traditional knowledge, multinational patent litigation, and the patenting of controversial inventions will be an integral part of the course.

Attendance: Class attendance and preparation are both mandatory, and I reserve the right to take attendance, as well as the quality of classroom participation, into account in assigning final grades for the semester. This course is a seminar which only meets once per week; thus any student missing more than two (2) regularly scheduled class sessions, without a compelling justification for being absent (such as being sick or having an interview) is subject to being dropped from the course.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

SEMINAR: Law & Literature 

Class Number: 4417; Catalog Number- LAW 804, 02A.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Duncan, Martha Grace

Preselection: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-fall-2019-seminar-preselection/ 

Prerequisite: None

Enrollment: Limited to 15 students, any remaining will be made available during Open Enrollment!

Grading Criteria: Attendance, Participation, and a Research Paper

Description: This seminar will examine the portrayal of law, crime, and punishment in novels and plays. Among other works, the class will read and discuss Agamemnon, by Aeschylus; The Crucible, by Arthur Miller; Chronicle of a Death Foretold (by Gabriel Garcia Marquez); Fuenteovejuna (a Golden-Age Spanish play by Lope de Vega); The Stranger, by Camus; and Crime and Punishment, by Dostoevsky.

Attendance Policy: Since this class meets only once a week, students are expected to attend every class.

*Last updated Fall 2019

SEMINAR: 868. Law, Rights, & the Information Civilization

Class Number: 5324; Catalog Number- LAW 868.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Cloud, Albert

Preselection: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-fall-2019-seminar-preselection/ 

Prerequisites: None

Grading Criteria: Class Participation and Written Paper

Enrollment: Limited to those pre-selected, remaining seats will NOT be made available during Open Enrollment.

Description: The seminar will examine the fundamental and unpredictable twenty-first-century upheaval in human society¿including politics, economics, communications, education, social media, commerce, human relationships, and of course, law and the nature of rights¿through which we are living. Class discussions will be organized around a new and celebrated book: SHOSHANA ZUBOFF, THE AGE OF SURVEILLANCE CAPITALIZM: THE FIGHT FOR A HUMAN FUTURE AT THE NEW FRONTIER OF POWER (2019). The book is available for purchase in hardcover (ISBN No. 978-1-61039-569-4) and ebook (ISBN No. 978-1-61039-570-0) formats.

The first part of the semester will be devoted to discussions of issues raised in Zuboff's book, the second part will be devoted to discussions of student papers. Class will meet once a week for two hours. Students will have great latitude in selecting the topics for their papers. Each student's grade will be based upon both class participation and the written paper.

Attendance Policy: Consistent with ABA and Emory School of Law rules, students are required to attend all scheduled class meetings. This rule is particularly important because the course meets only once a week and emphasizes class discussion by students. Therefore, any absence must be approved by Professor Cloud. Grades will be reduced for students who have unexcused absences. 

*Last Updated Fall 2019

SEMINAR: Law & Work in Historical Perspective

Class Number: 5346; Catalog Number- LAW 866, 001.

Credits: 3 hours (Cross-listed with HIST 585)

Instructor(s): Prof. Dinner, Deborah

Preselection: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-fall-2019-seminar-preselection/ 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation, Reflection Papers & Final Paper

Enrollment: Limited to those pre-selected, no Open Enrollment seats for this course.

Description: This seminar will examine law and work in the United States from a historical perspective. The purpose of the seminar will be to gain a historical understanding of how and why common law, statutory law, and constitutional law evolved to regulate the workplace, the relationship between employers and employees, and worker organizing. We will study forms of labor subject to the law as well as labor that takes place beyond the reach of the law. This will enable us to examine how the law has alternatively enhanced and diminished workers' power. The course will engage students in historical methodologies with particular attention to historical causation, contingency, and the relationship between law and society.

We will cover five major topics. We will begin in the early nineteenth century with the common law of master-servant relations and analyze how common law principles continue to shape the legal relationship between employer and employee. Next, we will examine how workers and their advocates responded to the risks employees faced following the advent of industrial capitalism, examining social insurance and its alternatives. Proceeding from the late-nineteenth century through the New Deal period, we will analyze the emergence of law regulating the collective bargaining process and the legal evolution of unions. Fourth, we will study the relationship between immigration and the labor system across the twentieth century. Last, we will examine gender and labor: paid and unpaid.

This is a reading- and writing-intensive class. Students will be responsible for weekly readings, weekly critical response papers, one oral presentation on supplemental readings, and a research paper that satisfies the law school's writing requirement. Those students who have already met the writing requirement will be able to instead complete a shorter and less research-intensive paper if they so choose.

*Last Updated Fall 2019

SEMINAR: Products Liability

Class Number: 4327; Catalog Number- LAW 838.

Credits: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Vandall, Frank

Preselection: https://emorylaw.wufoo.com/forms/lsr-fall-2019-seminar-preselection/ 

Prerequisite: Products Liability (recommended)

Grading Criteria: Paper

Enrollment: Limited to those preselected initially, any remaining seats will be made available during Open Enrollment

Description: This seminar provides an opportunity for a student to write a paper on a developing aspect of products liability theory. Topics considered and materials will vary from year to year. The course in Products Liability is recommended, but not required.

*Last Updated Fall 2017

Class Number: 3999; Catalog Number- LAW 679, 02A

Credit: 2 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor: Prof. Costa, Jason 

Prerequisites: Criminal Law

Enrollment: Limited to 10 Students ONLY.

Grading Criteria: Attendance; Participation; & Performance

Description: Access to Justice provides second and third-year law students the unique opportunity to see how justice is actually administered in criminal cases in Georgia State Courts and to develop their courtroom oral advocacy skills in a real-world setting. We will examine, through readings and classroom discussion, the ways in which poor and underserved populations access justice within the framework of the traditional criminal justice system, and the increasing role of accountability courts for defendants suffering from drug, alcohol or mental health afflictions. But this class extends far beyond the conventional classroom in three significant ways. First, students will take multiple off-campus trips, including touring the local jail facility and attending actual court sessions to observe criminal case proceedings. Second, students will receive real recent criminal case warrants and police reports and will conduct interviews with actual defendants (both in and out of custody) and participate in mock classroom hearings on these cases. Lastly, where possible, students will represent their clients in actual court proceedings (bond hearings, preliminary hearings, pleas and even possibly criminal motions or trials). 

Attendance Policy: Attendance will constitute 25% of your overall grade. Our class will involve a mix of on-campus classroom exercises, readings, and discussion along with off-campus trips to jail facilities, courtrooms, and other settings. Please note that to give you the maximum breadth of legal experiences, often off-campus activities will occur on days and times other than the standard class meeting time. Please plan to be flexible and remember that attendance will play a significant role in your grade. As we only meet once a week, anything more than one unexcused absence may have a negative impact on your grade and anything more than two unexcused absences will definitely have an impact. Also please be punctual - just like court, you’ll want to be in the room when class begins or have made the professor aware of any conflicts well ahead of time. You can’t be late to court and you can’t be late to this class. Lastly, note that while there will be flexibility in days and times you may attend court, if you don’t fulfill court attendance requirements it will affect this portion of your grade.

Please note: any students who have previously or are currently interning or doing a field placement with the State Court Division of the Law Office of the DeKalb County Public Defender will be ineligible for this course.  Additionally, this course cannot be taken concurrently with an internship or field placement in the DeKalb County Solicitors or District Attorney’s Office as it would cause a professional conflict.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Administrative Law

Class Number: 4069; Catalog Number- LAW 701

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Arthur, Thomas

Prerequisite: Legislation & Regulation

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Exam

Description: This course builds on the administrative law principles introduced in Legislation and Regulation. It provides a complete treatment of rulemaking and adjudication by agencies, the scope of judicial review of agency action, the availability of judicial review (standing, ripeness, etc.), the role of the administrative state in our constitutional structure, in particular, the requirements of procedural due process and separation of powers. Regular attendance is required.

Advanced Evidence: Trial Evidence 

Class Number: 4454; Catalog Number- LAW 632A

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Zwier, Paul

Prerequisite: Evidence & Trial Techniques

Grading Criteria: Team Projects; Attendance; & Take-home Final Trial

Enrollment: Limited to 24 students!

Description: This course will explore Advanced Evidence in the Context of a Criminal and Civil case, with special emphasis on the trial skills needed for cross-examination, impeachment, and direct and cross-examination of expert witnesses. There will be a heavy emphasis on learning by doing, using problems drawn from the NITA casefiles, State v. Mitchell and MacIntyre v. Easterfield.  Course objectives are: 1) to develop both a theoretical understanding of advanced evidentiary strategies for admitting evidence  and developing expert testimony using them effectively in the trial context; 2) to understand the ethical and legal implications of the trial setting; and 3) to develop a proficiency in trial skills, including how to conduct opening statements, direct and cross examinations, admit and oppose exhibits, and conduct expert witness examinations, and closing arguments.

Assigned Reading Materials:

(1) Zwier, Normative Guide to Trial Advocacy.  (Online).  Malone and Zwier,  Effective Expert Testimony  3^rd NITA

(2) Additional internet-based reading material will be provided in due course.

(3) Simulation Materials: Problems and Materials in Evidence and Trial Advocacy 6^th Edition Volumes One (Casefiles) and Two Problems.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Advanced Issues in White Collar Defense

Class Number: 4234; Catalog Number- LAW 875A

Credit: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Ramirez, Shannon

Prerequisite: None (However, students will find it helpful to have taken at least one basic course in criminal law & procedure)

Grading Criteria: Participation & Final Paper

Description: Over the last decade, discussion on crime has gradually shifted to include both the traditional “street crimes” and corporate, white-collar and regulatory crime. This shift is primarily due to fallout from the global financial crisis of 2007–2008 and the profound impact it has had on the economy. There now exists a heightened awareness of the catastrophic effects that economic offenses can have on society and a consequential merging of criminal and civil actions. This practical course aims to introduce students to the increasingly complex state of white-collar crime and the essential tools that a defense attorney requires to effectively engage the blurring of the civil and criminal distinction. Topics covered include: business frauds, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations, tax evasion, health care fraud, criminal violations of the securities statutes, internal investigations, whistleblower actions, and crisis management. Students will have the opportunity to hear from practicing attorneys and investigators in the field, and to conduct research on a white-collar topic of their choosing for the final paper. Attendance counts towards a student’s class participation grade.

*Last updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 4718; Catalog Number- LAW 657, 14A (Case Law) 

Class Number: 3908; Catalog Number- LAW 657, 12A (Regulatory Law)

Accelerated Class: Case Law Section-1st seven weeks of the semester; Regulatory Law Section- 2nd seven weeks of the semester. 

Credit: 1 Hour (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Profs. Christian, Elizabeth & Deese, Abigail

Prerequisite: None

Case Law Grading Criteria: Participation; Attendance; Coursework; & Final Project

Regulatory Law Grading Criteria: Participation; Attendance; Coursework; & Project

Enrollment: Limited to 20 students! 

Case Law Description: An examination of the legal research methods and sources beyond the basics taught during the first year of law school. Through lectures and practical application with in-class exercises and a final research project, students will become familiar with topics such as advanced research techniques, case, statute & regulatory research, aids for the practitioner and legislative history research.

This will be a one-credit, graded course meeting on an accelerated schedule for the first seven weeks of the semester. Because student participation is essential for the learning experience in this course, attendance at each class session is mandatory. Failure to attend will affect the course grade.

Regulatory Law Description: Mastery of Regulatory Research is a practical, skills-based course designed to provide students with a firm understanding of the fundamental structure of the US regulatory process and materials and to develop skills for finding and using those sources. Students will use traditional and transactional resources to complete skills-based tasks and complete a final project. 

Attendance Policy: This will be a one-credit, graded course meeting on an accelerated schedule for the second seven weeks of the semester. Because student participation and hands-on practice are essential for the learning experience in this course, attendance at each class session is mandatory.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 3923; Catalog Number- LAW 755A, 06A

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Elmore, Marvin & Prof. Goheen, Barry

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Pass/Fail

Description: Course includes a number of practical exercises including oral arguments and client and witness interviews. We anticipate, as in the past, having several guest speakers on topics such as e-discovery, RICO, and Class Actions.

Advanced Pre-Trial Litigation is for students who have taken Civil Procedure and Federal Courts, and are ready for an advanced strategy practicum that prepares them for the complexities of modern litigation practice. 

The Legal Strategy part of the course teaches students to consider the theoretical aspects of strategy and methods for working through a strategy problem, and then apply those theories and methods to practical problems.  The problems involve a small business that encounters a series of situations requiring advice with respect to strategy. 

In the second part of the course, the students will learn about negotiation theory and strategy and apply these techniques to the negotiation of an e-discovery dispute.  Discovery of electronic materials, usually in digital format, creates some especially difficult, time-sensitive responsibilities for lawyers.  Practicing successful methods for dealing with these responsibilities in a learning-by-doing setting provides an opportunity to adapt these methods to the individual lawyer’s own situation and style.

This is “entry-level” subject matter in the sense that it does not purport to cover all the specialized aspects of e-discovery, particularly those faced by very large companies or by companies with unusual records retention practices.  The purpose of this part of the course is to provide lawyers with a general methodology that will, in most cases, prevent sanctions against the client and the lawyer, while being responsive under the rules to e-discovery requests and minimizing unnecessary business interruption.  However, no general method can protect against every mistake or every type of intentional wrongdoing.  And no general method can minimize business interruptions in every situation. 

This course is structured around the requirements of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Federal Rules of Evidence.  States may have more or less restrictive requirements, but the federal rules provide a useful general benchmark, and many state jurisdictions follow them.  

E-discovery problems arise in two distinct phases:

• Preservation, production, and use of e-discovery; and
• Prosecuting or defending against challenges to the sufficiency of e-discovery.

These are quite different areas and require different skills.  For this reason, we have developed two separate sections on e-discovery.  The first part focuses on preservation, production, and use of e-discovery and seeks to develop the skills for interviewing, negotiating, and organizing your electronic discovery.  A second part focuses on challenges to the sufficiency of e-discovery and seeks to develop the skills for preparing, arguing, and defending against typical motions for protective orders, motions to compel and motions for sanctions. 

The e-discovery problems also develop skills in counseling clients, negotiating with opposing lawyers and dealing successfully with vendors.  These skills are directed at the first-in-time problems of e-discovery – getting it right at the start and preventing disputes or adverse decisions.  The course adapts established learning-by-doing teaching materials on interviewing and counseling, and on negotiation, for the special e-discovery setting.  The case law applies primarily to the second area of e-discovery:  prosecuting and defending against challenges to the sufficiency of e-discovery.

Finally, in part three of the course, we will deal with the strategy and law of class action lawsuits.  This part of the course will teach you how to make the decision whether to file a class action lawsuit or go it alone.  It will also examine how to think about your defense options: whether to agree to a class action for settlement purposes, fight class certification, or negotiate some variation between these two extremes,(including an overview of multidistrict litigation options).  This part of the course will also refine your understanding of the law and procedure (including appellate review) related to class certifications.

Attendance Policy: No more than 2 absences to pass this course.

Advanced Religious Freedom

Class Number: 5051; Catalog Number- LAW 846

Credit: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Witte, John

Prerequisite:  N/A

Grading Criteria: Ask Prof.

Enrollment: Limited to 20 Pre-selected Students!

Description: Ask Prof.

Note: This course is closed to new students not already selected.

*Last updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 3965; Catalog Number- LAW 605, 02A () 

Class Number: 3909; Catalog Number- LAW 605, 04A () 

Class Number: 4006; Catalog Number- Law 605, 06A (Athans/Rogers) 

COURSES ARE NOT OPEN TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE TAKEN BUSINESS SCHOOL OR LAW SCHOOL NEGOTIATIONS. 

Credit: 3 Hours (Experiential Learning Approved)

Instructor(s): Profs. Allgood, John; Athans, Michael; Rogers, Kathy; & Zwier, Paul. 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria:

• Participation & a Scheduled Final Exam (Allgood)
• Attendance, Participation, Coursework, & Final Paper (Athans/Rogers)
• Team Projects, Attendance, & Take Home Exam (Zwier)

Enrollment: 16 (Allgood & Athans/Rogers); 24 (Zwier)

Allgood Description: Course introduces advocacy skills to law students who will be using negotiation, mediation, and arbitration in their career choices. Attendance, particularly for team roles plays is required. The exam grade is not the only semester evaluation. Students will participate in and be graded on team projects assigned during the semester in addition to the final semester examination.

Athans/Rogers Description: The ADR class will provide a primer on negotiations, mediation, and arbitration with some simulations providing a skills-training experience along with occasional journals and a final paper.

Zwier Description: This course will explore Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) with an emphasis on negotiation and mediation. There will be a heavy emphasis on learning by doing, using simulations specially prepared to teach both the lawyering skills and mediation skills needed in a variety of settings.  Course objectives are: 1) to develop both a theoretical understanding of adversarial and problem-solving negotiation  strategies for using them effectively in negotiation, mediation, and arbitration; 2) to understand the ethical and legal implications of ADR; and 3) to develop a proficiency in dispute resolution skills other than trial skills, including how to direct negotiation, mediate, and arbitrate.

An overview of negotiation, mediation, and arbitration with special emphasis on the U.S. forums under the Uniform Mediation Act, GODR, Federal Arbitration Act, GAC and related state and federal statutes, rules and regs. Discussion of techniques and applicable requirements for court-annexed and private ADR under applicable statutes, provider rules, court rules, and related regulations. Class meets once a week, split between class discussion and includes team projects and role plays applying techniques in each process discussed.

Assigned Reading Materials:

(1) Zwier and Guernsey, Advanced Negotiation and Mediation Theory and Practice, A Realistic Integrated Approach 2d. ed. 2016.

(2) Additional internet-based reading material will be provided in due course.

(3) Simulation Materials: Simulation material will be sent electronically in advance for each week’s class. Please read these materials before coming to class so that you are prepared to participate in the simulation.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 3965; Catalog Number- LAW 605, 02A 

Credit: 3 Hours (Accelerated Course, see Format below)

Instructor(s): Prof. TBA

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Online Discussions, Simulations, & Final Paper

Description: The study of case law and the formal litigation process and the role it plays in our society is essential to effective lawyering. Yet less than 2% of civil cases are resolved by trial. This experiential course will explore the use of appropriate dispute resolution processes – negotiation, mediation and arbitration, and various hybrids –  by which most legal conflicts are resolved.

The course, taught in an intensive format over three weekends, will provide practical skills and experience through a combination of lecture-discussion, exercises, and simulations to ground students in both ADR theory and practice.

Course Objectives:

• Understand the various ADR processes of negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and hybrids, including the ability to consider and critique the strengths and weaknesses of each.
• Understand the causes of conflict and distinguish different negotiation styles and negotiation strategies such as integrative and distributive bargaining.
• Understand and compare the role that third parties such as mediators and arbitrators can play in dispute resolution and considerations in selecting a process.
• Understand the impact and implications of additional parties including lawyers/agents and multi-party disputes.
• Understand the ethical rules that apply to lawyers when negotiating, mediating and arbitrating a dispute.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of the field.

Course Format and Schedule: Three weekends with 8 hours on Saturday and 4 hours on Sunday. Before the start of class, students will engage in reading and online discussion. For each class, they will be required to read from a text and prepare for a number of simulations to be conducted in class. Following each weekend session, they will be required to engage in online discussion/reflection and/or write a brief reflective journal entry. After the final class students will be required to write a brief paper.

Class 1) January 26-27, Class 2) February 9-10, Class 3) February 23-24 and inclement weather make dates March 9-10. Class times are 9AM-5PM unless otherwise noted by the professor.

Class Number: 3988; Catalog Number- LAW 560, LLM1

Credit: 2 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Daspit, Nancy

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Coursework & Final Memo

Description: This course introduces students to the concepts of legal analysis and the techniques and strategies for legal research, as well as the requirements and analytical structures for legal writing in the American common law legal system. 

Attendance Policy: Two or more unexcused absences can result in your grade being lowered.

NOTE: Enrollment is restricted to LLM students who received their first law degree from a law school/faculty in a country other than the United States.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 4022; Catalog Number- LAW 560B, GRAD

NOTE: This class is open only to foreign-educated LLMs only

Credit: 1 hour

Instructor(s): Prof. Daspit, Nancy 

Prerequisite: ALWAR I

Grading Criteria: Coursework & Final Motion Brief

Description: This course continues the study of legal analysis, research, and writing for practice in the American common law system. The topics covered include client letters, pleadings, and persuasive writing, along with enhanced instruction covering legal citation and advanced legal research sources and techniques. 

Attendance Policy: Two or more unexcused absences can lead to your grade being lowered.

Note: International LLM students who want to sit for the Georgia bar exam must take this class. If this class is not required for you, and you are undecided about taking the class, It is strongly recommended that you attend the first class to be considered for adding the course during the drop/add period.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 4038; Catalog Number- LAW 655A

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Cleaver, Kathleen

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Research Paper & Class Presentations

Description: This course examines the legal evolution during the 19th and 20th centuries of the understanding of race and the role of indigenous peoples within the U.S. The workshop will study the Civil War amendments, 19th century legislation, the incorporation of Mexican territory, the citizenship of Mexicans, the citizenship of Asians, and the transformative 1960s Civil Rights legislation.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 3997; Catalog Number- LAW 734, 10A

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Shepherd, Joanna

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation & Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course explores the application to the practice of law of analytical methods of the social sciences and business profession. It will introduce essential concepts from economics, accounting, finance, statistics, and game theory to prepare students for legal practice in the modern world. These tools can be tremendously important and useful; not knowing something about them can be a serious detriment to the effective practice of law. Always, our focus will be on the application of analytical methods to real legal problems, such as the appropriate measure of damages or when to settle a case -- not becoming adept at complicated calculations. Our primary goal: to recognize when an analytical method would be useful in a legal situation and to develop a rough idea of how to use that method. Students are not expected to have any prior training or experience.

Attendance Policy: Attendance is mandatory. I expect you to let me know in advance if you cannot be present in class. Five or more absences will result in a loss of class participation points.

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Class Number: 3995; Catalog Number- LAW 702, 10A

Credit: 3 Hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Arthur, Thomas

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course is an introduction to American competition law. It covers the following topics: agreements among competitors, monopolization by single firms, mergers, both between competitors and buyers and sellers, contractual restraints imposed by sellers on their customers (price and nonprice restraints by manufacturers on their distributors, tying and exclusive dealing by sellers with market power).

*Last Updated Spring 2019

Analysis, Research, and Communication ("ARC")

Note: LAW 590E is an online course and is only open to JM students.

Class Number: 4074; Catalog Number- LAW 590E, 001 (JM & LLMs w/approval) 

Class Number: 4092; Catalog Number- LAW 590E, 002 (Online JM format Students Only)

Credit: 2 hours 

Instructor(s): TBA

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Regular Assignments & Final Project

Description: This course will provide an introduction to legal analysis, research and effective legal writing. Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of legal analysis and the structure of legal information. Students will learn how to navigate multiple legal resources to discover legal authority appropriate for different types of legal analysis and communications. Students will learn the concepts of effective legal analysis and will develop the skills necessary to produce objective legal analyses.

*Last Updated Spring 2018

Asylum Law

Class Number: 4236; Catalog Number- Law 691, 06A

Credit:  2 Hours

Instructor(s):  Prof. Kuck, Charles 

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Participation & Take-home Exam

Description: This course will cover what happens once a non-citizen has been charged and placed in immigration removal proceedings (formerly called deportation proceedings). The student will study each step of the proceeding, with the choices that the client and her representative must make in an effort to avoid removal: responding to the charges and putting the government to its proof; determining the client’s immigration history; determining the client’s eligibility for any relief from removal; preparing a winning case on paper; preparing the client and other witnesses to testify what options are available for appeal and the requirements for filing a motion to reopen. We will also cover federal court litigation of immigration cases.  The course will cover the legal standards and the preparation of the following applications for relief cancellation of removal, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), 212 (c), LPR and non-LPR cancellation of removal, and affirmative asylum relief, along with withholding of removal and relief under the Convention Against Torture. Given that recent developments have greatly increased the complexity of asylum law, the course will cover this area in depth. The course will also briefly cover adjustment of status and voluntary departure, as well as the admission process. The course will not emphasize courtroom skills; however, we plan to arrange a visit to the class from an Immigration Judge or ICE Assistant Chief Counsel.  In addition, members of the class are welcome to arrange with me an opportunity to attend hearings in Immigration Court at any time during the semester.  In addition, the skills necessary to prepare court cases will be emphasized throughout the course, with class discussion and scenarios

*Last Updated Spring 2017

Banking Law

Class Number: 4039; Catalog Number- LAW 604 

Credit: 3 hours

Instructor(s): Prof. Elliott, Jim

Prerequisite: None

Grading Criteria: Scheduled Final Exam

Description: This course will examine the nature, content, and scope of the rules regulating the banking industry in light of economic and social purposes. The course will also look briefly at the history of the U. S. banking industry and will emphasize the economic and business aspects of the individual bank and of the industry as a whole.

*Last updated Fall 2015

Barton Appeal for Youth Clinic

Class Number: 3973; Catalog Number- LAW 635D

Credit: 3 hours (Experiential Learning Approved)