Appellate Advocacy

A study of the rules and standards by which the admission of proof at a trial is regulated. Special reference to the Federal Rules of Evidence.

This course is an intensive writing course that simulates the work of a judicial clerk. Students research, draft, and edit a bench memo, a majority and dissenting opinion in a state appeal, and an order in a federal trial court case. Students also observe an oral argument. Guest speakers (judges and law clerks) address students several times during the semester.

A study of the choice of law rules applicable where at least one of the operative issues in a case is connected with some state or country other than the one in which suit is brought at the national level or the international level; jurisdiction of courts over persons, things, and property in the national and transnational context; recognition and enforcement of judgments on the national and international levels; business and estate planning issues in law in different jurisdictions. (although this course is traditionally known as conflict of laws in the United States, it is known as private international law elsewhere)

This seminar explores the foundational beliefs that define our legal system. We will study how leading thinkers have conceived of the law during the Classical Era, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, and Modern Times. This class will challenge you to think about thinking.

A study of issues related to the jurisdiction of the U.S. trial and appellate courts, including subject matter jurisdiction, venue, judicial jurisdiction, standing, and other issues particularly related to federal courts, such as the abstention doctrine, forum non conveniens, choice of law, and joinder of state and federal law issues in the same case.

This course is about complex civil litigation and covers a variety of civil procedure topics not taught in the first-year course (and a few that are) that bear on complex litigation. Topics that are covered include consideration of what makes a civil case complex, advanced joinder devices (intervention, necessary parties, interpleader, consolidation), multidistrict litigation, overlapping state and federal actions, including injunctions against prosecuting duplicative actions, discovery and the conflict between zealous representation and the obligation of cooperation in discovery, confidentiality orders, appellate jurisdiction, attorney’s fees, and mechanisms to structure the trial, such as bifurcation of issues. A substantial portion of the course covers class actions. 

Provides students with the opportunity to expand their skills in using primary and secondary legal sources in the context of legal practice so they can competently represent their clients. The course covers a range of topics, including statutory and case law research, practice materials, specialized topical resources, and cost-effective research strategies. Upon completion of this course, students will have gained experience in formulating efficient research methodologies and evaluating sources of legal information in various formats.

Students will write a biography of a justice of the Supreme Court. The first part of the course will examine the nature of history; the second part will consist of studying the justices students have selected. Weekly films will explore the eras of American history the justices represent.