Law (LAW)
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First-Year Courses
All students are required to take these courses.
CIVIL PROCEDURE 5405.
4 hrs.
A general survey using federal court procedure as a model, including jurisdiction of courts, pleading, disposition without trial, joinder of claims and parties, effects of judgments, and appellate review.
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW 5401.
4 hrs.
A study of the federal judiciary’s doctrine and practice of judicial review, judicial power, and jurisdiction of the courts, the power of Congress to regulate commerce, the power of the states to regulate commerce, and the protection of private rights, privileges, and immunities under the Constitution, which includes the substantive rights of freedom of enterprise, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and freedom from discrimination.
CONTRACTS 5402.
4 hrs.
A study of the enforceability of promises, the creation of contractual obligations, performance and breach, the impact of the contract on the legal relationships of nonparties, and the examination of contract doctrine in three settings: personal service, sales of goods, and construction contracts.
CRIMINAL LAW 5310.
3 hrs.
Inquiry into the sources and goals of the criminal law, limitations on the state’s power to define criminal liability, general principles of liability and defenses, and the characteristics of particular crimes.
LEGAL PRACTICE I 5306.
3 hrs.
An introduction to the legal system covering case briefing, case synthesis, and statutory analysis, as well as principles and practice of legal writing, client interviewing, client counseling, negotiations, and legal bibliography and research.
LEGAL PRACTICE II 5307.
3 hrs.
Instruction in legal method, including case and statutory analysis, through objective and persuasive legal writing and oral argument. Instruction in the sources and use of materials for legal research, including computer-assisted research, and in legal citation. Written assignments include letters, memoranda, and briefs. Introduction to dispute resolution processes including mediation, arbitration, settlement conferences, mini-trials, and summary jury trial.
PROPERTY 5403.
4 hrs.
An introduction to the law of personal property and real property, including estates and other interests in land, real property marketing and conveyancing, and landlord and tenant problems.
TORTS 5404.
4 hrs.
Standards and principles governing legal liability for intentional and unintentional invasions of interests of person and property.Back to Top
Advanced Required Courses
Students must take all of these courses during their second and third years with 15 out of 26 hours taken during their second year.
BUSINESS ENTITIES 6435.
4 hrs.
A study of business organizations (including partnership, limited partnership, and other unincorporated business forms) and business corporations; the factors affecting the selection of the form of a business enterprise; the nature of corporate entities; and the promotion, organization, activities, financing, management, and dissolution of business corporations.
COMMERCIAL LAW 6420.
4 hrs.
A study of the financing and distribution of goods from manufacturer to ultimate consumer, with special emphasis given to the financing of sales transactions (Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code) and to the processes for payment of sales-generated obligations (Articles 3, 4, and 5 of the Uniform Commercial Code).
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE 6339.
3 hrs.
Survey of procedures applicable in the criminal justice system from arrest through post-conviction remedies.
EVIDENCE 6416.
4 hrs.
An examination of the problems of proof, including study of the admission and exclusion of information on the basis of relevancy, economy, policy and protection of the individual or the state, examination of witnesses, substitutes for evidence, and procedural considerations.
INCOME TAXATION 6434.
4 hrs.
A basic understanding of both the concepts related to the federal income taxation of individuals, and how those concepts are reflected in complex statutes and regulations.
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY 6357.
3 hrs.
Provides a basic foundation for dealing with ethical and professional responsibility problems that practitioners encounter. Students examine the duties, roles, and responsibilities of practicing attorneys. Discussion focuses on applying ethics rules and avoiding grievances and professional malpractice claims.
WILLS AND TRUSTS 6415.
4 hrs.
A study of the transfer of property by descent, wills, testamentary substitutes, and trusts, including a study of construction problems.Back to Top
Advanced Elective Courses
ACCOUNTING FOR LAWYERS 6018.
V2 - 3 hrs.
This course is intended for the law student who does not have an accounting background. Topics covered include basic accounting concepts and terminology; how to analyze and understand financial statements; and legal issues involving financial statements, including how to recognize possible manipulations or distortions.
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW 6303.
3 hrs.
Examines the role of the administrative process in our society, formal and informal, and emphasizes the powers and procedures common to all administrative agencies and the relationships among the legislative, judicial, and executive branches in the development of public policy.
ADMIRALTY 6044.
V2 - 3 hrs.
This course will consider the unique procedures used by Admiralty courts and some of the unique substantive principles of Admiralty law that regulate maritime transactions.
ADVANCED ADVOCACY SKILLS FOR MOOT COURT 6202.
2 hrs.
This course is designed for students interested in competing on intercollegiate moot court teams and uses a hypothetical moot court problem to develop legal research, brief writing, and oral advocacy skills.
ADVANCED BANKRUPTCY LAW 6087.
V2 - 3 hrs.
Prerequisite: LAW 6001, Creditor's Rights and Bankruptcy. Advanced study of federal bankruptcy law, including jurisdiction, consumer plans, family farmer plans, and business reorganizations.
ADVANCED BUSINESS ENTITIES 6098.
V2 - 3 hrs.
Prerequisite: LAW 6435, Business Entities. A seminar addressing contemporary issues in the law relating to business entities, including agency, corporations, partnerships, and limited liability partnerships and companies. Students will prepare papers and presentations on selected topics.
ADVANCED COMMERCIAL LAW 6230.
2 hrs.
A study of Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code, which covers the law of sales. Included are the requirements for formation of a sales contract, problems in enforcement, and determination of remedies for breach of contract.
ADVANCED CRIMINAL LAW 6045.
V2 - 3 hrs.
An advanced critical study dealing with selected issues in substantive criminal law, criminal procedure, and the administration of criminal justice. The course format (e.g., seminar), topics to be included, and credit (two or three semester hours), will be determined and announced in advance of registration by the instructor.
ADVANCED ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION CLINIC 7360.
3 hrs.
Focus is on communication skills, facilitation, and mediation in simulated exercises and in writing assignments with additional requirements; course meets the Texas 40-hour training for mediators.
ADVANCED EVIDENCE SEMINAR 6216.
2 hrs.
Prerequisite: LAW 6416, Evidence. Prerequisite may be waived for forensic science students. This course will deal with a broad spectrum of expert opinion testimony. It will cover the concept of expert testimony in general, standards for admissibility, discovery, and the practical aspects of using and challenging experts. It will consider the varied types of expert evidence such as tests for alcoholic intoxication, speed detection devices, methodology for questioning the authenticity of documents, firearms identification, arson and explosives investigation, fingerprint identification, examination of trace evidence, pathology, serology and toxicology of body fluids, identification and analysis of illegal drugs, identification by DNA analysis, forensic odontology, forensic anthropology, behavioral science evidence, and lie detection. In each area the class will discuss foundation for admission, methods of challenging admissibility, techniques for effective cross-examination, and methods of presentation of complex evidence through photographs, charts, videos, and other demonstrative resources. Students will have the opportunity to conduct simulated examinations of witnesses, laying the foundation and following the procedure for offering different types of evidence, and will examine in depth a topic of their choice for a written assignment and for the topic of a class discussion. This class will satisfy the upper-level writing requirement.
ADVANCED INCOME TAXATION 6041.
V3 - 4 hrs.
Prerequisite: LAW 6434, Income Taxation. A study of taxation principles applicable to formation, management, reorganization, and dissolution of business entities with particular emphasis upon the corporation-shareholder relationship in both closely held and publicly owned corporations.
ADVANCED LEGAL ETHICS 6029.
V2 - 3 hrs.
This seminar is part of a project of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, under the auspices of the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. It is designed to explore whether a setting in which students take an explicit look at the profession and the professional education to which it is linked will enhance the student’s learning in other classes. Topics will include the following: meaning of profession, role of personality type and learning styles in legal education and in law practice, defining and achieving success in law school and beyond, role of relationships in life and law, law as a healing profession, and opportunities and challenges of law practice. Teaching methods will include written reflections based on prompts, journaling about the law school experience, web-based discussion board postings, and class discussion. We will explore the application and development of professional judgment through examination of scenarios that are typical of difficult decisions that lawyers face. Lawyers, judges, other faculty and professionals from other disciplines will be included in the discussions. Enrollment is limited to 18 students.
ADVANCED LEGAL RESEARCH 6078.
V2 - 3 hrs.
This course builds on the principles and techniques of legal research. Technical areas of legislative history, state and federal administrative law, publications of the federal government, and nonlegal research sources will be presented.
ADVANCED RESEARCH AND WRITING REQUIREMENT 7010.
AGRICULTURAL LAW 6254.
2 hrs.
This course covers topics such as federal and Texas laws affecting the agricultural and food industry; impact of federal farm programs; Packers and Stockyards Act; agriculture commodities; basic agriculture financing and warehousing; soil, water, environmental and conservation laws and regulations; and health and safety regulations in the agriculture and food industry.
ANATOMY OF A TRIAL 6301.
3 hrs.
Comprehensive study and practice of skills in pretrial advocacy, focusing primarily on Texas civil litigation.
ANIMAL LAW 6067.
V1-3
Includes statutory and regulatory aspects of animal law in fields of criminal law, tort law, environmental law, international law, natural resources law, wills and trusts, museum law, gaming and racing contract law, and biological research law.
APPELLATE ADVOCACY 6101.
1 hr.
Research and writing of briefs and participation in competitive rounds of oral arguments in appellate cases; designed to develop writing and advocacy skills and increase the student’s understanding of the relationship between precedent and policy in the resolution of legal controversies.
BANKING LAW 6317.
3 hrs.
A survey of the history, structure, and regulatory scheme of the American banking system, with emphasis on regulation of bank activities, traditional and nontraditional bank holding companies, and bank failure.
BIOETHICS 6002.
V2 - 3 hrs.
This seminar uses an interdisciplinary approach to studying moral issues in the field of medical treatment and research. Students will examine the legal, ethical, and policy aspects of bioethics controversies. Topics include privacy and confidentiality, human experimentation, the right to refuse treatment, reproduction, organ transplantation, and genetic engineering. Students will write a paper rather than take a final. The paper may be used to satisfy the advanced writing requirement.
BOARD OF BARRISTERS 7105.
1 hr.
BUSINESS ANALYSIS FOR LAWYERS 6308.
3 hrs.
This course will introduce students to basic business concepts, including decision analysis, economic considerations in contracts, a lawyer’s perspective on accounting and financial statements, basic finance principles, and economic analysis of legal issues. This course is designed primarily for students without a prior business background. The course will enable students to understand a client’s business objectives and to represent their clients more effectively. A basic understanding of business analysis terminology and methodology will benefit lawyers in all areas of practice. The course format is designed around the completion of problem sets and quizzes, rather than a comprehensive final examination.
BUSINESS TORTS 6052.
V2 - 3 hrs.
An examination of interferences with intangible business and economic interests, including misrepresentation of competitor’s products (trade libel), interference with contractual relations, false and misleading advertising, appropriation of trade values, copyright and trademark infringement.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT SEMINAR 6206.
2 hrs.
The course studies the death penalty in the United States and Texas, with an overview of the constitutional law governing the death penalty; the history of capital punishment; and current issues surrounding the legal developments, social consequences and moral debate involving implementation of the death penalty. Topics will include an examination of a capital trial from the defense perspective, mitigation, restorative justice and limitations on executions, with an emphasis on the Texas capital murder statutory scheme in theory and application. A substantial writing requirement will be required on a topic of current significance and development within the capital arena.
CIVIL PRACTICE CLINIC 7407.
4 hrs.
Prerequisite: LAW 5405, Civil Procedure. Students under supervision of faculty member will spend about 220 hours during the semester working on civil cases in which the student has primary responsibility.
CIVIL RIGHTS LAW 6210
2 hrs.
Explores civil rights and the unique procedural challenges to defending and prosecuting civil rights actions in federal court. This course will combine a substantive review of constitutional civil rights law, together with practical pleading and motion exercises. A Socratic/discussion format will be used with reading assignments from a leading case book on civil rights law.
COMPARATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL LAW 6059.
V2 - 3 hrs.
This course involves the study of constitutionalism and how the U.S. approach to constitutional law is similar to that of other countries with constitutions. By thinking about the legal arrangements in the United States and learning about those in other countries, students will enhance their knowledge and understanding of the world. This in turn may affect the actual practices of lawyers in courts, whether they are in domestic or international settings
COMPARATIVE LAW: THE ENGLISH LEGAL SYSTEM 6046.
V2 - 3 hrs.
A survey of the development of the English legal system with special emphasis on European influences and on the period 1990 to the present day. Although historical development will be covered, the main focus will be on the struggles within a millennial legal system as it adjusts to modern pressures and trends. Comparisons to the United States system will be included throughout the course.
COMPLEX LITIGATION 6402.
4 hrs.
Focuses on areas of modern federal civil practice-aggregate party litigation, particularly class actions. This course is the first of two courses.
CONFLICT OF LAWS 6022.
V2 - 3 hrs.
The law relating to transactions or occurrences when some or all of the operative facts arise in more than one state; jurisdiction of court’s enforcement of foreign judgments and decrees; choice of conflicting law in situations involving torts, contracts, property, marriage, divorce, and procedural problems.
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW SEMINAR 6233.
2 hrs.
A study of selected problems in constitutional law.
CONSUMER LAW 6226.
2 hrs.
A consideration of the law relating to merchant-consumer transactions, with special emphasis on the place and operation of consumer credit in our society, existing and proposed legislation affecting consumers, and judicial and extrajudicial self-help methods available to aggrieved merchants and consumers.
CONTEMPORARY LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS 6021.
V1 - 4 hrs.
Topics, which will be announced, will emphasize current issues and problems in law. May be repeated for credit
COPYRIGHT LAW 6063.
V2 - 3 hrs.
A detailed analysis of the Copyright Act of 1976 and amending statutes. Issues include copyrightability, fair use, educational exemption, public performance rights, ownership renewal and transfer, and infringement.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 6356.
3 hrs.
An advanced study of corporate governance. Examines the role of the corporation in society; the role of officers, directors, and shareholders within the corporation; the role of the securities market; abuse of the securities market through insider trading, short-swing profits, and churning; and the duties of directors in mergers, acquisitions, proxy fights, and tender offers.
CORRECTIONAL HEALTH CARE LAW 6246.
2 hrs.
This course examines the jurisprudence pertaining to health care in prisons and jails to determine why and how inmate health has assumed a constitutional dimension, as well as a range of issues such as communicable diseases, substance abuse, women’s health issues, the aging prison population, ethics, and mental illness. The course emphasizes the work being done in Correctional Health Care at Texas Tech University.
CREDITOR'S RIGHTS AND BANKRUPTCY 6001.
V2 - 3 hrs.
An introduction to creditors’ remedies and debtor’s rights under state and federal law. The primary focus is the Federal Bankruptcy Code, but also includes federal law relating to debt collection, state law relating to creditors’ prejudgment and post-judgment remedies, fraudulent transfers, and exempt property.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE CLINIC PART I 7405.
4 hrs.
Students will serve, under faculty supervision as lead counsel and represent indigent criminal defendants in a variety of misdemeanor, felony, juvenile, and appellate matters in state and federal courts.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE CLINIC PART II 7406.
4 hrs.
Students will serve, under faculty supervision as lead counsel and represent indigent criminal defendants in a variety of misdemeanor, felony, juvenile, and appellate matters in state and federal courts.
CRIMINAL PRACTICE SKILLS 6070.
V2 - 3 hrs.
This seminar offers a hands-on approach to developing federal criminal law practice skills. Students will participate in interactive lecture and will complete various drafting assignments throughout the semester. The course objective is to develop a working foundation for the successful prosecution or defense of a federal criminal case.
DISABILITIES AND THE LAW 6093.
V2 - 3 hrs.
Study of legal issues affecting persons with disabilities, including education, higher employment, architectural barriers, transportation, and housing. Focuses on the Americans With Disabilities Act.
DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT 6065.
V2 - 3 hrs.
A study of the constitutional, statutory, and regulatory standards for eliminating and prohibiting discrimination on the basis of the individual’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in hiring, discharging, classifying, or promoting employees, or changing their conditions of employment. It covers the procedures necessary for filing an action for discrimination; the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and how it operates; the standards set out by the major cases; and EEOC regulations for determining discrimination and what obligations employers (public and private), labor unions, and employment agencies are under, including the requirement for affirmative action programs.
ELDER LAW 6061.
V2 - 3 hrs.
Overview of the legal practice and policy relating to aging individuals and older society. Issues covered are: ethical issues in representing the elderly, age discrimination in employment, income maintenance and social security, Medicare, Medicaid, private health insurance benefits, long - term services, guardianship, elder abuse, neglect, and crime.
EMPLOYMENT LAW 6071.
V2 - 3 hrs.
Course focuses on laws governing the employer-employee relationship with respect to personnel issues that arise in nonunion settings.
ENERGY LAW 6302.
3 hrs.
This course explores issues related to traditional energy sources, such as coal, petroleum, natural gas, and nuclear energy, as well as non-traditional renewable energy sources.
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW 6327.
3 hrs.
The respective roles of the federal and state governments in handling such problems as air and water pollution, agricultural pollution, use of public lands, and land-use planning. Federal and state regulatory means to safeguard the environment will be considered in detail.
ESTATE AND GIFT TAXATION 6019.
V2 - 3 hrs.
Prerequisite: LAW 6415, Wills and Trusts. An estate planning course that examines the impact of federal transfer taxes (gift tax, estate tax, and generation-skipping transfer tax) on various types of dispositions of property during life and at death, the administrative and judicial process in resolving federal estate and gift tax controversies, and the social and economic implications of taxation of distributions of wealth.
ESTATE PLANNING 6227.
2 hrs.
Prerequisites: LAW 6415, Wills and Trusts. Techniques of planning and implementing dispositive arrangements, including both inter vivos and testamentary dispositions; factors influencing the choice of one technique over another, including the income and estate and gift tax consequences of a particular course of action.
ESTATE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY PROPERTY JOURNAL 6005.
V1-2 hrs.
Students will be permitted to receive course credit and satisfy the advanced writing requirement under the same rules as allowed for Law Review.
EUROPEAN UNION: INSTITUTIONS AND PRINCIPLES 6004.
V2-3hrs.
A survey of EU history and politics; the legal institutions, their structures, powers, and enforcement actions; basic legal principles; and administrative and constitutional pressures on the EU.
EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM 6275.
2 hrs.
Students may take an externship for credit in which they work under the supervision of a lawyer or a judge. The externship course includes a classroom component and students meet together with faculty members to discuss their work experiences in their externship placement.
FAMILY LAW 6326.
3 hrs.
Legal problems related to the establishment, dissolution, and reorganization of family relationships, including marriage, divorce, parental responsibility, alimony and child support, adoption, and injuries to family relations.
FEDERAL COURTS 6033.
V3 - 4 hrs.
A study of the jurisdiction of the federal courts and of the procedural rules related to jurisdictional matters, including the law applied by the federal courts, federal question and diversity jurisdiction, removal jurisdiction, jurisdictional amount, appellate jurisdiction, and conflicts between the state and national judicial systems.
FEDERAL COURTS SEMINAR 6204.
2 hrs.
Prerequisite: LAW 6033, Federal Courts. The Federal Courts seminar is designed for students to build upon their basic study of Federal Courts by addressing in-depth topics selected by the students.
FIRST AMENDMENT 6068.
V2 - 3 hrs.
Study of the principal lines of historical, philosophical, and doctrinal first amendment development and the primary first amendment case law of the Supreme Court.
GAMING AND RACING LAW 6090.
V2 - 3 hrs.
Legal aspects of gambling and racing activities, with special emphasis on Texas statutes and administrative rules and regulations for horse racing, dog racing, games of chance, and lottery activities.
GUARDIANSHIP LAW 6099.
V1 - 3 hrs.
This course is designed to teach the student how to begin, administer, and close a guardianship for an incapacitated person/minor. The student also will learn alternatives to guardianships and planning techniques to avoid guardianships as well as learn the differences in a guardianship proceeding and a mental health commitment. This course will provide a practical look at how to represent a client who may be applying to be a guardian or a client who is the subject of a guardianship proceeding.
HEALTH CARE AND BIOETHICS MEDIATION 7011.
V3 - 4 hrs.
This course and clinics gives students an opportunity to develop their communication, facilitation, and mediation skills. Through reading, simulated exercises, field work, and live co-mediations, students will learn the law, ethics, and procedures involved in mediating disputes. The study and work will focus on problems and disputes that arise in health care settings, including those that arise per-admission, during hospitalization/residency. Immediately before discharge, and post-discharge. The issues may relate to conflicts between patients, their families, and providers. The actual matters handled will depend on referrals and approvals from participating hospitals and nursing homes. Students who have received credit for the other ADR Clinic will not be able to enroll in this clinic. The students’ training will satisfy the 40 hour requirement for Texas mediators.
HEALTH CARE LAW 6366.
3 hrs.
Provides an overview of aspects of health law including access, financing, quality of care, human reproduction, and death and dying issues. Analyzes the relationships between patient, family, provider, regulators, and other interested third parties. Impact of public policy and technology on these relationships.
HEALTH CARE TRANSACTIONS AND FINANCING 6203.
2 hrs.
This course provides an overview of health care entities and their organizations, financing, operational issues, and regulatory environment. Instructional emphasis is on the role of the lawyer in representing and advising the health care client.
HUMAN RIGHTS 6212
2 hrs.
This course introduces the origins of the idea of human rights and the legal and political human rights movement. It covers the basic international agreements and other instruments and the customary international law of human rights as well as their implementation by international and national courts and other bodies.
IMMIGRATION LAW 6031.
V2 - 3 hrs.
A study of the constitution, federal statutes, regulations, case law, and administrative decisions relating to citizenship, aliens, and admission into and deportation from the United States.
INNOCENCE PROJECT CLINIC 7212.
2 hrs.
Prerequisite or corequisite: LAW 6339, Criminal Procedure. Innocence project is a group of attorneys, professors, and students working to free innocent prisoners. With the help of Texas Tech University School of Law faculty and students, IP attorneys provide free legal help to inmates who have been wrongly convicted of crimes in Texas, cannot afford counsel and who no longer have a right to appointed counsel, have already completed the appeals process, have a substantial amount of prison time remaining to be served, and have a cognizable claim of actual innocence. Students in the project are responsible for screening prisoner cases and performing all aspects of investigation into the claims of actual innocence.
INSURANCE LAW 6009.
V2 - 3 hrs.
The law applicable to the formation, construction, and enforcement of contracts for life, casualty, and property insurance; government regulation of the insurance industry.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND HIGH TECHNOLOGY 6234.
2 hrs.
Prerequisite:LAW 6231, Introduction to Intellectual Property, or concurrent enrollment in LAW 6063, Copyright Law, or 6294, Patent Law. This course examines issues involved in protecting works of intellectual property that are used on the Internet and other emerging information technologies.
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS 6306.
3 hrs.
International globalization and communications over the Internet have made it a certainty that almost every area of the practice of law in the 21st Century will at some point touch upon international commerce. This course introduces students to the legal aspects of doing business abroad, particularly in developing countries. The topics are relevant not only for students who hope to learn to deal with problems faced by large multinational corporations investing in foreign nationals, but also for students who will work in rural areas where local merchants may be importing crafts or specialty items for resale. Students will develop the tools necessary to assist their clients in writing international contracts, anticipating problems, and resolving conflicts that develop along the way. Some of the topics covered in the course include international contracting, international financing, choice of law and forum problems, forms of direct and indirect foreign investment, transfer of technology problems, transnational litigation, arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution, and a survey of U.S. and European antitrust laws and how these laws are impacted by international treaties and laws.
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC REGIMES: LAWS, NORMS AND MARKET POWER 6260.
2 hrs.
This seminar examines economic globalization and the global economy from a holistic legal perspective. Students will study a variety of forms of international economic governance, including multilateral organizations; economic and political “integration” efforts; the role and impact of cross-border market actors; normative codes that lack the force of law, but exercise enormous influence over how domestic governments behave (so-called “soft” law); cooperative ventures among domestic regulators; and private-sector entities exercising de facto governance power as “gatekeepers” to the U.S. market or to U.S.-controlled technological architecture.
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW 6322.
3 hrs.
This course provides a contemporary perspective of the international law applicable to transboundary and global environmental issues. It focuses on the relationship of international environmental law with international trade, development, and human rights as well as the role of international and non-governmental organizations in the development of international law and policy. The course includes discussions of case studies of disputes and investigations, such as transboundary pollution, international waterways, the global commons, global warming, import/export of hazardous substances, species extinction, and others.
INTERNATIONAL PETROLEUM TRANSACTIONS 6235.
2 hrs.
Seminar discussing ownership, transportation, and sale of oil and gas in the marketplace.
INTERNATIONAL WATER LAW 6221.
2 hrs.
This seminar will consider the basic concepts of international law relating to the navigational and non-navigational uses of freshwater resources.
INTERVIEWING, COUNSELING, AND NEGOTIATION 6264.
2 hrs.
Study theory and function of client interviewing and counseling, demonstration of approaches and techniques, and student role playing with discussion and critiques.
INTRODUCTION TO INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 6231.
2 hrs.
This is a general survey of the legal protection of intellectual property, including patent, trade secret, copyright, and trademark.
INTRODUCTION TO LEGAL STUDIES 5221.
2 hrs.
A study of basic principles of defamation and invasion of privacy.
JURISPRUDENCE 6003.
V2 - 3 hrs.
An introduction to legal philosophy. The major jurisprudential issues, the definition of law, the concept of justice, and the relation of law and morality will be considered. From time to time, as announced in advance of registration by the instructor, major emphasis will be given to a particular topic or group of topics in this course, e.g., law as an instrument of social policy, law and theology as related to problems of moral accountability, or the ethics of various types of law practice.
LABOR LAW 6042.
V2 - 3 hrs.
A study of state and federal laws governing the employer-union relationship, organizational rights, the establishment of the collective bargaining relationship, and the legality of various types of concerted activity.
LAND-USE PLANNING 6025.
V2 - 3 hrs.
A study of both private and public means of controlling the use of land. Emphasis will be placed on the areas of planning and zoning, including the emerging problem of exclusionary land-use controls. Further topics that will be discussed include subdivision controls, restrictive deed covenants, eminent domain proceedings, and urban renewal.
LAW AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 6006.
V2 - 3 hrs.
This interdisciplinary course is designed for nonscience and science majors to examine the law and the underlying science and policy of biotechnology. The course will examine biotechnology issues in law concerning genetically modified organisms and foods, stem cells, cloning, DNA, the Human Genome, intellectual property, patenting, and human health and environmental impacts. These issues will be considered within the context of governmental management as well as private sector interaction. The course will include a trial practice opportunity related to a biotechnology case file with a focus on skills concerning lawyers and expert witnesses. The course will have no final examination but will require a written paper that may be submitted for credit for the advanced writing requirement. No substantial overlap exists with the Law and Science 6238.
LAW AND BIOTERRORISM 6007.
V2 - 3 hrs.
This course begins with an examination of the history of law and bioterrorism and follows with an examination of federal statutes addressing bioterrorism crimes, federal statutes for civil issues arising from bioterrorism, environmental issues, the Federal Tort Claims Act, federal labor law, and private actions. The course examines the relationship between the federal, state, and local governments, as well as the role each plays in the context of bioterrorism. Students will study federalism in a public health context and the issue of civil rights interests in a biodefense. In addition to considering international law and approaches used by other countries in regard to bioterrorism, students will examine the future of the new legal framework for addressing the threat of bioterrorism. The course will have no final examination but will require a written paper that may be submitted for credit for the advanced writing requirement.
LAW AND ETHICS OF CLINICAL RESEARCH 6013.
V2 - 3 hrs.
This course will consider the legal regulation of ethical principles that govern human subject research both in the U.S. and overseas.
LAW AND PSYCHIATRY 6272.
2 hrs.
A study of various practical and theoretical aspects of law and psychiatry in the context of the insanity defense, rights of the mentally ill, civil commitment proceedings, involuntary behavior modification programs, and related topics.
LAW AND RELIGION 6237.
2 hrs.
This seminar addresses three aspects of law and religion: (1) belief systems of various world religions, (2) legal systems of world religions, and (3) court opinions construing the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. Areas of discussion include church-state issues throughout America’s history; government regulatory and adjudicative powers over religious organizations, institutions, and persons; religious pluralism; religious expression in public and political forums; and the law of religious liberty.
LAW, MEDICINE AND LITERATURE 6043.
V2 - 3 hrs.
This course focuses on reading, writing and speaking the professional language of the law and of medicine and speaking as a counselor, advocate, legislator, judge and physician. The goal of the course will be to understand the issues of professionalism common to both lawyers and physicians. The curriculum includes comparing law with other forms of literary and intellectual activity (e.g., literature, philosophy).
LAW OFFICE MANAGEMENT 6243.
2 hrs.
An applicatory study of basic principles of being in business, location and organization of a law firm, office and law practice management functions and systems, technology and support services, and performing legal work efficiently and effectively.
LAW PRACTICE TECHNOLOGY 6222.
2 hrs.
This seminar will survey various technologies that practitioners may encounter during the course of legal practice, particularly in solo or small firm environments.
LAW REVIEW 7002.
V1 - 2 hrs.
LAW, SCIENCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT 6048.
V2 - 3 hrs.
Prerequisite: LAW 6327, Environmental Law (can be taken concurrently). This is an interdisciplinary course that will involve examining the role of science and scientists in formulating environmental law and policy as well as the legal practice context of mediation to litigation. The environmental attorney frequently works with scientific experts, and this course will provide students with an understanding of basic scientific concepts and allow them to explore how scientific knowledge can improve an attorney’s effectiveness. The course will include reading and analyzing scientific papers on topics of toxicology, epidemiology, hurricanes, global climate change, hydrology, engineering and other environmental science fields, as well as cases involving environmental science.
LAW, SCIENCE, POLICY AND SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE 6038.
V2 - 3 hrs.
Considers the application of science to law, as well as the impact of law on the field of science in administrative law, evidence, litigation, and state and federal regulation. Topics will include federal scientific research, quantitative forensics, statistical evaluation, scientific evidence and risk assessment, DNA, scientific evidence, social sciences, and epidemiological and toxicological science and mass tort litigation. The class will conclude with a trial practice exercise that includes a case involving scientific evidence and expert witnesses. The course will have no final examination but will require a written paper that may be submitted for credit for the advanced writing requirement with at least a B grade.
LEGAL HISTORY SEMINAR 6241.
2 hrs.
This seminar is for students who are interested in a careful study of selected topics in American legal history. The seminar consists mostly of secondary course reading, class discussion based on reading assignments, and one short writing assignment. Discussion topics include such subjects as the Supreme Court, law of slavery, views of religion, and substantive due process (Lochner) civil liberties.
LEGAL MALPRACTICE 6058.
V1 - 3 hrs.
This course will cover legal malpractice law, remedies, insurance, problems, and prevention. The course will focus on practical malpractice issues encountered by practicing lawyers.
LEGISLATION 6062
V2-3 hrs.
This course presents a study of statutory law in the American legal system, including the recognition of legislative power as a legitimate source of law, restrictions on the forces shaping the legislative process, and rules for statutory interpretation.
LITIGATION WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 6072
V2 - 3 hrs.
A study of the unique rules applicable to litigation with the federal government, including the roles of the Department of Justice and agency counsel; sovereign immunity, general and specific waivers of sovereign immunity, justiciability, and suits against federal officers, including representation of federal officials and their immunities from litigation and liability.
LOW INCOME TAX CLINIC I 7209.
2 hrs.
Prerequisites: LAW 6434, Income Taxation and 6357, Professional Responsibility. Students represent low-income taxpayers in resolving difficulties with the Internal Revenue Service.
LOW INCOME TAX CLINIC II 7210.
2 hrs.
A continuation of low income tax clinic.
MARITAL PROPERTY 6008.
V2 - 3 hrs.
Property rights of husband and wife under the Texas community property system, including coverage of the law relating to homestead.
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE 6054.
V2 - 3 hrs.
A study of the civil liabilities of physicians and other health care providers for professional negligence, with attention to standard of care, analysis of hospital and medical records, pretrial and trial tactics, examination of the medical witness, and settlement negotiation.
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS 6053.
V2 - 3 hrs.
Prerequisite: Law 6435, Business Entities. This course examines the planning and execution of corporate mergers and acquisitions. While the doctrinal focus will be state corporate law, a number of other subjects pertinent to M&A transactions will also be touched upon, including securities, antitrust, tax, and accounting issues. Emphasis will be placed upon problems and exercises illustrating the nature and dynamics of transactional legal practice.
MILITARY CRIMINAL JUSTICE 6315.
3 hrs.
This course is an advanced critical study of the law pertaining to American military criminal justice, with the primary objective being the acquisition of an understanding of military criminal law as it is administered throughout the armed forces under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. A second objective of the course is to acquire an understanding of the historical development of our military justice system, and to understand the relationship of military justice to the laws of war and trials of persons by military commissions.
MUSEUM AND ART LAW 6350.
3 hrs.
Comprehensive study of the law and legal problems related to museums, including tax considerations. Includes copyright law, art law, historical preservation, wildlife regulation, and laws relating to cultural properties.
NAFTA 6325.
3 hrs.
This course introduces students to the substantive legal, procedural, and institutional aspects of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Students will develop tools for transnational practice by analyzing the legal issues involved in trading goods and services, investing, and protecting intellectual property among the countries of Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Special attention will be given to methods of resolving disputes under NAFTA and to the controversies of environmental and labor law enforcement under the NAFTA Side Agreements. The course also will examine prospects for future integrations, particularly the Free Trade Area of the Americas.
NANOTECHNOLOGY LAW AND POLICY 6307.
3 hrs.
This course will include an examination of the scope of nanotechnology as a science and as a commercialized application of science. In addition, the course will examine the legal, regulatory and policy aspects of this emerging technology. Few cases and few laws and ordinances specifically address nanotechnology, but every federal agency has developed a policy statement on its approach to regulation of nanotechnology in its jurisdictional area. Some agencies such as EPA and FDA are well into the aspect of regulation of nanotechnology using existing statutory and regulatory frameworks. The course will include a paper that may meet the advanced writing requirements for the J.D. degree and also the law and science certificate program.
NATIONAL SECURITY LAW 6277.
2 hrs.
This course will address the allocation of foreign affairs powers between the state and national governments and the allocation of those powers among the three branches of the national government. Emphasizes the War Powers Act and the President’s authority to project U.S. armed forces overseas without Congressional approval.
NEGOTIATION WORKSHOP 6297.
2 hrs.
Development of negotiating skills used in settling litigation and negotiating transactions; use of negotiation skills, strategies, and techniques through simulation exercises.
NON - PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS 6312
3 hrs.
Covers all the laws relating to non - profit entities. It includes legal requirements to obtain non - profit status and to obtain and maintain tax exempt status. It applies certain law, such as copyright and labor laws, to non - profit entities and considers specialized legal problems relating to particular non - profits, such as churches, schools, hospitals, political organizations, homeowner's associations, labor organizations, social clubs, trade and professional associations and cooperatives.
OIL AND GAS LAW 6311.
3 hrs.
A study of the law of oil and gas with emphasis on the interests that may be created in oil and gas, the rights of the landowner, provisions in the oil and gas lease, the rights of assignees, and legislation dealing with production and conservation.
PATENT LAW 6294.
2 hrs.
Devoted to fundamentals of patent law; patentable subject matter, novelty, nonobviousness, and utility as well as content requirements for a patent application, infringement, defense, and remedies.
PENSION AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS 6213.
2 hrs.
A study of the Employee Retirement and Income Security Act of 1974, which covers the law of employee welfare benefit plans and pension plans. Emphasis will be given to procedural issues that are unique to ERISA.
PRETRIAL LITIGATION 6274.
2 hrs.
This course concerns civil pretrial litigation according to Federal or Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. Assignments will include drafting of pretrial documents, taking depositions, and arguing motions.
PROBLEMS IN SMALL BUSINESS 6240.
2 hrs.
Prerequisites: LAW 6434, Income Taxation and 6435, Business Entities. This course provides an applicatory study of various problems affecting the small business, including contract, choice of business entity, and tax and lease issues. It will also examine several ethical issues as well as basic principles of operating a business.
PRODUCTS LIABILITY 6276.
2 hrs.
A comprehensive study of the civil action for harm resulting from defective and dangerous products, including the historical development of this theory of liability and its component parts, the problems concerning vertical and horizontal privity, defectiveness, proof, available defenses, damages, and remedies.
PUBLIC EDUCATION LAW 6032.
V2 - 3 hrs.
A comprehensive study of the impact of law upon public education in America, emphasizing the diverse relationships existing between students, teachers, administrators, governing bodies, legislature, and the public, and how these relationships are affected by law expressed in regulations, statutes, judicial decisions, state constitutions, and the U.S. Constitution.
PUBLIC HEALTH LAW 6305.
3 hrs.
This course provides an overview of fundamental public health law principles by looking at such topics as immunization, infectious disease, quarantine, newborn screening, organ transplantation, clinical drug trials, medical surveillance, correctional health, and international health interventions. Students will also explore the ethical, policy, economic, and human rights dimensions of these issues.
PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW 6342.
3 hrs.
An introductory course in international legal studies, with attention given to recognizing, analyzing, and solving international law problems in the areas of international military intervention, sociopolitical rights, economic development and well-being, and environmental protection. Special emphasis is focused on the sources of international law and the manner in which it is changing to meet the demands of the future.
PUBLIC LAND LAW 6211
2 hrs.
This course studies the ownership of land by the United States from the onset of nationhood until the present time. Constitutional an statutory doctrines that have shaped the disposition, retention, and management of those lands will also be analyzed. In addition, a study will be made of how the United States exploits the natural resources owned by it including water, timber, mineral, range, wildlife, recreation, and preservation resources.
RACE AND RACISM 6073.
V2 - 3 hrs.
This course addresses the many and various ways in which race and the law intersect and interact. Topics range from affirmative action to interracial adoption.
REAL PROPERTY FINANCE AND TRANSACTIONS 6304.
3 hrs.
A study of residential and commercial real estate transactions. Topics of discussion will include: negotiating the purchase and sale contract, methods of title assurance; the secondary mortgage market; land acquisition and development loans; various mortgage instruments and alternatives such as adjustable rate mortgages, wrap around mortgages, leasehold mortgages, purchase money mortgages, sale and lease backs, and contracts for deed; tax considerations in real estate transactions; shopping centers; condominiums; and cooperatives.
REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY LAW 6097.
V2 - 3 hrs.
In this seminar we will examine how the courts and legislatures are applying the fundamental liberties granted by the constitution, such as liberty, privacy, freedom of religion, and equal protection to never before imagined advances in reproductive technology. We will review relevant fundamentals and then analyze how they apply to new technologies, such as in-vitro fertilization, surrogate motherhood, and cloning.
RESEARCH 7001.
V1 - 2 hrs.
SECURITIES REGULATION LAW 6028.
V2 - 3 hrs.
Prerequisite: LAW 6435, Business Entities. This course covers the basics of federal securities regulation. Focusing on the two principal securities statutes, the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, we will examine a range of topics including the public company disclosure regime (as amended by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002); the initial public offering (IPO) process; offerings exempt from registration; secondary distributions; securities fraud; and forms of liability.
SEXUALITY AND THE LAW 6214.
2 hrs.
Prerequisite: LAW 5401, Constitutional Law. This seminar will explore the government’s regulation of human sexuality, including sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. Constitutional law doctrines covered in the course will include the right of privacy, equal protection, freedom of expression, and freedom of association. Specific topics to be covered include: the right to sexual privacy; sexuality and education; government regulation and censorship of self-identifying speech, commercial sex, sex with minors, and sexually explicit forms of arts; sexual discrimination in immigration; and military policies that discriminate based on sexual orientation. The seminar will also look at discrimination by private entities (primarily employers) on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. Finally, the course will explore selected topics pertaining to state control of family relationships, including marriage, custody and adoption.
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT 7004.
V1 - 4 hrs.
SPORTS LAW 6255.
2 hrs.
A study of the law as it affects professional and amateur sports. It probes the relationships among the leagues, the individual clubs, the players’ unions, and the athletes. Topics covered are players’ contracts, arbitration, remedies, antitrust issues, labor exemptions, discipline of players and clubs, collective bargaining, liability for injuries, amateur athletics, and NCAA problems.
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT 6036.
V2 - 3 hrs.
A study of the law relating to the creation of local government units and their legislative, fiscal, proprietary, and administrative powers and functions and their tort and contract liability. Discusses the relationship between state and local government and inter-governmental conflicts. Emphasizes Texas law.
STATE AND LOCAL TAXATION 6049.
V2 - 3 hrs.
Prerequisite: LAW 6434, Income Taxation. A study of fundamental state and local taxation issues, including federal constitutional restrictions on state taxation of interstate businesses, use tax collection responsibilities, and state tax procedure.
SUPREME COURT SEMINAR 6096.
V2 - 3 hrs.
This seminar will explore constitutional law and appellate advocacy. Students will act both as appellate advocates, arguing cases currently pending in the Supreme Court, and as Supreme Court justices, adjudicating those cases. In their roles as Supreme Court justices, students conduct case conferences and draft bench memoranda and judicial opinions. The course is designed both to develop skills and to examine in depth current issues in constitutional law, Supreme Court decision-making in constitutional and other types of litigation, and the Supreme Court as an institution in the legal system and society.
TAXATION OF INTERNATIONAL TRANSACTIONS 6012.
V2 - 3 hrs.
This course addresses the tax consequence of international transactions. It will provide the student with a basic introduction to corporate and individual international taxation. It includes a discussion of major concepts relating to the taxation of U.S. citizens, residents, and domestic corporations on their foreign source income and the taxation of nonresidents and foreign corporations on their .S. source income. The course includes a discussion of the effect of tax treaties on the taxation of international transactions and rules preventing double taxation of foreign source income.
TAX PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE 6324.
3 hrs.
This course is designed to teach students how to represent both those clients who have tax problems and those who are in competition with the Internal Revenue Service for a debtor’s money. The course focuses on subtitle F of the Internal Revenue Code. Students will learn the rules for how the IRS acquires information and determines taxes, what the IRS must do to make legal assessment of taxes, and what the limits are to the IRS’s lien and levy powers (as well as the difference been liens and levies). Students will learn how the IRS is structured and which IRS officers can best help clients.
TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JOURNAL 7003.
V1 - 2 hrs.
Students working on the Texas Administrative Law Journal will be permitted to receive course credit and satisfy the advanced writing requirement under the same rules as allowed for Law Review.
TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICE 6209
2 hrs.
A study of Texas administrative practice and procedure with an examination of the powers and procedures common to Texas state agencies, the rulemaking and adjudication processes employed by those agencies, and judicial review of state agency decision - making.
TEXAS BANK LAWYER 7005.
V1 - 4 hrs.
Students working on the Texas Bank Lawyer may be awarded 1 hour of credit during the spring term for each year of service by the student on the editorial board. The two principal editors will be permitted to earn 1 additional credit per semester of service in such capacity up to a maximum of 4 hours of credit.
TEXAS CRIMINAL PROCEDURE 6310.
3 hrs.
Prerequisite: LAW 6339, Criminal Procedure. The law regulating the Texas criminal process from arrest through post-conviction review with an emphasis on its unique characteristics.
TEXAS ESTATE ADMINISTRATION 6253.
2 hrs.
Prerequisite: LAW 6415, Wills and Trusts. This course provides comprehensive coverage of what happens after a person dies to provide the decedent’s successors in interest with proof that they are now the new owners of the decedent’s property and pay creditor and others with claims against the decedent or the decedent’s property.
TEXAS JUVENILE LAW 6207.
2 hrs.
The course provides a general introduction to all stages of the juvenile justice system in Texas. Students will study Title 3 of the Texas Family Code and relevant case law as the basis for Texas juvenile law. Topics will include juvenile arrest, intake, detention, discretionary transfer, adjudication, dispositional alternatives, modification, confessions, waivers and determinate sentencing. Coverage includes the differences between the adult and juvenile justice process and the philosophy of a separate juvenile system.
TEXAS LAND TITLES 6250.
2 hrs.
Contracts for sale of land; forms of deeds; descriptions; warranty and other covenants of title; escrows; recording statutes; practice in drafting; acquisition of title to land through adverse possession.
TEXAS LEGAL RESEARCH 6102.
1 hr.
This course focuses on the resources and methodology used in performing legal research in Texas.
TEXAS PRETRIAL PROCEDURE 6037.
V2 - 3 hrs.
A study of the Texas law in civil cases pertaining to subject matter jurisdiction within the state system, jurisdiction of persons and property, pleadings, venue, parties, effects of prior adjudications, attacks on final judgments, discovery, and disposition without trial.
TEXAS TRIAL AND APPELLATE PROCEDURE 6314.
3 hrs.
A study of the Texas law in civil cases pertaining to trial and appellate procedure concerning the jury, presentation of the case, motions for instructed verdict, the court’s charge, the verdict, trial before the court, post-trial motions and procedures, final and appealable judgments, appellate jurisdiction, perfection of appeal, the courts of appeals, the Supreme Court of Texas, and original proceedings in appellate courts.
TRANSACTIONAL PRACTICE 6284.
2 hrs.
Course provides opportunity to plan, negotiate, and draft legal documents in the context of business, commercial, and employment transactions. Fundamental concepts underlying contractual agreements will be emphasized.
TRIAL ADVOCACY 6228.
2 hrs.
Prerequisites: LAW 6416, Evidence. A practical course involving demonstrations and student practice in all aspects of the trial of civil and criminal cases which provide significant opportunities for jury persuasion, instructor analysis and commentary respecting student performance and evaluation of trial tactics.
WATER LAW 6027.
V2 - 3 hrs.
A study of private law systems for allocating water among users, the public law systems of allocation, groundwater management, development of new water supplies, interstate disputes, and water pollution.
WATER QUALITY AND POLLUTION LAW 6273.
2 hrs.
This seminar will consider the law, practice and policy of federal and state water quality, pollution laws and regulations. It will pay particular attention to the Clean Water Act; Safe Drinking Water Act; Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.
WHITE-COLLAR CRIME 6257.
2 hrs.
The focus of this course is federal white-collar crime issues.Back to Top