Law

This course builds upon the material introduced in the law school’s pre-matriculation program and is designed to enhance skills that are necessary to succeed in law school. The course is taught in large group and workshop formats and focuses on the ability to read, analyze, synthesize, and brief cases; create and understand class outlines; and apply the law and other authority through essay exam writing. The course also provides insight and strategies into taking multiple-choice questions; improving student study techniques; and managing student stress and time. This noncredit course is graded on a scale of A, B, C, D and F and is not subject to the Mandatory Grade Distribution listed in the Student Handbook. Students receiving a course grade of “D” or below are required to take Advanced Legal Reasoning.

This course is designed to enhance the skills that are necessary to succeed in law school, with increased emphasis on the ability to apply the law and other authority through essay exam writing. The course provides further strategies to improve study techniques. Course instruction includes both small-group and one-on-one meetings. This noncredit course is graded on a scale of A, B, C, D and F and is not subject to the Mandatory Grade Distribution set forth in the Student Handbook. This course is required for first-year students who have a cumulative GPA of 2.200 or below or who received a course grade of “D” or below in Legal Foundations, and is elective for all other first-year students.

This course is designed to enhance skills that are necessary to succeed in law school. The course focuses on the ability to analyze and synthesize cases and rules of law; create schema to organize and understand information in law school classes; and apply the law through essay exam writing. The course also provides strategies for taking multiple-choice questions, improving study techniques, and managing stress and time. Conditional grades in this course are subject to the Mandatory Grade Distribution set forth in the Student Handbook. In assigning final course grades, the instructor has discretion to allow students to raise their conditional grade by up to one full letter grade by completing additional assignments. Students receiving a final letter grade of “D” or below are required to take Advanced Legal Reasoning.

This course is about the legal profession, the foundational skills and values of the profession, and how students can find their places within the profession. It is designed to ensure that students begin thinking about the type of careers they would like to pursue and to equip students with tools needed to seek out such careers. Students will be introduced to the essential competencies needed for the successful practice of law, including a closer examination of the soft skills and emotional intelligence that the profession requires. The course includes reflection on the special obligations that lawyers have to their clients and society, including the necessity of being aware of systemic and implicit bias and the importance of cross-cultural competency. The course is intended to give law students the foundation for a successful, fulfilling, and impactful professional career. This course is graded on a pass/fail basis.

This course provides a study of the constitutional and statutory underpinnings of the process by which courts resolve civil disputes. Specifically, the course focuses on the issues of personal jurisdiction, federal subject matter jurisdiction, venue, and choice of law in federal courts with diversity jurisdiction (the Erie doctrine). Assessment of these doctrines will require students to exercise relevant foundational skills and associated lawyering tasks.

This course focuses heavily on the “nuts and bolts” of litigation, tracking the chronology of the civil lawsuit. The fundamental principles covered include pleading, joinder of claims and parties, discovery, disposition without trial, the Seventh Amendment right to jury trial, securing and enforcing judgments, and the preclusion doctrines. Students will learn to identify and understand the key differences between federal and Tennessee civil rules, standards, and practices.

This course provides a study of the basic principles of both the common law of contracts and sales of goods under Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code. It focuses on the requirements for formation of a contract, including offer and acceptance at common law; consideration; promissory estoppel; defenses used by parties to avoid liability on their agreements; and remedies at common law for nonperformance or threatened nonperformance, including money damages, restitution, and equitable remedies. Foundational skills taught in the course will include identifying and addressing potential legal issues that arise both in contract drafting and subsequently in contract disputes between the parties.

This course continues the study of the basic principles of both the common law of contracts and sales of goods under Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code. It focuses on remedies for nonperformance or threatened nonperformance, including money damages, restitution, and equitable remedies; the Statute of Frauds; the parol evidence rule and interpretation of the contract; promises and conditions; anticipatory repudiation; third-party beneficiaries; and assignment of rights and delegation of duties. Particular attention is given to those areas where there is divergence between the common law rules and the provisions of Article 2.

This course provides a study of the fundamental concepts applicable to real property such as acquisition of property rights, adverse possession, present estates and future interests, co-tenancy, real estate contracts, marketable title, equitable conversion, merger, transfer by deed, transfer on death deeds and transfer by will, and recording acts. Assessment of these doctrines will require students to exercise relevant foundational skills and associated lawyering tasks.

This course continues the study of fundamental property concepts and covers topics such as estates in land, future interests, and real estate transactions (including purchase and sale contracts, deeds, broker liability, title insurance, mortgages and liens, specific performance, the Statute of Frauds, and recording systems).

This course provides a study of intentional torts against persons and property and the privileges thereto. It further focuses on the basic principles of negligence and other standards of care and damages in tort actions. This course will provide students with instruction in skills such as spotting issues, legal analysis, and evaluation of tort claims.

This course focuses on the remaining issues in negligence, including particular duties of landowners, damages, joint and several liability, limitations on liability and special rules of liability and defenses. Additionally, the class will survey the following areas: strict liability, products liability, wrongful death, vicarious liability, misrepresentation, and nuisance. This course will provide students with instruction in skills such as spotting issues, legal analysis, and evaluation of tort claims.

Legal research is an essential part of practicing law. This course provides an overview of the process of legal research, familiarizing students with authoritative sources of law produced by the three branches of government: executive, judicial, and legislative. Special emphasis is placed on researching cases and statutes, and how to effectively update both.

This course provides the foundation upon which you will develop the legal communication skills essential to the practice of law. The course introduces you to the legal system and objective legal analysis. In particular, the course examines the relationship between legal analysis and lawyering skills such as legal research, legal writing, and legal citation, primarily through the genre of the interoffice memorandum. You will also learn how to advise clients through legal correspondence.

This course builds on the research skills developed in Legal Research I, further engaging students in the process used to determine what the law is to support a legal conclusion. This course emphasizes developing cost-effective legal research strategies, administrative law, and local law.

This course builds on the legal analysis, research, and writing skills you developed in the first semester to transition from objective to persuasive legal writing. This course focuses on persuasive legal advocacy for a client at the trial and appellate court levels. The course will mainly focus on familiarizing you with drafting litigation documents and briefs. You will also learn how to communicate with opposing counsel through legal correspondence. Additionally, the course will familiarize you with the skill of oral advocacy.

This course builds on the legal analysis, research, and writing skills you developed in the first semester to transition from objective to persuasive legal writing. This course focuses on persuasive legal advocacy for a client at the trial and appellate court levels. The course will mainly focus on familiarizing you with drafting litigation documents and briefs. You will also learn how to communicate with opposing counsel through legal correspondence. Additionally, the course will familiarize you with the skill of oral advocacy.

This course provides a study of the general principles, sources and purpose of criminal law, including the act requirement, the mens rea requirement, defenses, liability for attempted crimes, conspiracy crimes, accomplice liability, and criminal code interpretation of various statutory crimes. Assessment of these doctrines will require students to exercise relevant foundational skills and associated lawyering tasks.

The primary goal of this course is to strengthen students' legal problem-solving abilities. This course is required for upper-level students with a cumulative GPA that places them at high risk of attrition and failing the bar exam on the first attempt. Students who have a cumulative GPA below 2.200 after Spring of their 1L year are required to complete this course in the Fall of their 2L year. During any semester when this course is offered, any upper-level student who would otherwise be required to take Solving Legal Problems, and who has not satisfactorily completed Legal Practice Skills, must complete this course instead of Solving Legal Problems. Students with cumulative GPAs of 2.200 and above may voluntarily request enrollment in this course and may be enrolled until all available seats are filled. In this course, students will focus on improving how they learn and apply the law so they can draw on their understanding when analyzing the wide variety of legal problems that they are likely to encounter in law school exams, the bar exam, and in legal practice. Students will also further develop lawyering skills that reflect real-world practice and will work on activities that newly licensed lawyers are likely to encounter. Throughout the course, students will be provided with multiple opportunities for hands-on performance to directly and indirectly sharpen the expression of these skills. For example, students may have the opportunity to engage in focused skills exercises, group exercises, and writing activities. This course relies heavily on closed-universe exercises, like the Multistate Performance Test, which are an essential part of the Uniform Bar Examination and of most other state bar examinations. This noncredit course is graded on a scale of A, B, C, D and F and is not subject to the Mandatory Grade Distribution listed in § XXI.A of the Student Handbook. Students receiving a course grade of "D" or below are required to successfully complete Solving Legal Problems. Students enrolled in this course in the Fall of their 2L year must enroll in no more than 12 credit hours during that semester. A student on probation may request an exemption from this requirement and be allowed to take up to 15 credit hours, at the discretion of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

This directed study is required for upper-level students with a cumulative GPA that places them at high risk of attrition and failing the bar exam on the first attempt. Any upper-level student on academic probation who is not otherwise required to enroll in Legal Practice Skills is required to complete this course during their probationary semester. All other students may voluntarily request enrollment in this course and, at the discretion of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, may be enrolled until all available seats are filled. The course is taught on an individual basis, and may also include participation in a small group setting and in-class meetings. The student's assigned Academic Success faculty member, or his or her designee, after consultation with the student, will set forth the objectives, requirements, and guidelines for successful completion of the course. The purpose of the course is to provide the student with individualized academic support tailored to each student's strengths and weaknesses. The directed study will typically require enrolled students to meet with their assigned Academic Success faculty member, or his or her designee, at least four times per semester, typically on a bi-weekly basis to ensure individual meetings occur before and after midterm exams. The student shall work with their assigned Academic Success faculty member, or his or her designee, to identify the student's strengths and weaknesses in the study of the law. The student's assigned Academic Success faculty member, or his or her designee, may assign the student to attend academic success workshops geared towards the student's particular needs; complete practice exams or other relevant exercises; meet with a teaching assistant, upper-level student tutor, or member of the faculty to review their work; and develop a study plan to guide them through their studies during the semester.

This course is designed to improve legal analysis and study skills in preparation for taking the bar examination. It will assist with developing and practicing test-taking strategies and skills. It will also provide a familiarity with the methodology of the exam. Multiple-choice strategies and practice exams will be covered. The focus of the course is on subjects covered on the multiple-choice Multistate Bar Examination. Students also will have the opportunity to draft and receive feedback on essay answers pertaining to these subjects. This course is skills-based, not substance-based, so it is not intended to replace substantive course study review and/or commercial bar examination preparation courses. Only students on track to take the next February or July administration of the bar exam are eligible to enroll.

This course is graded on a pass/fail basis. To successfully complete this course, a student must earn both a passing course grade based on all course assessments and must earn a satisfactory composite score on the midterm and final exams. The satisfactory composite score shall be based on both the midterm and final exams. In addition, the satisfactory composite score shall be set forth in the course syllabus and shall be the same for all sections of the course offered in the same semester. If a student does not earn a passing course grade, then the student must retake the course in a future semester. If a student earns a passing course grade but fails to earn the satisfactory composite score, then the student presumptively fails the course. The student must then retake the course in a future semester. In the alternative, a student in this situation has up to two additional options:

1. The student may successfully complete Advanced Multistate Bar Exam Skills in lieu of repeating this course.

2. A student may request a grade of “incomplete.” The option of an “incomplete” shall be available to any student who does not achieve the satisfactory composite score needed to pass the course but earns a composite score that exceeds a minimum threshold set forth in the syllabus. A student may also be granted an “incomplete” if the student’s composite score on the midterm and final exams fails to exceed the minimum threshold, but the student earns a sufficient score on an assessment consisting of writing tasks comparable to those on the bar exam. A student receiving a grade of “incomplete” is required to fulfill all requirements of an individualized success plan, as approved by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or his or her designee. If a student does not fulfill all requirements of the individualized success plan by a date set by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, the student’s course grade will be converted to an “F.”

This is a skills-development course that provides students with an intensive substantive review of selected legal material routinely tested on the Multistate Examination Essay portion of the Uniform Bar Examination. Essay subjects reviewed include Conflict of Laws and Agency and Partnership. Through the use of questions and exercises in a bar exam format, students will become familiar with techniques for analyzing, organizing, and responding to essay questions on the bar exam. The course further provides students with a review of the Multistate Performance Test, which is designed to test an examinee's ability to perform fundamental lawyering skills. Suggestions are made in regard to approaching and successfully completing skills-based assignments found on Multistate Performance Tests. This course is not intended to replace any commercial bar examination preparation course. Only students on track to take the next February or July administration of the bar exam are eligible to enroll.

This course is designed to build on Multistate Bar Exam Skills to improve legal analysis in preparation for taking the bar examination and practicing law. It will further assist with developing and practicing test-taking strategies and skills, in addition to further developing analytical skills crucial to the practice of law. In addition, before beginning this course, a student is required to fulfill all requirements of an individualized success plan, as approved by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or his or her designee. This plan must be designed to develop essential skills to position the student for success in this course. This course is graded on a pass/fail basis and is available only to students who did not pass Multistate Bar Exam Skills in a prior semester. Successful completion of this course satisfies the Multistate Bar Exam Skills course curriculum requirement.

This course begins with a brief overview of the law of agency. It then examines the different forms of legal entities commonly created to carry on for-profit business activities, with a particular emphasis on partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), and corporations. Students will learn the different rules of formation, managerial structures, investment relationships, and risk allocations associated with each kind of entity.  The course will also cover potential litigation strategies of both the various organizations and entities adverse to them.

This course will focus on building the knowledge, skills, and strategies needed to pass the bar exam.

This course will build upon Bar Exam Skills I, further developing the knowledge, skills, and strategies needed to pass the bar exam.

This course continues the study of fundamental property concepts and covers topics such as eminent domain, landlord tenant law including habitability and suitability, fair housing/discrimination, restrictive covenants, easements, licenses, mortgages and foreclosure, fixtures, nuisance, zoning, and regulatory takings. Assessment of these doctrines will require students to exercise relevant foundational skills and associated lawyering tasks.

This course introduces students to the basic principles of U.S. Constitutional law, including the text of the U.S. Constitution, the American system of federalism, the federal courts and their authority for judicial review, limits on the federal judicial power, federal legislative power, federal executive power, limits on state regulatory and taxing power, the structure of the Constitution's protection of civil rights and civil liberties, economic liberties, equal protection and fundamental rights under due process and equal protection.

This course familiarizes students with the basic principles of U.S. Constitutional Law, including the text of the U.S. Constitution, the American system of federalism, the federal courts and their authority for judicial review, limits on the federal judicial power, federal legislative power, and federal executive power. Assessment of these doctrines will require students to exercise relevant foundational skills and associated lawyering tasks.

This course familiarizes students with the Constitution’s protection of individual liberties, including the Fourteenth Amendment’s Privileges or Immunities Clause, the Due Process Clause, the Equal Protection Clause, and the First Amendment’s protections for freedom of speech and religion. Assessment of these doctrines will require students to exercise relevant foundational skills and associated lawyering tasks.

This course will introduce students to legislative history and administrative law, advanced legal research skills, and broaden students' understanding of all sources of law.

This course focuses on persuasive legal writing and oral advocacy at both the trial and appellate levels. The course incorporates advanced analytical skills and broadens the students' understanding of all sources of law. In addition to other assignments, the course requires the creation of an appellate brief and the performance of oral arguments before a mock appellate panel.

This course provides a study of the general principles, sources, and purpose of criminal law, including the act requirement, the mens rea requirement, causation, liability for attempted crimes, accomplice liability, defenses, criminal code interpretation, and a review of Tennessee criminal law.

This course considers the principal issues of criminal investigation arising under the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments. The course will explore specific police investigative methods, what constitutes a "search," arrests, stop and frisk, seizures, police interrogation, and identification procedures.

This course provides a general study of the laws which affect formal and informal relationships, premarital contracts and disputes, requirements of formal marriage, legal effects of marriage, support obligations within the family, legal separation, annulment, grounds for divorce, property settlements, alternative dispute resolution methods available in family law litigation, child custody, child support, abortion, effects of illegitimacy, and surrogacy agreements. The course will survey the general common law and federal law developments effecting family law including uniform interstate support and custody acts, and privacy and same sex marriage decisions.

This course provides a study of the policies and rules regulating the admission and exclusion of oral, written, and demonstrative evidence at trials and other proceedings, including relevance, character evidence, competence, impeachment, hearsay, expert testimony, authentication, and judicial notice.

This course provides a study of the policies and rules regulating the admission and exclusion of oral, written, and demonstrative evidence at trials and other proceedings, including relevance, character evidence, competence, impeachment, hearsay, expert testimony, authentication, privileges, and judicial notice. Assessment of these doctrines will require students to exercise relevant foundational skills and associated lawyering tasks.

This course continues the study of the basic principles of both the common law of contracts and sales of goods under Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code. It focuses on offer and acceptance under Article 2; warranties under Article 2; remedies under Article 2 for nonperformance or threatened nonperformance; the Statute of Frauds; the parol evidence rule and interpretation of the contract; promises and conditions; anticipatory repudiation; third-party beneficiaries; and assignment of rights and delegation of duties. Particular attention is given to those areas where there is divergence between the common law rules and the provisions of Article 2. Foundational skills taught in the course will include identifying and addressing potential legal issues that arise both in contract drafting and subsequently in contract disputes between the parties.

Students are provided an overview of the law and ethics of lawyering, consistent with the Model Rules of Professional Conduct. The course emphasizes the importance of respect for diversity and the rule of law as well as the development of values and attitudes that are congruent with the code of ethics governing the legal profession.

This course provides a study of Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code and discusses securing debt through the collateralization of personal property. The course will discuss the creation and enforcement of security interests in personal property as well as methods of determining priority between multiple secured debts on the same personal property.

This course introduces students to the law governing the intergenerational transfer of wealth. Using case law, the Uniform Probate and Uniform Trust Codes as models, the course introduces students to the legal aspects of probate and non-probate transfers of wealth, including the law of intestacy, wills, will substitutes and trusts, including the duties and powers of trustees in trust administration. It will further develop student understanding of future interests and the Rule Against Perpetuities and, at every point, the course will emphasize the ethical challenges inherent in the practice of estate law.

Students are provided an overview of the law and ethics of lawyering, consistent with the Model Rules of Professional Conduct and Model Code of Judicial Conduct. The course emphasizes the importance of respect for diversity, cross-cultural competency, and the rule of law as well as the development of values and attitudes that are congruent with the code of ethics governing the legal profession.

This course considers the principal issues of criminal investigation arising under the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments. The course will explore specific police investigative methods, what constitutes a “search,” arrests, stop and frisk, seizures, police interrogation, and identification procedures. Assessment of these doctrines will require students to exercise relevant foundational skills and associated lawyering tasks.

This course begins with an overview of the law of agency as a foundational principle on which all legal entities rely. It also examines the different forms of legal entities commonly created to carry on for-profit business activities, with a focus on partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), and corporations. Students will learn the different rules for formation and operation, management and control, limited liability status, and fiduciary duties that are associated with each business entity. Students should expect to build foundational skills such as reviewing and drafting organizational formation documents; considering potential strategies for litigation involving the various entities, including both direct and derivative litigation; and understanding the differences between advising the organizational client and counseling managers of the organization.

This is a skills-development course that provides students with an intensive substantive review of selected legal material routinely tested on the Multistate Examination Essay portion of the Uniform Bar Examination. Essay subjects reviewed include Corporations and LLCs, Family Law, Secured Transactions, and Trusts and Estates. Through the use of questions and exercises in a bar exam format, students will become familiar with techniques for analyzing, organizing, and responding to essay questions on the bar exam. This course, which is not intended to replace any commercial bar examination preparation course, is strongly recommended. Only students on track to take the next February or July administration of the bar exam are eligible to enroll.

This course provides an introduction to the substance and procedure of drafting legislation, the administrative state, and canons of statutory interpretation. Specifically, it focuses on: (1) the politics and policy underlying legislative and administrative actions, including campaign finance law and ethical issues; (2) the process of developing, drafting, and enacting legislation; (3) the implementation of legislation by administrative agencies through the promulgation of regulations, and (4) the interpretation of both statutes and regulations by the courts. The course will also provide students with an introduction to career opportunities both inside of government and outside government as lawyer/lobbyists.

This course provides a study of the processes by which policies of administrative agencies are translated into law and applied by the responsible administrative agencies. Topics include: analysis of informal and formal procedures, separation of powers, delegation, statutory construction, rule making, and adjudication.

This course provides a study of the legal policies, rules of law, and constitutional requirements for resolving disputes that have connections with more than one state, a state and a foreign country, or both state and federal interests. It explores the principles that courts use in selecting the proper law to apply in such cases under the American system of divided sovereignty—divided both between states and between state and federal governments.

This course will take an in-depth look at counterterrorism in China, Colombia, India, Israel, Russia, Spain, and the United States. The course will examine competing conceptions and definitions of terrorism at the national and international level and the institutions and processes relevant to operational counterterrorism.

This course will include the study of the balance between national security interests and civil liberties found in the following topical areas: relevant Supreme Court decisions in the surveyed nations, legislative provisions in response to acts of terrorism, operational counter-terrorism considerations (including targeted killing), intelligence gathering (including interrogations), policy recommendations, the use of military tribunals or civil courts in trying suspected terrorists, the emerging law regarding enemy combatants and their detention, and the arguable need for new self- defense doctrines at the global level.

This course provides a study of the law and methods involved in settling disputes outside of the courtroom, including arbitration, mediation, collaborative law, mini-trials, early neutral evaluation, and conciliation.

This course provides a study of the rights and remedies of debtors and creditors under the Federal Bankruptcy Code. In addition, the interplay of the Bankruptcy Code and the provisions of Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code and other provisions of state law are examined

This course is available in a limited number of subject areas. A directed study is a regular School of Law course offering taught to a student on an individual faculty/student basis which must be approved by the faculty member and either the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or the Dean. In a directed study, the directing faculty member sets forth the objectives, requirements, and guidelines for earning credit in a course. A directed study syllabus for each course stating established meeting times with a faculty member, examination, readings, and a general outline of what is to be learned is provided. A directed study course will be denied if the course is available that same semester.

Local governments enjoy substantial law-making and regulatory authority, bearing significant responsibility for the financing and provision of most domestic public goods and services. This course will consider the source, scope and limits of local government power. It will address the allocation of these powers and the legal rules that provide the foundation and corresponding obligations associated with their use. Some specific topics will include public administration, public financing, liability and risk management, zoning and annexation, public utilities, eminent domain and condemnation, inducements to business and industry, public law enforcement, municipal courts, and education.

This course provides a study of the statutes, regulations, and cases dealing with a number of legal rights and concerns of employees and employers, including labor relations between private employers and employees acting in a collective capacity. Areas covered may include: (a) historical background and economic considerations of labor and employment laws; (b) at-will employment and wrongful discharge; (c) organization and representation of employees; (d) union collective action and collective bargaining; (e) worker's compensation law and practice; (f) labor standards legislation, such as wage-and-hour laws (e.g., Fair Labor Standards Act-FLSA, public contract "prevailing wage" requirements); (g) health-and-safety laws (e.g., Occupational Safety and Health Act-OSHA); and (h) an introduction to pension-protection laws (e.g., Employee Retirement Income Security Act-ERISA).

This course provides a legal analysis and study of the text, history, theory and jurisprudence related to the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment, including an analysis of its five freedoms: speech, press, assembly, petitioning, and religion. Specific topics will include free speech methodology; unprotected and less protected speech; tort law as it relates to freedom of speech; conduct that communicates, including the financing of election campaigns and campaign finance restrictions; the public financing of elections and the places available for speech; freedom of association; freedom of the press; interpreting freedom of religion; the Free Exercise Clause; and the Establishment Clause.

This is a general survey course of international law. The course aims to provide the history, foundation, and growth of public international law through custom, treaties, the work of international organizations, and the decisions of international tribunals. The course will examine a broad array of legal issues, including the formation of customary international law, the establishment and recognition of states, diplomatic relations, the law of treaties, international organizations, nationality, the nature and scope of sovereignty and jurisdiction of states, sovereign immunity, state responsibility, human rights, protection of the environment, the law of the sea, the use of force, and international dispute resolution.

This course provides a study of the constitutional and practical doctrines that define the judicial power of the United States, with particular emphasis on the role of federal courts in the American system of government, including the federal courts’ relationship to the other branches of the federal government and their relationship to the separate state systems of government.

This course provides a study of the basic principles of federal income tax, concentrating on individual taxpayers, business taxpayers, and investors as taxpayers. Particular emphasis is placed on the use of the Internal Revenue Code and federal tax regulations. Topics include items of inclusion and exclusion from gross income, deductions from gross income, capital gains and losses, basic tax accounting, and the identification of income to the appropriate taxpayer.

This course provides a study of the key concepts in health law such as the structure of health care organizations, quality of health care, and liability of health care providers. It also addresses access to health care; financing mechanisms of health care, including Medicare and Medicaid; regulation of health care; and oversight of managed health care. New developments in health care law will also be examined.

This course provides a study of the legal, historical, and policy perspectives that shape U.S. law governing immigration and citizenship, including the constitutional bases for regulating immigration, the history of immigration law in the United States, and the source and scope of congressional and executive branch power with regard to immigration. The course will also examine the role of the judiciary in interpreting immigration law, citizenship and naturalization, the admission and removal of immigrants and non-immigrants, and the issue of undocumented immigration. Students will also analyze the impact of immigration in other areas, including employment, criminal law, family unification, and discrimination.

This course provides a study of: various types of insurance, including life, property, health, accident, and liability insurance; regulation of the insurance industry; interpretation of insurance documents; conditions, warranties, and representations; coverage and exclusions; duties of agents; excess liability; subrogation; bad faith actions against insurers; liability insurance defense problems, including the duty to defend; notice and cooperation issues; and conflicts of interest.

This course provides a study of various legal theories, concepts, philosophies and problems.  Coverage may include legal positivism, natural law theory, legal realism, idealism, historical jurisprudence, utilitarianism, sociological jurisprudence, policy science, and critical studies.

This course provides a study of the rights and responsibilities of parents, children, attorneys, and the State in the context of a Tennessee juvenile law practice. During this course, students will learn about the history of the juvenile court system, the development of children's rights and the practical application of the law in dependency and neglect, severe abuse, termination of parental rights, unruly, and delinquency matters.

This course is designed to provide students with a practical understanding of workers' compensation laws nationwide, with a particular emphasis on Tennessee's workers' compensation system. The course provides the history, foundation, and development of workers' compensation laws, and students will analyze the decisions of workers' compensation courts. The course will examine a broad array of legal issues, including the statutory requirements to establish entitlement to workers' compensation benefits, the types of benefits available to injured workers, the defenses employers assert to such claims, and the dispute resolution processes used by various states, with an emphasis on Tennessee's dispute resolution and litigation schemes.

This course will examine impediments to real property ownership, occupancy, and access in America from the Post-Reconstruction era to present day. It will examine the use of racial zoning by municipalities; Jim Crow laws; the use of racially restrictive covenants by private individuals, realtors, developers, and the Fair Housing Administration; racial steering; eminent domain; redlining; easements; defeasible fees; race nuisance; and digital steering to impede ownership, occupancy, and access. This course will explore whether historic types of real property discrimination have been eliminated or whether they have morphed into new mechanisms for discrimination.

This course provides a study of patent law and policy. The course will examine the history of patents and the policy arguments for and against using patents as a mechanism for inducing innovation. Students will learn the basics of patent drafting and prosecution, patent claims, and claim construction. The class then addresses in depth the central patentability criteria of subject matter, utility, nonobviousness, and disclosure. Other topics may include: the relationship between patents and other forms of intellectual property protection such as trade secrets and copyright; the intersection of patent and antitrust law; the role of the Patent and Trademark Office and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

This course provides a study of the liability of manufacturers and distributors for defects in their products.  This course provides particular focus on the origins of strict liability in tort for defective products, as well as negligence and warranty theories. The course will cover recent developments in recovery, elements of proof, available defenses, and tort reform.

This course provides a study of the law of judicial remedies, both legal and equitable, focusing on the nature and scope of relief as distinguished from substantive and procedural law. The four major categories of remedies are addressed: damages, including measurement issues for both compensatory and punitive damages and limitations on the damages remedy; restitution, including measurement issues and issues related to rescission, constructive trust, and equitable lien; injunctions, including issues relating to requirements for obtaining preliminary and permanent injunctive; and declaratory relief, including ancillary remedies to effectuate the relief obtained and legal and equitable defenses.

This course provides a study of the academic (e.g., labor and antitrust) and practical (e.g., contracts and agents) aspects of professional sports and the emerging field of sports law, including rules governing Olympic competition, the NCAA, and other amateur athletics.

This course focuses on collateral challenges to criminal convictions, which are known as post-conviction remedies. Post-conviction remedies balance the need for finality and the conservation of judicial resources against the protection of the innocent and the guarantee of constitutional rights. The course will explore both state post-conviction remedies (with an emphasis on Tennessee's post-conviction scheme) and federal habeas corpus. Topics covered in the course will include the threshold requirements for post-conviction relief; post-conviction procedure; the grounds for post-conviction relief such as prosecutorial misconduct, ineffective assistance of counsel, newly discovered evidence, "free-standing" innocence claims, and illegal sentences; federal habeas corpus under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996; and the ethical considerations that arise in post-conviction proceedings.

This course provides a general study of the laws which affect marriage and custody issues, with a particular focus on Tennessee laws. The legal issues to be discussed include premarital contracts and disputes, requirements of formal marriage, legal separation, annulment, grounds for divorce, property settlements, spousal support, child custody, and child support. This course will provide students with instruction in skills such as spotting issues, legal analysis, and evaluation of domestic relations issues.

This seminar focuses on the death penalty in the United States.  The seminar will survey its history, its future, and the pro and con arguments, addressing the legal, moral, and ethical considerations.  It will also examine the interplay between the death penalty and both substantive and procedural criminal law. The seminar provides a vehicle for each student to engage in an in-depth scholarly examination of a facet of the death penalty, focusing predominately, but not necessarily exclusively, on its legal dimensions.  This course may satisfy the Upper-Level Writing Requirement.

This course provides a study of the law relating to public, private, and home education. Emphasis is placed on the legal framework for public education, the First Amendment and other Constitutional issues related to the public schools, and the nature of parental rights in the context of public education. This class may satisfy the Upper Level Writing Requirement

This course studies how the police and other government agencies "police" society and investigate crimes. It deals with fundamental issues concerning the relationship between the state and the individual, and raises critical concerns about surveillance, force, racial justice, and basic civil liberties. Topics include police stops, frisks, searches, uses of force, predictive policing, and police informants and undercover operations. Much of the relevant law has been constitutionalized; thus, the primary focus of the course is on the Fourth and Fifth Amendments, although we also will pay attention to state constitutions and some relevant statutory law. This course is essential starting ground for anyone interested in practicing in the criminal justice space, be it direct services or law reform, but will be of interest to anyone concerned about some of the paramount issues of the day: community policing, the policing culture, police strategy and tactics, municipal liability, excessive force cases, and qualified immunity. If you are taking this as an experiential learning course, this course will integrate legal doctrine with skills needed for competent and ethical participation as a member of the legal profession by requiring two writing assignments involving interviewing skills and document drafting and developing trial practice skills by participating as an attorney and witness in a civil rights trial. Students will be provided multiple opportunities for performance and for self-evaluation. This course may satisfy the Upper-Level Writing Requirement.

An Independent Study is appropriate for a student who wishes to study a particular area of law that is not covered in the school’s existing course offerings. An independent study is supervised by a faculty member, with prior approval of the Curriculum Committee. A student wishing to conduct an independent study for credit must complete a Request for Independent Study consistent with the Guidelines for Independent Study. The student’s request must demonstrate that the proposed writing project satisfies the requirements of an Academic Legal Writing Seminar. However, a student may propose an Independent Study while using different courses to fulfill the Upper-Level Writing Requirement. If the student earns a passing grade on an Independent Study lower than a “B” or otherwise fails to meet the criteria of an Academic Legal Writing Seminar, the student will receive credit for the Independent Study but may not use the Independent Study writing project to satisfy the Upper-Level Writing requirement. The Independent Study Request Form proposal should be completed prior to the following deadlines based on the semester in which the student wishes to do the Independent Study: fall semester, July 1; spring semester, November 1; summer semester, March 15.

This course focuses on the method and concept of comparative law between the civil law tradition and the common law tradition. The history, culture, and distribution of the civil law tradition, the legal structures in civil law nations, legal actors, procedure, and fields of substantive law in civil law systems, and sources of law and the judicial process in civil law systems will be examined and compared to similar areas in the common law tradition. This course will introduce students to competing legal systems in areas such as Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. An emphasis is placed on the historical developments, cultural environment and social climate that define the adoption and implementation of rules in these legal systems. This course further explores the role of comparative law in the American legal system and how to effectively litigate cases with foreign parties or foreign law issues in American courts. This class may satisfy the Upper Level Writing Requirement.

This course examines the social, legal, historical, and theoretical underpinnings of critical race theory as an intellectual movement. Critical race theorists examine the relationship between race and the law, nuanced by the recognition that race is itself a legally reinforced social construct. Areas of law to be explored include the criminal justice system, education, immigration, and housing law.

This course will provide an introduction to fair housing laws. The course will expose students to the problems created by housing discrimination and to the laws which seek to remedy this persistent, evolving, and complicated social issue. The course will cover federal and state fair housing laws, rental and eviction laws, land use practices, and alternative dispute mechanisms. They will study enforcement in administrative agencies and in the courts. The course will expose students to careers in landlord/tenant and fair housing laws and enforcement. During the semester, students will prepare and present a research topic chosen in conjunction with the professor.

This course provides a study of how technology impacts the law and how the law affects technology. The course will cover aspects of internet and software copyright issues, trade secrets, computer crime, privacy, antitrust, and regulation of internet content. Timely issues that may arise near or during the time of the course offering may also be examined.

This course provides a conceptual overview of environmental law, starting with coverage of the basics of administrative law, constitutional law, and standing for citizen groups. The course will then explore how environmental law operates through discussion of major federal environmental statutes, including the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Endangered Species Act, and National Environmental Policy Act. Class discussions will explore cross-cutting themes (such as scientific uncertainty, market failures, and the challenge of enforcement) and dominant theories that drive policy development (such as environmental justice and the need to address transboundary resource conflict). 

This seminar examines the prohibition on aggression and the use of force during times of ostensible “peace” (jus ad bellum).  Students will examine the definitional challenges in this area of law; concepts of unlawful and lawful uses of force, such as self-defense; threats and “minor uses of force”; use of force against non-state actors; humanitarian intervention; and emerging issues in jus ad bellum, such as cyberoperations, the use of autonomous weapon systems, and “lawfare.” 

The LMU Law Review edits and publishes articles written by scholars, practitioners and students. Selection to the Law Review occurs via a write-on competition immediately following the end of the first year (for full-time students) or second year (for part-time students). After serving for at least one semester as a member of the Law Review, each student must undertake a writing project under the supervision of the Law Review's faculty advisor. The student must complete a request form consistent with the Law Review Writing Project Guidelines. The student's request must demonstrate that the proposal could satisfy the upper-level writing requirement. However, a student may propose a Law Review Writing Project while using a different course to fulfill the upper-level writing requirement. If the student earns a passing grade on a Law Review Writing Project lower than a "B" or otherwise fails to meet the criteria of the Upper Level Writing requirement, the student will receive credit for this course but may not use the Law Review Writing Project to satisfy the Upper-Level Writing requirement. The request form must be completed prior to the following deadlines based on the semester in which the student wishes to complete the writing project: fall semester, July 1; spring semester, November 1; summer semester, March 15. To receive credit for this course, the student must, in addition to completing the Law Review Writing Project, satisfactorily complete two academic years on the Law Review, to be certified by the Law Review faculty advisor.

This course covers substantive federal criminal law to include the scope and structure of federal crimes. The course will explore prosecution and defense strategies in federal cases, including decision making before and after trials. Topics covered will include drug trafficking, money laundering, asset forfeiture, firearms, the Hobbs Act, anti-terrorism, espionage, immigration, wire and mail fraud, public corruption, bribery, RICO, obstruction of justice, perjury, and the federal sentencing guidelines. This course may satisfy the Upper- Level Writing Requirement.

This seminar provides an overview of the history, framework, and application of Federal Indian Law in America. There are over 575 Native American Tribes in the land mass of the United States. Over 300 of those tribes have tribal trial courts. Over 175 of those tribes have appellate courts. State courts in some jurisdictions (P.L. 280 states) and many federal courts apply Federal Indian Law. Statutes such as the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) draw Federal Indian Law into state juvenile courts. This class prepares students to be included in this unique and interesting field of law as tribal judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, gaming adviser, court administrator, or legislative advisers. This course may satisfy the upper-level writing requirement.

This course provides a study of the general principles, sources and purpose of race, civil rights and American law to include the parameters of concepts of race; histories of race and racism; anti-discrimination laws; affirmative action; criminal justice; hate speech; the intersection of race and gender; and racial justice.

This course provides a study of pre-trial practices and procedures. Students will become familiar with the relevant Rules of Civil Procedure and other pre-trial techniques, including client interviewing and counseling, witness interviewing, informal discovery techniques, litigation planning, expert development and discovery, pleadings, interrogatories, depositions, requests for production, requests for admission, pre-trial motion practice, settlement strategies, settlement brochures, settlement conferences, pre-trial conferences, and settlement agreements.

This course provides an introduction to the substance and procedure of drafting legislation, the administrative state, and canons of statutory interpretation. Specifically, it focuses on: (1) the politics and policy underlying legislative and administrative actions, including campaign finance law and ethical issues; (2) the process of developing, drafting, and enacting legislation; (3) the implementation of legislation by administrative agencies through the promulgation of regulations, and (4) the interpretation of both statutes and regulations by the courts. The course will also provide students with an introduction to career opportunities both inside of government and outside government as lawyer/lobbyists.

This course provides a study of the general principles, sources and purpose of race, civil rights and American law to include the parameters of concepts of race; histories of race and racism; anti-discrimination laws; affirmative action; criminal justice; hate speech; the intersection of race and gender; and racial justice.

This course covers all aspects of legislative and regulatory advocacy (lobbying), with intensive emphasis on professional skills of oral and written advocacy in the governmental or political arena. Simulated federal and state lobbying scenarios will be highlighted representing members of Congress, staff, committee hearings, state legislators, agency executives and clients. Topics include campaign finance, lobbying disclosure laws legislative drafting, and ethics. 

This course provides an overview of the appellate process, building upon skills learned in Legal Communication III and including learning how to apply the rules of appellate procedure, as well as skills necessary for appellate brief writing and oral advocacy. Students will ultimately draft an appellate brief and present an oral argument. 

This course will provide practical instruction in relation to the skills of advocacy in civil and criminal cases. Students will learn effective skills for jury selection, opening statements, direct and cross examination of witnesses (both lay and expert), objections, and closing arguments. Additionally, students will focus on case theory development and strategies best suited to jury persuasion.

This course provides a study of pre-trial practices and procedures. Students will become familiar with the relevant Rules of Civil Procedure and other pre-trial techniques, including client interviewing and counseling, witness interviewing, informal discovery techniques, litigation planning, expert development and discovery, pleadings, interrogatories, depositions, requests for production, requests for admission, pre-trial motion practice, settlement strategies, settlement brochures, settlement conferences, pre-trial conferences, and settlement agreements.

This course focuses on the basic skills associated with drafting legal documents, by studying and writing documents in the context of domestic relations litigation (primarily the dissolution of marriage).  Students will draft documents that create the relationship with the client, such as scope of representation letters and fee agreements as a way to explore some of the ethical and professional responsibilities that arise between attorneys and clients.  Students will also draft pleadings related to divorce litigation as a way to explore the relationships between the governing law and the procedural mechanisms by which the client’s cause of action is actually presented to the court.  Finally, students will draft agreements that are intended to resolve or avoid litigation as a way to consider contract-related considerations. 

This course explores the processes of the criminal justice system from bail to jail. Specifically, it covers: bail and pretrial release, prosecutorial discretion and charging decisions, grand juries, preliminary hearings, discovery, plea bargaining and guilty pleas, speedy trial rights, right to counsel, trial rights, sentencing, cruel and unusual punishment, double jeopardy and habeas corpus. The class involves several in-class simulation exercises and satisfies the experiential learning requirement.

This course studies how the police and other government agencies "police" society and investigate crimes. It deals with fundamental issues concerning the relationship between the state and the individual, and raises critical concerns about surveillance, force, racial justice, and basic civil liberties. Topics include police stops, frisks, searches, uses of force, predictive policing, and police informants and undercover operations. Much of the relevant law has been constitutionalized; thus, the primary focus of the course is on the Fourth and Fifth Amendments, although we also will pay attention to state constitutions and some relevant statutory law. This course is essential starting ground for anyone interested in practicing in the criminal justice space, be it direct services or law reform, but will be of interest to anyone concerned about some of the paramount issues of the day: community policing, the policing culture, police strategy and tactics, municipal liability, excessive force cases, and qualified immunity. If you are taking this as an experiential learning course, this course will integrate legal doctrine with skills needed for competent and ethical participation as a member of the legal profession by requiring two writing assignments involving interviewing skills and document drafting and developing trial practice skills by participating as an attorney and witness in a civil rights trial. Students will be provided multiple opportunities for performance and for self-evaluation.

This course will provide a systematic overview of the preparation necessary to open and maintain a law office. Students will be introduced to basic concepts of law firm management, predictable problems, and solutions. Students who successfully complete this course will have a sound understanding of the business of practicing law and the importance of a very organized and low overhead office; obtaining skills for organizing files, handling finances, and minimizing accounts receivables; knowing how to develop business and to keep good clients; and gaining communication and interpersonal skills to handle employees, clients, and the people involved in the court system. Rules of Professional Conduct, ethics opinions and attorney general decisions governing office management issues will be discussed.

This course covers all aspects of legislative and regulatory advocacy (lobbying), with intensive emphasis on professional skills of oral and written advocacy in the governmental or political arena. Simulated federal and state lobbying scenarios will be highlighted representing members of Congress, staff, committee hearings, state legislators, agency executives and clients. Topics include campaign finance, lobbying disclosure laws legislative drafting, and ethics. 

Public Speaking for Lawyers will be an intensive, practical course designed to enhance the oral advocacy and public speaking skills of law students. Recognizing the critical role that effective communication plays in legal practice, this course offers students the opportunity to develop and refine their speaking abilities in a variety of legal contexts. Through a combination of theoretical instruction, practical exercises, and personalized feedback, students will learn to deliver persuasive, clear, and confident presentations and arguments.

This experiential, skills-based course focuses on the practical aspects of drafting transactional documents. The course will include classroom instruction on substantive contract concepts such as representations, warranties, covenants, and conditions. Students will learn basic contract structure and design; how to analyze and understand various provisions of a contract, the role of each, and how they work together; and how to add value to a business transaction while anticipating and minimizing risks. Through classroom discussion, individual feedback, and opportunities for editing and revising, students will practice and hone the skill of drafting unambiguous contract terms that are clear and effective. Assignments will include in-class and group exercises, drafting homework, and larger drafting assignments as major projects. 

This experiential learning course provides an overview of the legal issues faced by lawyers practicing litigation work in Tennessee, particularly those working in a solo or small-firm environment. It is taught through simulation exercises that require students to work through real-world scenarios that Tennessee attorneys regularly encounter in their practices. Fictional clients retain the students to litigate the most common types of cases in each of the various Tennessee state courts, including Municipal Court, General Sessions Court, Juvenile Court, Chancery Court, Circuit Court, Criminal Court, and the appellate courts. With each exercise, students will research, analyze, interpret, and apply Tennessee-specific legal questions. The goal of this course is to expose students to legal and practical issues they are likely to see as attorneys and to give them the confidence to tackle those issues competently.

This skills-based course will have limited enrollment and will utilize mini-scenarios to introduce students to the application of the Federal Rules of Evidence in a courtroom setting. Students will prepare, in advance of class, mini scenarios that consist of both criminal and civil cases. Students will research the admission (or exclusion) of potential evidence and, through the use of witnesses, seek to admit (or exclude) such evidence in the context of each scenario. Students will serve in roles as advocates, witnesses and judges. At the conclusion of each scenario, students, who did not participate in a particular scenario, will offer constructive critiques of their colleagues. This will be followed by the instructor's oral and written critique. Each class includes multiple opportunities for assessment from the instructor, their colleagues, and self-assessment. Students are provided copies of the grading rubric used by the instructor and a rubric for self-assessment.

This course will explore the various theories underlying and practices basic to mediation. Skills and techniques appropriate to each stage of the mediation process are identified and students will have the opportunity to practice these skills. Simulations and experiential exercises will provide students with an opportunity to develop proficiency as mediators and to rigorously analyze the appropriate roles and behavior of mediators and advocates, taking into account the legal, ethical and public policy issues surrounding the practice of mediation.

In this experiential course, students will explore the theory and practice of lawyering for social change. Building upon these lessons, they will work in teams to propose avenues for social change. Teams will select a local instance of a systemic ill—such as those involving environmental racism, homelessness, gentrification, education, the criminal justice system, immigration law, or access to justice, to name a few—to diagnose the cause and formulate three-layered strategies for advocacy. All students are expected to participate actively and to maintain a reflection journal. Regular feedback will be provided on in-class participation and the performance of lawyering tasks, such as interviewing, fact-gathering, document drafting, and negotiating.

This course will develop students' skills in the fundamentals of interviewing and counseling clients and negotiating agreements. These three skills have been identified by the ABA Task Force on Law Schools and the Profession: Narrowing the Gap as essential components of competent lawyering. The course will cover conceptual foundations for understanding the processes involved in interviewing, counseling, and negotiation.

This course allows students to assist in the representation of actual clients who are either the subject of or have been sued in a domestic violence court proceeding (Orders of Protection).  Although students are responsible for assisting in all aspects of the representation, including client correspondence, motions, briefs, and litigation on behalf of the client, depending upon the number of cases assigned, students may assist individually or in teams.  Although every effort will be made to confine student participation to the prescribed class time, students may have to participate in hearings, meetings, depositions, and other client related matters outside of the regularly scheduled class time. All work undertaken by this clinical experience is supervised by a Tennessee licensed faculty member.  Students will receive instruction and orientation on the law and procedure related to obtaining an Order of Protection and other matters about domestic violence law, as necessary to effectively advocate for clients.  

This course is designed to foster mediation skills while orienting students to major issues in the intersection between law and informal dispute resolution and the delivery and regulation of dispute resolution services. As part of this course, students will receive 40 hours of TN Supreme Court Rule 31-approved mediation training. Through this training, students learn the theoretical and practical underpinnings of the facilitative mediation model and practice mediation skills in simulated case situations. After completing training, students will be required to observe mediations in real cases, and then, in coordination with a local non-profit mediation center, will be authorized to act as co-mediators, partnered with more experienced mediators, in real disputes referred by a court or non-profit mediation center. Students may also be expected to perform certain administrative or other mediation-related tasks. Students will also meet throughout the semester to discuss their cases, receive further instruction and feedback from their instructor, and engage in faculty-guided reflection and self-evaluation.

Under the supervision of an immigration law practitioner who is also a faculty member, students will work on real cases involving the provision of humanitarian and/or family-based immigration services to underserved non-citizens. This clinical experience will allow students to gain or further develop professional skills in client interviewing, identifying and resolving legal issues, providing legal advice, developing and implementing a case plan, and preparing written documents such as declarations, legal memoranda and supporting exhibits. Representative cases include U visas for victims of serious crimes, T visas for victims of human trafficking, and applications for immigration relief under the Violence Against Women Act. Students may also have exposure to other types of cases such as Special Immigrant Juvenile and Asylum cases. Students will convene throughout the semester to conduct case reviews, reflection, and self-evaluation, and will meet regularly with their instructor to receive additional feedback and evaluation.

Students will spend time at off-campus “sites” which have been previously approved by the Director of Experiential Learning. These sites will have a supervisor, who may be an attorney or judge. Weekly journals and/or writing assignments will be completed and reviewed by the Director. Students may participate in up to two externships.  Externships are generally taken for two or three credit hours.  Students at approved public service sites may register for six credit hours, with the approval of the Director. “Public service sites” are governmental agencies or non-profit sites that provide free or low-cost legal services or otherwise are primarily engaged in promoting access to or the advancement of justice. Examples of sites which may be approved for six hours include prosecutors, public defenders, legal aid organizations, and judicial chambers. These courses are graded on a pass/fail basis.

A maximum of 9 credit hours of Externship may be obtained by any one student. 

Students will spend time at off-campus “sites” which have been previously approved by the Director of Experiential Learning. These sites will have a supervisor, who may be an attorney or judge. Weekly journals and/or writing assignments will be completed and reviewed by the Director. Students may participate in up to two externships.  Externships are generally taken for two or three credit hours.  Students at approved public service sites may register for six credit hours, with the approval of the Director. “Public service sites” are governmental agencies or non-profit sites that provide free or low-cost legal services or otherwise are primarily engaged in promoting access to or the advancement of justice. Examples of sites which may be approved for six hours include prosecutors, public defenders, legal aid organizations, and judicial chambers. These courses are graded on a pass/fail basis.

A maximum of 9 credit hours of Externship may be obtained by any one student. 

Students develop their skills to compete in inter-law school mock trial competitions sponsored annually by various law schools, bar, and trial lawyer organizations. Students learn the techniques involved in trying cases from faculty advisors and local attorneys acting as coaches and judges in preparation for inter-law school trial competitions. Enrollment in this course is limited to students who are members of the law school’s mock trial team, and with the approval of the advocacy team’s faculty advisor. Students competing in intercollegiate competitions will earn for satisfactory completion of such competition either one (1) credit, if serving as a witness, or (2) credits, if serving as an attorney advocate. Students serving as alternates for attorney advocates may also earn one (1) credit, with the approval of the Mock Trial faculty advisor. No student may earn more than four (4) credits towards graduation for participation on the Mock Trial Team. This course is graded on a pass/fail basis. The class involves several faculty-supervised simulation exercises and satisfies the experiential learning requirement. A minimum law school GPA of 2.333 is required to register for this course.

Students develop their skills to compete in inter-law school mock trial competitions sponsored annually by various law schools, bar, and trial lawyer organizations. Students learn the techniques involved in trying cases from faculty advisors and local attorneys acting as coaches and judges in preparation for inter-law school trial competitions. Enrollment in this course is limited to students who are members of the law school’s mock trial team, and with the approval of the advocacy team’s faculty advisor. Students competing in intercollegiate competitions will earn for satisfactory completion of such competition either one (1) credit, if serving as a witness, or (2) credits, if serving as an attorney advocate. Students serving as alternates for attorney advocates may also earn one (1) credit, with the approval of the Mock Trial faculty advisor. No student may earn more than four (4) credits towards graduation for participation on the Mock Trial Team. This course is graded on a pass/fail basis. The class involves several faculty-supervised simulation exercises and satisfies the experiential learning requirement. A minimum law school GPA of 2.333 is required to register for this course.

Students develop their skills to compete in inter-law school moot court competitions sponsored annually by various law schools, bar, and trial lawyer organizations. Students learn the techniques involved in appellate advocacy from faculty advisors and local attorneys acting as coaches and judges in preparation for inter-law school moot court competitions. Selection to the team is based on evaluation by the Legal Communication III faculty in conjunction with the previous year's Moot Court Team and faculty advisor(s). Team members, in conjunction with Legal Communication III faculty and the faculty advisor(s), shall also be responsible for organizing tryouts to select the subsequent Moot Court Team. Students competing in inter-law school competitions will earn two (2) credit hours for satisfactory completion of such competition. No student may earn more than four (4) credits towards graduation for participation on the Moot Court Team. This course is graded on a pass/fail basis. The class involves several faculty-supervised simulation exercises and satisfies the experiential learning requirement. A minimum law school GPA of 2.333 is required to register for this course.

Students develop their skills to compete in inter-law school moot court competitions sponsored annually by various law schools, bar, and trial lawyer organizations. Students learn the techniques involved in appellate advocacy from faculty advisors and local attorneys acting as coaches and judges in preparation for inter-law school moot court competitions. Selection to the team is based on evaluation by the Legal Communication III faculty in conjunction with the previous year's Moot Court Team and faculty advisor(s). Team members, in conjunction with Legal Communication III faculty and the faculty advisor(s), shall also be responsible for organizing tryouts to select the subsequent Moot Court Team. Students competing in inter-law school competitions will earn two (2) credit hours for satisfactory completion of such competition. No student may earn more than four (4) credits towards graduation for participation on the Moot Court Team. This course is graded on a pass/fail basis. The class involves several faculty-supervised simulation exercises and satisfies the experiential learning requirement. A minimum law school GPA of 2.333 is required to register for this course.