Registrar
First Year Curriculum
The first-year curriculum is prescribed and provides the essential framework for subsequent legal study.
Introduction to Law
The first week of law school constitutes a basic introduction to the concepts of the law, the historical roots of common law and equity, the precedent system in its practical operation, the modes of reasoning used by courts and attorneys, and the fundamentals of statutory interpretation.
Civil Procedure
A study of civil actions focusing on the methods used by federal and state courts to resolve civil disputes.
Constitutional Law I
Learn the principles, doctrines, and controversies regarding the basic structure and division of powers in the U.S. government.
Contracts
This course examines the sorts of promises that are enforced and the nature of protection given promissory obligations in both commercial and noncommercial transactions.
Criminal Law
This course studies the bases and limits of criminal liability. It covers the constitutional, statutory and case law rules that define, limit and provide defenses to individual liability for the major criminal offenses.
Legal Research & Writing I
Integrated legal research and writing skills course. Basic legal research resources and strategies are introduced and practiced.
Legal Research & Writing II
Persuasive writing and oral advocacy. Students will complete integrated research and writing assignments, including a complaint, a strategic defense office memorandum, a motion to dismiss in federal court, and an appellate brief, with oral arguments by all students.
Property
Study the doctrines and concepts of property law with primary emphasis on real property. Course topics include the estates in land system, the landlord-tenant relationship, conveyancing and private and public land use control.
Torts
Familiarizes students with legal rules, concepts and approaches pertinent to the recovery for personal injuries, property damages and harm done to intangible interests.
Curriculum Clusters Years Two and Three
The work during years two and three is elective, except for required courses in professional responsibility, lawyering skills, and a writing requirement. A wide-range of elective courses and seminars are offered, although every class may not be taught each year. Courses below listed with an asterisk(*) will be offered in the 2009-2010 academic year. While students are free to choose their own upper division electives, students wishing to focus on specific practice areas may wish to consider the following lists:
Business Law
*Accounting for Lawyers
*Antitrust
*Basic Finance
*Business Associations
Business Planning and Drafting
*Commercial and Bankruptcy Law
*Corporate Governance Seminar
*Corporate Tax
*Estate and Gift Taxation
*Estate Planning Seminar
*Federal Income Taxation
*International Business Transactions
*International Finance
*International Investment Dispute Seminar
*International Tax
*Law of Financial Markets
Law and Economics
*Law of E-Commerce
*Mergers and Acquisitions
*Nonprofit Organizations and Drafting
Nonprofit Organizations: State and Local Governance Issues
Nonprofit Organizations: Tax Exemptions & Taxation Focus
Pension and Employee Benefit Law
*Private International Law (Conflict of Laws)
Products Liability
Real Estate Finance
*Securities Regulation I
*Securities Regulation II
Taxation of Partnerships and LLCs
*Trusts, Wills and Decedents' Estates
Criminal Law
*Administration of Criminal Justice Externship
*Advanced Criminal Procedure
*Corporate and White Collar Crime
*Criminal Justice Administration Seminar
Death Penalty
*Juvenile Justice
*Law and Religion
*Legal Psychology Seminar
*Policing Seminar
*Scientific Evidence
Privatization of Criminal Justice Seminar
Transnational Criminal Law
White Collar Crime
Constitutional Law
Advanced Constitutional Law Seminar
*Civil Rights Law
*Constitutional Law II
Indian Gaming Law
*Law of the Political Process
*Law and Religion
*Law and Rural Livelihoods
*Native American Law
Supreme Court Simulation Seminar
*Topics in Constitutional Law:
Habeas Corpus and 11th Amendment
Environmental and Natural Resources Law
*Administrative Law
Administrative Law and Policy Seminar
Agricultural Law and Policy
Biotechnology Law and Policy
*California Environmental Issues Seminar
Energy Law Seminar
*Environmental Law
*Environmental Law Externship
*Environmental Law Moot Court Competition
*Environmental Practice
Farmworkers and the Law
International Environmental Law
*Land Use Planning and the California Environmental Water Quality Act
Law and Religion
*Native American Law
Natural Resources Law
Ocean and Coastal Law
*Public Land Law
Water Law
Estate Planning
Estate and Gift Tax
*Estate Planning Seminar
*Trusts, Wills and Decendents' Estates
Family Law
*Family Law
*Family Protection Clinic
*Juvenile Justice
Marital Property
Private International Law
General/Topical Survey
Agricultural Law and Policy
Animal Law Seminar
Farmworkers and the Law
Indian Gaming Law
*Law and Popular Culture
*Law and Rural Livelihoods
*Legislative Process
*Local Government
Sociology of the Legal Profession
Health Law & Bioethics
*Bioethics
Disability Rights
*Health Law
Law and Psychiatry
*Legal Psychology Seminar
*Medical Liability and the Law
*Public Health Law
Reproductive Health Law and Policy
Topical Issues in Health Law Seminar
Human Rights and Social Justice
Advanced Constitutional Law Seminar
Asian American Jurisprudence
*Civil Rights Clinic
*Civil Rights Law
Civil Rights Seminar
*Community Education Seminar
*Constitutional Law II
*Critical Race Theory
Disability Rights
Education Policy and the Law
*Employment Discrimination
Farmworkers and the Law
*Feminist Legal Theory
*Housing Law
*Immigration Law Clinic
*Immigration Law and Procedure
*International Human Rights
Jewish Law Seminar
*Juvenile Justice
*Labor Law I
*Labor Law II
Latinos & Latinas and the Law
*Law and Rural Livelihoods
*Legal Psychology
*Native American Law Seminar
*Public Benefits Law
*Public Interest Law
*Public Interest Law Externship
Sex-Based Discrimination
*Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and the Law
*Tax and Distributive Justice
*Topics in Constitutional Law: Habeas
Corpus and 11th AmendmentTransnational Criminal Law
Women and the Law Practicum
*Women, Islam, and the Law
Individual and Group Study
*Advanced Writing Project
*Environs Editor
*Group Study
*Instruction in Legal Research & Writing Skills
*Journal of International Law & Policy Editor
*Journal of Juvenile Law & Policy Editor
*Law Review Editor
*Law Review Writer
*Research in Legal Problems
Intellectual Property and Technology
Agricultural Law and Policy
*Bioethics
Biotechnology Law and Policy
*Copyright
*Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property in Historical Context
International Intellectual Property
*International Intellectual Property and Development
Jurisdiction in Cyberspace
*Law of E-Commerce
*Patent Law
*Public Interest Law Externship
Right of Publicity and Related Doctrines
Telecommunications Law
*Trademark and Unfair Competition Law
International, Comparative, and Foreign Law
*Animal Law
Asian American Jurisprudence
Criminal Justice Administration Seminar
*Immigration Law Clinic
*Immigration Law and Procedure
International Aspects of U. S. Taxation
*International Business Transactions
*International Environmental Law
International, Comparative, and Foreign Law (cont.)
*International Finance
*International Human Rights
International Intellectual Property
*International Intellectual Property and Development
*International Investment Dispute Seminar
*International Litigation and Arbitration
*International Tax
*International Trade Dispute Seminar
Is International Law Democratic
Jewish Law Seminar
*Private International Law (Conflict of Laws)
Public International Law
*Theories of International Law
Transnational Criminal Law
*Women, Islam and the Law
Labor and Employment Law
Agricultural Law and Policy
*Employment Discrimination
*Employment Relations Externship
Farmworkers and the Law
*Labor Law I
*Labor Law II
Pension and Employee Benefit Law
Public Sector Labor Law Seminar
*Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and the Law
Legal Theory and Ethics
*Bioethics
*Feminist Legal Theory
*International Human Rights
*Jurisprudence
Law and Economics
*Legal History
*Legal Psychology Seminar
*Professional Responsibility
*Tax and Distributive Justice Seminar
*Topics in Constitutional Law: Habeas
Corpus and 11th AmendmentProcedure and Jurisdiction
*Alternative Dispute Resolution
*Complex Litigation
*Federal Jurisdiction
*Legislative Process
*Local Government Law
*Private International Law (Conflict of Laws)
*Remedies
Public Law and Policy
*Administrative Law
Administrative Law and Policy Seminar
*California Environmental Issues Seminar
Educational Policy and the Law
*Elections and Political Campaigns
*Housing Law
Law and Society Seminar
*Law of the Political Process
Legislative Intent Seminar
*Legislative Process
*Legislative Process Externship
*Local Government Law
*Policing Seminar
*Public Benefits Law
*Public Interest Law
*Public Interest Law Externship
Public International Law
Public Regulatory Law
Public Sector Labor Law Seminar
Statutory interpretation
Skills and Litigation
Advanced Legal Writing Seminar
*Advanced Legal Research
*Advanced Evidence
*Alternative Dispute Resolution
*Appellate Advocacy (Moot Court)
Appellate Advocacy Seminar
Business Planning
*Carr Intraschool Trial Advocacy Competition
*Complex Litigation
*Environmental Law Moot Court Competition
*Evidence
*Federal Taxation Externship
*Interschool Competitions
*Judicial Process Seminar
Mediation: Theory and Practice
*Moot Court Board
*Negotiations
*Nonprofit Organizations and Drafting
*Pretrial Skills
*Scientific Evidence
*Trial Practice
*Trial Practice Honors Board
Taxation
*Corporate Tax
*Estate Planning Seminar
Estate and Gift Taxation
*Federal Income Taxation
International Aspects of U. S. Taxation
*Nonprofit Organizations and Drafting
Nonprofit Organizations: State and Local Governance Issues
Nonprofit Organizations: Tax Exemptions, Pension and Employee Benefit Law
*Tax and Distributive Justice Seminar
Taxation of Partnerships & Limited Liability Corporations
