Course Schedule

The sources and methods of research in foreign and international law are largely excluded from the first year training in legal research. Yet, both international law and the law of foreign countries are today of ever-increasing significance to American lawyers. The purpose of the course is to introduce the information sources in these fields and the ways of doing research in them, tailored to the needs of American law students and lawyers. Areas covered include: public international law, including treaty research; documentation of international organizations, including the UN and the European Union, particularly as available on the WWW; the law of other countries, with the emphasis on jurisdictions that American lawyers are likely to encounter, e.g., Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany; selected topics with an international component, e.g., commercial arbitration, intellectual property, international litigation. The grade is based on the completion of research exercises. There is no exam. This is a one-credit, mandatory Credit/No Credit course. It is taught during the first seven weeks of the semester. Prerequisite: A law school course with an international or comparative focus, which may be taken simultaneously. Familiarity with online legal research, including Westlaw, Lexis, and WWW.

The sources and methods of research in foreign and international law are largely excluded from the first year training in legal research. Yet, both international law and the law of foreign countries are today of ever-increasing significance to American lawyers. The purpose of the course is to introduce the information sources in these fields and the ways of doing research in them, tailored to the needs of American law students and lawyers. Areas covered include: public international law, including treaty research; documentation of international organizations, including the UN and the European Union, particularly as available on the WWW; the law of other countries, with the emphasis on jurisdictions that American lawyers are likely to encounter, e.g., Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany; selected topics with an international component, e.g., commercial arbitration, intellectual property, international litigation. The grade is based on the completion of research exercises. There is no exam. This is a one-credit, mandatory Credit/No Credit course. It is taught during the first seven weeks of the semester. Prerequisite: A law school course with an international or comparative focus, which may be taken simultaneously. Familiarity with online legal research, including Westlaw, Lexis, and WWW.

The sources and methods of research in foreign and international law are largely excluded from the first year training in legal research. Yet, both international law and the law of foreign countries are today of ever-increasing significance to American lawyers. The purpose of the course is to introduce the information sources in these fields and the ways of doing research in them, tailored to the needs of American law students and lawyers. Areas covered include: public international law, including treaty research; documentation of international organizations, including the UN and the European Union, particularly as available on the WWW; the law of other countries, with the emphasis on jurisdictions that American lawyers are likely to encounter, e.g., Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany; selected topics with an international component, e.g., commercial arbitration, intellectual property, international litigation. The grade is based on the completion of research exercises. There is no exam. This is a one-credit, mandatory Credit/No Credit course. It is taught during the first seven weeks of the semester. Prerequisite: A law school course with an international or comparative focus, which may be taken simultaneously. Familiarity with online legal research, including Westlaw, Lexis, and WWW.

The 27515 section of this course will be taught in person but with the option of occasional remote participation via Zoom.  If students require all remote participation, they must register for the   27516 section of this course, which is identical but web-based.

The sources and methods of research in foreign and international law are largely excluded from the first year training in legal research. Yet, both international law and the law of foreign countries are today of ever-increasing significance to American lawyers. The purpose of the course is to introduce the information sources in these fields and the ways of doing research in them, tailored to the needs of American law students and lawyers. Areas covered include: public international law, including treaty research; documentation of international organizations, including the UN and the European Union, particularly as available on the WWW; the law of other countries, with the emphasis on jurisdictions that American lawyers are likely to encounter, e.g., Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany; selected topics with an international component, e.g., commercial arbitration, intellectual property, international litigation. The grade is based on the completion of research exercises. There is no exam. This is a one-credit, mandatory Credit/No Credit course. It is taught during the first seven weeks of the semester. Prerequisite: A law school course with an international or comparative focus, which may be taken simultaneously. Familiarity with online legal research, including Westlaw, Lexis, and WWW.

This seven-week course will focus on the resources and methodology used in performing legal research in Texas. Through a series of lectures and assignments students will become familiar with the various types of legal research, including statutory law, case law, administrative regulations, and secondary practice materials. The course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis. Students are required to complete in-class and out-of-class exercises throughout the course, but there is no final exam.

This seven-week course will focus on the resources and methodology used in performing legal research in Texas. Through a series of lectures and assignments students will become familiar with the various types of legal research, including statutory law, case law, administrative regulations, and secondary practice materials. The course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis. Students are required to complete in-class and out-of-class exercises throughout the course, but there is no final exam.

This seven-week course will focus on the resources and methodology used in performing legal research in Texas. Through a series of lectures and assignments students will become familiar with the various types of legal research, including statutory law, case law, administrative regulations, and secondary practice materials. The course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis. Students are required to complete in-class and out-of-class exercises throughout the course, but there is no final exam.

This seven-week course will focus on the resources and methodology used in performing legal research in Texas. Through a series of lectures and assignments students will become familiar with the various types of legal research, including statutory law, case law, administrative regulations, and secondary practice materials. The course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis. Students are required to complete in-class and out-of-class exercises throughout the course, but there is no final exam.

This seven-week course will focus on the resources and methodology used in performing legal research in Texas. Through a series of lectures and assignments students will become familiar with the various types of legal research, including statutory law, case law, administrative regulations, and secondary practice materials. The course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis. Students are required to complete in-class and out-of-class exercises throughout the course, but there is no final exam.

This seven-week course will focus on the resources and methodology used in performing legal research in Texas. Through a series of lectures and assignments students will become familiar with the various types of legal research; including statutory law, case law, administrative regulations, and secondary practice materials. The course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis. Students are required to complete in-class and out-of-class exercises throughout the course, but there is no final exam.

This seven-week course will focus on the resources and methodology used in performing legal research in Texas. Through a series of lectures and assignments students will become familiar with the various types of legal research, including statutory law, case law, administrative regulations, and secondary practice materials. The course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis. Students are required to complete in-class and out-of-class exercises throughout the course, but there is no final exam.

This course will be taught entirely online via Zoom.

This seven-week course will focus on the resources and methodology used in performing legal research in Texas. Through a series of lectures and assignments students will become familiar with the various types of legal research; including statutory law, case law, administrative regulations, and secondary practice materials. The course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis. Students are required to complete in-class and out-of-class exercises throughout the course, but there is no final exam.

This course is designed to acquaint students with the various genres of legal scholarship that can contribute both to the understanding of our legal system and to the practice of law. Three broad categories of legal scholarship will be read and discussed: (1) jurisprudential scholarship about the correct way to determine the internally-right answer to any legal-rights question in our legal system as well as about the existence of internally-right answers to legal-rights questions in our legal system, (2) analyses of the internally-correct answer to particular legal- rights questions or more general doctrinal questions, and (3) external-to-law analyses of the causes, consequences, "nature," or attractiveness of given bodies of law or legal-decisionmaking processes. To a significant extent, the course will be concerned with the contribution that philosophical, historical, sociological, and economic approaches can make to the study of these issues. The class will meet for three hours once a week. Each session will be divided into two 75-minute, related halves. Most weeks, the two halves will be taught by different presenters or sets of presenters who will discuss articles typically that they have written or occasionally that someone else has written that fall into a particular category. (In addition to the listed instructor, the course will be taught by something like 20 members of the law faculty and possibly some members of other faculties.) Each session will address not only the articles assigned themselves but wider issues the relevant genre of scholarship raises—for example, the jurisprudential assumptions behind a particular doctrinal article, the circumstances in which economic or historical analysis is internal-to-law and external-to-law, the prescriptive-moral relevance of economic-efficiency conclusions. In addition to having an obligation to participate orally in the class, students will be required to write four five-to-ten-page papers on the readings for particular weeks (that can address questions the presenters will pose in advance) and a longer (15-25 page) paper at the end of the course on one or more issues raised during the semester, on how (if at all) and why the course has or has not changed their view of legal education or their professional plans, and/or on anything else related to the course to which the instructor agrees. Within limitations associated with the value of spreading each student's writing evenly throughout the semester and the goal of having the same number of papers written each week, short-paper assignments will be based on student preferences. Short papers will not be assigned for the first two sessions or the last session of the course.

This course is designed to acquaint students with the various genres of legal scholarship that can contribute both to the understanding of our legal system and to the practice of law. Three broad categories of legal scholarship will be read and discussed: (1) jurisprudential scholarship about the correct way to determine the internally-right answer to any legal-rights question in our legal system as well as about the existence of internally-right answers to legal-rights questions in our legal system, (2) analyses of the internally-correct answer to particular legal- rights questions or more general doctrinal questions, and (3) external-to-law analyses of the causes, consequences, "nature," or attractiveness of given bodies of law or legal-decisionmaking processes. To a significant extent, the course will be concerned with the contribution that philosophical, historical, sociological, and economic approaches can make to the study of these issues. The class will meet for three hours once a week. Each session will be divided into two 75-minute, related halves. Most weeks, the two halves will be taught by different presenters or sets of presenters who will discuss articles typically that they have written or occasionally that someone else has written that fall into a particular category. (In addition to the listed instructor, the course will be taught by something like 20 members of the law faculty and possibly some members of other faculties.) Each session will address not only the articles assigned themselves but wider issues the relevant genre of scholarship raises—for example, the jurisprudential assumptions behind a particular doctrinal article, the circumstances in which economic or historical analysis is internal-to-law and external-to-law, the prescriptive-moral relevance of economic-efficiency conclusions. In addition to having an obligation to participate orally in the class, students will be required to write four five-to-ten-page papers on the readings for particular weeks (that can address questions the presenters will pose in advance) and a longer (15-25 page) paper at the end of the course on one or more issues raised during the semester, on how (if at all) and why the course has or has not changed their view of legal education or their professional plans, and/or on anything else related to the course to which the instructor agrees. Within limitations associated with the value of spreading each student's writing evenly throughout the semester and the goal of having the same number of papers written each week, short-paper assignments will be based on student preferences. Short papers will not be assigned for the first two sessions or the last session of the course.

This course aims to familiarize students with Spanish-language legal concepts and terminology and to better prepare them for the use of Spanish in the practice of law. It is designed for students who are proficient in Spanish, but have limited exposure to its use in legal settings. The course will include lectures, readings, and written exercises, primarily in Spanish. The course size is limited to allow students ample opportunities to participate in classroom discussions and exercises, with an eye toward being comfortable communicating with clients or third parties in professional settings. The course will cover general concepts relating to the civil law tradition, as well as specific areas of law, including employment law, immigration law, civil procedure, M&A, and others.

To be added to the waitlist (after all seats are full), please email the instructors at: chris.weimer@gmail.com and ctrevino@jw.com

This course aims to familiarize students with Spanish-language legal concepts and terminology and to better prepare them for the use of Spanish in the practice of law. It is designed for students who are proficient in Spanish, but have limited exposure to its use in legal settings. The course will include lectures, readings, and written exercises, primarily in Spanish. The course size is limited to allow students ample opportunities to participate in classroom discussions and exercises, with an eye toward being comfortable communicating with clients or third parties in professional settings. The course will cover general concepts relating to the civil law tradition, as well as specific areas of law, including employment law, immigration law, civil procedure, M&A, and others.

To be added to the waitlist (after all seats are full), please email the instructors at: chris.weimer@gmail.com and ctrevino@jw.com

This course aims to familiarize students with Spanish-language legal concepts and terminology and to better prepare them for the use of Spanish in the practice of law. It is designed for students who are proficient in Spanish, but have limited exposure to its use in legal settings. The course will include lectures, readings, and written exercises, primarily in Spanish. The course size is limited to allow students ample opportunities to participate in classroom discussions and exercises, with an eye toward being comfortable communicating with clients or third parties in professional settings. The course will cover general concepts relating to the civil law tradition, as well as specific areas of law, including employment law, immigration law, civil procedure, M&A, and others.

To be added to the waitlist (after all seats are full), please email the instructors at: chris.weimer@gmail.com and ctrevino@jw.com

This course aims to familiarize students with Spanish-language legal concepts and terminology and to better prepare them for the use of Spanish in the practice of law. It is designed for students who are proficient in Spanish, but have limited exposure to its use in legal settings. The course will include lectures, readings, and written exercises, primarily in Spanish. The course size is limited to allow students ample opportunities to participate in classroom discussions and exercises, with an eye toward being comfortable communicating with clients or third parties in professional settings. The course will cover general concepts relating to the civil law tradition, as well as specific areas of law, including employment law, immigration law, civil procedure, M&A, and others.

Legal Writing in Plain English Prof. Bryan A. Garner 214-691-8588 bgarner@lawprose.org Course hours: 9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Learning Outcomes: This demanding one-hour course is for law students who wish to improve their editorial and writing skills. Although it targets students who are already competent writers, it requires no in-depth knowledge of grammar or rhetoric. You will not be expected, for example, to know what aposiopesis means or even how to pronounce it. Course Format The class spans two days: from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday (with breaks interspersed, of course). Students will do several writing exercises. Guest lecturers (by exclusive video) include judges and practitioners from throughout the United States.

This course is a broad survey of three main types of legal writing: objective analysis, persuasive analysis, and transactional drafting. The course will also cover many other topics crucial to high-level professional writing: use of forms, advanced legal citation, the plain English movement, advanced grammar and punctuation, document design, legal usage, and editing. Students will receive individual critiques of their writing, and lectures will use model answers and sample critiques.

This course is a broad survey of three main types of legal writing: objective analysis, persuasive analysis, and transactional drafting. The course will also cover many other topics crucial to high-level professional writing: use of forms, advanced legal citation, the plain English movement, advanced grammar and punctuation, document design, legal usage, and editing. Students will receive individual critiques of their writing, and lectures will use model answers and sample critiques.

This course is a broad survey of three main types of legal writing: objective analysis, persuasive analysis, and transactional drafting. The course will also cover many other topics crucial to high-level professional writing: use of forms, advanced legal citation, the plain English movement, advanced grammar and punctuation, document design, legal usage, and editing. Students will receive individual critiques of their writing, and lectures will use model answers and sample critiques.

This course is a broad survey of three main types of legal writing: objective analysis, persuasive analysis, and transactional drafting. The course will also cover many other topics crucial to high-level professional writing: use of forms, advanced legal citation, the plain English movement, advanced grammar and punctuation, document design, legal usage, and editing. Students will receive individual critiques of their writing, and lectures will use model answers and sample critiques.

This course is a broad survey of three main types of legal writing: objective analysis, persuasive analysis, and transactional drafting. The course will also cover many other topics crucial to high-level professional writing: use of forms, advanced legal citation, the plain English movement, advanced grammar and punctuation, document design, legal usage, and editing. Students will receive individual critiques of their writing, and lectures will use model answers and sample critiques.