Course Schedule

No class meeting information is available for this class. Students will arrange their work schedules with their supervisors. They are expected to work about 10 hours per week during the fall 2024 and spring 2025 semesters.

Exams:            None

Registration Information:

This course is restricted to upper class students only. U.S. Attorney Internship – APPLICATION REQUIRED. Application and/or instructions on how to apply for this internship can be accessed on the web: https://law.utexas.edu/internships/u-s-attorney-internship/course-information/

To apply, please e-mail a copy of your cover letter, resume and transcript (unofficial is fine) to Professor Klein and AUSA Daniel M. Castillo. Please also send copies of the above to usatxw.staffing@usdoj.gov. Students interested in the internship are encouraged stop by Prof. Klein’s office at TNH 3.207 (her office hours Wed. from 4:00 to 5:30 pm). You may call or text her at (512) 203-2257, or send her an e-mail at sklein@law.utexas.edu. Alternatively, you may call Daniel Castillo at (512) 916-5858, or send him an e-mail.

** This course meets the Professional Skills requirement for graduation. **

Course Description:

This internship program offers students the opportunity to apply for “for-credit” internship positions with the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. This course offers students a two-credit internship to be completed over the fall 2024 semester and a two-credit internship to be completed over the spring 2025 semester, resulting in a total of 4 credits (pass/fail) for the academic year. This internship program is not available during either summer session. Students are required to commit to a full academic year.

Students may wish to enroll in the fall three-unit Adv. Fed. Crim. Prosecution & Defense seminar, co-taught by Prof. Klein and Aleza Remis. Students may also be interested in the three-unit Federal Criminal Law course taught by Prof. Klein in the spring and the seminar taught by Judge Robert Pitman. Applicants may benefit from having completed either Criminal Procedure course, Evidence, any upper-level criminal law course, and any internship or clinic in the criminal justice field. None of those courses are required.

The internship component requires a commitment to work 10 hours per week for each semester, though not all hours must be completed at the office. The U.S. Attorney's Office is downtown at 903 San Jacinto Blvd., Suite 334, Austin, Texas, 78701. Students will assist in the prosecution of federal criminal cases under the supervision Daniel M. Castillo and other Assistant U.S. Attorneys. Students should expect to spend at least one day per week at the office or in federal court.  Students must commit to both semesters.

The application deadline for the next academic year is Monday, March 25, 2024. Interviews are conducted at the Career Services Office or over Zoom. Though students will know whether or not they are admitted before fall registration, the unique registration number for the fall 2023 internship will not be available until April 15, 2024.

Additional information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office is available at: www.usdoj.gov/usao/txwd/.

Students may also review https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers/job/law-student-volunteer-academic-year-2024-2025.

No class meeting information is available for this class. Students will arrange their work schedules with their supervisors. They are expected to work about 10 hours per week during the fall 2024 and spring 2025 semesters.

Exams:            None

Registration Information:

This course is restricted to upper class students only. U.S. Attorney Internship – APPLICATION REQUIRED. Application and/or instructions on how to apply for this internship can be accessed on the web: https://law.utexas.edu/internships/u-s-attorney-internship/course-information/

To apply, please e-mail a copy of your cover letter, resume and transcript (unofficial is fine) to Professor Klein and AUSA Daniel M. Castillo. Please also send copies of the above to usatxw.staffing@usdoj.gov. Students interested in the internship are encouraged stop by Prof. Klein’s office at TNH 3.207 (her office hours Wed. from 4:00 to 5:30 pm). You may call or text her at (512) 203-2257, or send her an e-mail at sklein@law.utexas.edu. Alternatively, you may call Daniel Castillo at (512) 916-5858, or send him an e-mail.

** This course meets the Professional Skills requirement for graduation. **

Course Description:

This internship program offers students the opportunity to apply for “for-credit” internship positions with the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. This course offers students a two-credit internship to be completed over the fall 2024 semester and a two-credit internship to be completed over the spring 2025 semester, resulting in a total of 4 credits (pass/fail) for the academic year. This internship program is not available during either summer session. Students are required to commit to a full academic year.

Students may wish to enroll in the fall three-unit Adv. Fed. Crim. Prosecution & Defense seminar, co-taught by Prof. Klein and Aleza Remis. Students may also be interested in the three-unit Federal Criminal Law course taught by Prof. Klein in the spring and the seminar taught by Judge Robert Pitman. Applicants may benefit from having completed either Criminal Procedure course, Evidence, any upper-level criminal law course, and any internship or clinic in the criminal justice field. None of those courses are required.

The internship component requires a commitment to work 10 hours per week for each semester, though not all hours must be completed at the office. The U.S. Attorney's Office is downtown at 903 San Jacinto Blvd., Suite 334, Austin, Texas, 78701. Students will assist in the prosecution of federal criminal cases under the supervision Daniel M. Castillo and other Assistant U.S. Attorneys. Students should expect to spend at least one day per week at the office or in federal court.  Students must commit to both semesters.

The application deadline for the next academic year is Monday, March 25, 2024. Interviews are conducted at the Career Services Office or over Zoom. Though students will know whether or not they are admitted before fall registration, the unique registration number for the fall 2023 internship will not be available until April 15, 2024.

Additional information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office is available at: www.usdoj.gov/usao/txwd/.

Students may also review https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers/job/law-student-volunteer-academic-year-2024-2025.

No class meeting information is available for this class. Students will arrange their work schedules with their supervisors. They are expected to work about 10 hours per week during the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters.

Exams:            None

Registration Information:

This course is restricted to upper class students only. U.S. Attorney Internship – APPLICATION REQUIRED. Application and/or instructions on how to apply for this internship can be accessed on the web: https://law.utexas.edu/internships/u-s-attorney-internship/course-information/

To apply, please e-mail a copy of your cover letter, resume and transcript (unofficial is fine) to Professor Klein and AUSA Matt Harding. Please also send copies of the above to usatxw.staffing@usdoj.gov. Students interested in the internship are encouraged stop by Prof. Klein’s office at TNH 3.207 (her office hours Wed. from 3:30 to 5:00 pm). You may call or text her at (512) 203-2257, or send her an e-mail at sklein@law.utexas.edu. Alternatively, you may call AUSA Harding at (512) 916-5858, or send him an e-mail at matt.harding@usdoj.gov.

** This course meets the Professional Skills requirement for graduation. **

Course Description:

This internship program offers students the opportunity to apply for “for-credit” internship positions with the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. This course offers students a two-credit internship to be completed over the fall 2023 semester and a two-credit internship to be completed over the spring 2024 semester, resulting in a total of 4 credits (pass/fail) for the academic year. This internship program is not available during either summer session.

Students may wish to enroll in the fall three-unit Adv. Fed. Crim. Prosecution & Defense seminar, co-taught by Prof. Klein and Aleza Remis. Students may also be interested in the three-unit Federal Criminal Law course taught by Prof. Klein in spring 2024 and the seminar taught by Judge Robert Pitman in fall 2023. Applicants may benefit from having completed either Criminal Procedure course, Evidence, any upper-level criminal law course, and any internship or clinic in the criminal justice field. None of those courses are required.

The internship component requires a commitment to work 10 hours per week for each semester, though not all hours must be completed at the office. The U.S. Attorney's Office is downtown at 903 San Jacinto Blvd., Suite 334, Austin, Texas, 78701. Students will assist in the prosecution of federal criminal cases under the supervision of Matt Harding, Dan Guess, and other Assistant U.S. Attorneys. Students should expect to spend at least one day per week at the office or in federal court.  Students must commit to both semesters.

The application deadline for the next academic year is Monday, March 27, 2023. Interviews are conducted at the Career Services Office or over Zoom. Though students will know whether or not they are admitted before fall registration, the unique registration number for the fall 2023 internship will not be available until April 15, 2023.

Additional information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office is available at: www.usdoj.gov/usao/txwd/.

Students may also review https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers/job/law-student-volunteer-academic-year-2023-2024.

No class meeting information is available for this class. Students will arrange their work schedules with their supervisors. They are expected to work about 10 hours per week during the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters.

Exams:            None

Registration Information:

This course is restricted to upper class students only. U.S. Attorney Internship – APPLICATION REQUIRED. Application and/or instructions on how to apply for this internship can be accessed on the web: https://law.utexas.edu/internships/u-s-attorney-internship/course-information/

To apply, please e-mail a copy of your cover letter, resume and transcript (unofficial is fine) to Professor Klein and AUSA Matt Harding. Please also send copies of the above to usatxw.staffing@usdoj.gov. Students interested in the internship are encouraged stop by Prof. Klein’s office at TNH 3.207 (her office hours Wed. from 3:30 to 5:00 pm). You may call or text her at (512) 203-2257, or send her an e-mail at sklein@law.utexas.edu. Alternatively, you may call AUSA Harding at (512) 916-5858, or send him an e-mail at matt.harding@usdoj.gov.

** This course meets the Professional Skills requirement for graduation. **

Course Description:

This internship program offers students the opportunity to apply for “for-credit” internship positions with the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. This course offers students a two-credit internship to be completed over the fall 2023 semester and a two-credit internship to be completed over the spring 2024 semester, resulting in a total of 4 credits (pass/fail) for the academic year. This internship program is not available during either summer session.

Students may wish to enroll in the fall three-unit Adv. Fed. Crim. Prosecution & Defense seminar, co-taught by Prof. Klein and Aleza Remis. Students may also be interested in the three-unit Federal Criminal Law course taught by Prof. Klein in spring 2024 and the seminar taught by Judge Robert Pitman in fall 2023. Applicants may benefit from having completed either Criminal Procedure course, Evidence, any upper-level criminal law course, and any internship or clinic in the criminal justice field. None of those courses are required.

The internship component requires a commitment to work 10 hours per week for each semester, though not all hours must be completed at the office. The U.S. Attorney's Office is downtown at 903 San Jacinto Blvd., Suite 334, Austin, Texas, 78701. Students will assist in the prosecution of federal criminal cases under the supervision of Matt Harding, Dan Guess, and other Assistant U.S. Attorneys. Students should expect to spend at least one day per week at the office or in federal court.  Students must commit to both semesters.

The application deadline for the next academic year is Monday, March 27, 2023. Interviews are conducted at the Career Services Office or over Zoom. Though students will know whether or not they are admitted before fall registration, the unique registration number for the fall 2023 internship will not be available until April 15, 2023.

Additional information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office is available at: www.usdoj.gov/usao/txwd/.

Students may also review https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers/job/law-student-volunteer-academic-year-2023-2024.

This internship program offers students the opportunity to apply for a “for-credit” internship position with the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. You must first submit a application to me and to the Department of Justice, and interested students will interviewed (usually during Spring break) for one of the three to five available spots. You must be willing to intern for a full academic year (not including the summer sessions), and you will receive four credits on a pass-fail basis over both long semesters.

Third year students are generally preferred, but second year students have successfully competed for these slots in the past. Students are encouraged to also enroll in either the Fall three-unit Advanced Federal Criminal Prosecution & Defense seminar, co-taught by Professor Susan R. Klein and Aleza Remis, Asst. Dep. Chief, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas, or the Spring three-unit Federal Criminal Law course taught by Prof. Klein, but neither is required. Enrolling in a criminal procedure course would also be helpful, but is not required

The internship component requires a commitment to work 10 hours per week for two consecutive long semesters at the U.S. Attorney's office in downtown Austin, Texas. Many of your hours can be completed at the law school or at home, though you will probably want to go in to the office once a week. You will asisist in the prosecution of federal criminal cases under the supervision of Matt Harding and other Assistant U.S. Attorneys. Students will receive two credits "pass-fail" for the internship for each semester, for a total of four units.

The application deadline for the next academic year (2023-2024) is March of 2023.

Information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office is available at: www.usdoj.gov/usao/txw/. You are also welcome to contact Prof. Klein directly by calling her at (512) 203-2257, e-mailing her at sklein@law.utexas.edu, or visiting her at her office in Townes Hall, room number 3.207. You can also obtain additional information from her assistant Nick Charlesworth, by calling him at (512) 232-2202, or e-mailing him at ncharlesworth@law.utexas.edu.

This internship program offers students the opportunity to apply for “for-credit” internship positions with the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. This course offers students a required four-credit internship to be completed over both long semesters.

Students are encouraged to enroll in the Fall three-unit Advanced Federal Criminal Prosecution seminar. This seminar, taught by Professors Susan R. Klein and Aleza Remis, will meet one afternoon per week. The seminar will address the duties of federal criminal prosecutors and defenders, including grand jury procedure, drafting indictments, calculating sentences under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, designing undercover operations, offering immunity, responding to evidentiary and discovery motions, requesting bail, and entering plea and cooperation agreement negotiations. Students may also be interested in 3-unit Federal Criminal Law, a course taught by Prof. Susan Klein in Spring of 2023. Neither course is required.

The internship component requires a commitment to work 10 hours per week for two consecutive semesters at the U.S. Attorney's Office 903 San Jacinto Blvd., Suite 334 Austin, Texas 78701. You will assist in the prosecution of federal criminal cases under the supervision of Matt Harding, Dan Guess, and other Assistant U.S. Attorneys. Students will receive two credits "pass-fail" for the internship for each semester, for a total of four units.

The application deadline for the next academic year is TBD.

Information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office is available at: www.usdoj.gov/usao/txw/ .

This internship program offers students the opportunity to apply for “for-credit” internship positions with the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. This course offers students a required four-credit internship to be completed over both long semesters.

Students are encouraged to enroll in the Fall three-unit Advanced Federal Criminal Prosecution seminar. This seminar, taught by Professors Susan R. Klein and Aleza Remis, will meet one afternoon per week. The seminar will address the duties of federal criminal prosecutors and defenders, including grand jury procedure, drafting indictments, calculating sentences under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, designing undercover operations, offering immunity, responding to evidentiary and discovery motions, requesting bail, and entering plea and cooperation agreement negotiations. Students may also be interested in 3-unit Federal Criminal Law, a course taught by Prof. Susan Klein in Spring of 2021. Neither course is required.

The internship component requires a commitment to work 10 hours per week for two consecutive semesters at the U.S. Attorney's Office 903 San Jacinto Blvd., Suite 334 Austin, Texas 78701. You will assist in the prosecution of federal criminal cases under the supervision of Matt Harding, Dan Guess, and other Assistant U.S. Attorneys. Students will receive two credits "pass-fail" for the internship for each semester, for a total of four units.

The application deadline for the next academic year is Feb. 12, 2021.

Information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office is available at: www.usdoj.gov/usao/txw/.

This internship program offers students the opportunity to apply for “for-credit” internship positions with the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. This course offers students a required four-credit internship to be completed over both long semesters.

Students are encouraged to enroll in the Fall three-unit Advanced Federal Criminal Prosecution seminar. This seminar, taught by Professors Susan R. Klein and Aleza Remis, will meet one afternoon per week. The seminar will address the duties of federal criminal prosecutors and defenders, including grand jury procedure, drafting indictments, calculating sentences under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, designing undercover operations, offering immunity, responding to evidentiary and discovery motions, requesting bail, and entering plea and cooperation agreement negotiations. Students may also be interested in 3-unit Federal Criminal Law, a course taught by Prof. Susan Klein in Spring of 2021. Neither course is required.

The internship component requires a commitment to work 10 hours per week for two consecutive semesters at the U.S. Attorney's Office 903 San Jacinto Blvd., Suite 334 Austin, Texas 78701. You will assist in the prosecution of federal criminal cases under the supervision of Matt Harding, Dan Guess, and other Assistant U.S. Attorneys. Students will receive two credits "pass-fail" for the internship for each semester, for a total of four units.

The application deadline for the next academic year is Feb. 12, 2021.

Information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office is available at: www.usdoj.gov/usao/txw/.

This internship program offers students the opportunity to apply for “for-credit” internship positions with the Austin U.S. Attorney’s Office. Information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office is available at: www.usdoj.gov/usao/txw/

Students earn 4 credits (pass/fail) over two semesters (2 credits per semester) – offered Fall and Spring every year. Students must commit to a full academic year of internship study. Students are encouraged to enroll in the Fall Advanced Federal Criminal Prosecution seminar, co-taught by Professors Klein and Remis, and the Spring Federal Criminal Law course, taught by Susan Klein, during the same academic year as their U.S. Attorney Internship. Interns are also encouraged to take Criminal Procedure, but none of these courses are mandatory for the internship.

Students interested in the internship for any academic year should stop by Prof. Susan Klein’s office at TNH 3.207 in Feb. of the year before you will start. You may call her at (512) 232-1324, or send her an e-mail at sklein@law.utexas.edu. 

Please send resume, cover letter, and transcripts (unofficial OK) to sklein@law.utexas.edu .

This course will be taught in person, with no remote participation.

This internship program offers students the opportunity to apply for “for-credit” internship positions with the Austin U.S. Attorney’s Office. Information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office is available at: www.usdoj.gov/usao/txw/

Students earn 4 credits (pass/fail) over two semesters (2 credits per semester) – offered Fall and Spring every year. Students must commit to a full academic year of internship study. Students are encouraged to enroll in the Fall Advanced Federal Criminal Prosecution seminar, co-taught by Professors Harding and Klein, and the Spring Federal Criminal Law course, taught by Susan Klein, during the same academic year as their U.S. Attorney Internship. Interns are also encouraged to take Criminal Procedure, but none of these courses are mandatory for the internship.

Students interested in the internship for any academic year should stop by Prof. Susan Klein’s office at TNH 3.207 in Feb. or March of the year before you will start. You may call her at (512) 232-1324, or send her an e-mail at sklein@law.utexas.edu. 

Please send resume, cover letter, and transcripts (unofficial OK) to sklein@law.utexas.edu .

In the past few years, employee workplace protests and strikes have proliferated in a manner not seen since the 1930s. Surveys show that 71% of Americans approve of labor unions--the highest since 1965--and the National Labor Relations Board reported a 58% increase in union election petitions filed in 2022. With major union victories at nationwide franchises, including Starbucks and Amazon, the landscape for organizing has been changing with employees often choosing nontraditional worker-lead unions. However, substantial obstacles remain for employees hoping to unionize, as reflected in the low private sector unionization rate of only 6%.

This introduction to labor law will cover the basics of the National Labor Relations Act (governing private sector employees), as interpreted in National Labor Relations Board case law and Supreme Court precedent, with a particular emphasis on connection to current news events. The class will review and discuss labor law topics, ranging from:  what constitutes concerted, protected activity; social media rules; causation in Section 8(a)(3) discrimination cases; property rights and organizing; the election process; the duty to bargain in good faith; strikes, lockouts and other employer responses to organizing; the collective bargaining process; and the union’s responsibility to represent its members. Throughout the course, we will examine the history and values underlying the law, including the economic and political interests that have influenced its development.

Students will prepare a mid-term paper and be tasked with weekly debate topics. A final exam will be administered at the end of the semester.

• Guest speakers will include NLRB officials, as well as union and management side labor counsel. 

• Adjunct Professor Sonya Spielberg is a Senior Counsel at the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C., with more than 25 years' experience in public and private sector labor law.

Introduction to Real Estate Law and Practice is for students with little or no knowledge or experience in the industry. This course will begin with an introduction to the commercial real estate industry, including the basic vocabulary and law. This course will review legal theory in the areas of contracts, property (including condominium law), agency, tax (federal income tax and property tax), land use, and business entities; and will apply those areas of law to purchase and sale agreements, brokerage arrangements, leases of improved real estate, choice of ownership entity, acquisition and construction financing, eminent domain and insurance. This course will include a discussion of various types of legal practices in the area of real estate law. This course will only tangentially deal with residential real estate. Materials to be used will include a traditional textbook supplemented by materials supplied by the professor in PDF format. There are no formal prerequisites.

The 27500 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   27501 section of this course, which is identical but web-based.

Introduction to Real Estate Law and Practice is for students with little or no knowledge or experience in the industry. This course will begin with an introduction to the commercial real estate industry, including the basic vocabulary and law. This course will review legal theory in the areas of contracts, property (including condominium law), agency, tax (federal income tax and property tax), land use, and business entities; and will apply those areas of law to purchase and sale agreements, brokerage arrangements, leases of improved real estate, choice of ownership entity, acquisition and construction financing, eminent domain and insurance. This course will include a discussion of various types of legal practices in the area of real estate law. This course will only tangentially deal with residential real estate. Materials to be used will include a traditional textbook supplemented by materials supplied by the professor in PDF format. There are no formal prerequisites.

Jurisdiction & Judgments is a course in Conflict of Laws. Conflict of Laws addresses issues that may arise when a dispute or transaction has connections with more than one state or country. The subject is generally divided into three interrelated topics: (1) territorial jurisdiction (and related doctrines), (2) choice of law, and (3) recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. This course focuses on the first and third topics: specifically, territorial jurisdiction, forum non conveniens, forum selection clauses, and the recognition and enforcement of judgments rendered by the courts of other states and countries. Choice of law is the focus of a separate course titled “Conflict of Laws,” and is covered in Jurisdiction & Judgments only to the extent necessary to fully understand the topics that are the focus of this course. At the end of the semester, students should have developed a sound understanding of the law governing jurisdiction and judgments, including policy considerations that may shape further development of the law.

Jurisdiction and Judgments is a course in Conflict of Laws. Conflict of Laws addresses issues that may arise when a dispute or transaction has connections with more than one state or country. The subject is generally divided into three interrelated topics: (1) territorial jurisdiction (and related doctrines), (2) choice of law, and (3) recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. This course focuses on the first and third topics: territorial jurisdiction, forum non conveniens, forum selection clauses, and the recognition and enforcement of judgments rendered by other states and countries. Choice of law is the focus of a separate course titled “Conflict of Laws,” and is covered in this course only to the extent necessary to fully understand other topics. At the end of the semester, students should have developed a sound understanding of the topics covered in this course, including policy considerations that may shape further development of the law.

This is a course in Conflict of Laws. Conflict of Laws addresses issues that may arise when a dispute or transaction has connections with more than one state or country. The subject is generally divided into three interrelated parts: (1) territorial jurisdiction (and related doctrines), (2) choice of law, and (3) recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. This short course, Jurisdiction and Judgments, focuses on territorial jurisdiction, forum non conveniens, forum selection clauses, and the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments.

This is a course in Conflict of Laws. Conflict of Laws addresses issues that may arise when a dispute or transaction has connections with more than one state or country. The subject is generally divided into three interrelated parts: (1) territorial jurisdiction (and related doctrines), (2) choice of law, and (3) recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. This short course, Jurisdiction and Judgments, focuses on territorial jurisdiction, forum non conveniens, forum selection clauses, and the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments.

This course will be taught entirely online via Zoom.

This is a course in Conflict of Laws. Conflict of Laws addresses issues that may arise when a dispute or transaction has connections with more than one state or country. The subject is generally divided into three interrelated parts: (1) territorial jurisdiction (and related doctrines), (2) choice of law, and (3) recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. This short course, Jurisdiction and Judgments, focuses on territorial jurisdiction, forum non conveniens, forum selection clauses, and the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments.

The course will be a study of central question in the philosophy of law: What is the nature of law? What distinguishes a legal system from other systems of norms? What place if any does morality have in a legal system? Do the norms of a legal system determine the decisions judges make in the cases before them? Are judges, that is, constrained by legal norms in reaching decisions in those cases? Are there norms or methods of legal reasoning that judges should follow in reaching decisions? Readings for the course will be a mix of historical and contemporary writings, including those of Aquinas, Hobbes, John Austin, H. L A. Hart, and Ronald Dworkin. No previous study of philosophy will be assumed.

An introductory lecture/survey course about general jurisprudence, which purports to answer questions like, "What is law? What distinguishes legal institutions from other ones? And what makes a true legal claim true?" Readings will cover John Austin, HLA Hart, Ronald Dworkin, and other participants in these debates. Where time permits, we will also address how these abstract questions come to bear on concrete controversies about legal interpretation.

The course will be a study of central question in the philosophy of law: What is the nature of law? What distinguishes a legal system from other systems of norms? What place if any does morality have in a legal system? Do the norms of a legal system determine the decisions judges make in the cases before them? Are judges, that is, constrained by legal norms in reaching decisions in those cases? Are there norms or methods of legal reasoning that judges should follow in reaching decisions? Readings for the course will be a mix of historical and contemporary writings, including those of Aquinas, Hobbes, John Austin, H. L A. Hart, and Ronald Dworkin. No previous study of philosophy will be assumed.

Most of the time when judicial opinions are handed down the focus is narrowly on the facts of the case and references to large philosophical questions are either absent or perfunctory. Big questions like “What is law?” “What is the source of law’s legitimacy?”, “How is law distinguished from force?”, “What is the relationship between law and morality?”, “Is the law an autonomous system?”, and “Is the law gendered?” are not taken up explicitly or at length in the course of a ruling. Yet these questions and the various answers given to them underlie and give shape to the specific arguments judges engage in. Jurisprudence is the study of those big questions and of the traditions of inquiry that have been set in motion by the attempts to answer them. In this course we shall survey the major traditions of inquiry with a view to understanding how even the most minute and apparently local issues in law reflect long-standing and unresolved controversies.

Topics of investigation will include Natural Law, Positive Law, Legal Realism, Law and Economics, Legal Interpretation, Feminist Jurisprudence, Critical Race Theory, Gay Legal Theory, Postmodernism and the Law, Legal Pragmatism.