Course Schedule

The purpose of the course is to expose students to contemporary policy challenges in the national security arena and, in doing so, provide the student a framework for making future decisions across the entire public policy spectrum.   You will be exposed to a variety of geopolitical scenarios and working in conjunction with a “national security team” you will develop a list of options for government leaders. The course goes beyond the theoretical and analytical to understanding exactly how national security policy is made in the most complex and politically sensitive environments.  In the scenarios, you will be confronted with the challenges of whether to conduct a drone strike in a denied area, what to do about Russian aggression in an allied country, how to address China’s build-up in the South China Sea, whether to conduct a large scale missile strike or a special operations raid and several other current international problems.  You will learn to understand the implications of U.S. actions on both international and domestic policy.  Throughout the course we will also examine the role of leadership in policy making.

During the course you will develop an understanding of the following:

• The roles and responsibilities of the national security policy makers.
• Current threats facing the United States.
• How to develop options for dealing with these threats.
• How to make decisions in a complex, high risk, high threat environment.
• The impact of your decisions on international and domestic policy.
• The fundamentals of leadership under pressure.
• Briefing techniques used in the White House Situation Room and the Pentagon Tank.

Through the two-week seminar we will have several guest speakers either in person or by videoconference that have extensive experience in policy making and can provide a further understanding of the complex nature of the process.In addition to the weekly scenario discussions, the class will also discuss the role of leadership; from small teams to large highly complex organizations.

Student Assessment

There will be five short briefing papers on contemporary geopolitical threats that must be read prior to the start of class.Student assessment will be based on classroom participation (60%), a two-page policy paper (20%) and a team paper/briefing (20%).

Class Schedule

Class is scheduled to meet August 22-26, August 29-September 2, and September 26-29.

The purpose of the course is to expose students to contemporary policy challenges in the national security arena and, in doing so, provide the student a framework for making future decisions across the entire public policy spectrum.   You will be exposed to a variety of geopolitical scenarios and working in conjunction with a “national security team” you will develop a list of options for government leaders. The course goes beyond the theoretical and analytical to understanding exactly how national security policy is made in the most complex and politically sensitive environments.  In the scenarios, you will be confronted with the challenges of whether to conduct a drone strike in a denied area, what to do about Russian aggression in an allied country, how to address China’s build-up in the South China Sea, whether to conduct a large scale missile strike or a special operations raid and several other current international problems.  You will learn to understand the implications of U.S. actions on both international and domestic policy.  Throughout the course we will also examine the role of leadership in policy making.

During the course you will develop an understanding of the following:

• The roles and responsibilities of the national security policy makers.
• Current threats facing the United States.
• How to develop options for dealing with these threats.
• How to make decisions in a complex, high risk, high threat environment.
• The impact of your decisions on international and domestic policy.
• The fundamentals of leadership under pressure.
• Briefing techniques used in the White House Situation Room and the Pentagon Tank.

Through the two-week seminar we will have several guest speakers either in person or by videoconference that have extensive experience in policy making and can provide a further understanding of the complex nature of the process.In addition to the weekly scenario discussions, the class will also discuss the role of leadership; from small teams to large highly complex organizations.

Student Assessment

There will be five short briefing papers on contemporary geopolitical threats that must be read prior to the start of class.Student assessment will be based on classroom participation (60%), a two-page policy paper (20%) and a team paper/briefing (20%).

Class Schedule

Class is scheduled for 5:30pm-8:30pm, M-F, January 18-21, January 26-27, January 31, February 1-4, and February 14-18.

The purpose of the course is to expose students to contemporary policy challenges in the national security arena and, in doing so, provide the student a framework for making future decisions across the entire public policy spectrum.   You will be exposed to a variety of geopolitical scenarios and working in conjunction with a “national security team” you will develop a list of options for government leaders. The course goes beyond the theoretical and analytical to understanding exactly how national security policy is made in the most complex and politically sensitive environments.  In the scenarios, you will be confronted with the challenges of whether to conduct a drone strike in a denied area, what to do about Russian aggression in an allied country, how to address China’s build-up in the South China Sea, whether to conduct a large scale missile strike or a special operations raid and several other current international problems.  You will learn to understand the implications of U.S. actions on both international and domestic policy.  Throughout the course we will also examine the role of leadership in policy making.

During the course you will develop an understanding of the following:

• The roles and responsibilities of the national security policy makers.
• Current threats facing the United States.
• How to develop options for dealing with these threats.
• How to make decisions in a complex, high risk, high threat environment.
• The impact of your decisions on international and domestic policy.
• The fundamentals of leadership under pressure.
• Briefing techniques used in the White House Situation Room and the Pentagon Tank.

Through the two-week seminar we will have several guest speakers either in person or by videoconference that have extensive experience in policy making and can provide a further understanding of the complex nature of the process.In addition to the weekly scenario discussions, the class will also discuss the role of leadership; from small teams to large highly complex organizations.

Student Assessment

There will be five short briefing papers on contemporary geopolitical threats that must be read prior to the start of class.Student assessment will be based on classroom participation (60%), a two-page policy paper (20%) and a team paper/briefing (20%).

The purpose of the course is to expose students to contemporary policy challenges in the national security arena and, in doing so, provide the student a framework for making future decisions across the entire public policy spectrum.   You will be exposed to a variety of geopolitical scenarios and working in conjunction with a “national security team” you will develop a list of options for government leaders. The course goes beyond the theoretical and analytical to understanding exactly how national security policy is made in the most complex and politically sensitive environments.  In the scenarios, you will be confronted with the challenges of whether to conduct a drone strike in a denied area, what to do about Russian aggression in an allied country, how to address China’s build-up in the South China Sea, whether to conduct a large scale missile strike or a special operations raid and several other current international problems.  You will learn to understand the implications of U.S. actions on both international and domestic policy.  Throughout the course we will also examine the role of leadership in policy making.

During the course you will develop an understanding of the following:

• The roles and responsibilities of the national security policy makers.
• Current threats facing the United States.
• How to develop options for dealing with these threats.
• How to make decisions in a complex, high risk, high threat environment.
• The impact of your decisions on international and domestic policy.
• The fundamentals of leadership under pressure.
• Briefing techniques used in the White House Situation Room and the Pentagon Tank.

Through the two-week seminar we will have several guest speakers either in person or by videoconference that have extensive experience in policy making and can provide a further understanding of the complex nature of the process.In addition to the weekly scenario discussions, the class will also discuss the role of leadership; from small teams to large highly complex organizations.

Student Assessment

There will be five short briefing papers on contemporary geopolitical threats that must be read prior to the start of class.Student assessment will be based on classroom participation (60%), a two-page policy paper (20%) and a team paper/briefing (20%).

This is an LBJ School course, cross-listed with the Law School. This course will be taught in person but with the option of remote participation. Contact the professor for details.

The purpose of the course is to expose students to contemporary policy challenges in the national security arena and, in doing so, provide the student a framework for making future decisions across the entire public policy spectrum.   You will be exposed to a variety of geopolitical scenarios and working in conjunction with a “national security team” you will develop a list of options for government leaders. The course goes beyond the theoretical and analytical to understanding exactly how national security policy is made in the most complex and politically sensitive environments.  In the scenarios, you will be confronted with the challenges of whether to conduct a drone strike in a denied area, what to do about Russian aggression in an allied country, how to address China’s build-up in the South China Sea, whether to conduct a large scale missile strike or a special operations raid and several other current international problems.  You will learn to understand the implications of U.S. actions on both international and domestic policy.  Throughout the course we will also examine the role of leadership in policy making.

During the course you will develop an understanding of the following:

• The roles and responsibilities of the national security policy makers.
• Current threats facing the United States.
• How to develop options for dealing with these threats.
• How to make decisions in a complex, high risk, high threat environment.
• The impact of your decisions on international and domestic policy.
• The fundamentals of leadership under pressure.
• Briefing techniques used in the White House Situation Room and the Pentagon Tank.

Through the two-week seminar we will have several guest speakers either in person or by videoconference that have extensive experience in policy making and can provide a further understanding of the complex nature of the process.In addition to the weekly scenario discussions, the class will also discuss the role of leadership; from small teams to large highly complex organizations.

Student Assessment

There will be five short briefing papers on contemporary geopolitical threats that must be read prior to the start of class.Student assessment will be based on classroom participation (60%), a two-page policy paper (20%) and a team paper/briefing (20%).

Class schedule

Class is scheduled for 5:30 - 8:30 pm, M-F, August 26-28, August 31, September 1-4, September 8-9 and September 21-24.

 This course is for 3Ls who will be clerking for a federal district or magistrate judge.

On your first day in your new clerkship, you will inherit the responsibility of overseeing a docket of 100 or more cases, all of which have ongoing motion practice, upcoming trial dates, and a lot for a law clerk to do.  And most of the things you will need to do are things you have never done before, like preparing a bench memo for a hearing, or an order denying a 12(b)(6) motion.  The first few months in a clerkship can be pretty overwhelming. This class is intended to provide you with enough knowledge and insight into the nuts and bolts of a district or magistrate judge clerkship to allow you to hit the ground running on your first day.  It covers everything from how to read a docket sheet and find the pleadings in your cases, to drafting a memorandum opinion.  It is a  two-credit, pass/fail, small and collaborative class.  

Permission to enroll must be acquired prior to registration. Students must have a verified federal district clerkship. Before the registration period begins, email: clerk-admin@law.utexas.edu to request verification and departmental access to register online.

 This course is for 3Ls who will be clerking for a federal district or magistrate judge. It is taught by an active and a recently-retired federal magistrate judge, both of whom also clerked for a federal district judge.    

On your first day in your new clerkship, you will inherit the responsibility of overseeing a docket of 100 or more cases, all of which have ongoing motion practice, upcoming trial dates, and a lot for a law clerk to do.  And most of the things you will need to do are things you have never done before, like preparing a bench memo for a hearing, or an order denying a 12(b)(6) motion.  The first few months in a clerkship can be pretty overwhelming. This class is intended to provide you with enough knowledge and insight into the nuts and bolts of a district or magistrate judge clerkship to allow you to hit the ground running on your first day.  It covers everything from how to read a docket sheet and find the pleadings in your cases, to drafting a memorandum opinion.  It is a  two-credit, pass/fail, small and collaborative class.  

Permission to enroll must be acquired prior to registration. Students must have a verified federal district clerkship. Before the registration period begins, email: clerk-admin@law.utexas.edu to request verification and departmental access to register online.

This course is for 3Ls who will be clerking for a federal district or magistrate judge. It is taught by an active and a recently-retired federal magistrate judge, both of whom also clerked for a federal district judge.    

On your first day in your new clerkship, you will inherit the responsibility of overseeing a docket of 100 or more cases, all of which have ongoing motion practice, upcoming trial dates, and a lot for a law clerk to do.  And most of the things you will need to do are things you have never done before, like preparing a bench memo for a hearing, or an order denying a 12(b)(6) motion.  The first few months in a clerkship can be pretty overwhelming. This class is intended to provide you with enough knowledge and insight into the nuts and bolts of a district or magistrate judge clerkship to allow you to hit the ground running on your first day.  It covers everything from how to read a docket sheet and find the pleadings in your cases, to drafting a memorandum opinion.  It is a  two-credit, pass/fail, small and collaborative class.  

Permission to enroll must be acquired prior to registration. Students must have a verified federal district clerkship. Before the registration period begins, email Andrea Stanfill: clerk-admin@law.utexas.edu to request verification and departmental access to register online.

This course is for 3Ls who will be clerking for a federal district or magistrate judge. It is taught by an active and a recently-retired federal magistrate judge, both of whom also clerked for a federal district judge.    

On your first day in your new clerkship, you will inherit the responsibility of overseeing a docket of 100 or more cases, all of which have ongoing motion practice, upcoming trial dates, and a lot for a law clerk to do.  And most of the things you will need to do are things you have never done before, like preparing a bench memo for a hearing, or an order denying a 12(b)(6) motion.  The first few months in a clerkship can be pretty overwhelming. This class is intended to provide you with enough knowledge and insight into the nuts and bolts of a district or magistrate judge clerkship to allow you to hit the ground running on your first day.  It covers everything from how to read a docket sheet and find the pleadings in your cases, to drafting a memorandum opinion.  It is a  two-credit, pass/fail, small and collaborative class.  

Permission to enroll must be acquired prior to registration. Students must have a verified federal district clerkship. Before the registration period begins, email Andrea Stanfill: clerk-admin@law.utexas.edu to request verification and departmental access to register online.

This is a course for 3Ls who will be clerking for a federal district or magistrate judge. It is taught by two active federal magistrate judges, both of whom also clerked for a federal district judge.  It is the exception for an incoming federal clerk to overlap with their predecessor.  On your first day in your new clerkship, you will inherit the responsibility of overseeing a docket of 100 or more cases, all of which have ongoing motion practice, upcoming trial dates, and a lot for a law clerk to do.  And most of the things you will need to do are things you have never done before, like preparing a bench memo for a hearing, or an order denying a 12(b)(6) motion.  The first few months in a clerkship can be pretty overwhelming.  Wouldn't it be nice to have a little practice with these tasks before that first day?  This class is intended to provide you with enough knowledge and insight into the nuts and bolts of a district or magistrate judge clerkship to allow you to hit the ground running on your first day.  It covers everything from how to read a docket sheet and find the pleadings in your cases, to drafting a memorandum opinion.  Though there are several writing assignments, the overall workload of the class is quite reasonable, it is two-credits, pass/fail, and is a small and collaborative class.  Permission to enroll must be acquired prior to registration. Students must have a verified federal district clerkship. Before the registration period begins, email Andrea Stanfill: clerk-admin@law.utexas.edu to request verification and departmental access to register online.

The United States incarcerates more people than any other country on earth, with more than 1.9 million people in custody on any given day. Prisons and jails are places that cause tremendous harm to the people who live and work in these settings, and it has become increasingly clear that environmental factors contribute to the risks they face. For example, incarcerated people and corrections staff are exposed to extreme temperatures, contaminated water supplies, hazardous chemicals, toxic air quality, and climate-change induced events, such as flooding, wildfires, and other natural disasters. At the same time, the carceral institutions themselves can create hazardous environmental conditions. It is no coincidence that these environmental risks disproportionately impact low-income people and people of color.

This course examines the range of environmental risks in the carceral setting by focusing on specific case studies of environmental harm suffered by incarcerated people in several instances over the last ten years. We will hear directly from people who have been incarcerated who can speak to the impact of these environmental hazards. We will examine some of the practical challenges that arise when it comes to addressing these environmental risks, such as the politics of funding infrastructure improvements, the complexities of the policy development process, and the difficulties of mass evacuations. We will explore the laws and policies in place to protect incarcerated people from environmental impacts, and the gaps in protection that exist. We will also delve into the legal obstacles people in custody face when they seek redress for the environmental harms they have suffered.

This new seminar, cross-listed between the LBJ School and the Law School, approaches these issues from a highly interdisciplinary and practical perspective. It will be co-taught by two professors, one with expertise on prison policy and practice and the other with expertise on environmental law. We will also have guest speakers with lived experience relevant to these issues.

Course Requirements This seminar is dependent upon an informed and lively discussion. Students are expected to attend all classes, do all the reading, and come to class with thoughtful comments or questions about their reading assignments. The course will have a heavy reading load. Class participation is critical and will be considered in grading. Students will be required to undertake an original research project on an approved topic of their choice and will write a 10-page issue brief and make an oral presentation to the class about this topic. Additionally, students will submit a couple of shorter writing assignments during the semester and may be asked to help lead class discussion or to conduct some outside research on a specified week’s topic. Students may be paired with a classmate in the other department to conduct certain assignments.  

This course addresses the law of privacy and personal data protection under two dominant, but quite different, legal regimes. In this course, we will review privacy fundamentals – principles, risks, and harms - within the U.S. legal framework, including federal consumer, financial, and health privacy laws, and historical and emerging state laws. We will discuss and evaluate important aspects of the evolving U.S. legal framework and the EU GDPR (and other, recent European data laws), taking into account unique challenges posed by the evolution of digital data technology such as biometric data processing, breach response, cross-border data transfers, technological automony, and artificial intelligence.

This course addresses the law of privacy and personal data protection under two dominant, but quite different, legal regimes. In this course, we will review privacy fundamentals – principles, risks, and harms - within the U.S. legal framework, including federal consumer, financial, and health privacy laws, and historical and emerging state laws. We will discuss and evaluate important aspects of the evolving U.S. legal framework and the EU GDPR (and other, recent European data laws), taking into account unique challenges posed by the evolution of digital data technology such as biometric data processing, breach response, cross-border data transfers, technological automony, and artificial intelligence.

This course addresses the law of privacy and personal data protection under two dominant, but quite different, legal regimes. In this course, we will review privacy fundamentals – principles, risks, and harms - within the U.S. legal framework, including federal consumer, financial, and health privacy laws, and historical and emerging state laws (and recent applicabliity to workforce privacy). We will discuss and evaluate important aspects of the evolving U.S. legal framework and the EU GDPR, taking into account the unique challenges posed by the evolution of digital data technology, including data aggregation, analytics, biometrics, breach response, and artificial intelligence.

This course addresses the law of privacy and personal data protection under two dominant, but quite different, legal regimes. In this course, we will review privacy fundamentals – principles, risks, and harms - within the U.S. legal framework, including federal consumer, financial, and health privacy laws, and historical and emerging state laws. We will discuss and evaluate important aspects of the evolving U.S. legal framework and the EU GDPR, taking into account the unique challenges posed by the evolution of digital data technology, including data aggregation, analytics, biometrics, breach response, and artificial intelligence.

This course addresses the law of privacy and personal data protection under two leading, but quite different, legal frameworks. In May 2018, the world’s most comprehensive privacy law, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), became effective. On this side of the pond, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) went into effect in January 2020. In this course, we will review privacy fundamentals – principles, risks, and harms - within the U.S. legal framework, including consumer, financial, and health privacy, and recent state law developments. We will discuss and evaluate important aspects of the U.S. legal framework and the EU GDPR, taking into account the unique challenges posed by the evolution of digital data technology, including data aggregation, analytics, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things.

The process of forming and capitalizing private equity and venture capital funds is a foundational first step to an understanding of how private companies are financed globally. Over the course of the week, students will develop an understanding of each player in the fund formation process (e.g. limited partners, general partners, lawyers, placement agents, etc.), each party’s leverage points, and how each party is necessary for a successful fundraise. We will also walk through all of the necessary documents in a fundraise (e.g. limited partnership agreements, private placement memorandum, side letters, etc.) and, through the use of example provisions, learn the various negotiation points that each party is focused on.

The process of forming and capitalizing private equity and venture capital funds is a foundational first step to an understanding of how private companies are financed globally. Over the course of the week, students will develop an understanding of each player in the fund formation process (e.g. limited partners, general partners, lawyers, placement agents, etc.), each party’s leverage points, and how each party is necessary for a successful fundraise. We will also walk through all of the necessary documents in a fundraise (e.g. limited partnership agreements, private placement memorandum, side letters, etc.) and, through the use of example provisions, learn the various negotiation points that each party is focused on.

The process of forming and capitalizing private equity and venture capital funds is a foundational first step to an understanding of how private companies are financed globally. Over the course of the week, students will develop an understanding of each player in the fund formation process (e.g. limited partners, general partners, lawyers, placement agents, etc.), each party’s leverage points, and how each party is necessary for a successful fundraise. We will also walk through all of the necessary documents in a fundraise (e.g. limited partnership agreements, private placement memorandum, side letters, etc.) and, through the use of example provisions, learn the various negotiation points that each party is focused on.

The process of forming and capitalizing private equity and venture capital funds is a foundational first step to an understanding of how private companies are financed globally. Over the course of the week, students will develop an understanding of each player in the fund formation process (e.g. limited partners, general partners, lawyers, placement agents, etc.), each party’s leverage points, and how each party is necessary for a successful fundraise. We will also walk through all of the necessary documents in a fundraise (e.g. limited partnership agreements, private placement memorandum, side letters, etc.) and, through the use of example provisions, learn the various negotiation points that each party is focused on.

Privileges: the one semester, one credit course will examine the basics of the Fifth Amendment privilege as well as each of the evidentiary privileges recognized in federal courts, the societal benefits achieved by their recognition, which person or party owns and may invoke the privilege, how each privilege can be lost or abused, and how lawyers must protect their client’s privileges and avoid impinging on the privileges held by others.  A course in Evidence is a pre- or co-requisite. While the course may be of primary interest to students intending to be litigation attorneys or prosecutors, students with non-litigation interests will also benefit from the issues discussed during the course.    

This course will consider the federal rules of civil procedure (and comparable state procedural rules) through the lens of lawsuits involving the orbit of the former President of the United States (FPOTUS). Although the title of this course includes the word “politics” this will not be a partisan course. Class discussions will not involve elections or political parties. Instead, the focus of the course will be on the ways civil procedural rules were and continue to be key in lawsuits involving the FPOTUS, the January 6 Committee, and other civil defendants who served in the prior administration or otherwise are linked to the FPOTUS.

If you hated civil procedure, this is not the course for you. The class will discuss disputes ranging from service of process, affirmative defenses, motions to dismiss, sanctions, and the range of entities that can resolve disputes in civil litigation (masters, magistrates, judges, arbitrators).

Students will spend the first half of each class session in small group discussions. So if you do not like working in small groups and you do not want to spend time talking about civil procedural rules, this is not the class for you.

Course materials will be of diverse types and may include media clips, one popular press book, court pleadings, law review articles, and news articles (or blog entries). There are no exams for this class and evaluation is based on a series of short written assignments and Canvas postings.

This course will introduce students to core concepts and doctrines in the field of professional responsibility. It will touch on all of the subjects needed to prepare for the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination. The class will be taught through case examples and problems. Students will take an in-class examination. This course fulfills the Professional Responsibility requirement for graduation. 

This course will introduce students to core concepts and doctrines in the field of professional responsibility. It will touch on all of the subjects needed to prepare for the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination. The class will be taught through case examples and problems. Students will take an in-class examination. This course fulfills the Professional Responsibility requirement for graduation. 

This course will introduce students to core concepts and doctrines in the field of professional responsibility. It will touch on all of the subjects needed to prepare for the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination. The class will be taught through case examples and problems. Students will take an in-class examination. This course fulfills the Professional Responsibility requirement for graduation.