Course Schedule

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 materials supplied by the professor in PDF format. There are no formal prerequisites.

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 materials supplied by the professor in PDF format. There are no formal prerequisites.

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 materials supplied by the professor in PDF format. There are no formal prerequisites.

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.

This seminar-style course offers students the opportunity to examine more closely one or more issues affecting reentry for individuals who have a criminal history. Designed for students with a particular interest in criminal justice policy, readings will come from a variety of sources, including case law, book chapters, policy reports, academic journals, and investigative accounts. Outside speakers will help ground classroom discussion in practice. Weekly attendance and active class participation, including introducing readings and formulating questions for speakers, is expected and will count toward the final grade. Areas of focus include barriers to employment and housing, the role of substance use and behavioral health challenges, recidivism and public safety, probation and parole practices, and criminal background checks . The course is open to LBJ graduate students.

Prerequisites: Students should possess a basic understanding of the criminal justice system and the role of reentry. Relevant experience could include enrollment in the Criminal Defense, Civil Rights, or Immigration Clinics, other coursework, or prior work or volunteer experience. Interested students must submit an email to the professor indicating their interest and relevant background, as well as a copy of their (unofficial) law school transcript. Contact the professor with any questions.

Note that this course has been retitled but remains substantively the same and students who have already taken Criminal Justice: Reentry will not be allowed to enroll.

This seminar-style course offers students the opportunity to examine more closely one or more issues affecting reentry for individuals who have a criminal history. Designed for students with a particular interest in criminal justice policy, readings will come from a variety of sources, including case law, book chapters, policy reports, academic journals, and investigative accounts. Outside speakers will help ground classroom discussion in practice. Weekly attendance and active class participation, including introducing readings and formulating questions for speakers, is expected and will count toward the final grade. Areas of focus include barriers to employment and housing, the role of substance use and behavioral health challenges, recidivism and public safety, probation and parole practices, and criminal background checks . The course is open to LBJ graduate students.

Prerequisites: Students should possess a basic understanding of the criminal justice system and the role of reentry. Relevant experience could include enrollment in the Criminal Defense, Civil Rights, or Immigration Clinics, other coursework, or prior work or volunteer experience. Interested students must submit an email to the professor indicating their interest and relevant background, as well as a copy of their (unofficial) law school transcript. Contact the professor with any questions.

Note that this course has been retitled but remains substantively the same and students who have already taken Criminal Justice: Reentry will not be allowed to enroll.

This seminar-style course offers students the opportunity to examine more closely one or more issues affecting reentry for individuals who have a criminal history. Intended for students with a particular interest in criminal justice policy, readings will come from a variety of sources, including case law, book chapters, policy reports, academic journals, and investigative accounts. Outside speakers covering the criminal justice spectrum will help ground classroom discussion in practice. Consistent attendance and active class participation, including introducing readings and formulating questions for speakers, is expected and will count toward the final grade. Areas of particular focus will include barriers to employment and housing, mental illness and behavioral health treatment, recidivism and public safety, pre-release reentry programming, and criminal background check practices. The course is open to LBJ graduate students.

Prerequisites: Students should possess a basic understanding of the criminal justice system and the role of reentry. Relevant experience could include enrollment in the Criminal Defense, Civil Rights, or Immigration Clinics, other coursework, or prior work or volunteer experience. Interested students must submit an email to the professor indicating their interest and relevant background, as well as a copy of their (unofficial) law school transcript. Contact the professor with any questions.

This course will meet weekly for the semester. Field trips and other extracurricular opportunities will be available as scheduling permits.

This seminar-style course offers students the opportunity to examine more closely one or more issues affecting reentry for individuals who have a criminal history. Intended for students with a particular interest in criminal justice policy, readings will come from a variety of sources, including case law, book chapters, policy reports, academic journals, and investigative accounts. Outside speakers covering the criminal justice spectrum will help ground classroom discussion in practice. Consistent attendance and active class participation, including introducing readings and formulating questions for speakers, is expected and will count toward the final grade. Areas of particular focus will include barriers to employment and housing, mental illness and behavioral health treatment, recidivism and public safety, pre-release reentry programming, and criminal background check practices. The course is open to LBJ graduate students.

Prerequisites: Students should possess a basic understanding of the criminal justice system and the role of reentry. Relevant experience could include enrollment in the Criminal Defense, Civil Rights, or Immigration Clinics, other coursework, or prior work or volunteer experience. Interested students must submit an email to the professor indicating their interest and relevant background, as well as a copy of their (unofficial) law school transcript. Contact the professor with any questions.

This course will meet weekly for the semester. Field trips and other extracurricular opportunities will be available as scheduling permits.

Technological innovation is reshaping financial services at a pace that challenges both markets and the law. Accelerating capabilities are disintermediating and disrupting existing business models and enabling the emergence of entrepreneurial new markets, products and participants. But what are the rules for this revolution? Or are there rules? How can lawyers counsel revolutionary entrepreneurs? How do regulators grapple with the associated challenges? This course will provide students a framework to consider these questions. We will use as our focal points two emerging technologies: the development of blockchain distributed ledger applications, and advances in artificial intelligence. Our study begins with an overview of administrative approaches to regulation, and we will use that framework to critically assess the way that regulators have utilized existing authorities to respond to the myriad developments in these fields. Substantive issues will include anti-money laundering, securities and commodities regulation, consumer protection and data privacy. A central theme will be tension between fostering innovation and protecting against risks to market integrity, investor and consumer protection and individual autonomy. We will consider the challenges of developing appropriate regulatory responses to applications of rapidly evolving technologies, and of counseling change agents in an ambiguous regulatory environment. This course is taught by a professor with a 35-year regulatory enforcement career that included positions as a senior SEC enforcement official and as a partner in a global law firm representing clients in defense of enforcement actions, and who has deep experience with these challenges from both perspectives.

Accelerating technological innovation is dramatically altering the financial services landscape.  By disintermediating and disrupting existing relationships, it is enabling the emergence of new business models, products and market participants.   But what are the rules for this revolution?  Or are there rules?   How can lawyers counsel revolutionary entrepreneurs?  How do regulators grapple with the associated challenges?  This course will provide students a framework to consider these questions. We will use as our focal points two emerging and potentially transformational technologies: the development of blockchain distributed ledger technologies, and advances in the application of artificial intelligence to financial services.  We will begin with administrative models of regulation and use that framework to critically assess the way that regulators have utilized existing authorities to respond to the myriad developments in these fields.  Substantive issues will include anti-money laundering, securities and commodities regulation, consumer protection and data privacy.  A consistent theme will be the challenges of developing appropriate regulatory responses to applications of rapidly evolving technologies, and, from the other perspective, that of counseling change agents in an ambiguous regulatory environment.  This course is taught by a professor with a 35-year regulatory enforcement career that included positions as a senior SEC enforcement official and as a partner in a global law firm representing clients in defense of enforcement actions, and who has deep experience with these challenges from both perspectives.      

Accelerating technological innovation is dramatically altering the financial services landscape.  By disintermediating and disrupting existing relationships, it is enabling the emergence of new business models, products and market participants.   But what are the rules for this revolution?  Or are there rules?   How can lawyers counsel revolutionary entrepreneurs?  How do regulators grapple with the associated challenges?  This course will provide students a framework to consider these questions. We will use as our focal points two emerging and potentially transformational technologies: the development of blockchain distributed ledger technologies, and advances in the application of artificial intelligence to financial services.  We will begin with administrative models of regulation and use that framework to critically assess the way that regulators have utilized existing authorities to respond to the myriad developments in these fields.  Substantive issues will include anti-money laundering, securities and commodities regulation, consumer protection and data privacy.  A consistent theme will be the challenges of developing appropriate regulatory responses to applications of rapidly evolving technologies, and, from the other perspective, that of counseling change agents in an ambiguous regulatory environment.  This course is taught by a professor with a 35-year regulatory enforcement career that included positions as a senior SEC enforcement official and as a partner in a global law firm representing clients in defense of enforcement actions, and who has deep experience with these challenges from both perspectives.      

Accelerating technological innovation is dramatically altering the financial services landscape.  By disintermediating and disrupting existing relationships, it is enabling the emergence of new business models, products and market participants.   But what are the rules for this revolution?  Or are there rules?   How can lawyers counsel revolutionary entrepreneurs?  How do regulators grapple with the associated challenges?  This course will provide students a framework to consider these questions. We will use as our focal points two emerging and potentially transformational technologies: the development of blockchain distributed ledger technologies, and advances in the application of artificial intelligence to financial services.  We will begin with administrative models of regulation and use that framework to critically assess the way that regulators have utilized existing authorities to respond to the myriad developments in these fields.  Substantive issues will include anti-money laundering, securities and commodities regulation, consumer protection and data privacy.  A consistent theme will be the challenges of developing appropriate regulatory responses to applications of rapidly evolving technologies, and, from the other perspective, that of counseling change agents in an ambiguous regulatory environment.  This course is taught by a professor with a 35-year regulatory enforcement career that included positions as a senior SEC enforcement official and as a partner in a global law firm representing clients in defense of enforcement actions, and who has deep experience with these challenges from both perspectives.      

REGULATION OF LANDS AND BUILDINGS:

USING OLD TOOLS TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES OF NEW CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY

This will be a course on land use regulation which will include platting, zoning, building permits, and other laws (mostly federal laws aimed at other than land use policy goals) as subjects. The course will include a significant section on the development process so that students might better understand the application of laws and policies to creating or renovating the built environment. This year, we will look at climate change policies at the governmental and private capital markets levels, and we will look also at the subject of if and how all the policy goals can be accomplished in a way that allows for affordability in the residential parts of the built environment. No textbook is used. The instructor provides the materials in pdf form. 

In this 1 credit, seminar-styled class, we will explore the various legal approaches used to hold network industries accountable for providing public services, such as energy, telecommunications, and drinking water services. Some of these service providers are government-owned, and some are private companies (including public utilities). We tend to think of many of them as providers of essential or critically important services. After discussing some of the conceptual and theoretical writings on institutional challenges relating to the regulation of these powerful actors, we will explore a number of different areas of regulation, including the regulatory oversight of drinking water supplies, chemical manufacture, electric utilities, oil and gas, telecommunications, and e-commerce companies like Amazon.  The structure of the seminar and readings will be established by the professor, but the fifty-minute hourly discussions will be led by student teams that rotate on a weekly basis.  The final grade will be based on the quality of the student’s participation throughout the semester; the quality of the specific classes led by the student; five short blog posts on the weekly readings; and a ten-page paper (double-spaced). 

In this 1 credit, seminar-styled class, we will explore the various legal approaches used to hold network industries accountable for providing public services, such as energy, telecommunications, and drinking water services. Some of these service providers are government-owned, and some are private companies (including public utilities). We tend to think of many of them as providers of essential or critically important services. After discussing some of the conceptual and theoretical writings on institutional challenges relating to the regulation of these powerful actors, we will explore a number of different areas of regulation, including the regulatory oversight of drinking water supplies, chemical manufacture, electric utilities, oil and gas, telecommunications, and e-commerce companies like Amazon.  The structure of the seminar and readings will be established by the professor, but the fifty-minute hourly discussions will be led by student teams that rotate on a weekly basis.  The final grade will be based on the quality of the student’s participation throughout the semester; the quality of the specific classes led by the student; five short blog posts on the weekly readings; and a ten-page paper (double-spaced). 

This is an interesting time to study the law of Religious Liberty.  The Supreme Court has heard multiple cases and issued a number of decisions in recent years construing the Religion Clauses of the First Amendment.  Studying these developments is helpful not just to understanding this area of constitutional law, but also to examining the Supreme Court as an institution.

This class is an introduction to the law of Religious Liberty.  It will also present an opportunity to develop appellate advocacy skills.  Students will simulate oral arguments before the Supreme Court in significant religious liberty controversies, by performing in the role of both advocates and justices.

This course is open to students who have already taken a course in Constitutional Law.  No other prerequisite is required.  We will meet roughly every other week for two hours at a time.  The course is graded, but students are welcome to exercise their pass-fail option if they wish.  Grades will turn on the quality of in-class participation, both as advocates and as justices.  Students will have the chance to learn the law of Religious Liberty from a seasoned practitioner, and to practice oral advocacy before a bench of your fellow students, as well as a federal circuit judge.

Each week, two to four students will be assigned a Supreme Court case to argue, before a bench comprised of fellow students who will serve as Justices.  After each oral argument, we will discuss the issues presented in the case and raised during the argument.

This is an interesting time to study the law of Religious Liberty.  The Supreme Court has heard multiple cases and issued a number of decisions in recent years construing the Religion Clauses of the First Amendment.  Studying these developments is helpful not just to understanding this area of constitutional law, but also to examining the Supreme Court as an institution.

This class is an introduction to the law of Religious Liberty.  It will also present an opportunity to develop appellate advocacy skills.  Students will simulate oral arguments before the Supreme Court in significant religious liberty controversies, by performing in the role of both advocates and justices.

This course is open to students who have already taken a course in Constitutional Law.  No other prerequisite is required.  We will meet roughly every other week for two hours at a time.  The course is graded, but students are welcome to exercise their pass-fail option if they wish.  Grades will turn on the quality of in-class participation, both as advocates and as justices.  Students will have the chance to learn the law of Religious Liberty from a seasoned practitioner, and to practice oral advocacy before a bench of your fellow students, as well as a federal circuit judge.

Each week, two to four students will be assigned a Supreme Court case to argue, before a bench comprised of fellow students who will serve as Justices.  After each oral argument, we will discuss the issues presented in the case and raised during the argument.

This is an exciting time to study the law of Religious Liberty.  The Supreme Court in recent years has taken multiple cases to clarify the scope of the Religion Clauses of the First Amendment, and there is no indication that this trend will stop.  Regardless of one’s underlying perspective or position, studying Religious Liberty is a way to understand not just that area of constitutional law, but also to examine the Supreme Court as an institution.

This class is an introduction to the law of Religious Liberty.  It will also present an opportunity to develop appellate advocacy skills.  Students will simulate oral arguments before the Supreme Court in significant religious liberty controversies, by performing in the role of advocates and justices.

This is a course open to students who have already taken a Constitutional Law class.  No other prerequisite is required.  We plan on meeting roughly every other week for two hours at a time.  The course is graded, but students are welcome to exercise their pass-fail option if they wish.  Grades will turn on (1) participation, including reliable attendance, and (2) the final exam.

This is an exciting time to study the law of Religious Liberty.  The Supreme Court in recent years has taken multiple cases to clarify the scope of the Religion Clauses of the First Amendment, and there is no indication that this trend will stop.  Regardless of one’s underlying perspective or position, studying Religious Liberty is a way to understand not just that area of constitutional law, but also to examine the Supreme Court as an institution and to trace the development of an important body of law alongside developments in American and world history.

This class is an introduction to the law of Religious Liberty, and accordingly will begin with the historical and jurisprudential foundations of the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause.  We will then turn to the development of the doctrine in the United States, examining how and asking why the Supreme Court's analysis has evolved from beginnings of its jurisprudence until today.  We will pause to consider in depth how Employment Division v. Smith has been applied in the decades since the Supreme Court decided it.  We will also discuss the intersection of the Free Exercise Clause, the Establishment Clause, the Free Speech Clause, and the Free Association Clause.  Our course will conclude with analysis of the cutting-edge issues being litigated in the courts, and in particular in the Supreme Court, and we will provide some examples where students can dig more deeply into a record to develop the best arguments on both sides of actual cases.  

This is a course open to students who have already taken a Constitutional Law class.  No other prerequisite is required.  We plan on meet roughly every other week for two hours at a time.  The course is graded, but students are welcome to exercise their pass-fail option if they wish.  Grades will turn on (1) participation, including reliable attendance, and (2) the student's choice of a short exam or a short paper.

"Restitution" means the law of unjust enrichment. As a basis of liability, it is as fundamental as contract or tort. "You are liable to me, not because you promised to do anything, and not because you necessarily caused me any injury, but because (if the law did nothing) you would be unjustly enriched at my expense." Claims on this basis arise across the whole range of private law, with some public-law pockets as well (such as tax). This gives restitution as much variety as any other subject and makes it an essential part—frequently overlooked—of the analysis of many legal problems. Course materials will consist of the casebook recently edited by Dean Farnsworth and Professor Kull.  (Anyone who is curious is welcome to come by Professor Kull's office and have a look.)

"Restitution" means the law of unjust enrichment. As a basis of liability, it is as fundamental as contract or tort. "You are liable to me, not because you promised to do anything, and not because you necessarily caused me any injury, but because (if the law did nothing) you would be unjustly enriched at my expense." Claims on this basis arise across the whole range of private law. This gives restitution as much variety as any other subject and makes it an essential part—frequently overlooked—of the analysis of many legal problems. Course materials will consist of the casebook edited by Dean Farnsworth and Professor Kull.  (Anyone who is curious is welcome to come by Professor Kull's office and have a look.)

Restorative justice is a social movement and set of practices that aims to redirect society’s retributive response to crime. Crime, in the context of restorative justice, is not considered just an offense against the state but rather is viewed as a wrong against another person and indicative of a broken relationship between the offender, victim, and community. Accordingly, restorative justice seeks to elevate the role of crime victims and community members; hold offenders directly accountable to the people they have violated; and restore, to the extent possible, the emotional and material losses of victims by providing a range of opportunities for dialogue, negotiation, and problem solving. This course provides an introduction and exposure to the principles of restorative justice and its application to the treatment of human suffering from crime and related social problems. It explores the needs and roles for key stakeholders (victims, offenders, communities, justice systems), examines the values and assumptions of the movement, including its spiritual and religious roots, and introduces students to some of the current programs at community, state and international levels. The framework of the course is, in part, based on social work values and the ethical decision-making process. Besides discussing its policy implications, students will evaluate the potential of restorative justice to address social problems marked by human conflict, oppression, power and harm, e.g. partner abuse, hate crimes. Finally, students will examine the empirical evidence for restorative justice, identify critical issues including gaps in theory or practice, and critique its integrity and overall direction.

Restorative justice is a social movement and set of practices that aims to redirect society’s retributive response to crime. Crime, in the context of restorative justice, is not considered just an offense against the state but rather is viewed as a wrong against another person and indicative of a broken relationship between the offender, victim, and community. Accordingly, restorative justice seeks to elevate the role of crime victims and community members; hold offenders directly accountable to the people they have violated; and restore, to the extent possible, the emotional and material losses of victims by providing a range of opportunities for dialogue, negotiation, and problem solving. This course provides an introduction and exposure to the principles of restorative justice and its application to the treatment of human suffering from crime and related social problems. It explores the needs and roles for key stakeholders (victims, offenders, communities, justice systems), examines the values and assumptions of the movement, including its spiritual and religious roots, and introduces students to some of the current programs at community, state and international levels. The framework of the course is, in part, based on social work values and the ethical decision-making process. Besides discussing its policy implications, students will evaluate the potential of restorative justice to address social problems marked by human conflict, oppression, power and harm, e.g. partner abuse, hate crimes. Finally, students will examine the empirical evidence for restorative justice, identify critical issues including gaps in theory or practice, and critique its integrity and overall direction.

Have you wondered how it is determined that some crypto-currency activities violate the securities laws?  Or what might make trading in meme stocks subject to enforcement action?  The objective of this course is to illuminate such questions by giving students a practical appreciation of both the process through which securities law enforcement decisions are made, and the way in which the reach of the securities laws has developed as a consequence.  We will cover two broad areas.  First, the mechanics of the securities enforcement process and the roles played in it by government lawyers, defense lawyers, the Commission, and the courts.  The goal is to provide an “insiders” appreciation of how enforcement decision-making occurs, and how it operates as a significant driver in the development of the substantive securities law.  The second part of the course will be a deep dive into substantive areas of the securities law that are particularly shaped by enforcement decision making, including, for example, the prohibitions on insider trading, foreign corrupt practices, financial fraud, market manipulation and the emerging regulation of crypto-currencies.   A consistent theme will be the utility and consequences of developing law through ad hoc enforcement decisions. The professor had a 35-year securities enforcement career that included positions as a senior SEC enforcement official and as a partner in a global law firm representing clients in defense of securities enforcement investigations, and has deep experience with these issues from both perspectives.  

Standard-form agreements purporting to bind consumers and employees are the most common form of contracts that exist in the United States. These contracts often contain provisions like arbitration clauses, exculpatory clauses, non-compete agreements, non-disparagement agreements, liquidated damages clauses, privacy waivers, and more. Each of these contract terms has generated term-specific case law and regulation. Students will learn about these clauses and the applicable law governing their enforceability, while critically evaluating both. The course requires each student to participate in an end-of-term “writer’s workshop,” which in turn requires students to present their ideas to the class. The workshop aims to provide constructive feedback to students on their work product before they submit their final papers.