Course Schedule

Westbrook often offers this one-hour adjunct to the Secured Credit course. This Secured Credit workshop adjunct course is open only to those taking his regularthree-hour Secured Credit course. It covers the same subject matter. The course has two main purposes: offering especially interested students a look at cutting edge issues beyond what is covered in the basic course; and giving students a chance to be evaluated in part by a paper rather than just an examination. It also provides a small class experience. Requirements include a small number of additional classes and a 15-20 page paper on a Secured Credit topic. A student who takes this adjunct course gets one four-hour grade based on a combination of the student's examination in the regular course and performance in the one-hour course (especially on the paper). Enrollment is limited. Although the workshop is limited to students taking the main, three-hour course, taking the workshop is not required to take the main three hour course. Students who choose the Workshop have included those who want to study advanced commercial law topics and theory, but also those who have no business background and want a cushion rather than putting the whole grade on a final exam.  While the course is not remedial or tutorial, philosophy majors or art hisotry majors usually find it makes them more comfortable and confident in the main course.

Westbrook often offers this one-hour adjunct to the Secured Credit course. This Secured Credit workshop adjunct course is open only to those taking his regularthree-hour Secured Credit course. It covers the same subject matter. The course has two main purposes: offering especially interested students a look at cutting edge issues beyond what is covered in the basic course; and giving students a chance to be evaluated in part by a paper rather than just an examination. It also provides a small class experience. Requirements include a small number of additional classes and a 15-20 page paper on a Secured Credit topic. A student who takes this adjunct course gets one four-hour grade based on a combination of the student's examination in the regular course and performance in the one-hour course (especially on the paper). Enrollment is limited. Although the workshop is limited to students taking the main, three-hour course, taking the workshop is not required to take the main three hour course. Students who choose the Workshop have included those who want to study advanced commercial law topics and theory, but also those who have no business background and want a cushion rather than putting the whole grade on a final exam.  While the course is not remedial or tutorial, philosophy majors or art hisotry majors usually find it makes them more comfortable and confident in the main course.

Securities law is important, not only for litigators and transactional lawyers at law firms and in in-house positions, but also for regulators, policymakers, enforcement lawyers, and others in government service. Securities Regulation is one of the most fundamental courses that students interested in careers at a law firm with corporate and other commercial clients or at a financial regulator should take. Corporations, be they small start-ups or long-established entities, raise capital in public and private offerings of securities. The offerings are subject to securities statutes and Securities and Exchange Commission rules and policies. Moreover, whether or not they are raising capital, all publicly held companies must observe a variety of disclosure and related requirements flowing in large part from securities statutes, rules, and policies. Failures to comply can result in highly consequential private litigation and public enforcement. Broadly speaking, federal securities regulation is displacing state corporate law as the primary legal influence on how publicly held corporations function and is also a focal point for the governance of financial markets. Topics will include the preparation of disclosure documents (including for initial public offerings), exemptions from disclosure requirements, and liability under anti-fraud rules. This course will also consider such related matters as how market forces influence corporate governance and how financial advances (such as the efficient markets hypothesis) and financial innovation are affecting corporations, investors, and capital markets. No prior business or financial background whatsoever is required. The only prerequisite is: Business Associations or Business Associations (Enriched).

Virtually any raising of capital implicates the securities laws. The goal of this course, then, is for students to learn the mechanics of public and private offerings of securities, and to understand the reporting and disclosure requirements that issuing securities entails. This course is particularly important for students who expect to work either in business litigation or transactional law. Topics include public offerings, exempt (i.e., private) offerings, public company regulation and exemption, and, to the extent time permits, secondary market issues such as securities fraud, insider trading, and the regulation of financial intermediaries (such as broker-dealers and investment advisers). Please be aware that this course makes use of economics and math (this is not an arbitrary imposition: courts deciding securities cases make use of economics and math, such as net present valuation and the Efficient Capital Markets Hypothesis). No prior background, beyond a reasonable high school education, in these areas is required -- concepts will be introduced as needed -- although a willingness to engage economics and math is absolutely necessary. Absent special circumstances, students are strongly encouraged to have completed “Business Associations” or “Business Associations (Enriched)” before taking this course.

Securities law is important, not only for litigators and transactional lawyers at law firms and in in-house positions, but also for policy-makers, enforcement lawyers, and others in government service. Corporations, be they small start-ups or long-established entities, raise capital in public and private offerings of securities. The offerings are subject to securities statutes and Securities and Exchange Commission rules and policies. Moreover, whether or not they are raising capital, all publicly held companies must observe a variety of disclosure and related requirements flowing in large part from securities statutes, rules, and policies. Failures to comply can result in highly consequential private litigation and public enforcement. Broadly speaking, federal securities regulation is displacing state corporate law as the primary legal influence on how publicly held corporations function and is also a focal point for the governance of financial markets. Topics will include the preparation of disclosure documents, exemptions from disclosure requirements, and liability under anti-fraud rules. This course will also consider such related matters as how market forces influence corporate governance and how financial advances (such as the efficient markets hypothesis) and financial innovation are affecting corporations, investors, and capital markets. No prior business or financial background whatsoever is required. The only prerequisite is: Business Associations or Business Associations (Enriched).

Virtually any raising of capital implicates the securities laws. The goal of this course, then, is for students to learn the mechanics of public and private offerings of securities, and to understand the reporting and disclosure requirements that issuing securities entails. This course is particularly important for students who expect to work either in business litigation or transactional law. Topics include public offerings, exempt (i.e., private) offerings, public company regulation and exemption, and, to the extent time permits, secondary market issues such as securities fraud, insider trading, and the regulation of financial intermediaries (such as broker-dealers and investment advisers). Please be aware that this course makes use of economics and math (this is not an arbitrary imposition: courts deciding securities cases make use of economics and math, such as net present valuation and the Efficient Capital Markets Hypothesis). No prior background, beyond a reasonable high school education, in these areas is required -- concepts will be introduced as needed -- although a willingness to engage economics and math is absolutely necessary. Absent special circumstances, students are strongly encouraged to have completed “Business Associations” or “Business Associations (Enriched)” before taking this course.

Securities law is important, not only for litigators and transactional lawyers at law firms and in in-house positions, but also for policy-makers, enforcement lawyers, and others in government service. Corporations, be they small start-ups or long-established entities, raise capital in public and private offerings of securities. The offerings are subject to securities statutes and Securities and Exchange Commission rules and policies. Moreover, whether or not they are raising capital, all publicly held companies must observe a variety of disclosure and related requirements flowing in large part from securities statutes, rules, and policies. Failures to comply can result in highly consequential private litigation and public enforcement. Broadly speaking, federal securities regulation is displacing state corporate law as the primary legal influence on how publicly held corporations function and is also a focal point for the governance of financial markets. Topics will include the preparation of disclosure documents, exemptions from disclosure requirements, and liability under anti-fraud rules. This course will also consider such related matters as how market forces influence corporate governance and how financial advances (such as the efficient markets hypothesis) and financial innovation are affecting corporations, investors, and capital markets. No prior business or financial background whatsoever is required. The only prerequisite is: Business Associations or Business Associations (Enriched).

Securities law is important, not only for litigators and transactional lawyers at law firms and in in-house positions, but also for policy-makers, enforcement lawyers, and others in government service. Corporations, be they small start-ups or long-established entities, raise capital in public and private offerings of securities. The offerings are subject to securities statutes and Securities and Exchange Commission rules and policies. Moreover, whether or not they are raising capital, all publicly held companies must observe a variety of disclosure and related requirements flowing in large part from securities statutes, rules, and policies. Failures to comply can result in highly consequential private litigation and public enforcement. Broadly speaking, federal securities regulation is displacing state corporate law as the primary legal influence on how publicly held corporations function and is also a focal point for the governance of financial markets. Topics will include the preparation of disclosure documents, exemptions from disclosure requirements, and liability under anti-fraud rules. This course will also consider such related matters as how market forces influence corporate governance and how financial advances (such as the efficient markets hypothesis) and financial innovation are affecting corporations, investors, and capital markets. No prior business or financial background whatsoever is required. The only prerequisite is: Business Associations or Business Associations (Enriched).

Securities law is important, not only for litigators and transactional lawyers at law firms and in in-house positions, but also for policy-makers, enforcement lawyers, and others in government service. Corporations, be they small start-ups or long-established entities, raise capital in public and private offerings of securities. The offerings are subject to securities statutes and Securities and Exchange Commission rules and policies. Moreover, whether or not they are raising capital, all publicly held companies must observe a variety of disclosure and related requirements dictated in large part by securities statutes, rules, and policies. Failures to comply can result in highly consequential private litigation and public enforcement. Broadly speaking, federal securities regulation is displacing state corporate law as the primary legal influence on how publicly held corporations function and is also a focal point for the governance of financial markets. Topics will include the preparation of disclosure documents, exemptions from disclosure requirements, and liability under anti-fraud rules. This course will also consider such related matters as how market forces influence corporate governance and how financial advances (such as the efficient markets hypothesis) and financial innovation are affecting corporations, investors, and capital markets. No prior business or financial background whatsoever is required. The only prerequisite is: Business Associations or Business Associations (Enriched).

This course is intended for students in their third years at the School of Law.  Although not a requirement to register for the course, it would be ideal for students taking the course to have completed the basic Oil and Gas Law course.  Students taking the course will also likely find it helpful to have completed the Business Associations and Federal Income Taxation courses.   

This course will offer students detailed practical exposure to the manner in which complex acquisition and disposition (“A&D”) transactions are structured, documented, and consummated.  Since the instructor’s practice has focused, for more than 45 years, on energy-related transactions, the template transaction for the course will be the sale of a substantial package of upstream oil and gas assets.  During the 14 class sessions, we will cover a diverse array of topics, including: (a) basic contract drafting principles; (b) transaction structuring; (c) the structure and content of common agreements preliminary to the sale transaction, such as confidentiality agreements and letters of intent; and (d)  a deeper dive into various aspects of the asset purchase and sale agreement (“PSA”), including (i) identifying and describing the assets to be sold, (ii) determining and adjusting the purchase price, (iii) the obligations ordinarily assumed by the buyer and those retained by the seller, (iv) common representations and warranties, (v) the different types of fraud and how parties try to insulate themselves from resulting liability, (vi) termination of the PSA for failure to satisfy the conditions precedent, (vii) post-closing indemnity obligations, and (viii) categories of damages and proper structuring of damages limitations provisions.

This course is intended for students in their third years at the School of Law.  Although not a requirement to register for the course, it would be ideal for students taking the course to have completed the basic Oil and Gas Law course.  Students taking the course will also likely find it helpful to have completed the Business Associations and Federal Income Taxation courses.   

This course will offer students detailed practical exposure to the manner in which complex acquisition and disposition (“A&D”) transactions are structured, documented, and consummated.  Since the instructor’s practice has focused, for more than 45 years, on energy-related transactions, the template transaction for the course will be the sale of a substantial package of upstream oil and gas assets.  During the 14 class sessions, we will cover a diverse array of topics, including: (a) basic contract drafting principles; (b) transaction structuring; (c) the structure and content of common agreements preliminary to the sale transaction, such as confidentiality agreements and letters of intent; and (d)  a deeper dive into various aspects of the asset purchase and sale agreement (“PSA”), including (i) identifying and describing the assets to be sold, (ii) determining and adjusting the purchase price, (iii) the obligations ordinarily assumed by the buyer and those retained by the seller, (iv) common representations and warranties, (v) the different types of fraud and how parties try to insulate themselves from resulting liability, (vi) termination of the PSA for failure to satisfy the conditions precedent, (vii) post-closing indemnity obligations, and (viii) categories of damages and proper structuring of damages limitations provisions.

Sneaker Law: Legal Issues Involving Apparel, Trademarks and Endorsements will provide students with an overview of the $70 billion-dollar annual sneaker industry, focusing on its main legal and business components. This course prepares students to think and act as lawyers and business professionals in anticipating and addressing the legal and business issues faced by sneaker companies, designers, manufacturers, and other parties involved in the sneaker / apparel industry. This course will include a review of major sneaker deals, entity types and formation, endorsements, manufacturing and distribution, licensing and collaborations, marketing, intellectual property, employment law, standard clauses, counterfeit goods, and the changing landscape of NCAA college athletics with Name, Image and Likeness. Supplementing the rich case law on these topics are a group of highly accomplished professionals that will guest speak during the semester.

Sneaker Law: Legal Issues Involving Apparel, Trademarks and Endorsements will provide students with an overview of the $70 billion-dollar annual sneaker industry, focusing on its main legal and business components. This course prepares students to think and act as lawyers and business professionals in anticipating and addressing the legal and business issues faced by sneaker companies, designers, manufacturers, and other parties involved in the sneaker / apparel industry. This course will include a review of major sneaker deals, entity types and formation, endorsements, manufacturing and distribution, licensing and collaborations, marketing, intellectual property, employment law, standard clauses, counterfeit goods, and the changing landscape of NCAA college athletics with Name, Image and Likeness. Supplementing the rich case law on these topics are a group of highly accomplished professionals that will guest speak during the semester.

Sneaker Law: Legal Issues Involving Apparel, Trademarks and Endorsements will provide students with an overview of the $70 billion-dollar annual sneaker industry, focusing on its main legal and business components.  This course prepares students to think and act as lawyers and business professionals in anticipating and addressing the legal and business issues faced by sneaker companies, designers, manufacturers, and other parties involved in the sneaker / apparel industry.

This course will include a review of major sneaker deals, entity types and formation, endorsements, manufacturing and distribution, licensing and collaborations, marketing, intellectual property, employment law, standard clauses, counterfeit goods, and the changing landscape of NCAA college athletics with Name, Image and Likeness.  Supplementing the rich case law on these topics are a group of highly accomplished professionals that will guest speak during the semester.

Required Text: Sneaker Law – V1 – Anand & Goldstein – ISBN: 9781735782003

Required Supplemental Text: Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike – Phil Knight – ISBN: 1501135910

Required Supplemental Text: Black Market - Merl Code - ISBN: 9781335425775

Required Supplemental Text: Sneaker Wars - Barbara Smit - ISBN: 9780061246579

Sneaker Law: Legal Issues Involving Apparel, Trademarks and Endorsements will provide students with an overview of the $70 billion-dollar annual sneaker industry, focusing on its main legal and business components.  This course prepares students to think and act as lawyers and business professionals in anticipating and addressing the legal and business issues faced by sneaker companies, designers, manufacturers, and other parties involved in the sneaker / apparel industry.

This course will include a review of major sneaker deals, entity types and formation, endorsements, manufacturing and distribution, licensing and collaborations, marketing, intellectual property, employment law, standard clauses, counterfeit goods, and the changing landscape of NCAA college athletics with Name, Image and Likeness.  Supplementing the rich case law on these topics are a group of highly accomplished professionals that will guest speak during the semester.

Required Text: Sneaker Law – V1 – Anand & Goldstein – ISBN: 9781735782003

Required Supplemental Text: Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike – Phil Knight – ISBN: 1501135910

Required Supplemental Text: Black Market - Merl Code - ISBN: 9781335425775

Required Supplemental Text: Sneaker Wars - Barbara Smit - ISBN: 9780061246579

Sneaker Law: Legal Issues Involving Apparel, Trademarks and Endorsements will provide students with an overview of the $70 billion-dollar annual sneaker industry, focusing on its main legal and business components.  This course prepares students to think and act as lawyers and business professionals in anticipating and addressing the legal and business issues faced by sneaker companies, designers, manufacturers, and other parties involved in the sneaker / apparel industry.

This course will include a review of major sneaker deals, entity types and formation, endorsements, manufacturing and distribution, licensing and collaborations, marketing, intellectual property, employment law, standard clauses, counterfeit goods, and the changing landscape of NCAA college athletics with Name, Image and Likeness.  Supplementing the rich case law on these topics are a group of highly accomplished professionals that will guest speak during the semester.

Required Text: Sneaker Law – V1 – Anand & Goldstein – ISBN: 9781735782003

Required Supplemental Text: Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike – Phil Knight – ISBN: 1501135910

This course will cover important legal issues relating to social media platforms and user interaction.  Social media has revolutionized how we share, consume, and interact with all forms of digital content. These changes brought by social media touch on all aspects of our life—including our legal system. This course will discuss the spectrum of legal topics being impacted by social media: terms of service, platform liability, marketing, intellectual property, employment, privacy, free speech, and fund raising. You will also explore the role that lawyers in law firms and within organizations face when addressing these changes and the emerging risks. From Facebook to Pinterest, Foursquare to Quora, Instagram to Snapchat. We will explore how these platforms are changing our application of existing laws. The objective of this ready group course is to introduce students to the social media legal issues and the methods being used by attorneys to address these risks and how to identify the next area of social media that will challenge our existing legal norms.  Students will be expected to post regularly on Canvas reactions to the reading material by finding a new and recent example of the issues raised.  The grade will be based upon student reaction papers, student participation, and a 15-20 page research paper due at the end of the semester.

Come explore emerging space-related issues currently under discussion internationally and domestically! The course will blend lecture, discussion, and group work in a seminar-like format. We will examine the following topics:

Module 1: Lecture, Introduction to the course and the basics of space law

Norms Development: Bottom up, top down, and points in the middle

Bilaterals, Multilaterals, and the role of consensus  

Module 2: Discussion of readings and lectures

Module 3: Application to Emerging Issues

teams to pick from a list of topics and prepare a mixed media presentation.

Possible topics:

The Yin & Yang of Space: Peaceful Purposes and National Security issues

Can we get there from here? Orbital Debris, Space Situational Awareness, and Space Traffic Management

Micro -> Macro: very small sats and very large constellations

In Situ Resource Utilization  

Students will be graded on group presentations and an exam in Canvas.

Come explore emerging space-related issues currently under discussion internationally and domestically! The course will blend lecture, discussion, and group work in a seminar-like format. We will examine the following topics:

Module 1: Lecture, Introduction to the course and the basics of space law

Norms Development: Bottom up, top down, and points in the middle

Bilaterals, Multilaterals, and the role of consensus  

Module 2: Discussion of readings and lectures

Module 3: Application to Emerging Issues

teams to pick from a list of topics and prepare a mixed media presentation.

Possible topics:

The Yin & Yang of Space: Peaceful Purposes and National Security issues

Can we get there from here? Orbital Debris, Space Situational Awareness, and Space Traffic Management

Micro -> Macro: very small sats and very large constellations

In Situ Resource Utilization  

Students will be graded on group presentations and an exam in Canvas.

Come explore emerging space-related issues currently under discussion internationally and domestically! The course will blend lecture, discussion, and group work in a seminar-like format. We will examine the following topics:

Module 1: Lecture, Introduction to the course and the basics of space law

Norms Development: Bottom up, top down, and points in the middle

Bilaterals, Multilaterals, and the role of consensus  

Module 2: Discussion of readings and lectures

Module 3: Application to Emerging Issues

teams to pick from a list of topics and prepare a mixed media presentation.

Possible topics:

The Yin & Yang of Space: Peaceful Purposes and National Security issues

Can we get there from here? Orbital Debris, Space Situational Awareness, and Space Traffic Management

Micro -> Macro: very small sats and very large constellations

In Situ Resource Utilization  

Students will be graded on group presentations and an exam in Canvas.

Come explore emerging space-related issues currently under discussion internationally and domestically! The course will blend lecture, discussion, and group work in a seminar-like format. We will examine the following topics:

Module 1: Lecture, Introduction to the course and the basics of space law

Norms Development: Bottom up, top down, and points in the middle

Bilaterals, Multilaterals, and the role of consensus  

Module 2: Discussion of readings and lectures

Module 3: Application to Emerging Issues

teams to pick from a list of topics and prepare a mixed media presentation.

Possible topics:

The Yin & Yang of Space: Peaceful Purposes and National Security issues

Can we get there from here? Orbital Debris, Space Situational Awareness, and Space Traffic Management

Micro -> Macro: very small sats and very large constellations

In Situ Resource Utilization  

Students will be graded on group presentations and an exam in Canvas.

Come explore emerging space-related issues currently under discussion internationally and domestically! The course will blend lecture, discussion, and group work in a seminar-like format. We will examine the following topics:

Module 1: Lecture, Introduction to the course and the basics of space law

Norms Development: Bottom up, top down, and points in the middle

Bilaterals, Multilaterals, and the role of consensus  

Module 2: Discussion of readings and lectures

Module 3: Application to Emerging Issues

teams to pick from a list of topics and prepare a mixed media presentation.

Possible topics:

The Yin & Yang of Space: Peaceful Purposes and National Security issues

Can we get there from here? Orbital Debris, Space Situational Awareness, and Space Traffic Management

Micro -> Macro: very small sats and very large constellations

In Situ Resource Utilization  

Students will be graded on group presentations and an exam in Canvas.

This course investigates the law governing the education of children with disabilities, with a primary focus on the IDEA. Students will become well-versed in special education law by learning the basic regulatory framework, studying critical cases at the Supreme Court level, analyzing the application of various features of administrative law and federal court litigation to the context of special education, and considering the complexities involved in the implementation of the IDEA on the ground, with a focus on Texas. 

This course will take a deep dive into several aspects of in-house:  In 2023 the principle topics will be:  1) the role of the modern general counsel, 2) corporate governance and 3) the intersection of whistleblowing, internal investigations, and media crises.  We will also examine an ethical challenge pertinent to in-house counsel.

This course will be highly interactive with frequent breakout groups.  There will be very little duplicative material with Exploring In-House Practice, also offered this semester.

This course will take a deep dive into several aspects of in-house:  In 2023 the principle topics will be:  1) the role of the modern general counsel, 2) corporate governance and 3) the intersection of whistleblowing, internal investigations, and media crises.  We will also examine an ethical challenge pertinent to in-house counsel.

This course will be highly interactive with frequent breakout groups.  There will be very little duplicative material with Exploring In-House Practice, also offered this semester.