Course Schedule

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:

Week 1: Introduction to the course and the basics of space law   Weeks 2&3:  The Yin & Yang of Space: Peaceful Purposes and National Security issues   Weeks 4&5: Can we get there from here? Orbital Debris, Space Situational Awareness, and Space Traffic Management   Weeks 6&7: Norms Development: Bottom up, top down, and points in the middle   Weeks 8&9: Micro -> Macro: very small sats and very large constellations   Weeks 10&11: In Situ Resource Utilization   Weeks 12&13: Bilaterals, Multilaterals, and the role of consensus   The exam will be a take home final. 

This class will examine the operations of commercial space companies from the perspective of in-house counsel. We will cover both general concerns and space industry specific concerns designed to give students a broad understanding of the legal issues face by commercial space comapanies to prepare students for commercial space law practice. The course will be focused on problem solving and risk management from a legal standpoint. We will cover four broad areas: Commercial Licensing, International Trade and Investment, Commercial Space Transactions, and Government Contracting. Each week will have a lecture and practium component. The lecture will cover material designed to help students participate in the practicum component of the class. Practicums will be group problem solving activities and discussions designed to help familiarize students with how the concepts and law we cover are applied in the real-world commercial context.

The 28045 section of this course will be taught in person but with the option of occasional remote participation via Zoom.  If students require all remote participation, they must register for the 28054 section of this course, which is identical but web-based.

This class will examine the operations of commercial space companies from the perspective of in-house counsel. We will cover both general concerns and space industry specific concerns designed to give students a broad understanding of the legal issues face by commercial space comapanies to prepare students for commercial space law practice. The course will be focused on problem solving and risk management from a legal standpoint. We will cover four broad areas: Commercial Licensing, International Trade and Investment, Commercial Space Transactions, and Government Contracting. Each week will have a lecture and practium component. The lecture will cover material designed to help students participate in the practicum component of the class. Practicums will be group problem solving activities and discussions designed to help familiarize students with how the concepts and law we cover are applied in the real-world commercial context.

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 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.

This course will take a deep dive into several aspects of in-house practice, in part by using real world examples and case studies. Topics covered will include: the role of the modern General Counsel, whistleblowing, internal investigations, handling a media crisis, management skills and 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 practice, in part by using real world examples and case studies. Topics covered will include: the role of the modern General Counsel, whistleblowing, internal investigations, handling a media crisis, management skills and 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 practice, in part by using real world examples and case studies. Topics covered will include: the role of the modern General Counsel, whistleblowing, internal investigations, handling a media crisis, management skills and an ethical challenge pertinent to in-house counsel.

This course will concentrate primarily on the legal regulation of major professional team sports in the United States. Topics will include contract enforcement, player movement and restraints, team movements and restraints, the powers of the commissioner, and the (limited) regulation of agents. To a much lesser extent the course will deal with NCAA regulation (especially eligibility and gender equity) and individual sports. Labor Law and Antitrust are helpful, but not required. This is a course best taken in the student's third year. A knowledge of (and enthusiasm for) sports will be assumed.

This course will concentrate primarily on the legal regulation of major professional team sports in the United States. Topics will include contract enforcement, player movement and restraints, team movements and restraints, the powers of the commissioner, and the (limited) regulation of agents. To a much lesser extent the course will deal with NCAA regulation (especially eligibility and gender equity) and individual sports. Labor Law and Antitrust are helpful, but not required. This is a course best taken in the student's third year. A knowledge of (and enthusiasm for) sports will be assumed.

This course will concentrate primarily on the legal regulation of major professional team sports in the United States. Topics will include contract enforcement, player movement and restraints, team movements and restraints, the powers of the commissioner, and the (limited) regulation of agents. To a much lesser extent the course will deal with NCAA regulation (especially eligibility and gender equity) and individual sports. Labor Law and Antitrust are helpful, but not required. This is a course best taken in the student's third year. A knowledge of (and enthusiasm for) sports will be assumed.

This course will concentrate primarily on the legal regulation of major professional team sports in the United States. Topics will include contract enforcement, player movement and restraints, team movements and restraints, the powers of the commissioner, and the (limited) regulation of agents. To a much lesser extent the course will deal with NCAA regulation (especially eligibility and gender equity) and individual sports. Labor Law and Antitrust are helpful, but not required. This is a course best taken in the student's third year. A knowledge of (and enthusiasm for) sports will be assumed.

This course will cover various legal and business aspects of professional sports, the Olympics and amateur sports (i.e., intercollegiate athletics).   Although we will focus primarily on domestic sports organizations, prominent international sports entities will be covered as well.  Business and legal topics covered include league ownership and structure, antitrust law, labor law and collective bargaining, torts, contracts, agency, media issues and intellectual property, NCAA and conference alignment, and gender equity (Title IX). Class lecture and discussion may include speakers from the sports industry.   Sports legal issues that are then-currently in the news will be examined in class as well.   A general knowledge of sports is recommended but certainly not required.

This course will concentrate primarily on the legal regulation of major professional team sports in the United States. Topics will include contract enforcement, player movement and restraints, team movements and restraints, the powers of the commissioner, and the (limited) regulation of agents. To a much lesser extent the course will deal with NCAA regulation (especially eligibility and gender equity) and individual sports. Labor Law and Antitrust are helpful, but not required. This is a course best taken in the student's third year. A knowledge of (and enthusiasm for) sports will be assumed.

This course will concentrate primarily on the legal regulation of major professional team sports in the United States. Topics will include contract enforcement, player movement and restraints, team movements and restraints, the powers of the commissioner, and the (limited) regulation of agents. To a much lesser extent the course will deal with NCAA regulation (especially eligibility and gender equity) and individual sports. Labor Law and Antitrust are helpful, but not required. This is a course best taken in the student's third year. A knowledge of (and enthusiasm for) sports will be assumed.

This course focuses on practical skills, information, and strategies for students who may someday open their own solo or small law firm. We take a logical approach starting with the pros and cons of venturing out on your own followed by the steps needed to make it happen. The class covers a wide variety of topics including law firm entities, marketing, management, client interaction, work-life balance, and technology. The professor took this class himself years ago and opened his own law practice focusing on Internet legal cases and social media defamation. Lectures will be supplemented with guest speakers on specific topics and selected reading assignments. This class is pass/fail. Active participation in class and completion of assignments are required to pass. Students may only have one unexcused absence.

This course focuses on practical skills, information, and strategies for students who may someday open their own solo or small law firm. We take a logical approach starting with the pros and cons of venturing out on your own followed by the steps needed to make it happen. The class covers a wide variety of topics including law firm entities, marketing, management, client interaction, work-life balance, and technology. The professor took this class himself years ago and opened his own law practice focusing on Internet legal cases and social media defamation. Lectures will be supplemented with guest speakers on specific topics and selected reading assignments. This class is pass/fail. Active participation in class and completion of assignments are required to pass. Students may only have one unexcused absence.

This course is focused on helping those students who do not have jobs waiting for them or are not sure what they want to do when they graduate.  We will also cover how to survive your first year as an associate in a law firm.  This course will provide new attorneys practical, real-life information on how to start your own law practice as either a solo or with others in a small firm. The class will cover a wide variety of topics including marketing, management, work-life balance and technology. The professor worked in a large law firm his first ten years and then started his own firm in 2001. He iwas formally the chairman of the Law Practice Management Committee for the State Bar of Texas. Lectures will be supplemented with guest speakers on specific topics and selected reading assignments. Students may only miss one class. Regular participation in class discussion is required to pass the course. There will also be projects/papers that will be subimitted for grading. This is a graded class.

Note: Students may not use laptops, tablets, smartphones or other electronic devices during class.  

State constitutional law is often overlooked, understudied, or neglected in the traditional law school curriculum. As the Conference of Chief Justices noted, "being a competent and effective lawyer requires the understanding of both the federal Constitution and state constitutional law." Recent decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, modern executive branch actions, and contemporary legislation and their effects on domestic legal systems indicate that questions of state constitutional law may be moving to the forefront.

This course examines the nature, significance, and relevance of state constitutional law in the United States. Addressing both institutional structures and individual rights, the course considers the design, ratification, and amendment of state constitutions; their interpretation and application by state legislators, the multiple executive, and elected judges; and their use by lawyers and courts in protecting guarantees of liberty and property rights, including an examination of questions concerning when and how state constitutions may recognize rights that remain unrecognized by the Supreme Court. A student completing the course will understand and appreciate the role of state constitutions and how, to borrow from Justice Brennan, "the composite work of the courts of the fifty states probably has greater significance in measuring how well America attains the ideal of equal justice for all."

State constitutional law is often overlooked, understudied, or neglected in the traditional law school curriculum. As the Conference of Chief Justices noted, "being a competent and effective lawyer requires the understanding of both the federal Constitution and state constitutional law." Recent decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, modern executive branch actions, and contemporary legislation and their effects on domestic legal systems indicate that questions of state constitutional law may be moving to the forefront.

This course examines the nature, significance, and relevance of state constitutional law in the United States. Addressing both institutional structures and individual rights, the course considers the design, ratification, and amendment of state constitutions; their interpretation and application by state legislators, the multiple executive, and elected judges; and their use by lawyers and courts in protecting guarantees of liberty and property rights, including an examination of questions concerning when and how state constitutions may recognize rights that remain unrecognized by the Supreme Court. A student completing the course will understand and appreciate the role of state constitutions and how, to borrow from Justice Brennan, "the composite work of the courts of the fifty states probably has greater significance in measuring how well America attains the ideal of equal justice for all."

When we speak of "government" in the law school curriculum, we too often forget that public governments in the United States include those of the 50 states and their more than 90,000 political subdivisions: 3,000 counties, 19,500 municipal corporations, 16,000 townships, 12,800 school districts, and 38,000 special districts. This offering focuses on America's sub-national governments in discussing questions such as: How should our local "communities" be defined in practice, and who should decide? What is and should be the relationship that states and localities have with the federal government, their citizens, and other states and localities? Which level of government (if any) should provide a particular good or service or regulate activity in a particular area? How should the goods and services provided by states and localities be paid for, and who should decide? In addition to traditional legal materials such as cases, statutes, ordinances, constitutional provisions, and law review articles, we will draw upon materials from a wide range of other disciplines: political theory, public choice theory, public finance, and political economy. Aspiring governors, senators, mayors, city council members, state attorneys general, and school board members welcome! Written requirements: One short paper (4-5 pages) and a 3-hour, in class, essay examination. Casebook: L. Baker, C. Gillette & D. Schleicher, Local Government Law: Cases and Materials (Foundation Press; 6th edition 2021). Prerequisite: None; 4 hours credit.