Course Schedule

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 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 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 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 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 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.