Course Schedule
Classes Found
Legal Liberalism
- MON, WED 10:30 – 11:20 am ONLINE
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 296W
Registration Information
- 1L and upperclass elective
- Will use floating mean GPA if applicable
Description
This course will be taught entirely online via Zoom.
In my usage, “legal liberalism” refers to a jurisprudential position on the content and structure of valid legal argument in a society that is committed to instantiating a liberal conception of justice. I believe that the United State is such a society, know that post-World-War-II Germany is such a society, and think that many other countries are so as well. Legal liberalism claims that in such societies arguments that examine the concrete extensions of liberalism (of its placing a lexically-highest value on those moral-rights bearers for whom it is responsible being treated with appropriate, equal respect and concern) are not only generically legally valid but are dominant. Such arguments are dominant in the sense that (1) they control both the legal validity of other modes of argument that legal actors have used to identify the answer to legal-rights questions that are correct, not incorrect, or wrong as a matter of law and the variants of these other modes of legal argument that are valid and (2) with one limited exception, they determine the answer to any legal-rights question to which they are applicable that is correct as a matter of law.
The course will begin by discussing various moral concepts and delineating two philosophically-informed empirical protocols for identifying respectively the moral category to which a particular society belongs and the moral norm to whose instantiation a particular society of moral integrity is committed. It will then consider the abstract definition and extensions of liberalism and various non-liberal conceptions of the moral good. After that, the course will examine the implications of liberalism for the resolution of various contract-law, tort-law, property-law, civil-procedure-law, antitrust-law, and constitutional-law issues in a liberal-moral-rights-based-society. It will also address various alternative positions on the content and structure of valid legal argument in the U.S. that have been taken by U.S. legal scholars and judges.
Course grades will primarily be based on a paper that students will have to submit by the end of the exam period. That paper can either (1) analyze in detail the jurisprudential assumptions that teachers of other courses they have taken were making and/or that the authors of the textbooks that were used in other courses they took were making or (2) address some other course-relevant issue or set of issues. In the latter case, the student will have to secure advanced approval of the proposed paper from the Lecturer. The Lecturer may revise upward the grade of any student whose class-participation was particularly valuable.
Legal Research, Advanced
- M. Brownfield
- M. Steinke
- FRI 10:30 am – 12:20 pm TNH 2.140
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 184V-4
- Experiential learning credit:
- 1 hour
- Short course:
- 1/21/22 — 3/4/22
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Same as LAW 132C, Topic 4: Legal Research, Advanced.
Prerequisite: Legal Research & Legal Writing
This course is restricted to upper division students who have completed the first year, two semester, Legal Research and Legal Writing course or who otherwise obtain the permission of the instructor. This one credit, pass-fail, seven week course will solidify and build upon legal research skills acquired during the first year of law school. It will focus on the identification and evaluation of relevant primary and secondary sources and efficient information retrieval. Students will learn how to design a research strategy that effectively integrates online tools with traditional print resources.
Students who successfully complete this course will gain a thorough understanding of the use of legal information and research resources in diverse contexts. Emphasis will be placed on U.S. federal sources, but Texas materials will be incorporated throughout the course, and will serve as a model for research in the legal materials of other states.
Students will be required to complete both in- and out-of-class exercises throughout the course, but there is no final examination.
Legal Research, Advanced: Corporations/Securities
- WED 10:30 am – 12:20 pm JON 3.222/223
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 184V-3
- Experiential learning credit:
- 1 hour
- Short course:
- 1/19/22 — 3/2/22
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Same as LAW 132C, Topic 3: Legal Research, Advanced: Corporations/Securities.
This one credit, pass-fail course focuses on research resources used in business and commercial practice. The emphasis of the course is on identifying sources and efficiently undertaking corporate, securities, and general business and commercial law research. It is not a class on the substantive aspects of corporate and securities law except as those aspects relate to the finding and interpretation of legal materials. Students will be evaluated on take-home and in-class research assignments.
Legal Research, Advanced: Texas Law
- THU 10:30 am – 12:20 pm JON 3.222/223
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 184V-2
- Experiential learning credit:
- 1 hour
- Short course:
- 1/20/22 — 3/3/22
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Same as LAW 132C, Topic 2: Legal Research, Advanced: Texas Law.
This seven-week course will focus on the resources and methodology used in performing legal research in Texas. Through a series of lectures and assignments students will become familiar with the various types of legal research, including statutory law, case law, administrative regulations, and secondary practice materials. The course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis. Students are required to complete in-class and out-of-class exercises throughout the course, but there is no final exam.
Legal Spanish for the Practicing Attorney
- TUE 5:45 – 6:35 pm JON 5.206
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 196V
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
- Prof. keeps own waitlist
Description
Same as LAW 179P, Legal Spanish for the Practicing Attorney.
This course aims to familiarize students with Spanish-language legal concepts and terminology and to better prepare them for the use of Spanish in the practice of law. It is designed for students who are proficient in Spanish, but have limited exposure to its use in legal settings. The course will include lectures, readings, and written exercises, primarily in Spanish. The course size is limited to allow students ample opportunities to participate in classroom discussions and exercises, with an eye toward being comfortable communicating with clients or third parties in professional settings. The course will cover general concepts relating to the civil law tradition, as well as specific areas of law, including employment law, immigration law, civil procedure, M&A, and others.
Legal Writing, Advanced: Litigation
- TUE 6:30 – 8:20 pm TNH 3.127
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 284W-2
- Experiential learning credit:
- 2 hours
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Same as LAW 232D, Topic 2: Legal Writing, Advanced: Litigation.
There is more to legal writing than the appellate brief. Legal Writing, Adv: Litigation introduces the types of documents used in civil litigation, such as the complaint and answer, discovery requests and objections, and jury instructions. All students will be required to write several litigation documents, evaluate documents written by others, and lead class discussions.
Legal Writing, Advanced: Transactional Drafting
- WED 3:45 – 5:35 pm JON 6.207
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 284W-4
- Experiential learning credit:
- 2 hours
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Same as LAW 232D, Topic 4: Legal Writing, Advanced: Transactional Drafting.
The course focuses on the structure and style of contracts and agreements with a focus on modern drafting conventions. Students will practice revising and drafting various kinds of transactional documents.
Legal Writing, Advanced: Transactional Drafting
- WED 1:45 – 3:30 pm JON 6.207
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 284W-4
- Experiential learning credit:
- 2 hours
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Same as LAW 232D, Topic 4: Legal Writing, Advanced: Transactional Drafting.
The course focuses on the structure and style of contracts and agreements with a focus on modern drafting conventions. Students will practice revising and drafting various kinds of transactional documents.
Legal Writing, Advanced: Writing for Business Clients
- TUE 10:30 am – 12:20 pm ONLINE
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 284W-7
- Experiential learning credit:
- 2 hours
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Same as LAW 232D, Legal Writing, Advanced: Writing for Business Clients.
Course Description Writing for Practice aka Yes, you can practice law in simple American English Among the major problems encountered by young lawyers as they enter practice is the transition from writing like a student to writing like a lawyer. This course is designed to make that transition easier by working on the differences between the two styles. This is not a litigation course. We will not be writing briefs, motions, etc. and very little research will be required. Some case reading and analysis will be required but you won’t have to find the cases; I’ll tell you which they are. My goal is to show you how to write for clients, which is very different from writing for teachers or professors. Accordingly, most of your work product will be client communication in one form or another. During the semester, we’ll work on a simple editing exercise, attempting to convert a poorly written letter to something that a client can understand and apply. We’ll look at a simple escrow agreement in connection with a real estate sale and explain to our client what’s wrong with it, and then move into a complicated business transaction involving taking a public company private and hiring its CEO as CEO of the private company. That involves a “how to” letter to the client, a term sheet for the CEO’s agreement and eventually a draft of the employment agreement with a memo to the client describing the agreement’s open questions and some of the choices that the client has to make to finalize the agreement. The emphasis throughout the course is not on preparing business documents – there are other courses for that – it’s on how to explain those documents to the client in a way that is as clear, concise and simple as can be accomplished.
Legal Writing, Advanced: Writing for Business Clients
- THU 10:30 am – 12:20 pm ONLINE
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 284W-7
- Experiential learning credit:
- 2 hours
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Same as LAW 232D, Legal Writing, Advanced: Writing for Business Clients.
Course Description Writing for Practice aka Yes, you can practice law in simple American English Among the major problems encountered by young lawyers as they enter practice is the transition from writing like a student to writing like a lawyer. This course is designed to make that transition easier by working on the differences between the two styles. This is not a litigation course. We will not be writing briefs, motions, etc. and very little research will be required. Some case reading and analysis will be required but you won’t have to find the cases; I’ll tell you which they are. My goal is to show you how to write for clients, which is very different from writing for teachers or professors. Accordingly, most of your work product will be client communication in one form or another. During the semester, we’ll work on a simple editing exercise, attempting to convert a poorly written letter to something that a client can understand and apply. We’ll look at a simple escrow agreement in connection with a real estate sale and explain to our client what’s wrong with it, and then move into a complicated business transaction involving taking a public company private and hiring its CEO as CEO of the private company. That involves a “how to” letter to the client, a term sheet for the CEO’s agreement and eventually a draft of the employment agreement with a memo to the client describing the agreement’s open questions and some of the choices that the client has to make to finalize the agreement. The emphasis throughout the course is not on preparing business documents – there are other courses for that – it’s on how to explain those documents to the client in a way that is as clear, concise and simple as can be accomplished.
Legislation & Statutory Interpretation
- J. Nelson
- TUE, THU 2:15 – 3:30 pm TNH 3.142
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 396K
Registration Information
- 1L and upperclass elective
- Will use floating mean GPA if applicable
Description
The course focuses on the creation of legislation and then the subsequent statutory interpretation. It will discuss how the legislature exercises its power, what gives legislators their motivations, as well as different theories of interpretation. It will look at these issues from constitutional, statutory, and policy points of view. Goals of the class include understanding how proposed legislation becomes law, what U.S. Constitutional law provides about the legislative process, understanding how legistures operate, and learning skills about how to handle statutory language in practice - both on how legislatures create a statute and subsequently when courts must interpret that statute.
Legislative Oversight and Investigations
- TUE, THU 9:05 – 10:20 am TNH 3.129
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 396W
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
- Will use floating mean GPA if applicable
Description
Same as LAW 379M, Legislative Oversight and Investigations.
This course examines the problems and issues that arise when state and federal legislative bodies exercise their power to conduct oversight and investigations of the public and private sector by focusing on the scope and nature of formal and informal processes such as oversight hearings, specialized studies, citizen and select study committees, legislative agency activity, subpenas and examinations, legislative review of administrative rules, and the removal of executive and judicial officers by the legislature. The course includes an examination of how legislative fact-finding compliments and collides with other law enforcement investigations and prosecutions and unique attorney-client privilege issues.
Mass Tort Litigation
- MON, WED 11:50 am – 1:05 pm ONLINE
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 382W
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
- Will use floating mean GPA if applicable
Description
This course will be taught entirely online via Zoom. Same as LAW 370T, Mass Tort Litigation.
This course examines problems in complex mass tort litigation that emerged during the 1980s and now have become a permanent part of the litigation landscape. Initially, the course surveys the paradigmatic mass tort cases such as those involving the Dalkon Shield, Agent Orange and asbestos litigation to understand and define the peculiar problems arising in the context of mass tort litigation, as opposed to simple two-party tort litigation. During the course we also will examine other mass tort cases involving mass disasters such as Bhopal, Three Mile Island, the Hyatt-Regency Skywalk collapse and the Dupont Plaza Hotel fire; and mass products liability litigation involving bendectin, DES, the silicon breast implant litigation, defective heart valve litigation, repetitive stress injury litigation. We will discuss the evolution of mass tort litigation over a span of fifty years, examining the most recent resolution of the NFL Football League Concussion Litigation. In the first section of the course we deal with jurisprudential issues, including the debate between proponents of aggregative procedure versus litigant autonomy. In an economic framework, we examine the problem of balancing justice, cost, and delay as these values relate to economic efficiency and sound judicial administration. This portion of the course examines special ethical dilemmas in mass tort litigation. The course then canvasses procedural problems entailed in mass tort litigation, including the failures and successes of federal and state procedural rules to adequately handle these massive cases through the class action rule, consolidation, MDL procedure, and preclusion doctrine. We will examine and discuss the shift of mass tort dispute resolution to multi-district litigation auspices, and the issues and problems of resolving these cases through MDL procedures.
The third edition of the casebook addresses mass tort class litigation in a post-Amchem/Ortiz world. New materials have been added concerning expanded use of MDL auspices, bellwether trials, non-class aggregate settlements, the quasi-class action, the aggregate settlement rule, and the ethical duties of attorneys with clients in MDL and non-class proceedings. Two revised chapters focus on challenging issues in mass tort litigation: damage sampling; statistical proof; limited issues classes; multiphase trial plans; sub-classing; and res judicata. New cases have been added that reflect resolution of various pharmaceutical mass torts (Vioxx and Zyprexa); personal injury mass torts (the NFL and Collegiate Athletes concussion litigation); products liability mass torts (the Ford and GMC Ignition Switch litigations; heart-valve cases; tobacco litigation; the moldy washer cases); natural and man-made environmental disasters (the Hurricane Katrina and BP Gulf Oil Spill litigation), and the World Trade Center events. A new chapter includes materials on the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005, including the concept of the “mass action.” Finally, the third edition includes materials on so-called “fund approaches” to resolving mass tort litigation.
The casebook for this course is Linda S. Mullenix, MASS TORT LITIGATION; CASES AND MATERIALS (3d ed. 2016)(West Aacdemic Publishing 2016). Prerequisites: Civil Procedure; Torts.
Mediation
- M. Schless
- MON 3:45 – 6:35 pm TNH 2.139
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 381S
- Experiential learning credit:
- 3 hours
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
- Will use floating mean GPA if applicable
Description
This highly interactive course will examine the use of mediation as a method of dispute resolution. We will learn the statutory and case law governing the use of mediation; study mediation ethics; and practice the skills necessary to be an effective mediation advocate and mediator. Students will observe “real life” mediations conducted by experienced professionals; participate in role playing exercises as mediators, attorney advocates, and parties; and write papers on a selected topic of interest involving mediation. The course is intended to meet the statutory requirement of a minimum of 40 classroom hours of training in dispute resolution techniques.
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 381S
- Experiential learning credit:
- 3 hours
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
- Prof. keeps own waitlist
- Will use floating mean GPA if applicable
Description
This course is a focused examination of mediation processes. We will take the topics from the Alternative Dispute Resolution course and extend our understanding with practical exercises. The student should leave this course better equipped to represent clients at mediation. This is a skills-oriented course that requires active participation, with the goal of immersing you in the developing realities of mediation.
Mergers and Acquisitions
- A. Calder
- K. Hicks
- MON 9:30 – 10:20 am TNH 3.142
- WED 9:30 – 10:20 am TNH 2.124
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 296V
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
This class will also include a required class meeting on Saturday, February 19, from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m..
Same as LAW 279P, Mergers and Acquisitions.
This course is designed to give students an introduction to the real world experience of the dealmaking process, from the first contact between the parties to drafting and negotiating the documents that govern transformational corporate transactions. Over the course of the semester, we’ll break down the main agreements involved in a hypothetical deal with a view to developing a fundamental understanding of how those components interact with the overall business arrangement and deal dynamics. You will analyze and learn to understand how the key provisions of these transaction agreements are negotiated with a view to value maximization for the client and appropriate risk allocation among the parties to a deal. We will also discuss the less tangible aspects of dealmaking that take place outside the four corners of the transaction agreements but are no less important. Specifically, we’ll discuss the economic and personal motivations of the various parties involved and the psychology and group dynamics of a deal process. As the deal world is an ever changing environment, we’ll look to bring current real world examples into the classroom. Students will participate in both in-class and out-of-class group practice assignments, including drafting (or “marking up”) transaction documents and negotiating key issues in the context of a prepared fact pattern. Subject matter experts from K&E will be presenting special topics, including tax structuring for deals, financing strategies, navigating deal litigation and public disclosure issues.
Narration and Problem Solving for Litigation
- MON, WED 6:00 – 9:00 pm TNH 3.140
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 187N
- Short course:
- 1/26/22 — 2/9/22
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
Description
Same as LAW 179P, Topic: Narration and Problem Solving for Litigation.
As the practice of law changes with the rise of technology, deep communications skills will become ever more important and valuable. Whether your practice involves litigation or transactional law, you must be able to communicate effectively to persuade and prevail. We know we need to marshal the facts in order to build a theme and theory, a story, a way to move decision-makers to act, but how, exactly, do we do it? This class borrows from the Creative Problem Solving method but uses it in a unique way, teaching students how to design and develop a process to generate and evaluate narratives to best solve their clients' problems. Students work in small groups to practice and cement these communications skills, receiving direct feedback from highly-experienced lawyers and communications professionals who do this every day. This is truly learning to think and communicate like an expert lawyer. The transferrable skills students acquire in this experiential class provide a framework that will serve them for years as their careers evolve. Pass/Fail. This 1 credit class will meet for five total sessions.
National Security Law: Counterterrorism
- TUE, THU 2:15 – 3:30 pm TNH 2.123
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 389R
- Cross-listed with:
- Other school
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
- Will use floating mean GPA if applicable
Description
Same as Law 379M, Topic: National Security Law: Counterterrorism.
This course will survey the bodies of law and government institutions involved in counterterrorism. These include intelligence and surveillance law, criminal law, international humanitarian law (including rules for detention and targeting), public international law and U.S. Constitutional law relevant to the use of military force against terrorist groups, and others. It will also consider contemporary debates over domestic terrorism, online content moderation and mandatory takedowns, and encrypted communications, while enriching these discussions with international comparisons and guest speakers from the world of practice. Students will be evaluated based on a final exam and class participation.
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 381J
- Experiential learning credit:
- 3 hours
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
- Prof. keeps own waitlist
- Will use floating mean GPA if applicable
Description
Same as LAW 346K, Negotiation.
Negotiation is the pathway to agreement. Much of what lawyers do involves negotiation -- the structured process of communicating toward an agreement. This is an "audience participation," experiential learning course that blends law, social science, and ethics toward the development of practice skills. Topics covered will include both transaction and legal claim negotiations. This class will immerse students in the reality of contemporary negotiations.
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 381J
- Experiential learning credit:
- 3 hours
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
- Will use floating mean GPA if applicable
Description
Same as LAW 346K, Negotiation.
Much of what lawyers do on a day-to-day basis involves negotiation. This negotiations course will provide you with effective, negotiation skills that may benefit you throughout your legal career. This is a “student-participation,” experiential learning course that blends law, social science, and ethics toward the development of practical negotiation skills in a small classroom environment. Topics covered will include negotiation theory and literature regarding negotiation of both transactional-based and litigation-based problems. The class is structured to include both classroom presentation and classroom exercises that will be performed in small groups under the instruction of your professor. You will leave this negotiations course with greater knowledge and understanding of dynamics involved in negotiations and provide you with the skillset to successfully navigate them.
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 381J
- Experiential learning credit:
- 3 hours
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
- Will use floating mean GPA if applicable
Description
Same as LAW 346K, Negotiation.
Much of what lawyers do on a day-to-day basis involves negotiation. This negotiations course will provide you with effective, negotiation skills that may benefit you throughout your legal career. This is a “student-participation,” experiential learning course that blends law, social science, and ethics toward the development of practical negotiation skills in a small classroom environment. Topics covered will include negotiation theory and literature regarding negotiation of both transactional-based and litigation-based problems. The class is structured to include both classroom presentation and classroom exercises that will be performed in small groups under the instruction of your professor. You will leave this negotiations course with greater knowledge and understanding of dynamics involved in negotiations and provide you with the skillset to successfully navigate them.
Negotiation
- M. Schless
- TUE 3:45 – 6:35 pm TNH 2.139
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 381J
- Experiential learning credit:
- 3 hours
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
- Will use floating mean GPA if applicable
Description
Same as LAW 346K, Negotiation.
Instructor: Michael J. Schless (http://www.schlessadr.com/) Whether litigating civil or criminal cases, focusing on transactional work, or not even engaging in the practice of law per se, it is likely that the professional life of any law school graduate will include negotiating on a regular and frequent basis. An intuitive sense and engaging personality are examples of innate skills that can enhance a negotiator’s effectiveness and probably cannot be effectively taught. But basic negotiating skills can be taught and ought to be part of the law school curriculum and every law student’s experience. This course is intended to provide an introduction to negotiation theory and practice. We will discuss and practice negotiation structure, strategy, skills, styles, agreement writing, and ethics. We will also examine psychological, cultural, racial and gender influences on the negotiation process. This is a highly interactive course utilizing negotiating exercises between individual or pairs of students (some of which will be video recorded), based upon both hypothetical and actual case studies and reviewed in class, and class discussions in which everyone will be expected to actively participate. We will also invite experienced attorneys and other professionals to share their insights and demonstrate effective negotiating skills. The course is limited to sixteen students, and because we will meet as a full class only once a week, regular attendance is expected. There will be no exams. Grades will be determined by performance on the negotiating problems, agreement writing, journal entries, other writing exercises, and participation in class discussions.
Negotiation
- TUE 2:15 – 4:30 pm JON 6.203
- THU 2:15 – 3:55 pm JON 6.203
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 381J
- Experiential learning credit:
- 3 hours
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
- Will use floating mean GPA if applicable
Description
Same as LAW 346K, Negotiation.
This course teaches the principles and art of negotiation. The course consists of both lectures (classroom presentations) and interactive role-playing, exercises that will be performed in small groups in which students are given the opportunity to act in a variety of roles, including the role of counsel and principal.
Negotiation is the pathway to agreement. Much of what lawyers do involves negotiation -- the structured process of communicating toward an agreement. This is an "audience participation," experiential learning course that blends law, social science, and ethics toward the development of practice skills. Topics covered may include both transaction and legal claim negotiations.
Students will learn to prepare for and conduct negotiations both from within the context of distributive negotiation and cooperative bargaining, and both two-party and multi-party transactions.
Additional materials and assignments will be distributed from time-to-time during class or on Canvas. Students also may be asked to do independent research to elaborate on important/interesting topics.
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 381J
- Experiential learning credit:
- 3 hours
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
- Will use floating mean GPA if applicable
Description
Same as LAW 346K, Negotiation.
Negotiation is one of the primary skills used by lawyers in the daily practice of law. This course is designed to help students develop and refine practical negotiation skills. More specifically, this course fosters understanding of the psychological dynamics of the negotiation process, evaluates methods of reaching agreements, and offers an opportunity for each student to receive evaluations of his or her own negotiating skills. Students engage in simulated negotiations concerning a common problem such as sale of real estate, settlement of a lawsuit, or a contract negotiation. Some of these negotiations will be videotaped and discussed in class by the instructor.
ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED AT ALL CLASSES. There will be no final exam. Grades will be determined on the basis of performance in the negotiation exercises, written assignments, class participation, and improvement in negotiation skills. Only students who are willing to commit sufficient time to work on the negotiation problems should enroll for this course.
Oil and Gas
- MON, WED 11:50 am – 1:05 pm TNH 2.124
Course Information
- Course ID:
- 390
- Cross-listed with:
- Other school
Registration Information
- Upperclass-only elective
- Will use floating mean GPA if applicable
Description
The course is focused on domestic onshore oil and gas law, including common property interests created in oil and gas and in the land from which they are produced. The course includes an examination of fundamental state oil and gas law concepts including issues raised by modern horizontal drilling and fracturing; introduction to, and analysis of, the oil and gas lease with attention to its common structural components and the law that has developed around them; introduction to titles and conveyances in oil and gas; introduction to state regulation of oil and gas; discussion of selected oil and gas agreements that arise subsequent to the oil and gas lease; discussion of developing of state owned lands; and, brief consideration of federal environmental regulation.
Evaluation of student performance, depending on class size, either will consist of a final examination (including essay questions or a combination of essay and short-answer questions) plus attendance and class participation credit; or, it will consist of several assigned papers plus attendance and class participation credit.