Course Schedule

This writing seminar will examine international and domestic refugee law and policy in a time of constant change in the worldwide refugee protection system. Drawing on international and comparative law norms, as well as United States law, the course equips students to undertake both sophisticated legal analysis and advocacy in this field. The seminar will trace the development of the U.N. Refugee Convention and U.S. asylum law, including the Refugee Act of 1980. Students will discuss the institutional frameworks for making refugee claims and will consider the roles of key actors, such as the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Students in the seminar will discuss the refugee definition and the grounds of eligibility for protection (race, religion, nationality, political opinion and social group) that are applicable worldwide. The course will ask students to consider whether the existing refugee definition encompasses claims based on gender-based harms, gang violence, and climate displacement. Students will also assess legal and institutional efforts to respond to the situation of forced migrants who do not fit within the refugee definition. In addition, the seminar will examine the procedures for seeking refugee status and the adequacy of the protections offered to forced migrants. Finally, students will consider policies and practices regarding detention of applicants for protection and integration of refugees into the socio-economic fabric of their host countries. Throughout the course, students will be asked to evaluate how well legal systems balance humanitarian goals and other interests relating to national security and integrity of protection systems. A significant portion of students' grades for the course will be based upon completion of a final seminar paper (minimum 25 double-spaced pages, inclusive of footnotes). Each student will also write several shorter reflection papers (2-3 pages) throughout the semester, which will be considered in assigning the final grade. In addition, class participation will be an important component for grading purposes.

Financial regulation is the principal tool used by the public or official sector to achieve or approach financial stability and market integrity, as well as influencing innovations and new products in financial markets. The events of 2023 and 2020-21, and the impact of the financial cataclysms of 2008-10, are evidence that in times of severe stress (whether or not fundamentally economic or financial) the functioning of and support by financial regulation is both objectively and subjectively central.   It's also notable that regulation can stifle important ways in which finance can make funding available to meet the needs of a population and the innovation that enables the financial system to address the needs of the real economy.  It is no surprise, then, that the directions of financial regulation in the US have vacillated notably over the last 20 years. It is worth noting that every year brings considerable change in the regulatory landscape (sometimes only in details and sometimes otherwise). The 2025 changes in US federal financial regulation merit the characterization of "seismic," abruptly shifting a balance of interests toward innovation, and less toward ex ante support of market stability and consumer protection. Accordingly, course materials will change or will be supplemented as the semester progresses. This seminar reviews the structure and operations  of financial market regulation--specifically securities, derivatives (or swaps), banking, and payment systems (particularly aspect to inhibit money laundering and terrorist [or "threat"] financing). We will concentrate on United States regulatory systems, but we will -- as we must-- examine the international regulatory regimes and the cross-border effects of regulation. Know it or not, or like it or not, regulation of financial markets touches and changes every aspect of our economic lives. (Paying rent and buying groceries and obtaining cash from an ATM and obtaining funding for nonprofit organizations and purchasing cryptocurrency are parts of those economic lives, as are public and private issuances of securities, and multibillion dollar financings.) This topic includes cryptocurrency and other digital assets, blockchain records, fintech, public-sector support for markets and issuers, and consumer credit regulation, all of which we will discuss during the class as time permits. This is not a substitute for a securities regulation course but, then, securities regulation is not a prerequisite for this class. While the completion of a course in business associations is not an official prerequisite, a familiarity with the structures of US business associations is a helpful predicate to the material we will cover. A major paper will be required at the end of the course. Course grades are determined by class participation, the paper, and a short writing assignment to be completed in the first part of the course.  (Class participation may include some short, narrow quizzes that are calibrated to assess the general achievement of learning outcomes.)  Consistently with a recognition that the topic has broad application, the course materials come from many sources (some of which may be surprising) and are in different media. That having been said, one requisite for the course--by no means a formal one, but a real requirement-- is that the students have an interest in learning about the area.  And, notwithstanding the language that precedes this sentence, the instructor is pretty casual.

This seminar will use a reproductive justice lens to consider the criminalization of reproduction, broadly understood, as well as other topics implication issues of reproductive justice and rights—historical and contemporary, local and global. It will be organized around the work of leading scholars, mostly but not exclusively in law, who will present their research in a public forum as part of the course. Students will read work by each speaker as well as related scholarly materials. Students are expected to participate actively in class discussions, engage with speakers during the public lectures, write short critical responses to assigned reading, and write a longer essay on a topic related to the themes that arise during the semester. The seminar is open to law students as well as non-law graduate and professional students with relevant background.

This is a writing seminar designed to teach key features of the doctrines developed in connection with 42 U.S.C. 1983, the primary vehicle for federal civil rights litigation in connection with constitutional violations by state and local officials. The readings and class content will be aimed at teaching the mechanics of Section 1983 litigation, and also with exposing students to scholarly assessments of the doctrine. Topics will include state-action doctrine, qualified and absolute immunity, municipal liability, damages and attorneys fees, and additional issues. Class sessions will include discussion of cases and scholarship pertaining to the assigned topic, as well as sessions with practitioners in the field. Students will be evaluated based on their weekly preparation and active participation in discussion, and on their completion of a work of original research related in some way to Section 1983 litigation. This content of the course will be useful to any students contemplating work in civil rights litigation, a federal clerkship, or government lawyering (particularly in state attorney general or city or county attorneys' offices), or with general interest in federal courts or remedies for constitutional violations.

In this seminar, students will explore rapidly evolving debates around government surveillance, new technologies, civil liberties, and personal privacy. The course will cover surveillance by the U.S. intelligence community, police, and U.S. allies and adversaries abroad, examining key legal instruments and court decisions in light of broader policy debates. The class will also examine the interbranch allocation of responsibility for authorizing, implementing, and overseeing surveillance programs. In particular, the course will focus on surveillance activities affecting new and emerging technologies and those technologies’ potential to shift the balance between citizen and state. Students will be evaluated based on class participation and a research paper fulfilling the Law School writing requirement.

This seminar examines the history of American tax law as a central engine of constitutional development, state building, and democratic conflict. It explores how tax law emerged, evolved, and acquired its current structure, from the fiscal failures of the Articles of Confederation and the constitutional design of the taxing power, to the rise of tariffs and excises, the transformation to a mass income tax, and the development of modern tax administration. Along the way, we will consider how taxation has been intertwined with economic factionalism and representation, war and public credit, property and inequality, and the growth of the administrative state. The animating goal of the course is to use history to give students the conceptual tools and contextual background needed to understand the persistent messiness and political salience of contemporary tax law. Many of today’s most pressing fiscal disputes—over inequality, corporate taxation, tax exemptions, and administrative discretion—are recurring features of the American tax state rather than entirely new problems. By situating modern debates within their historical trajectories, students will develop a deeper capacity to analyze and navigate tax law in practice, whether as tax specialists, policy advisors, litigators, or lawyers in any field. Evaluation will be based primarily on a substantial research paper in which students use the historical materials and themes from the course to intervene in a contemporary issue in tax law or policy of their choosing. No prior background in tax law or legal history is required.

This seminar examines how legal and financial institutions shape not just the rate of innovation, but its direction. Why do some technologies flourish while others remain underdeveloped? How do tort liability, patent design, venture capital, and regulatory structures channel investment toward certain forms of innovation and away from others?

The course explores how uniform legal rules interact with heterogeneous technologies, often producing systematic distortions. We will study how tort liability surrounding pregnancy and fetal harm may deter innovation in female reproductive health; how uniform 20-year patent terms can disadvantage long-horizon innovations such as cancer prevention; and how venture capital’s fund structure and exit incentives favor scalable, short-term returns over slower, prevention-oriented or liability-exposed technologies. Throughout, we consider how discount rates, risk allocation, and institutional design influence technological trajectories and raise questions about equity and social welfare.

This writing seminar will build on Business Associations by discussing the orthodox corporate form and then going on a tour through the organizational law of business entities whose governance structures do not neatly map on to it. We will cover, depending on student interest, a selection of the following businesses: law firms (and worker-owned firms generally), investment funds, banks, insurers, consumer-owned co-ops, rate-regulated public utilities, real estate investment trusts (REITs), Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs), hybrid for-profit/social good organizations (public benefit “B” corporations, nonprofit-controlled for-profits), state-owned and state-sponsored enterprises, sovereign wealth funds, tribal corporations, special-purpose governments, merchant ships under maritime law, and entities lacking organizational form at all.

This course aims to be helpful in a variety of transactional legal settings, especially for students considering practice areas like Investment Funds, Energy Regulatory, Real Estate, Insurance, Financial Institutions, etc., as well as all students interested in the governance of law firms. Business Associations is not a prerequisite, though past/concurrent enrollment in the course will help students grasp the material. Students will produce an original research paper.

Secured Credit is a key class for many types of students. It's essential for student heading into transactional careers or those in litigation in commercial law. It is also crucial for litigators, including public-interest attorneys, who win cases and want their clients to actually collect the money they've won. It is important for other students as well because credit is one of the major systems underlying the U.S. and global economies. Top legal professionals - as Texas Law graduates will be - must have a familiarity with it. This course covers a breadth of credit systems: consumer, business, secured, and unsecured – with a significant emphasis on commercial secured lending. This course also covers a fundamental question not addressed elsewhere in law school curriculum: once you win that big court case, how do you collect money from the other side? (Or, once you lose that big court case, how do you avoid paying?) Students will engage with real-world-based problems, financial current events, and practical strategies for addressing financial problems in consumer, small business and corporate contexts. The course's primary body of law is Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, but it also touches on bankruptcy topics and real estate law. A secured loan is one in which the debtor and lender agree that if the debtor does not pay, the lender can take specific items of property from the debtor. This property is called collateral, and the lender is said to have a security interest in the collateral. The collateral may be tangible property such as inventory, equipment, and consumer goods, or intangible property such as stocks and bonds or the debtor's right to collect from people who owe money to her. This Secured Credit course examines how secured transactions are structured and why they are structured that way. It covers the mechanics of making secured loans, the rules that govern repossessing the collateral if the debtor doesn't pay, and what can happen to security interests if the debtor goes bankrupt. It also examines the priority rules that rank competing claims to the same collateral. Through the problem method, students will learn skills that can be applied to a variety of statutes in law school and many types of legal careers.

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.

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."

This course focuses on the problem of making the best sense of statutes and regulations. Students will practice interpreting statutes both as judges and as advocates, learning skills that will help them in practice. In addition to pragmatic questions, the course will address prominent theories of statutory interpretation and debates about which approaches to interpretation are or are not appropriate. Students will occasionally be asked to interpret statutes and defend those interpretations as part of in-class group exercises.

This short doctrinal course will provide a survey of the law of tariffs. It will be organized chronologically, starting with the founding era and progressing through the Civil War, the 1890s, the 1940s, the 1970s, the early 2000s, and the 2020s. It will emphasize the division of tariff law-making authority among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government.

The course is offered through the full-time MBA program as an upper-level accounting elective. The goal of the course is to provide a fundamental understanding of the principles of taxation and financial planning. Traditional business courses analyze an array of factors affecting business decisions but provide little systematic consideration of individual financial planning decisions. This case-based course intends to bridge this gap by discussing how accounting, economic, finance, and legal principles affect a variety of personal financial planning decisions.

The course is offered through the full-time MBA program as an upper-level accounting elective. The goal of the course is to provide a fundamental understanding of the principles of taxation and financial planning. Traditional business courses analyze an array of factors affecting business decisions but provide little systematic consideration of individual financial planning decisions. This case-based course intends to bridge this gap by discussing how accounting, economic, finance, and legal principles affect a variety of personal financial planning decisions.

From data protection and regulatory compliance to high-stakes incident-response scenarios, cybersecurity has become a major field of legal practice over the past decade.  At the same time, policymakers find themselves constantly struggling to encourage better cybersecurity across society and respond to hostile cyberactivity from foreign powers.  Unfortunately, both lawyers and policymakers are often lost at sea when it comes to the technical aspects of such problems.  This makes it much harder to counsel, plan, and respond, not to mention the challenge of simply understanding what the CISO means when a major incident begins to unfold.  For this reason, the Strauss Center’s integrated approach to cybersecurity training for law and policy students emphasizes foundational understanding of the key terms, concepts, and actions associated with offensive and defensive cybersecurity.  One does not need to learn to code, but one does need to understand and communicate effectively across the technical divide.   

This course is designed from the ground up to close that gap for non-technical students.  Lectures, simulations, and other course materials will expose students to real-world and academic cybersecurity technical fundamentals, leaving them with a complete conceptual model of basic cybersecurity technologies.  The course will also consider how these concepts apply in the context of major statutory and regulatory regimes, such as HIPAA.  Students who complete the course will be in a far better position to perform the role of lawyer or policymaker in connection with this increasingly important and ubiquitous set of challenges.  

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly shifting the cybersecurity landscape. The course will discuss and have hands-on live demonstrations of AI use by good actors and bad actors. New cybersecurity vulnerabilities incurred due to AI are also covered.

A study of how government regulates citizens and business in Texas, including an analysis of the powers and procedures common to state agencies in Texas. Special focus is given to the power of agencies to regulate by the adoption of rules and the holding of due process hearings (including contested case hearings under the Texas Administrative Procedure Act). Further, the course will look at judicial review by the courts over agency actions and "open government" laws relating to governmental actions and records.

Texas Personal Injury Trial Law is a comprehensive, practice-oriented course designed to equip law students with the doctrinal knowledge, procedural expertise, and strategic judgment necessary to competently manage a straightforward personal injury case under Texas law. This course systematically follows the lifecycle of a personal injury matter—from initial client intake and pre-suit investigation through discovery, trial, post-judgment motions, and final settlement—while providing students with the analytical framework and litigation tools required for real-world practice. Instruction is led by Ronald Rodriguez, a nationally recognized trial attorney who is dual board-certified in Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Drawing upon decades of experience in high-stakes litigation, Mr. Rodriguez delivers instruction grounded in actual courtroom advocacy. Students will gain access to a comprehensive suite of professionally developed and courtroom-proven litigation checklists and practice-ready forms used in modern personal injury practice. The course emphasizes not only plaintiff-side advocacy but also critical defense strategies, fostering balanced and ethically sound professional judgment. Through rigorous examination of liability theories, damages models, ethical considerations, and evidentiary rules, students will learn to evaluate case merits, draft pleadings, develop discovery plans, conduct depositions, prepare trial strategies, and ensure compliance with fiduciary obligations. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be expected to demonstrate competence in handling an uncomplicated personal injury case from intake to resolution, including the ability to analyze legal and factual issues, prepare litigation documents, engage in strategic negotiation, and advocate effectively in both plaintiff and defense contexts. This course is ideal for students interested in personal injury practice, civil litigation, and advanced trial advocacy. Texas Civil Procedure is a recommended prerequisite.

This course offers a study of Texas Property Tax law primarily through review of the Texas Property Tax Code, Texas Constitution, controlling case law, recent news articles, and Comptroller Rules. The course will include study and discussion of the public policies behind property tax laws that ultimately impact every person in Texas, whether you own property or not. In addition, the course will provide some exposure to how property tax laws are used in business development solicitations by the state and local government bodies.

Born in Civil War scandal—contractors selling the Union Army mules instead of horses and sawdust instead of gunpowder—the federal False Claims Act (FCA) has become the government’s most powerful civil weapon against fraud. Over the past decade alone, it has recovered an average of $3 billion annually for taxpayers. This course examines the FCA’s origins, structure, and modern enforcement, including its distinctive qui tam provisions. These provisions allow whistleblowers to step into the government’s shoes as “private attorneys general,” pursuing fraud claims and sharing in the recovery, sometimes earning substantial rewards. The result is a unique public-private enforcement system that drives both accountability and controversy.

The FCA reaches deep into the economy, shaping compliance across health care, defense, cybersecurity, education, international trade, and any other sector touching federal funds. Its whistleblower and anti-retaliation protections also make it essential law for employment practitioners. Despite being a single statute, the FCA has generated a large and evolving body of case law, with frequent Supreme Court and appellate decisions. Its success has inspired “mini-FCAs” across states, local governments, and abroad, and helped spark whistleblower reward programs in securities, tax, anti-corruption, and other enforcement areas. The course will examine the policy choices embedded in the FCA, and the often different choices made in other whistleblower programs.

This course examines the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and the legal frameworks governing consumer protection, competition, and content moderation. It equips students with a multidisciplinary understanding of AI’s role in shaping modern commerce and society, while critically analyzing regulatory approaches and their implications for the future.

The first module provides students with a foundational understanding of AI technology, the intricacies of the AI supply chain, and emerging trends that could redefine industries and societal norms.

The second explores the application of federal and state laws, including Unfair, Deceptive, and Abusive Acts or Practices (UDAAP) statutes and privacy regulations, to address AI-driven consumer harms, such as biased algorithms and deceptive practices.  

The third investigates AI in antitrust contexts, analyzing allegations of price fixing via AI tools as well as assessing the behavior of AI companies in light of restrictions on mergers, acquisitions, and monopoly behavior, and evaluating regulatory tools to address market concentration.  

The fourth focuses on how social media companies use AI for content moderation, including detecting misinformation, hate speech, and harmful content. It examines the regulatory levers available to shape AI’s use in these contexts, such as transparency mandates, algorithmic accountability, and the interplay between domestic and international regulations.  

Through case studies, scholarly readings, and robust discussions, students will develop the analytical tools needed to navigate the legal and policy challenges posed by AI. This course is ideal for students interested in technology law, consumer advocacy, antitrust policy, or governance in the digital age. Students will be assessed on their class participation, an investigations memo as a midterm, and an issue spotter for the final exam.

This course will offer an in-depth view of the moral debate surrounding the practice of capital punishment. We will view the debate historically and cross-culturally. We will pay close attention to the debate in the American context — how the debate has changed over time and how it has converged and diverged from the constitutional debate about the status of the death penalty under the Eighth Amendment.

Limits of liability and methods of establishing liability for intentional and unintentional injuries to persons or property.

Limits of liability and methods of establishing liability for intentional and unintentional injuries to persons or property.