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2022-2023 Academic Catalog and Student Handbook [Archived Catalog]
Course Descriptions
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Hybrid Juris Doctor |
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LAW 6206 - Civil Procedure II
Required
This course covers the procedural rules governing civil lawsuits, primarily in federal courts. Topics include the proper court in which to file a lawsuit, joinder of parties and causes of action, discovery, pretrial motions, conduct of a trial, and conflict between state and federal judicial systems. Prerequisite: LAW 6205 - Civil Procedure I
Units: 3
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LAW 6215 - Real Property I
Required
An analysis of basic property concepts, including the definition, acquisition and transfer of real property. Principal areas covered include the history of land transactions, landlord/tenant relations, land development, public and private control of land use, non-possessory rights in land, covenants and restrictions on the land, and recordation and title searches.
Units: 3
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LAW 6216 - Real Property II
Required
An analysis of basic property concepts, including the definition, acquisition and transfer of real property. Principal areas covered include the history of land transactions, landlord/tenant relations, land development, public and private control of land use, non-possessory rights in land, covenants and restrictions on the land, and recordation and title searches. Prerequisite: LAW 6215 - Real Property I
Units: 3
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LAW 6225 - Community Property
A survey of the laws relating to community property in California, the fundamentals of that property system, and how it effects virtually every other area of law. Separate and community property, liability for debts and torts, control and management of assets, fiduciary duties between spouses, and the distribution of property on dissolution or death are analyzed in this course.
Units: 3
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LAW 6305 - Evidence
Required
This class will introduce and discuss fundamental concepts of evidence codified in the Federal Rules of Evidence (FRE) and the California Evidence Code (CEC).
Units: 3
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LAW 6315 - Constitutional Law I
Required
To understand and become familiar with the substantive issues presented in the study of constitutional law so that the student is able to recognize those issues, research their status as they evolve over time, and incorporate them as required to deal with factual situations presented in the practice of law.
Units: 3
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LAW 6316 - Constitutional Law II
Required
To understand and become familiar with the substantive issues presented in the study of constitutional law so that the student is able to recognize those issues, research their status as they evolve over time, and incorporate them as required to deal with factual situations presented in the practice of law. Prerequisite: LAW 6315 - Constitutional Law I
Units: 3
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LAW 6325 - Professional Responsibility
Required
An overview of the role of an attorney in society, the attorney -client relationship, ethical standards and the responsibility of an attorney to the client, court and public. Consistent with the requirements of the California Bar Exam, this course will cover California Rules of Professional Conduct (CRPC), relevant sections of the California Business and Professions Code(Bus. & Prof. Code), the California Code of Judicial Ethics and leading federal and state case law on the subject of professional responsibility, in addition to the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct (ABA MRPC), and the ABA Rules of Judicial Conduct. This course is not designed as preparation for the Multi-State Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), a multiple-choice examination which is administered independently from the California Bar Exam.
Units: 3
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LAW 6345 - Remedies
Remedies is a comparison of legal and equitable remedies based on a particular fact scenario. Because most states have merged courts of law and courts of equity (“merger of law and equity”), a plaintiff may seek legal remedies and equitable remedies in the same action.
Units: 3
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LAW 6355 - Bar Studies
This course will emphasize the analytical, writing, time-management and organizational skills necessary to prepare for the California General Bar Exam. Students will have the opportunity to become familiar with the subjects tested and formats presented by the exam, including essay, multiple choice and performance test sections. Study and exam-taking strategies will be examined in the context of several bar-tested subjects.
Units: 3
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LAW 6415 - Constitutional Criminal Procedure
An exploration of the basic constitutional issues underlying the criminal justice system and the limitations placed on government in its attempt to enforce the criminal law. Specifically covered are the exclusionary rules, arrest, search and seizure, identification of suspects, the right to counsel, and the right to a jury trial.
Units: 3
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LAW 6500 - Contemporary Legal Problem Solving
Contemporary Legal Problem Solving explores current approaches to dealing with legal conflicts outside of the litigation process. While traditional legal education tends to emphasize litigation and trial advocacy, actual legal practice more often involves creative problem solving that occurs outside the courtroom. This course will delve into the various methods practicing attorneys use to resolve contemporary legal disputes. From mediation and arbitration to collaborative law and the use of artificial intelligence, Contemporary Legal Problem Solving will allow students to explore the theoretical underpinnings of these important skills and apply them in an engaged online learning environment. Students will complete this course with a better understanding of the different ways in which lawyers can resolve legal problems without resorting to litigation.
Units: 3
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LAW 6510 - Comparative Legal Systems
In this course, students learn about the U.S. legal system as it compares to legal systems of countries around the world. Topics include sources of law, organization of courts and the judicial process, and legal education and the legal profession. Students also review case studies that examine how different legal systems and societal issues influence one another to gain a greater understanding of the relationship between law and society.
Units: 3
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LAW 7000 - Capstone
Required
This course provides students the opportunity to demonstrate that they have synthesized the knowledge, skills, and values presented throughout the J.D. program. Students are provided a client file that presents a set of facts. The student will assess and develop the facts, identify the legal issues, perform necessary research, create a plan for addressing the issues identified, and execute the plan.
Units: 3
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Juris Doctor / Hybrid Juris Doctor |
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IS 7002 - Study Abroad in London: International Commercial Transactions
Elective
Students will travel to London for immersion related to current topics in the area of international commercial transactions, examining the factors that distinguish cross-border deal-making and much more, including cryptocurrency, cannabis, China, and climate change.
Prerequisite: LAW 7472 International Commercial Transactions
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6540 - Employment Law
Elective
This course examines the legal and practical aspects of Employment Law. In this course, the students will become familiar with the employment relationship, common employment causes of action (e.g., discrimination, harassment, retaliation), and wage-and-hour laws. This course is relevant for those with an interest in practicing Employment Law or those who intend to employ others or be employed themselves.
Prerequisite: LAW 6112 Contracts II or LAW 6205 Civil Procedure I
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 6550 - Environmental Law
Elective
This course provides an introduction to environmental law and advocacy grounded in an overview of American environmental statutes, regulations, and common law, including information-based laws (NEPA), pollution control laws (the Clean Water Act), public land management laws (NFMA, FLPMA), the Endangered Species Act, and the tort remedies of trespass, nuisance, and negligence. The course also examines the global climate and biodiversity crises and international treaties. The course will be graded on the weekly or bi-weekly class assignments and a final exam.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 6561 - Elder Law
Elective
This course examines a number of legal, ethical, and social issues raised by our nation’s increasing elder population and provides ample opportunities to apply the law to real life problems that elderly clients encounter. Course topics include age discrimination; ethical issues in elder representation; alternative decision-making, including health care directives, powers of attorney, and guardianship and conservatorship; income maintenance and the Social Security system; managing and paying for health care, including Medicaid, Medicare, and long-term care insurance; housing options and the licensing and regulation of health care and housing providers; elder abuse and neglect, including remedies available to vulnerable adults; and end-of-life issues.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 6900 - Lawyering Skills: Practical Skills I
Elective
Writing Like a Lawyer
Lawyers write. Learning and perfecting the art of “writing like a lawyer” early in your law school journey will serve you well in law school, on the bar examination, and ultimately in practice. Good legal writing transcends merely using proper grammar and punctuation (although that, too, is a must!). Rather, good legal writing requires a variety of skills: organization, recognition of the legally significant facts, reliance on relevant and binding authorities, excellent use of rule-based reasoning, attention to audience, and proper attribution. And these are just the basics.
Over the course of this weekend, you will have the opportunity to see “why” and “how” each of these skills is important.
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6901 - Lawyering Skills: Practical Skills II
Elective
Interviewing and Fact Investigation
This course will survey issues relevant to both civil and criminal attorneys using real world scenarios. It will focus on developing and sharpening interviewing skills both from getting past the interview for an entry-level legal position to enhancing and refining skill sets for interviewing clients and witnesses. From the interviews, students will learn to prepare focused investigation and/or discovery requests. Students will also learn how to prepare case summary reports and evaluations to analyze and assess claims for damages.
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6902 - Lawyering Skills: Practical Skills III
Elective
Oral Advocacy
Over the course of this weekend, you will have the opportunity to see “why” and “how” each of these skills is important.
This course will reveal and explore the significance of oral advocacy to the study and practice of law. We will discuss several different forms of oral advocacy, with an emphasis on appellate argument.
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6903 - Lawyering Skills: Practical Skills IV
Elective
A Practitioner’s Guide to Advanced Legal Research - Employing a Strategic, Effective Research Process
Every law student is taught that legal research involves various sources of law (i.e., federal, state, administrative, primary, secondary, etc.) and myriad research techniques (i.e., online searches on Westlaw using Boolean search or natural language search, use of headnotes, key cites, digests, citators, etc.). What introductory legal research classes provide little guidance on, however, and what law students and young lawyers struggle with, is how to effectively plan out and efficiently complete a legal research project in the real world.
This course is designed to fill that legal research “know how” gap that young lawyers face when they enter the practice of law. In this course, we will seek to deconstruct the process of legal research, focusing on practical skills and research techniques that will help you develop an intentional and effective process for conducting research to arrive at accurate and binding research results in an efficient manner. Throughout this course, we will consider the organic, multi-dimensional nature of research projects and discuss how and when to use different types of sources, searches, and databases to engage in strategic and cost-effective research that delivers value to clients.
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6904 - Lawyering Skills: Practical Skills V
Elective
Logic for Lawyers
Logic is the study of reasoning. Logic is used as a fundamental tool by lawyers for legal analysis, problem solving, argumentation, and writing. This course introduces the foundations of logic and logical arguments with the goal of improving our reasoning by recognizing how logic governs the conclusions we reach. We will discuss different types of logic and how those different types of logic are used in argumentation. We will explore the construction of logical arguments and how to recognize logical failures in arguments.
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6905 - Lawyering Skills: Practical Skills VI
Elective
Mediation
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6906 - Lawyering Skills: Practical Skills VII
Elective
Public speaking for lawyers
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6910 - Lawyering Skills: Litigation I
Elective
Building and Telling the Story from the Complaint to the Motion for Summary Judgment
There is often a large disconnect from what you learn in law school to the everyday realities of practice. In this course, we will focus on the litigation skills that you need to develop to be able to take what initially appears to be a hodgepodge of random facts, dates, and documents and turn that into not only a Complaint or Demand Letter, but into the foundation from which you can build your entire theory of the case. The ability to tell a compelling story, supported by the facts and the law, is what sets a good litigator apart from an average lawyer. And we will focus this weekend on learning how to develop that story from the very outset of a case, through discovery, and to the final briefing before the pre-trial preparation begins.
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6911 - Lawyering Skills: Litigation II
Elective
E-Discovery
This lawyering skills weekend will focus on eDiscovery skills. Our exercises for the weekend will revolve around a mock 26(f) conference under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. We will begin the day on Saturday with an overview of the types of electronically stored information (ESI) evidence, where it may be found, how it should be requested (its form) and what is appropriate to request. The lecture will be followed by an introduction of our hypothetical case for the weekend. The day will continue with group work to prepare for the next day’s Rule 26(f) conference and any necessary motion writing. During the mid-afternoon there will be an intervening brief lecture on how the rules of evidence relate to our exercise. The first day will end with submitting outlines or motions to the opposing side and/or arguing motions to a judge. Our second day will begin with rulings on any motions and our 26(f) hearings. We will end the day with feedback on the 26(f) conferences from peers, your professor, and others from the legal community.
Prerequisite: LAW 6202 Civil Procedure II or LAW 6206 Civil Procedure II
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6912 - Lawyering Skills: Litigation III
Elective
Civil Litigation
Lawyers “litigate” cases, but what does litigation entail? As every law student has learned, civil litigation starts with the filing of the complaint and can end in a variety of ways, including by a settlement, dispositive ruling on a motion for summary judgment, or a jury verdict after trial. In order to arrive at any resolution however, the parties and their counsel must engage in discovery which is the fact gathering phase of the case. In this course, we will explore the various discovery “tools” available under the federal rules that parties must or may employ to request and obtain relevant information necessary to prosecute or defend the case on behalf of their client. We will focus on the broad stages of discovery, the difference between court mandated discovery versus party driven discovery, and the practical nuts and bolts of drafting discovery. Throughout this discussion, we will consider the forethought and strategic thinking necessary to effectively use the discovery tools, including which tools to use and when to use them. While this weekend will focus on civil discovery under the federal rules, the same thought process and practical skills will apply to civil discovery practice in state courts.
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6913 - Lawyering Skills: Litigation IV
Elective
California Law and Motion - Civil Litigation Overview
Law and motion practice is a big part of civil litigation in California state courts. Lawyers who practice in California courts (e.g., business litigation attorneys, insurance defense litigators, elder abuse practitioners, consumer and personal injury lawyers, family law attorneys, employment law specialists, disability law attorneys) must understand and utilize the Code of Civil Procedure and California Rules of Court when drafting and opposing motions. This class will provide an overview of law and motion practice in civil litigation in California’s trial courts, and it will explain the critical importance of following the rules, knowing your audience, and telling a story. Although focused on civil cases in state trial courts, the skills and concepts covered in this course are transferrable to federal court, criminal court, probate court, family court, and appellate court law and motion practice.
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6914 - Lawyering Skills: Litigation V
Elective
Pretrial Litigation - An Overview
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6916 - Lawyering Skills: Litigation VII
Elective
Taking a Case to Trial-The Role of the Trial Attorney
This course will focus on some of the more critical aspects of an attorney’s job when taking a case to trial, and specifically, a jury trial. Beyond just knowing the law, you need to learn how to prepare and present your case to a jury. Although this course will focus primarily on civil litigation, much of what you learn will have a direct application to criminal law as well.
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6920 - Lawyering Skills: Transactional I
Elective
Introduction to Transactional Skills
This course is a basic survey course providing a valuable introduction to the practical and critical skills necessary for students when working on transactional matters for their clients.
The course recognizes that more than 75% of attorneys are involved in regulatory and transactional practices. Whether exclusively transactional work or the necessary transactions involved in the resolution of potential litigation or post-litigation settlement, each and every student and attorney need to have a familiarity with the issues and skills of transactional lawyering.
As time permits in a short introductory course such as this, the course examines through reading and numerous actual in-class exercises, some or all of the topics of:
- What is Involved in Transactional Lawyering
- Due Diligence
- Deal Design
- The Components of an Agreement
- The Proper Use of Forms
- Boilerplate
- Drafting with Precision
- The Tactics and Ethics of Negotiation.
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6921 - Lawyering Skills: Transactional II
Elective
Introduction to Negotiation
This course is a basic survey course providing a valuable introduction to the practical and critical skills necessary for students when negotiating transactional or litigation matters for their clients.
The course recognizes that more than 75% of attorneys are involved in regulatory and transactional practices. Whether negotiating exclusively transactional work or the necessary negotiation involved in the resolution of potential litigation or post-litigation settlement, each and every student and attorney needs to have a familiarity with the issues and skills of negotiation lawyering. As time permits in a short introductory course such as this, the course examines through reading and numerous actual in-class exercises, some or all of the topics of:
- Professional Responsibility and Negotiation Ethics
- Negotiation Strategy
- Choosing the Next Tactical Move
- Shaping the Bargaining Relationship
- Negotiation Process: Planning
- Negotiation Process: Information Bargaining
- Negotiation Process: Narrowing Differences and Closure.
Prerequisite: LAW 6125 Torts I
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6922 - Lawyering Skills: Transactional III
Elective
Legal Writing
In transactions, lawyers are expected to negotiate, draft, and interpret agreements. Lawyers need to know how to document “deals” that meet the client’s objectives, follow the law, and are commercially reasonable. In this course we will move beyond the legal theory of a contract into the practical skills required to draft, interpret, and negotiate various agreements. This course will benefit any budding lawyer as even career litigators need to have transactional legal writing experience as they often write settlement agreements or may be representing clients in lawsuits stemming from contracts.
Prerequisite: LAW 6001 Introduction to Legal Writing and Analysis
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6930 - Lawyering Skills: Professional Leadership and Development I
Elective
You Have Your JD - Now What?
Through the use of lecture, interactive discussion, guest panel participants, and real-world scenarios, this course will examine life beyond law school and the practice of law. In addition to asking and answering the questions surrounding the breadth of opportunities for lawyers in the community, the course will explore the skills that make a lawyer successful - both from a client development and a professional development perspective. The course will provide the opportunity for active learning and a chance to explore how to start thinking about life after law school.
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6931 - Lawyering Skills: Professional Leadership and Development II
Elective
I’m Getting My Law Degree: What’s Next?
The purpose of this seminar is to assist new lawyers in starting and building a law practice on a firm economic basis. The topics discussed will also include managing yourself, your office, and your clients.
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6932 - Lawyering Skills: Professional Leadership and Development III
Elective
Professional Responsibility: Limited Scope Representation, Virtual Practice and Online Marketing
The landscape of legal practice is changing. Today’s lawyers market themselves online, offer limited scope representation, and practice virtually. Clients want to engage attorneys for a single specific purpose and may never meet their attorney face to face. The California rules of professional responsibility and the opinions of the California bar outline how lawyers may present information about themselves, their practice, and their cases online, as well as how they may react to conversations about their services online.
In this skills weekend, students will learn how to provide limited scope representation through a virtual legal service and comply with the CCP for purposes of online marketing and limited scope representation. Students will engage in the following exercises: 1) create a limited scope engagement letter that establishes clear boundaries for representation 2) assess examples of lawyer and law firm websites and 3) review hypothetical attorneys’ use of LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter for compliance with the CCP.
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 6935 - Lawyering Skills: Professional Leadership and Development VI
Elective
Well-being Skill Sets for Professional Identity and Success
This interactive course will introduce and explore well-being and wellness skill sets related to professional identity and success. Law students will explore creating a culture of care and competence that re-envisions what it means to live the life of a law student and lawyer in the context of the basic domains of well-being. The concepts covered draw from the fields of positive psychology, neuroscience, and mind-body disciplines - illuminating how fostering well-being contributes not only to the sustainability of the legal profession, but also to flourishing mentally, physically, and emotionally as law students and legal professionals.
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 7100 - Environmental Law
Elective
An introduction to the public policy behind the setting of environmental standards, the course focuses on a major environmental law such as the Clean Air and Water Act, the National Environmental Protection Act, or the California Planning and Zoning Law.
Units: 2
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 7140 - First Amendment
Elective
This course surveys cases and materials on selected First Amendment topics with an emphasis on issues relating to freedom of speech and press.
Units: 2
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 7141 - First Ammendment
Elective
This course surveys cases and materials on selected First Amendment topics with an emphasis on issues relating to freedom of speech and press.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7150 - Family Law
Elective
Family Law focuses on the dissolution proceeding, including mediation, resolution of custody and visitation disputes, child and spousal support, property division, and attorney fees. Emphasis is on local court practices and forms.
Units: 2
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 7160 - Negotiation Workshop
Elective
Through the use of lecture, case problems, role-play discussion and analysis, this course will provide a practical and theoretical approach to negotiation. In addition to addressing negotiation practice in varying contexts, the class will explore gender and cultural issues as well as the ethics of negotiation, the Model Rules of Professional Conduct as they apply to negotiations and the moral implications of negotiation practices.
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 7180 - Taxation
Elective
An overview of general principles of income and estate/gift taxation, with particular focus on the application of such principles to areas commonly encountered by practitioners (for example, divorce, bankruptcy, personal injury settlements, and various business transactions).
Units: 2
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7200 - Employment Law
Elective
A study of the legal rules surrounding the hiring, treatment, and termination of employees. The course includes Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other federal and state laws concerning employment discrimination and wrongful discharge.
Units: 2
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 7220 - Mental Health Law
Elective
This course will address the role of lawyers in providing representation for clients with various forms of mental illness. Topics will include the history of development of mental health law in California with discussions dealing with civil, probate and criminal proceedings. Students will have the opportunity to listen to professionals in the field of mental health and the law, and will be required to prepare a variety of legal documents relevant to the course topics.
Units: 1
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7230 - Domestic Violence
Elective
This course examines issues related to domestic violence, primarily as they arise in criminal and family law cases. Topics will include the nature of domestic violence; restraining orders; criminal prosecutions, including pre-trial and sentencing considerations; custody issues; and the victim’s perspective.
Units: 1
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7240 - Depositions
Elective
This course covers the taking and defending of depositions. It will address various deposition issues, including creating a deposition strategy, preparing the deponent, handling the adverse attorney, using exhibits, making objections, and effectively obtaining and preventing disclosures by the deponent.
Units: 2
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7250 - Client Interviewing & Counseling
Elective
Effective lawyering requires the knowledge of how to elicit necessary information from clients and an understanding of how to communicate effectively with clients to ascertain and advance their interests. This course explores techniques and strategies for interviewing and counseling clients facing the conflicts inherent in the legal arena.
Units: 2
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 7251 - Client Interviewing & Counseling
Elective
Effective lawyering requires the knowledge of how to elicit necessary information from clients and an understanding of how to communicate effectively with clients to ascertain and advance their interests. This course explores techniques and strategies for interviewing and counseling clients facing the conflicts inherent in the legal arena.
Units: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 7260 - Entertainment Law
Elective
This course considers issues arising in the entertainment industries - film, television, theatre, music, literary and related businesses - and applicable legal principles, which come largely from the areas of contracts, torts, governmental regulation, remedies, and intellectual property.
Units: 2
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7270 - Bankruptcy Law
Elective
This course provides the general concepts and principles of Bankruptcy Law including, but not limited to, property of the estate, the automatic stay, claims and claim priorities, administration of bankruptcy estates (Ch. 7 and 13), bankruptcy litigation, reorganization in bankruptcy (Ch. 11), liquidation and discharge.
Units: 2
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7280 - Drafting Documents
Elective
This course will cover legal and stylistic principles of contract law used to effectively plan, organize, and draft written agreements that will withstand scrutiny and achieve clients’ objectives.
Units: 2
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7281 - Drafting Documents
Elective
This course will cover legal and stylistic principles of contract law used to effectively plan, organize, and draft written agreements that will withstand scrutiny and achieve clients’ objectives. It will focus on letters of intent, contracts, wills and trusts, and settlement agreements.
Units: 1
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7290 - Intellectual Property
Elective
This course provides a general introduction to the law of copyright, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets. The areas covered include how the law applies to different types of intellectual property; the legal rights of the creators and owners of such property; the competing rights of others to use such property; and an overview of intellectual property litigation.
Units: 2
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7300 - Psychology for Lawyers
Elective
This course will outline the civil, criminal, probate and family law cases where psychological or psychiatric evidence is often presented and review the common principles and concepts necessary to understand, offer and challenge this evidence.
Units: 1
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7310 - Estate Planning
Elective
This course covers the basic principles of estate planning, including: an overview of applicable taxation rules; inter vivos gifts; living trusts, wills, and testamentary trusts; life insurance and annuities; charitable gifts, business interests, employee benefits, and post-mortem tax planning.
Prerequisite: LAW 6330 Wills and Trusts
Units: 2
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7320 - Juvenile Law
Elective
This course covers the juvenile court system, including the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, detention and disposition of minors who are involved in juvenile proceedings, and other rights and responsibilities of minors, with specific emphasis on California law and procedure.
Units: 2
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7321 - Juvenile Law
Elective
This course covers the juvenile court system, including the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, detention and disposition of minors who are involved in juvenile proceedings, and other rights and responsibilities of minors, with specific emphasis on California law and procedure.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7330 - Criminal Pretrial Motions
Elective
This course considers selected pretrial motions in criminal cases, such as those involving efforts to squash indictments, discriminatory prosecution, speedy trial, self-representation and lost or destroyed evidence.
Units: 1
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7331 - Crime and Punishment
Elective
The sentencing process is one of the most critical aspects of criminal law, yet also one of the most complex, and relatedly, misunderstood by both the general public, the media, and even legal professionals. This course will provide a bird’s eye view of sentencing in both the federal and state (California) courts. In particular, focus will be given to deconstructing the United States Sentencing Guidelines (“USSG”), which govern the sentences imposed in every federal criminal case. Students will also be expected to attend at least one sentencing hearing and provide their observations, as well as participate in a mock sentencing hearing as either a defense lawyer or prosecutor. At the conclusion of the course, students will have developed a modicum of fluency with the USSG as well as the operative mechanics of the relevant provisions of the California sentencing scheme.
Prerequisite: LAW 6130 Criminal Law or LAW 6135 Criminal Law
Units: 2
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7340 - Law Practice Management
Elective
This course surveys fundamental aspects of law practice management, including basic principles of bookkeeping and accounting, fee agreements and client trust accounts, document control, legal technology, and support staff management.
Units: 2
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7360 - Federalism
Elective
The course on Federalism will examine, in depth, selected topics relating to the division of power between the federal government and the states. Specifically, the course will examine the scope of power under the Commerce Clause; preemption; the Eleventh Amendment protection for states in federal courts; judicial restraint and abstention; and justifiability (including standing, mootness and ripeness).
Units: 1
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7391 - Restorative Justice: Meaningful Alternatives to Traditional Justice
Elective
Restorative justice is a social movement and set of practices that aims to redirect society’s retributive response to crime. Crime, in the context of restorative justice, is not considered just an offense against the state but rather is viewed as a wrong against another person and indicative of a broken relationship between the offender, victim, and community. Accordingly, restorative justice seeks to elevate the role of crime victims and community members; hold offenders directly accountable to the people they have violated; and restore, to the extent possible, the emotional and material losses of victims by providing a range of opportunities for dialogue, negotiation, and problem solving.
Prerequisite: LAW 6112 Contracts II or LAW 6205 Civil Procedure I
Units: 2
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 7472 - International Commercial Transactions
Elective
This course will examine the issues that underlie international commercial transactions. As the global economy becomes more interdependent, familiarity with international deal making will be an asset for legal practitioners. Although each industry sector has unique permutations in their business, there are significant legal fundamentals that are found across sectors. Fortunately, that is the case in the international realm as well. In general, we will consider sales, distribution and license agreements. We will examine the factors that distinguish cross-border deal making, with a focus on intellectual property and technology transfer. We will examine case histories and review contractual provisions that are fundamental to these transactions. We will bring a particular focus to the inevitable cultural aspects inherent in international deal making. Unlike domestic law subjects (such as property law, tort law, etc.) there is no single source to find all the rules and principles of international commercial law. Issues such as choice of law and dispute resolution have particular resonance in a global setting. In our class we will endeavor to become more familiar with the complex but endlessly intriguing components of international commercial transactions.
Prerequisite: Either LAW 6205 Civil Procedure I or LAW 6112 Contracts II
Units: 2
Grading: Letter Grade
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LAW 8508 - eLawyering
Elective
This introductory course focuses on the overlap between business, technology, and the legal industry. Topics are segmented into three discrete areas of study: Legal Innovation; Automation and AI; and Data. The legal innovation section will offer students a glimpse into the future of legal practice as well as alternative legal services. Both the ethical considerations and career implications will be covered while exposing students to online legal marketing and online practice management. The section covering automation and artificial intelligence will show the efficiency of these technical legal services and lawyer augmentations with careful attention to automation governance and embedded bias. The data portion of the course will touch on data used for legal prediction, eDiscovery and ESI, and privacy and security in the legal sector. Each section of the course will focus on what modern legal service and how insights from other disciplines have disrupted the status quo. The course also considers the secondary effects on law, the legal profession, and legal services likely to arise from the addition of technology to many legal tasks
Units: 3
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 8517 - Litigation and its Alternatives
Elective
This course explores the proceedings by which criminal and civil matters are litigated, and alternative strategies such as plea bargaining, restorative justice, negotiation, private and court-ordered commercial arbitration, private judging, mediation, negotiation, and neutral evaluation. After examining litigation alternatives, students will compare the costs and consequences of the various strategies to individuals and society.
Units: 3
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 8518 - Law Practice Management
Elective
With the advent of the pandemic, courts and legal practices have moved in the direction of conducting their business electronically and remotely. This change has transformed the practice of law, whether remote or in-person. Students will gain the theoretical and practical background to understand these changes and to positively impact their employer’s responses to such change. Students will use matter management software, prepare e-filings and use technology to strengthen and present a closing argument.
Units: 3
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 8519 - Project Management
Elective
This course will provide an overview of the principles of project management, addressing principle topics of PMI’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). The extensive use of case studies will allow students to apply PMI theory in practical simulated legal projects. Students will develop the skills and knowledge necessary for effective decision-making and project management, including techniques for evaluating profitability, outsourcing opportunities, and law firm considerations like alternative fee arrangements, and the role of technology and innovation in legal project management.
Units: 3
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 8520 - Introduction to Start-up Law
Elective
This course offers an introduction to the legal knowledge necessary for entrepreneurs and emerging start-ups. Using innovate legal tools and processes, the course simulates situations where the law must be considered to launch an enterprise or grow a business. Students work with a company they create and overcome the legal hurdles necessary for a successful launch.
Units: 3
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 8522 - Building Legal Applications: Document Automations and Expert Systems
Elective
Lawyers who learn to automate legal forms and expert systems may sell access to online systems that dispense sophisticated legal analysis without direct human involvement. Government officials may find citizen assistance easier and more cost effective to provide when using expert systems. Courts and legal aid programs are providing intelligent forms for unrepresented litigants. Non-profit organization support their constituents who need assistance with form completion and legal education. In this course you will learn to create scalable expert systems with low-code tools designed to lower barriers and scale service models.
Units: 3
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 8524 - Blockchain, Smart Contracts, and Computational Law
Elective
The public debate about smart contracts, blockchain, and computational law is filled with alarms and elevated expectations. Blockchain technology gives us the framework to create a shared ledger system where various parties can report their compliance data/documentation, property records may be store, personal identities can be managed, corporate governance may be automated, and decentralized currency may be exchanged. Smart contracts make use of the blockchain to execute, control or document legally relevant events and actions according to the terms of a contract or an agreement. Computational law addresses the automation of legal reasoning to support transactions and compliance. The topics examined in this course will include formalism versus contextualism, form versus context, distributed ledgers, smart contract enforceability, blockchain regulation, and automated compliance.
Units: 3
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 8531 - Emerging Technology and the Law
Elective
This course provides a forum for students to consider the relationship between key emerging technologies and the law. Each module discusses the legal implications of a particular emerging technology such as autonomous cars, drones, robots, big data, artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, quantum computing, and 3D printing. Students will be asked to consider whether existing legal frameworks are sufficient to address issues related to emerging technologies and the basis for new frameworks will be considered.
Units: 3
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 8535 - Data Science in Law and Policy
Elective
In the legal industry professionals utilize artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to perform analyses that were once labor-intensive endeavors. Those analyses may be used to inform everything from the sentencing of defendants to policing procedures to lawyers’ performance in courtrooms to judicial decisions. Although technology may be used to replicate human decision-making, legal professionals play an essential role in compiling data sets, defining queries, and interpreting findings to present them accessibly for broader audiences. This course will cover the ways data is used in the legal industry and the ethical obligation of legal professionals to question both data driven decisions and their underlying algorithms.
Units: 3
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 8537 - eDiscovery
Elective
Litigation often involves the collection, production, management, and analysis of electronically store information (ESI). An enormous amount of data exists that may help make a case or predict the outcomes of approaches and legal rulings. This course considers the legal and operational issues associated with managing electronic information as well as the legal rules governing of this area.
Units: 3
Grading: Pass/Fail
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LAW 8540 - Technology for Legal Professionals
Elective
Technology has transformed the legal industry. This course will provide students with the theoretical and practical background to understand these changes while having a positive impact on a firm’s or an organization’s responses to such challenges. Areas of special focus include: litigation technologies; court technologies; document storage, security and management; evidentiary considerations of ESI; communication software including encryption technology; and hands-on exercises in Microsoft’s Office suite designed for legal professionals.
Units: 3
Grading: Pass/Fail
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MLS 410 - American Legal System
Required
This course will introduce students to the Anglo-American system of law including sources of law such as Constitutions, statutes, case law, common law and regulations; the structure, jurisdiction, and functions of U.S. courts at both the federal and state levels; the role of law in American society; and the roles and responsibilities of legal professionals.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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MLS 415 - Legal Fundamentals
Required
This course will survey the fundamental legal principles of American law in the areas of torts, contracts, criminal law, constitutional law, property, family law, and ethics. The development of the law will be explored, from common law roots to more recent legislation and judicial decisions, culminating with discussion of current legal topics in each area and their implications for the workplace and society.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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MLS 430 - Litigation and Its Alternatives
Required
This course explores the proceedings by which criminal and civil matters are litigated, and alternative strategies such as plea bargaining, restorative justice, negotiation, private and court-ordered commercial arbitration, private judging, mediation, negotiation, and neutral evaluation. After examining litigation alternatives, students will compare the costs and consequences of the various strategies to individuals and society.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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MLS 435 - Research and Advocacy
Required
In this course students will learn the basics of how to perform legal research to identify and understand federal and state laws and then make the transition to oral and written communication in legal contexts. Students will gain an understanding of the underlying goals and implicit concerns involved in interactions among clients, legal counsel, legal adversaries, judges and juries.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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MLS 440 - Administrative Process
Required
This course examines the roles of administrative agencies in promulgating, administering and enforcing regulations. After considering the relationship of agencies to the judicial and legislative branches of government, students will study the rulemaking process, modes of administrative adjudication and judicial review of agency decisions. Topics for discussion will include effective strategies for contributing to the rulemaking process and regulatory compliance audits.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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MLS 445 - Capstone Course
Required
This course is the culminating experience of the MLS program. It provides students with the opportunity to analyze the practical implications of legal principles and procedures in the context of a specific professional environment. Each student will identify a workplace (such as a hospital, school, law enforcement agency, small business, whether real or hypothetical) and will research the impact of laws and regulations on that setting. Students will present a comprehensive paper at the course conclusion. The Capstone course is supervised by a member of the faculty who approves both the topic and the specific format of the research project.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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MLS 500 - Privacy Dilemmas
Elective
This course provides an in-depth look at the scope of privacy rights and the institutional practices and processes that may affect those rights. The course will cover the technology, laws and policies related to privacy issues, including those raised by wiretapping, stored data collection and mining, location tracking, drones and social media. Concentration: Frontiers of Law.
Prerequisite: In order to take elective courses, MLS students must first complete three of the required core courses, not including the Capstone course.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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MLS 501 - Bio-Legal Issues
Elective
This course examines the legal and related ethical issues that arise from biomedical research and use of medical technologies. The curriculum may include issues arising from end-of-life care, assisted reproductive technologies, genetic and regenerative medicine research, organ transplantation, cloning and human subject research. Concentration: Frontiers in Law.
Prerequisite: In order to take elective courses, MLS students must first complete three of the required core courses, not including the Capstone course.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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MLS 502 - Global Relationships
Elective
This course is a study of the legal rules surrounding the hiring, treatment, and termination of employees, their application in the workforce, and administrative and legal remedies for violations. The course covers Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other federal and state laws concerning employment discrimination and wrongful discharge. Topics include workforce policies, staff manual provisions, employee evaluations, and employment litigation. Concentration: Frontiers in Law.
Prerequisite: In order to take elective courses, MLS students must first complete three of the required core courses, not including the Capstone course.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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MLS 503 - Emerging Threats
Elective
This course will provide a systematic study of the legal mechanisms used by governments to respond to emerging threats to security, such as those arising from terrorism, climate change, and public health crises. It will also examine the legal implications of management responses and mitigation strategies. Concentration: Frontiers in Law.
Prerequisite: In order to take elective courses, MLS students must first complete three of the required core courses, not including the Capstone course.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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MLS 504 - Emerging Threats with Residency
Elective
This course will provide a systematic study of the legal mechanisms used by governments to respond to emerging threats to security, such as those arising from terrorism, climate change, and public health crises. It will also examine the legal implications of management responses and mitigation strategies. In addition to doing online coursework, students will participate in a multi-day Residency program, during which they will have the opportunity to engage in discussions about these issues with leaders in the legal profession, government, and other fields. Concentration: Frontiers in Law.
Prerequisite: In order to take elective courses, MLS students must first complete three of the required core courses, not including the Capstone course.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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MLS 510 - Regulation and Compliance
Elective
Legal/regulatory compliance requirements have seen a sharp increase globally. This increase reflects the rather rapid development of normative values regarding compliance and ethics of society at large. This course will review the various types of compliance requirements, and examine related issues such as compliance audits, document retention policies, data security, IT procedures, privacy concerns and governance. It will also address the analytical tools necessary to understand the complexities of compliance as part of a risk analysis and the role of compliance in shaping an entity’s strategy. Concentration: Regulatory Compliance/Legal Risk Management.
Prerequisite: In order to take elective courses, MLS students must first complete three of the required core courses, not including the Capstone course.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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MLS 511 - Liability, Risk and Insurance
Elective
All businesses and governments face potential assertions of legal liability and run the risk of having a penalty assessed against them by a court; they must therefore insure against or otherwise offset the risk of such liability. This course will explore the liabilities faced by modern businesses and governments, the kinds of risks that can flow from those liabilities and the instruments and strategies employed to offset that risk, including choice of a particular business structure. Concentration: Regulatory Compliance/Legal Risk Management.
Prerequisite: In order to take elective courses, MLS students must first complete three of the required core courses, not including the Capstone course.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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MLS 512 - Data Security & Breach
Elective
This course will examine legal requirements applicable to data security, including responses to data breach. Topics include laws applicable to public and private entities, methods of data breach investigation, data breach notice requirements and practical considerations, and legal risks exposure arising from data breach and notice. Concentration: Regulatory Compliance/Legal Risk Management.
Prerequisite: In order to take elective courses, MLS students must first complete three of the required core courses, not including the Capstone course.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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MLS 513 - Data Security & Breach with Residency
Elective
This course will examine legal requirements applicable to data security, including responses to data breach. Topics include laws applicable to public and private entities, methods of data breach investigation, data breach notice requirements and practical considerations, and legal risks exposure arising from data breach and notice. In addition to doing online coursework, students will participate in a multi-day Residency program, during which they will have the opportunity to engage in discussions about these issues with leaders in the legal profession, government, and other fields. Concentration: Regulatory Compliance/Legal Risk Management.
Prerequisite: In order to take elective courses, MLS students must first complete three of the required core courses, not including the Capstone course.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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MLS 514 - Litigation Operations
Elective
This course will examine the challenges faced by litigants in the digital age, focusing on the growing importance (and cost) of electronic discovery. This course will cover four general topics: a) optimized roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders (the entity, in-house and outside law firms, and litigation services companies); b) the importance of well-defined process and project management principles in coordinating a response to litigation, including the principles of excellent investigation; how to identify issues and then plan an investigation; and how to conduct thorough witness interviews; c) cost management in the inherently unpredictable process of identifying and sorting through “big data”; and d) litigation technology. The discussion will focus on the “best practices” established by field practitioners who have identified methods for reducing risks and mitigating costs. Concentration: Regulatory Compliance/Legal Risk Management.
Prerequisite: In order to take elective courses, MLS students must first complete three of the required core courses, not including the Capstone course.
Units: 3
Grading: Letter Grade
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MLS 601 - Directed Study
Elective
This course allows qualifying students to earn one or more units for in-depth research and preparation of a paper on a topic of special interest to the student, under direct faculty supervision. This course will ordinarily be available only on approval of the Associate Dean or designate to students with unique needs for addition units to complete their graduation requirements, and requires that the student both develop an acceptable project and obtain the consent of a faculty member to supervise the required research and paper.
Units: (1 unit, P/F)
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MLS 602 - Directed Study
Elective
This course allows qualifying students to earn one or more units for in-depth research and preparation of a paper on a topic of special interest to the student, under direct faculty supervision. This course will ordinarily be available only on approval of the Associate Dean or designate to students with unique needs for addition units to complete their graduation requirements, and requires that the student both develop an acceptable project and obtain the consent of a faculty member to supervise the required research and paper.
Units: (2 units, P/F)
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MLS 604 - Directed Study
Elective
This course allows qualifying students to earn one or more units for in-depth research and preparation of a paper on a topic of special interest to the student, under direct faculty supervision. This course will ordinarily be available only on approval of the Associate Dean or designate to students with unique needs for addition units to complete their graduation requirements, and requires that the student both develop an acceptable project and obtain the consent of a faculty member to supervise the required research and paper.
Units: (3 units)
Grading: Pass/Fail
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