In this one credit course, students explore the practice and theories related to restorative justice. We will examine the application of restorative justice in a number of contexts including criminal court, community, child welfare, and schools. We examine restorative justice as a response to a variety of circumstances including gender-based violence and school discipline. In addition, we examine the use of restorative justice methods and concepts as a way to build relationships and to address internal conflict within non-profit organizations.

The class includes an experiential component that engages students in a “community-building” circle of the kind commonly used in school settings and community organizations.
 
Course Concentrations:
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

MW

3:30 PM-5:30 PM

TBD

This course introduces students to the federal administrative state—what some have called the “fourth branch” of government—and the law that governs it. Administrative agencies exert important and pervasive authority in the United States today. Examples include the functioning of markets in securities, telecommunications, and energy; the safety of food, drugs, cars, airplanes, and workplaces; the regulation of pollution, public land use, advertising, immigration, election campaigns, and union organizing; and the distribution of social welfare benefits. Topics that will be explored include the rationales for delegation to administrative agencies, procedural and substantive constraints on agency rulemaking and adjudication, judicial review of agency actions, and the relationship of agencies to Congress and the President.
 
Course Concentrations:
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Area of Focus) More information
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Concentration) More information
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information
Environmental Law (Area of Focus) More information
Environmental Law (Concentration) More information
Health Law (Area of Focus) More information
Immigration, Asylum, and Citizenship Law Area of Focus (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information
Transactional Law (Area of Focus) More information
Transactional Law (Concentration) More information

W

5:40 PM-7:40 PM

TBD

This Course is designed to refine the advocacy skills of students who will soon represent the law school in national moot court competitions. This Spring, with the assistance of other professors, guest speakers, and members of the Moot Court Board, we will provide students with individualized instruction, both as to their writing skills and oral argument presentation. Please note briefs written in connection with moot court competitions or submitted for this class will not satisfy the law school's written requirement.
 
Course Concentrations:
Litigation & Dispute Resolution (Concentration) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

W

5:40 PM-7:40 PM

DL

This seminar will address all aspects of immigration law and procedure including incarceration, removal, entry, and immigration benefits through business, family, asylum and other forms of relief and benefits. We will also address lawful permanent residency and citizenship. The class will also focus on non-immigrant business visas such as H-1b, E, L, P, and O visas. It will also focus on employment based permanent residency such as EB-1, national interest waivers, labor certifications and investors. On family based permanent residency we will focus on such topics as priority dates, abandonment of residency, rescission, adjustment of status, and immigrant visa processing. On issues concerning asylum we will address questions concerning the definition of persecution, social group, credibility, and special acts of Congress such as the Cuban Refugee Adjustment Act. The discussion on citizenship will address issues concerning the Child Citizenship Act, loss of nationality, dual citizenship, revocation of naturalization and Birthright Citizenship. Removal proceedings will be addressed concerning expedited removal, third country removal, mandatory detention and issues related to terrorism and foreign policy.
 
Course Concentrations:
Immigration, Asylum, and Citizenship Law Area of Focus (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

This course covers the theories and strategies for persuasively advocating one’s case and examining witnesses before the tribunal. Class time will be spent discussing, preparing for, and having students perform in the roles of counsel and witnesses for cross examination, as well as opening and closing statements with review provided on an ongoing basis. It is important to master the facts of the sample case and to put together initial ideas for how one would present and prove the case before a tribunal in advance of the first class. If you are an International Arbitration Joint J.D./LL.M. or International Arbitration LL.M. student, you may enroll in this course through Canelink.
 
Course Concentrations:
Litigation & Dispute Resolution (Concentration) More information

W

3:30 PM-5:30 PM

TBD

The International Law Commission (ILC), working closely with the Sixth (Legal) Committee of the UN General Assembly, has played a critical role in the codification and progressive development of international law. The ILC, which is comprised of independent legal experts with recognized competence in international law, gives effect to the UN General Assembly's mandate under the UN Charter “to initiate studies and make recommendations for the purpose of … encouraging the progressive development of international law and its codification”.

This advanced seminar, which offers students a unique opportunity to learn how international law is made from one of only two faculty members at a US Law school serving on the ILC and to prepare a major paper, will first explore the historical origins, mandate, and contributions of the ILC towards the establishment of a rule-based international legal order.

The seminar, which prepares students for a summer externship with the United Nations in Geneva, will then critically evaluate the latest reports under study by the ILC, their present status, and future direction. These may include general principles of law; immunity of state officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction; sea level rise in relation to international law; subsidiary means for the determination of rules of international law; settlement of disputes to which international organizations are parties; prevention and repression of piracy and armed robbery at sea; and non-legally binding international agreements.

Two sets of materials are mandatory for this seminar. The first is The Work of the International Law Commission: Volumes I and II, Tenth Edition, 2022. Kindly purchase the hard copy.

The second set of required materials include the statute and relevant reports of the ILC to the UN General Assembly as well as excerpts of chapters of reports and other readings posted on Canvas.
 

R

6:30 PM-8:30 PM

TBD

This course is designed to equip students with the skills to effectively prepare and persuasively argue a case for trial. Emphasis will be placed on technique, adaptability, and strategic thinking - indispensable skills for attorneys navigating the trial system. Through rigorous training in oral advocacy, students will develop the ability to persuasively argue issues in both criminal and civil cases. Students will hone their ability to argue pretrial motions, present opening statements and closing arguments, conduct direct and cross examinations, and make evidentiary objections. The course is tailored to support members of the Yvette Ostolaza Mock Trial Team, with individual sections and meeting times assigned by the program director to provide personalized guidance. Note: Only members of the Yvette Ostolaza Mock Trial Team are eligible to take this course. Enrollment in this course requires availability during the Mock Trial Team's designated competition preparation time block, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Accordingly, students may not enroll in any other course that conflicts with this time block and are expected to attend all Mock Trial Team practices, meetings, and other competition-related activities scheduled during these hours.
 

R

6:30 PM-8:30 PM

A216B

This course is designed to equip students with the skills to effectively prepare and persuasively argue a case for trial. Emphasis will be placed on technique, adaptability, and strategic thinking - indispensable skills for attorneys navigating the trial system. Through rigorous training in oral advocacy, students will develop the ability to persuasively argue issues in both criminal and civil cases. Students will hone their ability to argue pretrial motions, present opening statements and closing arguments, conduct direct and cross examinations, and make evidentiary objections. The course is tailored to support members of the Yvette Ostolaza Mock Trial Team, with individual sections and meeting times assigned by the program director to provide personalized guidance. Note: Only members of the Yvette Ostolaza Mock Trial Team are eligible to take this course. Enrollment in this course requires availability during the Mock Trial Team's designated competition preparation time block, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Accordingly, students may not enroll in any other course that conflicts with this time block and are expected to attend all Mock Trial Team practices, meetings, and other competition-related activities scheduled during these hours.
 

T

8:30 AM-10:30 AM

TBD

This course will examine the intersection of agriculture, environmental law, and trade. Environmental law seeks to limit the pollution farming produces, while agricultural support programs such as the Farm Bill's commodity programs, crop insurance, and sugar price supports seek to support farmer livelihoods and maximize profits. Trade law carries both the products and their environmental costs across borders. Using a systems approach, students will analyze how these laws interact across state, federal, and international levels, and why well-understood solutions are often slow to be adopted. Florida serves as the running case study, from the Everglades and the Suwannee River basin to the Clean Water Act, the Farm Bill, and the World Trade Organization.

Students will learn practical methods for analyzing any regulatory system, including regulatory mapping, legislative archaeology, distributional analysis, and reform design. They will apply these methods in one policy paper, developed in stages with written feedback at each step, on a problem of their choice where known solutions have been slow to be adopted. Possible topics include public health, housing, insurance, and data privacy. Students are supported through readings, peer critique of drafts, and individualized feedback.
 

R

3:30 PM-5:30 PM

TBD

This course offers students an opportunity to engage with cutting-edge research on the legal issues associated with artificial intelligence. Each week, a distinguished scholar will present a work-in-progress to the class. Expected topics include the impact of AI on the legal profession, the role of intellectual property in AI development, and the regulation of AI-related risks. Enrolled students will engage the scholar in a question-and-answer conversation, during which students will critique and provide constructive feedback on the scholar’s work-in-progress.
 

This course will explore the impact of generative artificial intelligence on legal research. Topics include the evolution of AI legal research technologies, ethical considerations in AI-assisted research, and practical training in various platforms. Students will develop effective research skills on new and developing legal tools. Through hands-on exercises and critical discussion, students will develop an understanding of the capabilities and limitations of generative AI in legal research.
 

M

3:30 PM-5:30 PM

TBD

This course will examine how antisemitism has been defined and addressed through law. We will study antisemitism as a historical, political, social, and legal phenomenon and a sui generis form of discrimination. We will consider how law has both institutionalized and helped to combat anti-Jewish discrimination, and we will analyze contemporary disputes involving antisemitism in various areas of law and under various statutes, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act), and others. In addition to using antisemitism as a lens through which to study civil rights litigation, we will also consider the constitutional implications of such litigation, such as First Amendment free speech and free exercise, limits on Congress’s spending power, and more. The course is a discussion-based seminar with short writing assignments throughout the course and a final paper.
 

MW

1:50 PM-3:20 PM

TBD

The antitrust laws of the United States protect competitive markets and limit the exercise of
monopoly power. This class serves as an historical survey of federal antitrust law, covering both
the evolution of antitrust case law and modern antitrust analysis. The emphasis of the course is
foundational cases, which are reference points for debates among antitrust practitioners.

Over the course of the semester, we will build an understanding of a complex body of federal
law with two unique attributes. While grounded in several federal statutes, antitrust law has
developed within the common law tradition and, in recent decades, has acquired an
interdisciplinary character as antitrust attorneys collaborate with economist trained in the fields
of microeconomics and industrial organization economics.

Topics will include: price fixing, boycott, and market allocation agreements among competitors;
joint ventures; agreements between suppliers and distributors; and monopolization.

The objective of this course is to teach students the law and methods of analysis that support
antitrust enforcement, so they can evaluate the lawfulness of business conduct and weigh
contemporary critiques of, and proposed policy responses to, the current state of antitrust
doctrine. At the end of the course,

students will have acquired understanding of a multidimensional body of law, including
policy concerns and economic foundations;

students will be able to present coherent antitrust arguments for and against the
lawfulness of certain conduct reasonably open to challenge and dispute; and

students will have acquired an understanding of the historical development of a body of
law and law enforcement institutions with roots around the turn of the Twentieth Century.
 
Course Concentrations:
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Area of Focus) More information
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Concentration) More information
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information
Transactional Law (Area of Focus) More information
Transactional Law (Concentration) More information

T

6:30 PM-8:30 PM

TBD

The Eleanor R. Cristol and Judge A. Jay Cristol Bankruptcy Pro Bono Assistance Clinic at Miami Law offers pro bono legal services to low-income individuals and entities that are dealing with financial problems. The Bankruptcy Bar Association of the Southern District of Florida established the clinic. Miami Law offers it as a one semester or a two-semester, three or six credit elective that pairs students into teams to represent clients under the mentorship of experienced attorneys. How Students Benefit from Participating in this Clinic • Hands-On Learning – Students have the opportunity to practice on real cases in federal bankruptcy court. These can be chapter 7s, chapter 13s, contested matters, adversary proceedings which can include cases such as fighting to help the debtor discharge student loans. Also, students may counsel with respect to financial distress and solutions to problems particularly those problems resulting from the COVID 19 pandemic and economic consequences. • Expert Mentorship – Students are placed with mentor bankruptcy attorneys in the community who really are at the top of their game from firms such as Kozyak Tropin and Genovese Joblove Battista. • Unparalleled Networking Opportunities – During the clinic students meet prospective future employers and attend numerous of bankruptcy events in the community such as View From the Bench, and numerous other Bankruptcy Bar Association events. • Fantastic Support – Clinic Director Patricia Redmond , Clinic Coordinator and mentor attorneys provide ongoing support, help and advice. Clients are referred to the clinic by the Dade County Bar Association, and sitting judges of the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida
http://www.law.miami.edu/academics/clinics/bankruptcy-assistance-clinic 

This course will explore various legal, business, and government affairs issues related to bidding for and hosting major sporting events (e.g., Super Bowls, CFP Championships, FIFA World Cup, etc.) from multiple perspectives, including, the sports league/organization, host city, host committee, host venues, event sponsors, event media partners and talent.
Class size will be limited.
 

TR

10:40 AM-12:10 PM

TBD

This course is an introduction to the law governing business organizations. We will cover agency, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations, with an emphasis on the powers, rights, duties, and liabilities of the directors, officers, and shareholders who manage and own them. Taking a transactional perspective, we will trace the life of a business from entity choice, formation, and financing through its internal structure and governance, examining how authority is allocated among the participants in the enterprise, the fiduciary duties they owe one another, and how shareholders exercise their votes. Along the way, we will consider how these rules distribute power among shareholders, employees, and the public, as well as the broader policy questions they raise. The course rests on the premise that every lawyer needs to understand these concepts, because questions involving business entities arise across a wide range of practice areas.
 
Course Concentrations:
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Area of Focus) More information
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Concentration) More information
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information
Transactional Law (Area of Focus) More information
Transactional Law (Concentration) More information

WF

10:40 AM-12:20 PM

TBD

This course is an introduction to the laws pertaining to the formation and governance of business entities. We will cover agency, partnerships, LLCs and corporations, with an emphasis on the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of corporate directors, officers and shareholders. Topics will include the formation and financing of business entities, entity choice, internal structure, corporate governance, the allocation of power among the various participants in the enterprise, fiduciary duties, and shareholder voting. No prior knowledge of business law or business is expected. The course is designed on the premise that all lawyers need to understand the concepts covered therein.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25nSgU5lKr0&list=PL5qQGzdjNpDgK_K4S7XjYIDJF1LmIENbm&index=8 
Course Concentrations:
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Area of Focus) More information
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Concentration) More information
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information
Transactional Law (Area of Focus) More information
Transactional Law (Concentration) More information

MW

3:30 PM-5:30 PM

TBD

Please see link below. http://www.law.miami.edu/clinics/?op=0
 
Course Concentrations:
Health Law (Area of Focus) More information

MW

8:30 AM-10:30 AM

TBD

This is a course in the law of secured transactions. The focus is upon Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, although the course also covers transactions secured by interests in financial assets, much of which is governed by Article 8 of the UCC. The course proceeds by introducing the foundation concepts of the attachment, perfection, and priority of security interests, in considerable detail, including questions of the competition between security interests and Federal tax liens. It applies these foundational concepts to particular settings, including those involving securities, intellectual property (patents, copyrights, trademarks), leases and consignments, and fixtures. The student is introduced to problems involving the creation and enforcement of security interests in bankruptcy, including questions of preferences and fraudulent conveyances.
 
Course Concentrations:
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Area of Focus) More information
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Concentration) More information
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information
Transactional Law (Area of Focus) More information
Transactional Law (Concentration) More information

The course will focus on the diversity of Criminal Justice systems. focusing on key issues and recent trends. Topics will comprise the analysis of fundamental principles, such as legality and culpability, as well of specific areas of criminality such as crimes against the person, sex offenses and organized crime. The analysis of substantive law will always be connected with its enforcement, making reference to prosecutorial discretion and to the different models of procedure. Short Course Attendance Policy Due to the small number of meetings, attendance to all meetings/classes for short courses is mandatory. Students who miss more than one class session (70 minute) of a 1-credit short course are subject to administrative withdrawal and will have a W for the course on their transcripts.
 
Course Concentrations:
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

Students will learn to understand and apply the legal nuances of matrimonial and family law. Students will be taught to apply the practical skillset needed to understand strategies necessary to excel as a divorce attorney through fact patterns and real-life cases from a practicing New York City matrimonial and family law attorney. At the end of the course you will: -Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of matrimonial and family law -Engage in legal reasoning, legal research, fact analysis, and critical thinking -Communicate effectively in oral and written form -Act professionally and ethically -Understand the particulars of a demanding law practice Short Course Attendance Policy: Due to the small number of meetings, attendance to all meetings/classes for short courses is mandatory. Students who miss more than one class session (70 minute) of a 1-credit short course are subject to administrative withdrawal and will have a W for the course on their transcripts.
 

MW

10:40 AM-12:10 PM

TBD

Historically, litigation involved the adjudication of disputes between individual parties over discreet claims. In the modern world, it has become increasingly common for legal disputes to involve multiple parties, battling over multiple claims in separate forums. For example, in the Federal courts, approximately 35% of all civil cases reportedly involve multidistrict litigation under the aegis of the Panel in Multidistrict Litigation as well as many others pending in the State courts. And as the world becomes increasingly interconnected nationally and internationally, this trend is likely to accelerate.
The purpose of the course is twofold: One, to acquaint students with the doctrinal underpinnings of the law of multi-party litigation; Two, to familiarize the students with the day-to-day practice of aggregate and complex litigation, such as class actions and MDLs, in the Federal and State courts.

The course will involve readings from a basic text, and other materials available in electronic databases, lectures and class discussions, attendance to a day long on campus class action forum, and presentations from sitting judges and practitioners in the field.
 

TR

10:40 AM-12:10 PM

TBD

People, commerce, assets, and information have long moved across borders. At the same time law and courts remain largely grounded in discrete states, each with its own territory and its own citizens and residents. This greatly increases the likelihood that a lawyer assisting clients with either planning, negotiation, or dispute resolution will need to take into account the fact that modern exchanges, communications, and other interactions have significantly increased the number of situations in which legal rights and duties depend on questions of whose law applies to a transaction or occurrence, where the client may sue or be sued, and what effect a judgment may have beyond the forum state. Familiarity with this material is increasingly relevant to the successful practice of law in the interstate setting within the United States as well as in international settings. Conflict of laws is thus both a domestic and international subject.

As well: decisions like the Dobbs ruling by the Supreme Court a few years ago have recharacterized hitherto federal constitutional rights as matters of state law, in instances which affected individuals have contacts in or with several states. State laws often differ in their resolution of pertinent issues. Choice of law rulings effectively become substitutes for substantive constitutional law. Re-readings of federal statutes may sometimes trigger similar complex questions. There are often also federal statutory and administrative declarations that may be pertinent and may vary as read in pertinent federal courts and agencies — in addition to familiar Supremacy Clause preemption conflicts questions.

Much to confront right now…..
 
Course Concentrations:
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information
Litigation & Dispute Resolution (Concentration) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

W

6:35 PM-9:20 PM

Non-Law

The focus of this unique 2027 course will be Panama – with specific focus on Community-Based Tourism projects and Adaptation to Climate Change. The field trip will be divided into two locations: the Guna-Yala Comarca and Chagres National Park.

The Guna-Yala Comarca is Panama’s first autonomous Indigenous area. The Guna occupy over 30 coralline islands on Panama’s Caribbean coast. We will stay for 3 days with families on Gardí Sugdub Island, Panama’s first experience with relocation of a community due to sea level rise. In 2024, the community moved to a mainland location (Isber Yala), also the site of a new school.

Chagres National Park (PNCh), located an hour from Panama City, protects the watershed of Lake Alajuela, the major source of freshwater for the Panama Canal and drinking water for over a million residents of Panama City and Colón. We will stay for 3 days in the community of Quebrada Ancha on the shores of Lake Alajuela at the site of a community-based tourism (CBT) project and examine in detail its organization and operation. Additionally, we will visit another CBT project at the Emberá Indigenous community (Emberá Purú).

We meet weekly throughout the semester to discuss background readings and develop group research field projects that we will carry out during the Spring Break trip. Upon our return to Miami, the class will prepare manuscripts and presentations based on the field data collected during the trip.

Location: Cox Science 217
 
Course Concentrations:
Environmental Law (Area of Focus) More information
Environmental Law (Concentration) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

M

4:30 PM-7:30 PM

TBD

This course is an intensive study of the various aspects of construction law, including construction contracting, claims, and litigation. The course considers the rights and duties of developers, contractors, subcontractors, design professionals, bonding companies, and lenders. It emphasizes pitfalls to avoid in construction contracting, the bidding process, government work, construction scheduling and delays, warranties, arbitration or litigation, damages, remedies, waivers, and defenses. (3 credits)
 

MW

1:50 PM-3:20 PM

TBD

This course surveys the legal framework that governs how ordinary consumers borrow, pay, save, and are collected on in the United States. We will study the full lifecycle of household credit and payment systems, including credit marketing, origination, disclosures and reporting (credit cards, mortgages, student loans, auto loans), what happens when consumers can’t pay (collections, repossession, garnishment, default, and bankruptcy), the state and federal regulatory structure (Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Reserve, state AGs, state “Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices” laws), and private enforcement (contract, tort, arbitration). We will also examine the political economy of consumer financial markets, including the privatization of social risk through consumer credit markets and the public-private divide; distributional problems due to discrimination and uneven market access; and financial crises and the interaction of consumer financial markets with the real economy. The course will briefly introduce topics in consumer fintech, including practices such as algorithmic credit scoring and products like “buy now, pay later.” Students interested in a more in-depth discussion of these issues should enroll in Fintech (for which Consumer Finance Law is a co-requisite).

This course will be taught through a mixture of lecture and class discussion. Course materials will be assigned from open access sources and will include a combination of scholarly and policy commentary; judicial opinions; statutory and regulatory excerpts; and transactional documents such as consumer credit contracts.
 

Consumer Protection Laws are intended to prevent consumer injury in every day transactions. This short course is designed to be an introduction to the vast field of consumer law and regulation in the United States. The course will provide the student with basic knowledge regarding: (1) federal and state consumer protection laws; (2) government enforcement actions; and (3) private rights of action. Students will learn the policy behind these laws, their enforcement and their limits with a focus on (a) false and misleading advertising; (b) formation of consumer contracts in the digital age; and (c) the emerging law of privacy/data protection. The course will utilize statutory text, legislative history, case law, and practical materials gathered from enforcement agencies such as the Bureau of Consumer Protection of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Consumer Protection Division of the Florida Office of the Attorney General. Students will review and discuss recent topical cases and investigations that illustrate how the law is interpreted and enforced. Examples include: In the Matter of Facebook, Inc. (violation of privacy promises to consumers and violation of FTC 2012 Consent Order); JDI Dating, Limited (internet dating service used virtual (fake) “cupids” to communicate with prospective purchasers to deceive them into buying the dating service); and AT&T Mobility (national cellular phone service provider charged with engaging in deceptive acts or practices in the advertising and sale of “unlimited” mobile data plans). At the conclusion of the course, a student should be able to recognize consumer protection issues, draft a consumer protection complaint and be able to advise a client on how to avoid consumer protection problems.
 

TR

1:50 PM-3:20 PM

TBD

This course offers an in-depth look at copyright law, with special emphasis on the application of traditional copyright principles to new technologies and media of expression. We will explore the range of copyrightable subject matter (from literary, musical, dramatic, pictorial, audiovisual and architectural works to computer software), issues of ownership and transferability, issues pertaining to the reproduction, distribution and performance of copyrighted works and the creation of derivative works, issues concerning fair use and parody, issues regarding remedies for infringement, and certain issues pertaining to international protection for copyrights. This course will not address patent, trademark and other intellectual property protection issues other than in a highly abbreviated fashion for purposes of distinguishing those types of protection from copyright.
 
Course Concentrations:
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information

TR

1:50 PM-3:20 PM

TBD

This course will introduce the law and economics of corporate finance. The course begins on the economic side, looking at the fundamentals of valuation—the time value of the money, net cash flow as the measure of value, and the derivation of capitalization rates. Expanding on the theme of valuation, the course goes on to the economics of securities markets (the efficient capital markets hypothesis) and of capital structure (the irrelevance hypothesis). The course then turns to the legal side, with a transactional focus, looking at derivatives, long-term debt contracting, asset securitization, and financing with hybrid securities. Text: Bratton, Corporate Finance: Cases and Materials (10th ed. 2025)
 
Course Concentrations:
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Area of Focus) More information
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Concentration) More information
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information
Transactional Law (Area of Focus) More information
Transactional Law (Concentration) More information

T

8:30 AM-10:30 AM

DL

Who really controls a corporation? In this interactive seminar, we will explore how corporations make decisions, who holds the power, and how corporate leaders are held accountable. Rather than examining corporate governance solely through legal doctrine, we will consider the challenges from multiple perspectives, including those of board members, executives, institutional investors, shareholders, and regulators. No single perspective provides all the answers. Students will be challenged to consider not only what the law requires, but what they would recommend if they were advising different corporate stakeholders.

Using real-world controversies and current developments, we will examine board responsibilities and fiduciary duties, executive compensation, shareholder activism, institutional investors, corporate disclosure, sustainability, and emerging challenges involving artificial intelligence and technology. We will also explore comparative corporate governance, examining how different countries approach corporate accountability and how states such as Texas and Nevada are challenging Delaware's longstanding dominance.

Students will put theory into practice through guest speakers, interactive discussions, case studies, student presentations, and a simulated board meeting in which they will confront competing interests, evaluate difficult decisions, and experience the complexities of corporate governance firsthand.

This course satisfies the writing-credit requirement. Students will select a corporate governance issue of interest to research and develop into a substantial paper. Grades will be based on class participation (including presentations and interactive exercises), a draft paper, and the final paper.
 
Course Concentrations:
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Area of Focus) More information
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Concentration) More information
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information

Hard seltzers, canned cocktails, THC-infused sodas, zero-proof spirits, and “sober-curious” lifestyles—the way people drink, unwind, and socialize is changing fast, and the law is scrambling to keep up. With the number of craft breweries and craft spirits producers now estimated to exceed 9,300 and 2,100, respectively, craft alcoholic beverage supply has quickly outstripped its “boutique” or “cottage” roots. These industries, together with the booming low-proof distilled spirits, ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail, and non-alcoholic beverage markets, operate within a complex regulatory framework of state and federal law. Many of the privileges available to craft suppliers have evolved as nuanced exceptions to the regulations and policy underlying the traditional beverage alcohol laws forged in the immediate aftermath of Prohibition.

In a parallel universe, the federal prohibition of cannabis is slowly eroding and twenty-four states, plus the District of Columbia, have now approved the legalization of cannabis for adult recreational use. Furthermore, in a clear nod towards the possibility of federal deregulation, the Trump Administration has pursued the rescheduling of marijuana under the federal Controlled Substances Act, with certain medical marijuana products already made eligible for Schedule III. Meanwhile, the wildly popular hemp-derived THC beverage market faces at least a temporary ban under pending amendments to the 2018 Farm Bill. Is it a loophole, a legitimate industry, or both?

This age of abundant consumer choice and founder opportunity leaves clients seeking answers to critical go-to-market questions: Who can sell what, where, and how? Can a brand use influencers or TikTok to market a canned cocktail or a THC seltzer? How do age-gating, delivery apps, and direct-to-consumer shipping work across state lines?

Critical to the growth and success of these industries are attorneys with interdisciplinary skills and a working knowledge of the regulatory landscape involving craft alcoholic beverage products and the conflicted intra-state marketplace for cannabis and hemp products. Traditional beverage alcohol and cannabis regulation will be presented and discussed as a rubric for understanding the current regulation of the craft alcoholic beverage and cannabis industries. This course will explore these concepts from the vantage point of the founders and operators building these brands, as well as from the perspective of investors funding them in this period of explosive growth. Whether you plan to advise startups, go in-house at a beverage or cannabis company, work for a regulator, or simply want to spot the issues when these clients walk through your door, this course offers a practical launching point into one of the most dynamic regulatory practice areas in the country. Short Course Attendance Policy Due to the small number of meetings, attendance to all meetings/classes for short courses is mandatory. Students who miss more than one class session (80 minutes) of a 1-credit short course are subject to administrative withdrawal and will have a W for the course on their transcripts.
 

T

5:40 PM-7:40 PM

TBD

This workshop is designed to teach specific trial skills: Cross-examination, voir dire examination, and the opening and closing arguments. In our judgment the only effective method of learning these skills is by doing them. Every student will conduct the examinations under the coaching of the two professors teaching the course. Although some topics may overlap with Litigation Skills, this course focuses on the precise technical execution of trial advocacy in criminal cases, particularly cross-examination built on tightly controlled, declarative sequencing in a chaptered structure ; voir dire grounded in bias exposure and de-selection with a focus on inspiring juror-driven dialogue; and opening and closing arguments centered on argument-driven storytelling with an emphasis on showing, not telling.
 
Course Concentrations:
Litigation & Dispute Resolution (Concentration) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

MW

1:50 PM-3:20 PM

TBD

This is a limited enrollment class. You must apply for admission.

This course is the adjudication or "bail to jail" component of criminal procedure. It is particularly geared towards students interested in practicing criminal law. Unlike Criminal Procedure, which looks at police investigation and the Fourth and Fifth Amendments, this course covers what happens after the arrest is made. We will be reading primarily U.S. Supreme Court decisions that focus on the Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments. Topics include charging, right to counsel, grand juries and preliminary hearings, discovery, plea bargaining, the right to jury trial, double jeopardy, sentencing, and appellate review. We will supplement the textbook with jury instructions and articles (both academic and non). Since this course is designed to prepare students for careers as prosecutors or defense attorneys, it will have a substantial practical component. Students will be required to attend a court hearing at the Miami-Dade County Courthouse or the C. Clyde Atkins United States Courthouse and write a short reflection piece about what they observed. Students will also be required to write and argue three motions, one from the prosecutor's perspective, the second from the defense's perspective, and the third is your choice. For example, students will be given a set of facts and asked to argue whether there has been a discovery violation. Both the oral presentation and the written motion will be graded. Students will also be required to do an oral argument on reasonable doubt. Required presence outside of class: 1. Students will be required to attend a documentary film; 2. Students may be required to attend a lunch with an outside speaker; 3. Students will be required to attend a court hearing in the Miami-Dade County Courthouse or the C. Clyde Atkins United States Courthouse.
 
Course Concentrations:
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

MW

10:40 AM-12:10 PM

TBD

Miami is the "Cruise Capital of the World." The cruise industry is a major economic driver in South Florida, employing thousands directly and through its supply chains. Furthermore, most of the 15 million passengers who cruise from the US must bring their suits against cruise lines in the courts of South Florida. Contracts, Torts and Criminal Law topics are addressed in the Course. The rights of passengers and US regulation of cruise ships are discussed. The cruise industry also imposes environmental costs, whose mitigation and control are important topics. UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Reporting Initiative are addressed. Cruise ships are staffed by hundreds of thousands, with about a third from South Asia. Seafarer contracts and rights under US law are discussed, as is the Federal Arbitration Act. Background in Admiralty or Maritime law is not required.
 
Course Concentrations:
Environmental Law (Area of Focus) More information
Environmental Law (Concentration) More information

R

3:30 PM-5:30 PM

TBD

This course will cover the legal authorities of U.S. customs officials to regulate entry and assess admissibility of merchandise. Topics include the customs laws regarding the detention, search, and seizure of merchandise, as well as the people, baggage, parcels, containers, and conveyances that transport merchandise into the country. Topics also include the customs laws regarding the importation process, encompassing the declarations, tariffs, and restrictions applicable to entry of various types of merchandise, cargo, and personal possessions.
 

TR

3:30 PM-5:00 PM

TBD

The legal landscape for digital assets, blockchain, and cryptocurrencies is rapidly evolving. This course provides an in-depth examination of the legal and regulatory frameworks governing digital assets, including cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), stablecoins, decentralized finance (DeFi), tokenized securities, and digital asset reserves at the federal, state, and sovereign levels.

Students will explore the intersection of law, technology, economics, and business, analyzing major legal doctrines such as the Howey Test, securities regulations, money transmission laws, and taxation of virtual assets. Real-world case studies, including SEC v. Ripple Labs, SEC v. Telegram, CFTC v. BitMEX, SEC v. Coinbase, and joint CFTC/SEC actions against Binance, will be examined in detail.

The course integrates technical aspects of blockchain (smart contracts, consensus mechanisms) and business models (crypto exchanges, token offerings, investment funds). Additionally, we will explore the legal and economic implications of federal and state digital asset reserves, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and the role of sovereign wealth funds in digital asset investment. The course will assess how digital assets are being integrated into national and global financial systems, including discussions on reserve management, monetary policy, financial stability, and legislative developments at both the federal and state levels.

A key component of this course is an analysis of the GENIUS Act (Global and National Economic Infrastructure for U.S. Sovereignty Act)—a proposed legislative framework addressing the integration of programmable finance, stablecoin reserves, and sovereign digital currency systems. The Act’s principles and policy mechanisms will be used as a lens through which students can evaluate the balance between financial innovation, consumer protection, and national economic sovereignty. Students will critically examine how the GENIUS Act could shape U.S. and global digital asset regulation, influence international monetary relations, and redefine the interplay between public and private digital money systems.

From a technological perspective, the course offers a detailed exploration of digital asset infrastructures and platforms, including the architectures of blockchain protocols (Ethereum, Solana, XRP Ledger, Hyperledger Fabric), DeFi protocols, and cross-chain interoperability solutions. Students will gain exposure to smart contract programming concepts, digital custody models, decentralized governance structures (DAOs), and the emerging regulatory approaches toward tokenized financial instruments and on-chain compliance technologies. This technical foundation will allow students to connect the mechanics of digital systems to their broader legal and economic implications.

By the end of the course, students will have a solid foundation in the technological, legal, compliance, policy, and economic challenges shaping the digital asset industry. They will understand not only the underlying blockchain architectures and smart contract systems that enable decentralized applications and financial instruments but also how these technologies intersect with evolving legal regimes, compliance frameworks, and economic theories of value and governance. This integrated perspective will prepare students to navigate and influence the next generation of digital asset regulation, innovation, and implementation across both public and private sectors.
 

The digital economy has presented a number of challenges to dispute resolution. Technology, in turn, has the potential to change dispute resolution, how it is administered and, perhaps, our understanding of and what dispute resolution is. In this compact but wide-ranging course, we present an overview of at least some of the prominent issues, which include the following: • Consent by clicking: Arbitration and ADR in cyberspace. How do we define consent to the owner’s preferred mode of dispute resolution in the digital economy and how to draft a fair and enforceable arbitration or ADR clause. • The demise of class arbitration and the advent of “mass arbitration” using click-wrap clauses. Is this a welcome development? • On-line dispute resolution systems: A review of existing platforms and an inquiry into basic principles. Are there applications beyond low-value CtoB disputes? • FRAND and IP disputes • Commercial disputes involving technology and life sciences • Cybersecurity issues in arbitration: Protecting the integrity of digital dispute resolution. How to protect against this increasing risk. • International arbitration: Its use in tech disputes and the impact of technology on how it is administered. Can we expect adaptations or is a more radical impact possible? • Trial by Zoom and beyond: Are on-line hearings (in court proceedings and arbitration) all that novel or do they raise due process issues? • The Digital Economy and ISDS: A look at digital business models and investment treaty disputes: Are digital business models and assets protected under international investment law and ISDS? • When smart contracts fail: Alegal or extra-legal dispute resolution in blockchain and its use in contracts and other applications (NFTs, e.g). Is this the rise of a lex informatica and if and when a dispute arises how is it resolved? • Is there an emerging “law” of social media: Social media “takedown disputes”: The Facebook Oversight Board as a model and are we moving toward a lex socialmedialis? What does it look like now? What should it look like and what principles are at stake? How should disputes be heard and resolved? • AI and dispute resolution: What role can AI play, what role should it play in dispute resolution, an examination of real and potential use cases, and the inevitable issue of bias and possible solutions • Legal Tech: Law firms are notoriously adverse to change and yet some say we are entering a technology revolution in the legal practice. What are the ways in which technology may improve or transform dispute resolution?
 
Course Concentrations:
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information
Litigation & Dispute Resolution (Concentration) More information

This course will provide students the opportunity to explore and experience scenarios faced by practicing lawyers representing clients in the sports industry, with an emphasis on esports. Students will learn about all aspects of the esports industry by comparing and contrasting esports with the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Students will learn how to draft and negotiate esports and content creator contracts, represent clients, and work in organizations. Students will also explore and experiment with different negotiation strategies. Overall, the goal of the course is to expose students to skills and considerations in the practice of representing clients who operate in the esports industry and, in particular, through discussing various current and recent esports and sports law readings, how to anticipate and address issues that present themselves in practice. The course includes a mock negotiation and will emphasize classroom participation. Short Course Attendance Policy Due to the small number of meetings, attendance to all meetings/classes for short courses is mandatory.
 

MW

1:50 PM-3:20 PM

TBD

Most law school courses develop logic and language abilities. Research shows, however, that other skills, commonly referred to as "emotional intelligence," often play a greater role in professional success. These skills include cultivating self-awareness, managing emotions, getting motivated, recognizing emotions in others, and handling relationships.

This ground-breaking course serves as a counterweight to the traditional law school curriculum. Its goal is to prepare students to meet the challenges of life in the law and to interact effectively with colleagues, clients and adversaries. Specifically, students will learn how to reduce stress, increase happiness, improve performance, and relate to other people.

The course lays a foundation for life-long development of emotional intelligence. Class time will be devoted to topics such as mindfulness, cognitive therapy, and optimal performance. Outside of class, students will engage in life changing practices, including adhering to a contemplative routine, effectively communicating, and completing a project involving others that produces real world results.

The course comprises a training program in emotional intelligence. As such, it requires a commitment to regular and intensive daily work. The workload is heavier than in many law school courses. The focus is on growth and learning. Thus, grades are based not on emotional aptitude but on time and energy expended.

Some seats in this class will be reserved for students from the wait list. These seats will be allocated by the instructor. Students wishing to be considered for these seats should submit a brief statement describing their reasons for taking the course to wblatt@law.miami.edu as soon as possible, and no later than Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
 

Students will learn (1) the key players, business model and key issues in the music industry, (2) the key players, business model and key issues in the film industry, (3) the basic and more complex copyright, trademark, rights of publicity, and related legal concepts as applied to issues arising in the music and film industries with emphasis on dispute resolution through litigation, (4) how to apply these issues and concepts in a courtroom. The teaching approach will require class participation in a problem-solving atmosphere, with emphasis on practical skills for resolving music and film industry disputes. Shorter sessions will involve both lecture and open class participation. The final sessions will require students to present oral arguments in a courtroom simulation format.
 
Course Concentrations:
Environmental Law (Area of Focus) More information
Environmental Law (Concentration) More information

M

3:30 PM-5:30 PM

TBD

The Environmental Justice Clinic educates, trains, and inspires the next generation of leaders and advocates for regenerative environments through working with students, clients, and partners on environmental cases and campaigns in communities of color in Miami and South Florida. The Clinic’s course requirements include student-led case work, a classroom component and related assignments, individual assessments, and group student-faculty supervision meetings. The students join teams that pursue one or more of the Clinic’s cases and campaigns and have primary responsibility for advancing that matter during their year in the Clinic, supervised by Clinic faculty. In collaboration with their teams, students devise and implement strategy, interact regularly with their clients, communities, and partners, and function as professional advocates. The Clinic’s priority issues are the climate crisis, pollution, and the built environment.
 
Course Concentrations:
Environmental Law (Area of Focus) More information
Environmental Law (Concentration) More information
Health Law (Area of Focus) More information

WF

10:40 AM-12:10 PM

TBD

Upper Level Section:

Environmental Law: Practice-Ready Approaches to Effective Environmental Advocacy

This course introduces students to the statutory, regulatory, and common-law foundations of environmental protection and law in the United States while emphasizing the practical skills required for effective environmental lawyering. Through case studies, and drafting exercises, students will develop proficiency in statutory interpretation, advocacy, and compliance counseling. Core topics include major federal environmental laws, environmental torts, related doctrines such as standing, and environmental justice frameworks. The course also will examine the profound transformations in environmental governance over the last decade. Students will learn both the “old law” and the new realities of environmental regulation, enforcement, and litigation, gaining insight into how statutory meaning, agency discretion, and judicial review evolve in real time. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to navigate environmental law practice with confidence, professionalism, and an equity-informed perspective.
 
Course Concentrations:
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Area of Focus) More information
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Concentration) More information
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information
Environmental Law (Area of Focus) More information
Environmental Law (Concentration) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

WF

10:40 AM-12:10 PM

TBD

1L Elective Section:
Environmental Law: Practice-Ready Approaches to Effective Environmental Advocacy

This course introduces students to the statutory, regulatory, and common-law foundations of environmental protection and law in the United States while emphasizing the practical skills required for effective environmental lawyering. Through case studies, and drafting exercises, students will develop proficiency in statutory interpretation, advocacy, and compliance counseling. Core topics include major federal environmental laws, environmental torts, related doctrines such as standing, and environmental justice frameworks. The course also will examine the profound transformations in environmental governance over the last decade. Students will learn both the “old law” and the new realities of environmental regulation, enforcement, and litigation, gaining insight into how statutory meaning, agency discretion, and judicial review evolve in real time. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to navigate environmental law practice with confidence, professionalism, and an equity-informed perspective.
 
Course Concentrations:
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Area of Focus) More information
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Concentration) More information
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information
Environmental Law (Area of Focus) More information
Environmental Law (Concentration) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

TR

3:00 PM-4:15 PM

Non-Law

This course will take a broad view of environmental planning and analysis while focusing specifically on the requirements for and preparation of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) and Environmental Assessments (EA). We will look in detail at the statutory requirements and procedures at the federal level, as well as the latest regulations promulgated by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). Our approach will rely heavily on federal judicial opinions that provide compelling examples of environmental disputes and controversies.

We will also read excerpts from policy and social science essays that consider the successes and failures of the EIS process, the effect of the EIS process on bureaucracies, and the participation of the public in environmental planning.

An additional unit that will be integrated into the above readings will consider some of the substantive requirements of environmental impact analyses, such as assessments of the physical and biological environments, as well as socioeconomic impacts. Students will specialize in an EIS and prepare a case study based on the Environmental Document.

Location: Grosvenor South S116
 
Course Concentrations:
Environmental Law (Area of Focus) More information
Environmental Law (Concentration) More information

This course takes a practical approach to the estate planning process, analyzing typical fact patterns encountered in practice. Planning for younger families, affluent retirees, and owners of family businesses is discussed, and ethical considerations, such as conflicts that arise from dual representation of husband and wife, are also considered.
 

This compressed course will provide an overview of the law and policy of Everglades restoration through a blend of field visits and classroom learning. It will cover relevant environmental regulations, changing federal and state legal frameworks, and policy implications. The course will cover environmental themes such as drainage and flood control, habitat connectivity, listed species, water quality standards, public lands, algae blooms, climate change, hydrology, water management, tribal rights, and working lands. This course takes place January 5-9 in the Everglades.
 
Course Concentrations:
Environmental Law (Area of Focus) More information
Environmental Law (Concentration) More information

TR

3:30 PM-5:30 PM

TBD

This 4-credit Evidence course is concerned with the law of evidence applicable in civil and criminal proceedings in the United States. The focus will be on the Federal Rules of Evidence, which now have been adopted through codification in a large majority of states. The primary method of evaluation will be a in-person timed comprehensive exam. Students will also complete 2-3 multiple choice quizzes during the course.
 
Course Concentrations:
Litigation & Dispute Resolution (Concentration) More information

W

12:15 PM-1:40 PM

TBD

The University of Miami School of Law Externship Program is a JD class that provides second-year (2L) and third-year (3L) students, in good academic standing, an opportunity to gain practical legal experience by working with corporations (in-house legal department or general counsel's office), government agencies, public interest organizations or the judiciary for academic credit. Students gain legal experience by working under the supervision of practicing lawyers, which is enhanced by a classroom component that allows students to maximize the learning opportunity. Law firms, of any size, do not qualify to serve as externship field placements. The Externship Program has two components: (1) a semester total of 135 hours at the approved externship field placement, and (2) a class that meets once per week. The works hours and classroom component must be completed concurrently. The Externship Program is an elective 3-credit course that is graded pass/fail and meets a skills graduation requirement. Students are responsible for securing your own externship placement. Please go to the Externship Program webpage where you will find information on current pre-approved placements and instructions on how to apply to each placement. You can also seek approval for a new placement that is not on the pre-approved list. You have until the end of the add/drop period to obtain an externship placement and enroll in the course. You will be enrolled in the course only after you have obtained an offer from your externship placement. For more information, please click here for the Externship Program webpage or contact Professor Jessi Tamayo (jtamayo@law.miami.edu). Enrollment is by permission of the Instructor.
https://www.law.miami.edu/iml/careers/miami-law-cdo-externship-program 
Course Concentrations:
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Area of Focus) More information
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Concentration) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information
Transactional Law (Area of Focus) More information
Transactional Law (Concentration) More information

W

12:15 PM-1:40 PM

TBD

The University of Miami School of Law Externship Program is a JD class that provides second-year (2L) and third-year (3L) students, in good academic standing, an opportunity to gain practical legal experience by working with corporations (in-house legal department or general counsel's office), government agencies, public interest organizations or the judiciary for academic credit. Students gain legal experience by working under the supervision of practicing lawyers, which is enhanced by a classroom component that allows students to maximize the learning opportunity. Law firms, of any size, do not qualify to serve as externship field placements. The Externship Program has two components: (1) a semester total of 135 hours at the approved externship field placement, and (2) a class that meets once per week. The works hours and classroom component must be completed concurrently. The Externship Program is an elective 3-credit course that is graded pass/fail and meets a skills graduation requirement. Students are responsible for securing your own externship placement. Please go to the Externship Program webpage where you will find information on current pre-approved placements and instructions on how to apply to each placement. You can also seek approval for a new placement that is not on the pre-approved list. You have until the end of the add/drop period to obtain an externship placement and enroll in the course. You will be enrolled in the course only after you have obtained an offer from your externship placement. For more information, please click here for the Externship Program webpage or contact Professor Jessi Tamayo (jtamayo@law.miami.edu). Enrollment is by permission of the Instructor.
 
Course Concentrations:
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information
Transactional Law (Area of Focus) More information
Transactional Law (Concentration) More information

W

12:15 PM-1:40 PM

TBD

The University of Miami School of Law Externship Program is a JD class that provides second-year (2L) and third-year (3L) students, in good academic standing, an opportunity to gain practical legal experience by working with corporations (in-house legal department or general counsel's office), government agencies, public interest organizations or the judiciary for academic credit. Students gain legal experience by working under the supervision of practicing lawyers, which is enhanced by a classroom component that allows students to maximize the learning opportunity. Law firms, of any size, do not qualify to serve as externship field placements. The Externship Program has two components: (1) a semester total of 135 hours at the approved externship field placement, and (2) a class that meets once per week. The works hours and classroom component must be completed concurrently. The Externship Program is an elective 3-credit course that is graded pass/fail and meets a skills graduation requirement. Students are responsible for securing your own externship placement. Please go to the Externship Program webpage where you will find information on current pre-approved placements and instructions on how to apply to each placement. You can also seek approval for a new placement that is not on the pre-approved list. You have until the end of the add/drop period to obtain an externship placement and enroll in the course. You will be enrolled in the course only after you have obtained an offer from your externship placement. For more information, please click here for the Externship Program webpage or contact Professor Jessi Tamayo (jtamayo@law.miami.edu). Enrollment is by permission of the Instructor.
 
Course Concentrations:
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information
Transactional Law (Area of Focus) More information
Transactional Law (Concentration) More information

The D.C. externship program provides students with an opportunity to learn multiple dimensions of lawyering through integration of real-world practice experience and academic inquiry. The D.C. Externship seeks to expose students, in particular, to the landscape of legal practice within government and non-profit agencies that operate in Washington, D.C. Under the supervision of a licensed attorney, students do their fieldwork at approved externship placements in a diverse range of litigation, transactional and policy settings. The classroom component of the course focuses on legal skills, ethics, theory and professional development to enhance the student’s learning in the real world practice setting. It probes students to reflect upon what it means to be an effective lawyer in the particular practice setting and how to maximize the externship experience. The course also includes a mandatory visit to the Unites States Supreme Court and Capitol Hill. Students may take the course for up to 6 credits provided the student has not already taken an externship at Miami Law. Students are responsible for securing their own externship for the course. For questions about enrollment and to register, please contact the Externship Program Director, Professor Jessi Tamayo at jtamayo@law.miami.edu.
 

The D.C. externship program provides students with an opportunity to learn multiple dimensions of lawyering through integration of real-world practice experience and academic inquiry. The D.C. Externship seeks to expose students, in particular, to the landscape of legal practice within government and non-profit agencies that operate in Washington, D.C. Under the supervision of a licensed attorney, students do their fieldwork at approved externship placements in a diverse range of litigation, transactional and policy settings. The classroom component of the course focuses on legal skills, ethics, theory and professional development to enhance the student’s learning in the real world practice setting. It probes students to reflect upon what it means to be an effective lawyer in the particular practice setting and how to maximize the externship experience. The course also includes a mandatory visit to the Unites States Supreme Court and Capitol Hill. Students may take the course for up to 9 credits provided the student has not already taken an externship at Miami Law. Students are responsible for securing their own externship for the course. For questions about enrollment and to register, please contact the Externship Program Director, Professor Jessi Tamayo at jtamayo@law.miami.edu.
 

WF

10:40 AM-12:10 PM

TBD

This class will cover the state’s regulation of family life and resolution of private arrangements or disputes among family members including entry into marriage, legal treatment of cohabitants and same sex couples, divorce, alimony, custody, visitation, child support and adoption. The course serves as an introduction for students considering family law practice, a national overview for those generally interested in family law issues, and will cover Florida law on commonly tested topics for those taking the Florida bar.
https://youtu.be/mWk0lWJX8X4 
Course Concentrations:
Immigration, Asylum, and Citizenship Law Area of Focus (Area of Focus) More information

T

5:40 PM-7:40 PM

TBD

This course will expose students to legal and business issues affecting the fashion industry in the United States and around the world, with an emphasis on preparing students to practice law in the fashion industry, or to identify issues that arise in connection with the representation of clients pursuing branding opportunities. Topics will include protection of intellectual property, employment law, governmental regulation, retailing and licensing.
 

This one-week course introduces students to the legal and business issues involved in representing models and fashion talent. Through the examination of real-world agreements, drafting exercises, and a multi-session negotiation simulation, students will explore agency and management relationships, campaign and endorsement agreements, intellectual property rights, and emerging issues affecting the fashion industry. The course emphasizes practical lawyering skills, including contract drafting, negotiation, client counseling, and strategic problem solving, through experiential, simulation-based learning.
 

MW

9:00 AM-10:30 AM

TBD

The study of the Federal Courts law tracks American legal, political and economic history and development. The Federal courts have been intimately involved in many of the most controversial moments in American history. The study of federal courts forces us to think seriously about the role of courts and litigation in policymaking. This issue animates the central questions of this course. We begin with an assessment of the conditions under which courts an exercise judicial review. We will also examine the federal courts’ interaction with other branches of government, including the expansion and contraction of judicial jurisdiction across American history. Finally, we will examine the interaction between the federal courts and state courts. Specifically, we will address issues of justiciability that expand on those introduced in Constitutional Law. We will focus on federal subject matter jurisdiction to a wider extent than that introduced in Civil Procedure. We will also engage the Erie doctrine in more detail. We will spend time on Section 1983 litigation, abstention, habeas review and other topics central to litigating in federal courts. In examining these specifics, we will engage theoretical questions related to the relationship between the federal courts and other national-level institutions and the relationship between the federal courts and the states.
 
Course Concentrations:
Litigation & Dispute Resolution (Concentration) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

This course examines the substantive, procedural and tactical aspects of the criminal aspects of the federal tax system. The IRS and the Justice Department prosecute criminal tax cases each year involving a variety of fact patterns, from the simple, such as the failure to file tax returns or report income, to the complex, such as the implementation by tax advisors of unlawful tax schemes. An understanding of the criminal tax enforcement function is important to any tax lawyer doing controversy work, tax planners who might work on sophisticated planning issues, and practitioners in the international area. Topics will include i) the nature and types of criminal tax offenses, ii) government processes and policies underlying criminal tax enforcement cases, iii) the prosecution and defense of criminal tax cases from inception through trial, iv) plea bargaining and sentencing in tax cases, v) the intersections between civil and criminal tax compliance and enforcement, vi) the IRS voluntary disclosure policy, and vii) ethics issues relating to criminal tax cases. Course materials will include selected Code provisions, cases, and government policy and procedures. Federal Income Tax and Criminal Law are prerequisites for this course.
 

Tax is so pervasive that you risk malpractice if you skip it. This course introduces the basic concepts of, and helps students learn to solve problems with, the federal tax code and regulations. Subjects include: whether, to whom, and when income is subject to taxation; capital recovery; business deductions; and capital gains.
The course is more an English than a math course, is not designed for students with a strong tax background, assumes no business or accounting knowledge, and has two fundamental purposes: first, to teach basic tax avoidance strategies; and second, to help students learn to use statutory materials to solve legal problems.
This is a unique, rigorous, assignment-based, online, asynchronous course centered on approximately three hours of weekly session videos which open each Friday morning, preceded by detailed class prep assignments due midnight Thursday, and followed by wider-ranging post-video assignments due Tuesdays. Save for the 3-hour multiple-choice final exam proctored in-person at Miami Law the course could be taken from anywhere on earth with an appropriate Internet connection.
Note: we will be using the 20th edition of the casebook.
 
Course Concentrations:
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Area of Focus) More information
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Concentration) More information
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information
Transactional Law (Concentration) More information

MT

1:50 PM-3:20 PM

TBD

This course presents an intensive survey of U.S. federal income taxation. It focuses particularly on the areas of U.S. federal income taxation relevant to students who intend to pursue advanced study in corporate law or business transactions. It also is intended to satisfy the needs of students who intend to pursue advanced study in taxation, including an LLM in taxation or a tax-related area. Topics to be covered include: the computation of adjusted gross income and taxable income; important basic types of income such as compensation income and gains and losses from property transactions; deductions related to business and investment, including those related to management fees, depreciation and interest; and the special treatment of capital gains and losses. The course will also provide a brief overview of business entity taxation. Other topics that may be covered if time permits include the deduction for charitable contributions and the taxation of life insurance and individual retirement accounts.
 
Course Concentrations:
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Area of Focus) More information
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Concentration) More information
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information
Transactional Law (Concentration) More information

R

3:30 PM-5:30 PM

TBD

Financial markets have undergone a dramatic digital transformation over the last half a century, a phenomenon referred to today as “fintech.” Consumers can open bank accounts, take out loans, invest and make payments, all through a simple app on their mobile phones. These apps are increasingly powered by advanced artificial intelligence systems, and large volumes of data. As with all advances in technology, fintech is a double-edged sword. It plays an important role in enabling the expansion of financial markets and contributing to economic growth. But it also presents risks. They include distributional risks, such as increased algorithmic discrimination and exploitation of vulnerable consumers, and macroeconomic risks, such as faster credit expansions. Legal and regulatory frameworks play a key role in managing these risks and shaping the economic and social outcomes due to fintech, and financial markets.

This course will examine the rise of consumer fintech in the U.S., from the growth of credit reporting agencies and credit scoring in the latter part of the 20th century to recent developments such as cryptocurrency and “buy now pay later” lending, as well as the technological, political, and socio-legal drivers of these developments. The course will introduce students to different normative frameworks for analyzing the relationship between law, markets, technology, and the political economy. The course will use these analytical frameworks to critically examine the key existing laws and regulations that govern consumer financial markets, and new modalities for fintech regulation. The course plugs into broader debates on social and racial justice, surveillance capitalism, algorithmic and stakeholder governance.

Note that this is an advanced course that requires students to engage with advanced legal and economic scholarship on fintech and consumer finance. To be eligible for this course, students must also enroll in Consumer Finance Law. Students can satisfy the essay assessment requirements for both this course and Consumer Finance Law by writing one longer, combined essay, or two shorter essays.
 

W

7:50 PM-9:50 PM

TBD

Florida’s Rules of Civil Procedure provide the procedural framework for every case as it proceeds from the filing of the initial Complaint to a summary disposition or a trial. A firm understanding of the rules will not only help you to pass the Florida Bar and become a lawyer in the first place, but more importantly it will help you turn potential procedural obstacles into advantages as you embark on your legal practice. The emphasis in this course will be on the practical side of litigating cases in state court in Florida. The course will include an in-depth review of the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure by studying the rules themselves as well as the salient Florida case law applying them.
 
Course Concentrations:
Litigation & Dispute Resolution (Concentration) More information

T

5:40 PM-8:40 PM

TBD

This Florida Constitutional Law course will examine the State of Florida’s constitution in the context of federalism in the United States and in the context of Florida’s unique history. Special emphasis will be given to the distinctive role of state constitutions in a system of dual sovereignty, to the particular values and concerns of Florida’s citizens reflected in policy choices in Florida’s constitution, and to the wide-ranging constitutional limitations placed on the inherent powers of the state. The course will focus on separation of powers among three branches; the state court system, powers and jurisdiction; legislative powers and limitations; executive branch powers; tax and public finance; homestead protection from creditors; local government; public education; elections; and special individual rights and protections under the Florida Constitution, including broad privacy rights and the right of access to courts.
 

TR

6:00 PM-7:15 PM

Non-Law

This course will provide an overview of environmental policy at the state and local level in Florida. The course will include an analysis of relevant law, policy, and emerging issues for Florida-specific environments, focusing on environmental themes that are of particular importance to marine professionals, such as: Everglades restoration, coral reef protection, fish and wildlife management, watershed and land management, invasive and listed species, waste management, energy, and climate change policies.
 
Course Concentrations:
Environmental Law (Area of Focus) More information
Environmental Law (Concentration) More information

This course provides an overview of the critical role forensic accounting, computer forensics, and electronic discovery (eDiscovery) play in modern family law matters. As divorce cases become increasingly complex, professionals must understand how financial records and digital evidence can be identified, preserved, analyzed, and utilized throughout the litigation process. The financial forensic accounting portion of the course will focus on techniques used to uncover and analyze financial issues commonly encountered in divorce proceedings, including asset tracing, income analysis, business interests, lifestyle analysis, hidden assets, and potential financial misrepresentations. Participants will learn how forensic accountants evaluate financial disclosures, identify inconsistencies, and assist attorneys and courts in understanding complex financial matters. The computer forensics and eDiscovery portion will explore the importance of electronically stored information (ESI) and digital evidence in family law cases. Topics include preservation of digital records, mobile devices, cloud-based information, metadata, and the recovery and analysis of electronic data that may be relevant during the discovery process. The course will also highlight common red flags in divorce investigations, including unusual financial activity, undisclosed accounts, asset transfers, income manipulation, destruction of records, and other indicators of potential concealment. Through practical examples and real-world scenarios, participants will gain insight into how forensic professionals identify issues, support legal strategies, and provide assistance in family law disputes.
 

R

5:40 PM-7:40 PM

TBD

This is the second installment in a two-semester simulation of arbitral proceedings, covering all practical aspects of an investment arbitration from the genesis of a dispute to a plenary hearing. The Spring course segment covers the hearing phase, including pre-hearing preparation, oral arguments, and witness examination. The intensive Course will incorporate frequent practical exercises, including the preparation of facts and expert witnesses, negotiation of contentious issues, oral advocacy, and drafting. Students will act in the roles of arbitrators, counsel, and witnesses. Completion of “Forensics of Advocacy I” (D. González and L. Sobota) in the Fall semester is recommended to enroll.
 
Course Concentrations:
Litigation & Dispute Resolution (Concentration) More information

WF

10:40 AM-12:10 PM

TBD

Learning to think, act, and grow as a lawyer begins here.
Foundations of Lawyering introduces first-year law students to the work of lawyers and the habits that support thoughtful and effective practice. Learning the law is only one part of learning to be a lawyer. Law students are expected to graduate law school and sit for the bar exam with a proficiency in a range of foundational lawyering skills. Lawyers must learn how to approach unfamiliar problems, exercise judgment, communicate with purpose, work with others, and take responsibility for their work.
Throughout the semester, students will learn by doing. Students will confront the kinds of questions lawyers face in practice and make decisions about how to move their work forward. Classroom discussions, practical exercises, written work, collaboration, and reflection will provide opportunities to develop skills while beginning to understand the professional responsibilities that accompany the privilege of practicing law.
Foundations of Lawyering is also an introduction to professional identity formation. Students will receive feedback, revise their work, and reflect on their own development. The goal is not to emerge from this course knowing how to handle every problem a lawyer might encounter. It is to begin building the judgment, confidence, and curiosity needed to keep learning throughout a career.
This course marks the beginning of that work.
 

W

5:40 PM-7:40 PM

FAC MTG RM

This course will help you develop advanced reasoning, writing, research, citation, and oral argument skills in the context of simulated appellate cases, including Supreme Court cases. You will (1) focus on styling and preparing briefs tailored to the demands of contemporary appellate practice, (2) learn how the components of a brief fit strategically and thematically, (3) learn to construct legal arguments using varying approaches to legal reasoning and interpretation, and (4) focus on the mechanics of good persuasive writing, such as developing themes, using headings and transitions effectively, and relying on impactful language. You will also experience opportunities to prepare for and deliver oral arguments to an appellate court. Finally, you will be challenged to consider ethical issues in appellate practice, principally involving how not to cross the line between zealous advocacy and half-truths or misrepresentations that may undermine your credibility.
 

R

5:40 PM-7:40 PM

DL

This 2- credit course is designed to enhance your understanding of the fundamental principles and framework of the United States healthcare system. This course will cover a wide range of topics including the duty to treat, malpractice, health care financing and relationship with insurance carriers, the regulation of healthcare, and hot topics such as the right to reproduction and the right to die.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the framework of the US healthcare system from a legal perspective.
2. Engage in legal reasoning, legal research, fact analysis, and critical thinking as you evaluate the applicable laws and regulations that shape US healthcare.
3. Communicate the fundamental legal concepts in health law effectively, in oral and written form
4. Understand the practical implications of the legal healthcare framework for both consumers and practitioners of law.
 
Course Concentrations:
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Area of Focus) More information
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Concentration) More information
Health Law (Area of Focus) More information

T

1:00 PM-3:00 PM

TBD

Website:
https://www.law.miami.edu/academics/clinics/health-rights-clinic 
Course Concentrations:
Health Law (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

The healthcare services landscape is shifting. Hospitals, which were the foundation of American healthcare, are reconfiguring their organizations and services. Satellite offices, acute care locations, and even pharmacies are offering more services to increasingly stratified patient consumers. This interdisciplinary course offers graduate students from across the University the opportunity to explore the complexity of health care services and the multiple perspectives from which we engage, build, and work in healthcare settings.

Participating Schools/Departments
Organized, coordinated and sponsored by the Law School, the course is taught by University of Miami professors from the College of Arts and Sciences, Miami Herbert Business School, Miller School of Medicine, School of Architecture, School of Law, and the School of Nursing and Health Studies. Topics include Patient Protection and the Affordable Care Act, The Economic, Social and Built Environment of Health Care, Achieving the Triple Aim of Healthcare (Access, Quality and Low Cost), Nursing in the 21st Century, Health Care and Technology, Ethics, AI and Access to Healthcare, Health Care Services in Global and Local Settings, and Health Risks and Access to Health Care Services in Different Occupations.

Schedule
Over the course of the semester, students are required to attend five full day Saturday classes: The first class on Saturday January 23, three (of five possible) additional Saturday classes (Jan. 30, Feb. 06, Feb. 13, Feb. 20, Feb. 27); and the final class on Saturday March 20.

Time and Location
9:00 am to 3:30 pm, Saturdays as indicated below in the Law Library, Faculty Meeting Room, 4th floor for all sessions with breakfast and lunch provided.

Students with a parking tag for any UM lot, will be able to park in any Coral Gables campus lot (including purple) on Saturdays. Students who do not have a UM parking tag and need to park on campus may contact the Course Coordinator for assistance.

Assignments
Reading assignments for the Saturday morning and afternoon sessions will be available to the students in PDF documents. Students are expected to read the papers prior to the class. The final grade will be based on a group presentation (slides) of a case study. The Course Coordinator will assign students into interdisciplinary groups of ~3 students based on the sessions they will be attending.

Classroom Policies

Class Recordings
Students are expressly prohibited from recording any part of this course. Meetings of this course might be recorded by the University. Any recordings will be available to students registered for this class as they are intended to supplement the classroom experience. Students are expected to follow appropriate University policies and maintain the security of passwords used to access recorded lectures. Recordings may not be reproduced, shared with those not enrolled in the class, or uploaded to other online environments. If the instructor or a UM office plans any other uses for the recordings beyond this class, students identifiable in the recordings will be notified to request consent prior to such use.

Disability & Accommodation
If a student has a disability or suspects that he or she may have a disability, Jessie Howell, Director of Accessibility can provide information about available opportunities, resources, and services at access@law.miami.edu.

Title IX
The University of Miami seeks to maintain a safe learning, living, and working environment free from all types of sexual misconduct including but not limited to: Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Sex- or Gender-Based Discrimination, Sexual Assault (including Sexual Battery), Sexual Exploitation, Sexual Harassment, and Stalking. For additional information about the University’s efforts to prevent, stop, and address sexual misconduct, including resources and reporting options, visit www.miami.edu/titleix or contact the University’s Title IX Office at titleixcoordinator@miami.edu.

Course Coordinator Contact Information
Drew Dawson, Vice Dean and Professor of Law, adawson@law.miami.edu; 305-284-8446
 
Course Concentrations:
Health Law (Area of Focus) More information

TR

10:40 AM-12:10 PM

TBD

The Human Rights Clinic (HRC) works for the promotion of social and economic justice globally and in the United States. Students gain firsthand experience in cutting-edge human rights litigation and advocacy at the local, national, regional, and international levels. This includes engaging with the Inter-American Court and Commission on Human Rights, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the European Court of Human Rights, the United Nations, and other tribunals. Focus areas include gender and racial justice, immigrant and Indigenous women’s rights, and the rights to housing, health, and food. HRC draws on international human rights laws and norms, along with domestic law and policy. It engages in multidimensional advocacy strategies, which include documentation and report-writing, litigation, media engagement, work with legislative and administrative bodies, campaigning, community organizing, and global networking to develop practical solutions and promote accountability on the part of state and non-state actors. In the classroom, students have the opportunity to bridge theory and practice. They critically engage with human rights law and contemporary social problems while sharpening key lawyering skills. Students examine the evolution and tools of the human rights movement, as well as ethical challenges and critiques. Students must apply to enroll in HRC (please see
https://www.law.miami.edu/academics/clinics/human-rights-clinic-requirements 
Course Concentrations:
Health Law (Area of Focus) More information

Established in 1966, ICSID is the only multilateral institution dedicated to the resolution of international investment disputes. Since registering its first case in 1972, the vast majority—over 70 percent—of international investment disputes have been administered by ICSID. This course presents unique insight into ICSID practices and procedure, covering every aspect of an ICSID proceeding from the filing of a request for arbitration to post-award remedies and enforcement. The course also focuses on the foundational topic of ICSID Jurisdiction and prominent topics in the field of investor-State dispute settlement, such as the transparency of cases, the participation of non-disputing parties, and the time and cost of proceedings. Students should have had some exposure to investor-State or international arbitration prior to registering for this course.
 
Course Concentrations:
Litigation & Dispute Resolution (Concentration) More information

TR

10:40 AM-12:10 PM

TBD

Please see link below.
http://www.law.miami.edu/clinics/?op=0 

M

5:40 PM-8:40 PM

TBD

In this course students study the income taxation of estates, trusts, and their beneficiaries; distributable net income; distribution deductions for simple trusts, complex trusts and estates; distributions in kind; the planning of funding marital trusts; post-mortem estate planning and the throwback rules; taxation of trusts for minors; charitable and foreign trusts; assignment of income; income in respect of a decedent; the grantor trust rules; and income tax basis problems. Federal Income Tax is a prerequisite for this course.
 

R

3:30 PM-4:50 PM

TBD

Please visit: www.law.miami.edu/academics/clinics/innocence-clinic
Please visit: www.law.miami.edu/academics/clinics/innocence-clinic 

MW

10:40 AM-12:10 PM

TBD

This course is intended to familiarize students with the basic elements of various types of insurance and the regulation of insurance under state and federal law. Although we will look at property, life, and automobile insurance, particular attention will be focused on liability insurance and its impact on civil litigation practice. Concepts of welfare economics will be developed and used to understand insurance contracts and the behavior of insurance institutions.
 
Course Concentrations:
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information
Health Law (Area of Focus) More information

The New York Convention of 1958 on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards provides for the international enforcement of arbitral awards and arbitration agreements. Considered as the most successful international convention in international private law, the Convention now has [AJ] 172 Contracting States and more than 2,500 court decisions interpreting and applying the Convention (as of November [AJ] 2023). The course will analyze and compare the most important ones of those decisions. It will offer a unique insight in treaty design, statutory enactments, varying court approaches, and the practice of international arbitration. The course materials will be made available at www.newyorkconvention.org.
www.newyorkconvention.org 
Course Concentrations:
Litigation & Dispute Resolution (Concentration) More information

This course covers various issues related to international arbitration in Latin America and the Caribbean. The course will also examine legal frameworks and practicalities of conducting commercial arbitration proceedings in Latin America, the current developments of handling disputes, and the application of the New York Convention in Latin America.
 
Course Concentrations:
Litigation & Dispute Resolution (Concentration) More information

T

5:40 PM-8:30 PM

TBD

This is a survey course concerned with the problems likely to be encountered when firms engage in transnational business transactions. The areas covered are: (i) sale of goods and services, (ii) establishment and management of agencies, distributorships and other strategic alliances in foreign markets, (iii) protecting and licensing intellectual property rights, (iv) the conduct of direct foreign investments, including the protection of property from expropriation and nationalization, (v) compliance with foreign exchange regulations, and competition policies especially antitrust, and with labor and environmental laws. The course also introduces the student to selective problems in transnational litigation, including suits against foreign sovereigns, service of documents abroad, discovery of evidence located abroad, the recognition of foreign judgments and the enforcement of international arbitration agreements and awards. In addition to treaties and other sources of international law, including the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements and NAFTA. We will take a comparative approach to the subject, focusing on differences in contract formation, formalities and interpretation between the civil and common law traditions.
 
Course Concentrations:
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Area of Focus) More information
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Concentration) More information
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information
Transactional Law (Area of Focus) More information
Transactional Law (Concentration) More information

WF

10:40 AM-12:10 PM

TBD

Upper Level Section: This course will examine the substantial body of human rights law that has emerged in the last 70+years, following the foundational 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It will cover international and regional human rights treaties, organizations, and bodies, including courts and tribunals. It will also look at implementation in practice and domestic application of international law. The format of the course is lectures with seminar style components and class exercises to facilitate analysis of human rights issues.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKXWQnDMA6U&list=PL5qQGzdjNpDi_7UDu6WpFaFSkb9GFXaVH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKXWQnDMA6U&list=PL5qQGzdjNpDi_7UDu6WpFaFSkb9GFXaVH 
Course Concentrations:
Immigration, Asylum, and Citizenship Law Area of Focus (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

WF

10:40 AM-12:10 PM

TBD

1L Elective Section: This course will examine the substantial body of human rights law that has emerged in the last 70+ years, following the foundational 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It will cover international and regional human rights treaties, organizations, and bodies, including courts and tribunals. It will also look at implementation in practice and domestic application of international law. The format of the course is lectures with seminar style components and class exercises to facilitate analysis of human rights issues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKXWQnDMA6U&list=PL5qQGzdjNpDi_7UDu6WpFaFSkb9GFXaVH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKXWQnDMA6U&list=PL5qQGzdjNpDi_7UDu6WpFaFSkb9GFXaVH 
Course Concentrations:
Immigration, Asylum, and Citizenship Law Area of Focus (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

WF

10:40 AM-12:10 PM

TBD

Upper Level Section: This survey course in public international law is designed to introduce you to the basics of the international legal system through examination of its fundamental elements. Our comparative approach will focus on the regime’s norms, actors and processes, especially States which are the main actors in international law. Topics covered include sources of international law (treaties, customary international law, general principles of law) along with subsidiary means for determination of rules of international law; classical participants in the international legal system (States, international organizations); non-state actors in the international legal system; and the interface of international law and US domestic law. The consideration of the latter includes monism and dualism; conflicts between US and international law; Alien Tort Statute litigation and jurisdiction. Towards the end of the course, we will study three important sub-regimes in the field, namely International Human Rights Law, International Criminal Law and International Environmental Law. Students interested in learning more about this fascinating area of the law and how to take advantage of the rich international law opportunities offered by the law school or to discuss potential career paths in this field are encouraged to see me.
 
Course Concentrations:
Environmental Law (Area of Focus) More information
Environmental Law (Concentration) More information
Immigration, Asylum, and Citizenship Law Area of Focus (Area of Focus) More information

WF

10:40 AM-12:10 PM

TBD

1L Elective Section: This survey course in public international law is designed to introduce you to the basics of the international legal system through examination of its fundamental elements. Our comparative approach will focus on the regime’s norms, actors and processes, especially States which are the main actors in international law. Topics covered include sources of international law; classical participants in the international legal system (States, international organizations); non-state actors in the international legal system; and the interface of international law and US domestic law. The course will also introduce you to the relationship between international law and US domestic law, given the separation of powers between the three branches of government and the division of powers between the federal government and the States under our Constitution. Towards the end of the course, we will study three important sub-regimes in the field, namely International Human Rights Law, International Criminal Law and the Law of the Sea. Students interested in learning more about this fascinating area of the law and how to take advantage of the rich international law opportunities offered by the law school or to discuss potential career paths in this field are encouraged to see me.
 
Course Concentrations:
Environmental Law (Area of Focus) More information
Environmental Law (Concentration) More information
Immigration, Asylum, and Citizenship Law Area of Focus (Area of Focus) More information

For the international community to consider that it has a system of law, its subjects must somehow be held responsible for breaches of legal obligations. One can hardly claim to advise on any aspect of international law -- whether the law of war, human rights, trade and investment, environmental protection -- without knowing how breaches of its supposed rules might result in liability on the part of the most relevant actors: States. International law developed as a set of rules defined by treaties or proposed by scholars and leaders interested in building an international community. But what if the treaty was breached, or the proposals ignored? For many generations, sovereigns were accountable only to God. In the 20th century, pronouncements of various international tribunals set out rules of liability and reparation in a piecemeal manner. At the dawn of the 21st Century, draft Articles on the Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts finally emerged from the UN's International Law Commission, purporting to codify international law. This course will explore where we are today.
 
Course Concentrations:
Litigation & Dispute Resolution (Concentration) More information

F

9:00 AM-10:30 AM

TBD

International Moot Court Workshop II

The International Moot Court Workshop is an experiential course that prepares members of the International Moot Court Program to compete at the highest levels of international advocacy. Students work in a simulated competition setting. They build a command of public and private international law, research tools and written submissions, and then test that knowledge before judges and practitioners.

Oral advocacy:
Oral advocacy is at the heart of the workshop. In repeated practice rounds and one-on-one coaching, students learn to build a persuasive argument and a clear roadmap for the tribunal. They practice handling hard questions from the bench and adjusting their argument on the spot. They learn to speak with precision, poise and credibility, and to manage their time, respond to opposing counsel and keep control of their argument under pressure. Each round is followed by detailed feedback, so every student leaves a better advocate than they came in.

The lawyer's soft skills:
The workshop also builds the professional skills that set lawyers apart in practice today. These include:

* Clear communication and active listening
* Teamwork and collaboration under tight deadlines
* Emotional intelligence and composure under stress
* Professional judgment, ethics and courtesy toward the tribunal and opponents
* Resilience in the face of setbacks
* The ability to give and receive constructive feedback

These skills go well beyond the competition. They shape how students will work with clients, colleagues and courts throughout their careers.

Multicultural, multilingual and multisystem advocacy:
International disputes rarely fit within one legal tradition, one language or one culture. The workshop trains students to argue in that setting. Students learn how common law and civil law lawyers differ in their reasoning, sources of authority and style of argument. They also learn how international courts and arbitral tribunals weigh treaties, custom, general principles and domestic law. They practice changing their style for judges and arbitrators from different legal and cultural backgrounds. They also learn to work with sources, and in some cases argue, in more than one language. The aim is advocacy that is technically sound and persuasive to decision-makers of any background. Graduates leave ready to work in the cross-border practice that now defines much of the legal profession.
 
Course Concentrations:
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

T

5:40 PM-7:40 PM

TBD

This course examines the income taxation of investments made outside the United States by U.S. persons, including investments in controlled foreign corporations and passive foreign investment companies; the foreign tax credit provisions; foreign derived intangible income; and cross-border reorganizations. Federal Income Tax and International: Inbound are prerequisites for this course. Corporate Tax OR Corporate Tax I and Partnership Tax are recommended before taking this course. TAX 922 Limitations on Loss Utilization Federal Income Tax is a prerequisite for this course.
 

TR

9:00 AM-10:30 AM

TBD

This course covers the fundamentals of programming logic, computational problem solving, algorithm design, and structured programming using Python. The course introduces students to program specification and design, algorithm development, coding, testing, debugging, and object-oriented programming in a modern software development environment.

Students learn fundamental programming concepts including variables and data types, control structures, functions, strings, collections and data structures, classes and methods, and basic file and data processing. Emphasis is placed on developing computational thinking and applying programming techniques to problems relevant to law, legal practice, and legal technology.

The course also introduces contemporary approaches to software development using artificial intelligence. Students gain experience with AI-assisted programming, using AI for activities such as code generation, explanation, debugging, and testing. Students are also introduced to agentic programming and AI orchestration, including the use and coordination of AI agents, tools, and workflows to accomplish specified programming objectives. Students learn to critically evaluate, test, and verify AI-generated code and systems, with attention to reliability, security, privacy, and appropriate human oversight.

Throughout the semester, problem-solving skills are emphasized through hands-on programming exercises and projects. Weekly assignments provide practical experience in designing, implementing, testing, debugging, and critically evaluating computer programs and computational workflows.
 
Course Concentrations:
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information

TR

9:00 AM-10:30 AM

TBD

The course focuses on the analysis and use of financial accounting information in the evaluation of corporate performance. The course initially demonstrates the accounting process and resulting generation of financial statements. Building on these core accounting concepts, the course emphasizes the understanding of financial statements prepared under U.S. and International Accounting Standards and the analysis of these financial statements including common size analysis, ratio analysis, the impact of taxes, and credit analysis. Completion of the course will enhance the student's ability to read, interpret and analyze financial statements for making investment, credit, acquisition and other evaluation decisions. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this course you should be able to: -Understand how transactions impact the accounting equation and thus the financial results of a company; and the role internal controls play in safeguarding assets, enhancing the reliability of these financial results and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations within an organization. -Comprehend financial accounting’s role in business. As an example, students should be able to explain how financing a business with debt vs. equity (ie. through the issuance of bonds and stocks) impact the financial statements and related ratios. -Read and understand company financial statements including the income statement, the balance sheet, the statement of changes in shareholders equity and the statement of cash flows, and the related footnote disclosures. Students should have an understanding of how these statements are prepared, what types of accounts are reflected in each statement and what the balances represent. -Understand how management’s selection of an accounting method within GAAP can influence the company’s profits and reporting. -Understand how creditors and investors use financial statements and the related disclosures to evaluate a company, including an assessment of credit and investment worthiness. Use common size analysis and ratio analysis to evaluate a company on the dimensions of liquidity, profitability and solvency and understanding the calculation and role of free cash flow.
 
Course Concentrations:
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Area of Focus) More information
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Concentration) More information
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information
Transactional Law (Area of Focus) More information
Transactional Law (Concentration) More information

This course will introduce the substance and process of Jewish law through the prism of an actual case involving biomedical ethics. We will first grapple with the facts of the case and delineate the questions and issues we need to explore. The remainder of the course will be spent analyzing Jewish-legal sources that help address those issues. We will discover that answering our questions requires us to delve into a wide and diverse selection of Jewish topics, and will expose us to all strata of Jewish-legal literature: from ancient and medieval texts through contemporary rabbinic responsa. Talmudic methodology will be used to decipher these texts and harmonize apparent contradictions. This approach will empower the class to offer their own creative interpretations and individual resolutions to the case, and will allow students to directly engage with and experience the Talmud, rather than having it described to them. Upon completion of the course, students will be expected to understand what Jewish law is, how it was developed and have the tools to approach issues of Jewish law on their own. Short Course Attendance Policy Due to the small number of meetings, attendance to all meetings/classes for short courses is mandatory. Students who miss more than one class session (80 minute) of a 1-credit short course are subject to administrative withdrawal and will have a W for the course on their transcripts.
 

W

5:40 PM-7:40 PM

TBD

The course is intended to provide a student with an understanding of American law and the American legal system. Through lectures, readings from the text, cases and statutes as well as class discussions, the student gains an appreciation of how doctrine, history and culture, have contributed to the development of the American legal system. With this understanding, the student is best able to place a case in the stream of American jurisprudence, develop persuasive arguments and improve writing skills.
 

For corporations and SEC-registered firms, allegations of potential misconduct trigger a flurry of activities and a series of choices that pose serious risks for both the company and its management. This short course will examine the legal, ethical, and practical considerations these entities face when confronting whether and how to confront those risks. Students will apply many familiar concepts (i.e., statutory/regulatory interpretation, attorney-client privilege, corporate governance, witness examination, etc.) to the investigation context. Topics covered will include: (1) the laws, regulations, and rules commonly implicated by internal investigations; (2) internal investigation strategy, stages and mechanics; (3) implications of whistleblowers, interactions with corporate boards of directors, and litigation; and (3) considerations when interfacing with governmental and regulatory bodies. Professors Yvette Ostolaza and Stephen L. Cohen have represented corporations and other firms faced with some of the most high-profile investigations both domestically and abroad and will guide students through these topics through the prism of their own extensive experience. Evaluation will be based on participation, a group presentation on a hypothetical investigation case study applying the tools learned in class, and a brief written report summarizing those findings, due two weeks after the end of the course. Short Course Attendance Policy: Due to the small number of meetings, attendance to all meetings/classes for short courses is mandatory. Students who miss more than one class session (70 minute) of a 1-credit short course are subject to administrative withdrawal and will have a W for the course on their transcripts.
 

Taught by sport industry expert and veteran Charles Baker, this course will explore the world of investing and negotiation in sports. This course is designed to provide students with an opportunity to test their investment and financial knowledge and allows for them to do so in the world of sports business, with the use of live case studies. Professor Baker brings decades of real world experience to share with students, and the course will also include weekly guest lecturers, giving students unique access to a wide array of industry leaders.
 

Investment arbitration is developing into a distinct specialization as parties increasingly rely on arbitration provisions in Foreign Investment Legislation, Bilateral Investment Treaties as well as such instruments as the Energy Charter Treaty, the Washington Convention and NAFTA for mechanisms to settle disputes between states and investors. The number of cases has grown exponentially in the past decade, and new doctrines are being developed. This course will provide an overview of these new concepts as well as examining the specificity of a State as a party to an arbitration.
 

T

3:30 PM-5:30 PM

TBD

Please see link below:
http://law.miami.edu/clinics/?op=0 

M

8:30 AM-10:30 AM

TBD

This seminar will explore the relationship between intellectual property rights (IP) and cultural heritage, focusing on traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions. We will explore the human rights and human development dimensions of IP and the implications of these alternative approaches to IP for the protection of indigenous knowledge and intangible cultural heritage. As part of this discussion, we will also consider the activities of the World Intellectual Property Organization and the World Trade Organization.
 

This course will provide students with an understanding of the writing formats and styles unique to the judiciary. This course will especially appeal to any student who seeks a judicial clerkship. This course will expose students to the difference between advocacy and judicial writing, as well as, between a trial judge and an appellate judge writing. Students will be introduced to the trial/appellate process as it relates to the judiciary and which documents are produced from the judiciary at each stage of the process. Through a series of writing assignments—the bench memo, order, and majority opinions—students will learn the techniques of judicial writing and the different writing styles that are employed by the diverse judiciary across the nation. Additionally, students will learn to achieve clarity of expression in a style that is simple and understandable to those who read judicial documents. This 2-credit class will satisfy Miami Law's graduation writing requirement. The final writing assignment will consist of a 20-30 page majority opinion.
 
Course Concentrations:
Litigation & Dispute Resolution (Concentration) More information

MW

10:40 AM-12:10 PM

DL

This course focuses on the National Labor Relations Act, which governs union organizing, collective bargaining, and the exercise of economic pressure strategies by employees (strikes, pickets, boycotts) and employers (lockouts). The class will focus on the age-old conflict between labor and management and attempts by the federal government to encourage a system of collective bargaining through which labor peace and industrial stability are achieved. Through the study of labor law, the course will tackle issues of statutory interpretation, administrative law, and constitutional law. The materials are not intended to cover the legal rights of individual employees outside of the NLRA. Instead, that material is covered in Employment Law and/or Employment Discrimination classes. To enroll in this class, students must have completed Contract Law and Constitutional Law.

Please Note: Although this course is offered online, students are required to take the final exam in person at Miami Law.
 
Course Concentrations:
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Area of Focus) More information
Business Compliance and Sustainability (Concentration) More information
Immigration, Asylum, and Citizenship Law Area of Focus (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

M

12:50 PM-3:00 PM

A110A

AI & Law Practicum II builds upon the foundational work established in AI & Law Practicum I, offering students the opportunity to bring the knowledge, skills, and experience they gained to further develop AI and Law projects. This advanced practicum maintains a hands-on, project-based approach. Students will continue working on their various initiatives that showed promise during Practicum I, with an emphasis on refinement, deployment, and scalability. This course represents an advanced opportunity to lead a change in the field of AI and Law. Teaching Methods • Weekly supervised project sessions. • Work in collaboration with the Miami Law & AI Lab team. • Regular feedback to refine and improve AI and Law projects. • Guest lectures and AI skills workshops with professionals from academia and industry. Online Platform The course will distribute the syllabus and class materials through Blackboard. Communication and project collaboration will be facilitated through email. Classes will take place in person. Project supervision may be in person or via Zoom. Course Materials - All course materials, including software, datasets, and reading materials, will be provided at no cost to the students.
 

R

3:30 PM-6:30 PM

TBD

This course explores the relationship between law and society, in the United States and throughout the world. Although the main disciplinary approach of the course is sociological, it also includes anthropological, political, historical and geographical approaches to understand this relationship between law and society. The course will cover hopeful perspectives that depict law as a tool for the improvement of humanity and others that represent it as a mechanism of hegemony and oppression. Therefore, this course is comparative in scope and both interdisciplinary and critical in its approach.

It provides students with an overview of different theories seeking to explain the general structure of the legal system, its efficacy, as well as compliance with and resistance to the law. Under what conditions and why, do people obey the law? How is compliance related to culture, power, and utilitarian analyses? When do States and organizations implement the laws on the books?

Finally, this course also analyzes the intentional and unintended consequences of legal institutions and process. How does law serve to maintain power and when does it help to promote social change? How does the law affect different social groups?

By the end of the semester students should expect to have a general knowledge of the main theories and problems of law and social science, understand how different social sciences approach such questions and identify some of their strengths and weaknesses.

The course will be conducted as a seminar. Depending on the number of readings assigned for that day, one or more students will present the reading(s) providing a short synthesis, addressing the questions provided by the instructor, and presenting any other questions they deem relevant. Presentations will last for 20-25 minutes, followed by a short comment by the professor, and then we will open the discussion. Every student in the class must present the readings at least once.

This course is a reading seminar that meets for a 3 hour/week class period each week over the semester and carries the expectation that students will work on course learning activities (reading, writing, assignments, studying, etc.) for at least 6 hours out of classroom for every week.
 
Course Concentrations:
Social Justice & Public Interest (Area of Focus) More information
Social Justice & Public Interest (Concentration) More information

R

3:30 PM-5:30 PM

TBD

Skills Requirement Section:This seminar will study the modern law firm in both private and public sector contexts. Topics will include the history, culture, economics, and sociology of the law firm across the landscape of the legal services industry spanning for-profit firms (small, medium, and large), nonprofit organizations (legal aid and public interest), government agencies (federal, state, and local), prosecutors and public defenders, and in-house corporate law departments. Course materials will address the business and ethics of legal services delivery and management.
 
Course Concentrations:
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information

R

3:30 PM-5:30 PM

TBD

Writing Requirement Section: This seminar will study the modern law firm in both private and public sector contexts. Topics will include the history, culture, economics, and sociology of the law firm across the landscape of the legal services industry spanning for-profit firms (small, medium, and large), nonprofit organizations (legal aid and public interest), government agencies (federal, state, and local), prosecutors and public defenders, and in-house corporate law departments. Course materials will address the business and ethics of legal services delivery and management.
 
Course Concentrations:
The Business of Innovation, Law and Technology: BILT (Concentration) More information

MW

1:50 PM-3:20 PM

TBD

The sea covers two-thirds of our planet. The survival of life as we know it depends on the sea. Who may use it? Who may extract its resources? Who controls it? Who has the duty to protect it? What is the impact of global warming and rising sea levels? This course examines the history and content of the law of the sea, one of the original and most important branches of international law. With our principal focus on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and related treaties, including a new treaty on biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, we will consider the use of the sea for security, economic, and other purposes, including navigation, overflight, telecommunications, fishing, oil and gas extraction, hard mineral mining, recreation, research, intelligence, treasure hunting, migration, smuggling, piracy, terrorism, and law enforcement. In doing so, we will focus on how jurisdiction and control over these activities is allocated among the nations of the world individually and collectively through international and regional organizations. We will also take a closer look at recent challenges, such as attacks on navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, tensions in the South China Sea, and the possibility of deep seabed mining outside the international framework.
 
Course Concentrations:
Environmental Law (Area of Focus) More information
Environmental Law (Concentration) More information

MW

1:50 PM-3:20 PM

TBD

Lawyers are required to stay abreast of the benefits and risks of all applicable technology. The majority of States have extended the duty of competence in their ethics rules to include competence in relevant technology. This course will look at technology being used in law practice today. We will examine the tools themselves as well as concerns and precautions necessary in using them. Examples of specific resources covered include practice management software, eDiscovery, information security, legal analytics, artificial intelligence, and more. Students will have hands-on experience using technology, and they will understand how to evaluate new technology, identify new trends in technology, and incorporate technology into law practice. Students will also learn to identify the ethical implications of the relevant technology.
 

W

5:40 PM-7:40 PM

TBD

This course will continue to develop your legal reasoning, writing, research, and oral argument skills in the context of client advocacy. This course builds on foundational skills taught in Legal Communication and Research Skills I, moving from objective writing to persuasive writing and oral advocacy. You will prepare documents tailored to the demands of contemporary legal practice, research advanced legal issues, and collaborate with colleagues to achieve the best results for your client. You will also continue to receive training in professionalism, professional correspondence, and other essential communication skills.
 

R

8:30 AM-10:30 AM

TBD

This course will continue to develop your legal reasoning, writing, research, and oral argument skills in the context of client advocacy. This course builds on foundational skills taught in Legal Communication and Research Skills I, moving from objective writing to persuasive writing and oral advocacy. You will prepare documents tailored to the demands of contemporary legal practice, research advanced legal issues, and collaborate with colleagues to achieve the best results for your client. You will also continue to receive training in professionalism, professional correspondence, and other essential communication skills.
 

TR

1:50 PM-3:20 PM

TBD

This course will focus on teaching legal research skills to prepare students for the challenges they will face in legal practice. Students will develop effective research skills, and an in-depth knowledge of the research tools. Specifically, this course will expose students to research methods and strategies that are employed in practice to effectively and efficiently research using secondary sources, statutes, cases, regulations, legislative materials, and practice materials, utilizing both current and emerging legal research tools and technology. The course will also review legal authority, how it is organized, and how to access it efficiently.
 

W

8:30 AM-10:30 AM

TBD

This two-credit advanced writing course will help students continue developing their writing, research, and oral advocacy skills. Students will learn from a combination of individualized feedback and practice exercises as they follow the life of a civil case from client intake through the Motion to Dismiss stage. The course will also provide the opportunity to attend oral arguments and learn from guest lecturers. All readings will be provided on Canvas.
 

T

3:30 PM-5:30 PM

TBD

This intensive writing course is designed to prepare students for entry into the highly competitive world of judicial clerkships and internships. The course is a combination of advanced legal writing, applied civil procedure, judicial ethics, and trial advocacy. Taking a general approach rather than focusing on any individual judge’s practices and procedures, the course teaches how to conduct legal research, identify material issues, summarize complex arguments, and interact with judges. After an introductory session covering the court structure and professionalism, class meetings will alternate between guest lectures from judges (joining the classroom via Zoom) and substantive writing lessons. Students will work as clerks on two hypothetical cases, one based on a civil matter in state court and one based on a criminal matter in federal court. For each case, students will research and write a bench memo to the judge. Students will also learn from judges throughout the country, who will share their advice for future clerks and attorneys. For three of those guest lectures, students will write an email to their hypothetical case judge describing the lecture. By the end of the course, students will have a deeper understanding of clerkships and internships, as well as two practice-oriented papers.
 

W

8:30 AM-10:30 AM

TBD

Sanctions & Settlements is an upper-level writing course focused on the numerous ways attorneys can end a litigation without the traditional motion to dismiss, motion for summary judgment, or trial verdict. The first several weeks of the course will be devoted to students writing a motion for case-ending sanctions. Students will write this motion in pieces, allowing for detailed professor feedback. The course will then shift to settlement strategies and related writings. Class discussions will focus on writing techniques, substantive law, and persuasive advocacy. At the conclusion of this course, students should have a solid foundation on how to develop and implement any number of ways to end what is often time-consuming, costly, and stressful litigation for their clients.