Fall 2025 Class Descriptions: Electives
Employment Law (LWPP537)
Instructor(s): Orly Lobel
4 credit(s), Letter Graded
Concentration(s): Employment and Labor Law (JD), Public Interest Law (JD), Employment and Labor Law (LLMG)
This course offers students an overview of the important legal issues that are raised in the context of the employment relationship. We will discuss employment as a contractual agreement, including tort and statutory protections, such as wrongful discharge, wage and hour laws (FLSA), leave (e.g., FMLA), safety (OSHA and workers comp), unemployment insurance, discrimination (Title VII; ADA; ADEA), privacy and freedom of speech, and intellectual property issues such as R&D ownership, trade secrets and non-competition clauses. Throughout the course, student will be able to deepen their study of contract law, torts, and statutory and regulatory processes through the context of the law of the workplace.
Note: This is a required course for the Employment and Labor Law Concentration (JD).
Energy Law & Policy (LWPP540)
Instructor(s): Carrie Downey
3 credit(s), Letter Graded
Concentration(s): Environmental and Energy Law (JD), Environmental and Energy Law (LLMUS), Environmental and Energy Law (LLMG), Environmental and Energy Law (MSLS)
In today's internet driven world, virtually every device, person, entity, and country requires some form of energy to survive. How, where, and who produces, sells, delivers, regulates, or taxes the energy you use is based on a mix of state, national and international laws, regulations, policies, and even treaties that practitioners must help their clients navigate while addressing various environmental, economic, and engineering challenges. Energy Law & Policy introduces students to the legal, regulatory, and environmental concepts relevant to the U.S. electricity and natural gas markets. The course will examine the connection between energy and climate change and the range of market-based solutions considered at the state, regional, and federal levels in the U.S. Our classes are like lunch meetings they are highly interactive sessions held in a conference room, meeting-style setting designed to encourage an open discussion of substantive energy, environmental, and climate policy and practice related issues among classmates, guest lecturers, and professors. Students also will gain hands-on experience drafting a short pleading for submission to a regulatory agency, a client memo, and making a substantive group presentation.
Either this course or Climate Change Law & Policy must be taken as a required course for the Environmental & Energy Law Concentration (JD).
Note:
All students should have completed or should be enrolled concurrently in a course on legal research and writing (or its equivalent) before/while taking this course. Alternatively, an MSLS or international exchange student may register for the course if the professor(s) receives and approves the student's writing sample.
Estate Planning Seminar (LWGC519)
Instructor(s): Adam Hirsch
3 credit(s), Letter Graded
Requirement(s): Writing
Corequisite(s): Trusts & Estates
The course covers topics in estate planning, including substantive planning strategies for beneficiaries with special needs, strategies for avoiding will contests, and basic tax planning. Students undertake will criticism exercises and are required to produce two drafts of a substantial research paper on a topic in the area of inheritance law, trust law, transfer taxation, or estate planning. Each student will present the first draft to the class for a substantive discussion and constructive analysis. The final draft is due at the end of the semester. Successful completion of this course satisfies the written-work requirement.
Evidence (LWLP529)
Instructor(s): Michael Devitt, Rebecca Talbott
4 credit(s), Letter Graded
Concentration(s): Civil Litigation (JD), Criminal Litigation (JD), Criminal Law (LLMUS), Criminal Law (LLMG), Criminal Law (MSLS)
The rules of evidence in judicial tribunals, focusing on the Federal Rules of Evidence and the California Evidence Code are addressed in this course. Also covered are issues relating to: (1) judicial control and administration - functions of judge and jury, judicial notice, burden of proof presumptions, problems of relevancy, circumstantial evidence, and unfair prejudice; and (2) witnesses - competency, privileges, principles of examination and cross-examination, impeachment and support, expert and lay opinion testimony. The hearsay rule and its exceptions, rules relating to writings, real and scientific evidence are also examined.
Note: This is a required course for the Civil Litigation (JD) and Criminal Litigation (JD) concentrations.