Course Descriptions

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Family Law (LWFC540)

Instructor(s): Leah Boucek

3 credit(s), Letter Graded
Concentration(s): Children's Rights (JD)

This open-enrollment course surveys the constitutional and legislative doctrine and the adjudication frameworks related to traditional family-law topics: marriage and divorce; marital property regimes; parent and child, including child custody, termination of parental rights, and adoption; family support rights; and rights of children. The course will be organized generally in relation to the California Family Code.

Note:

This is a required course for the Children's Rights Concentration (JD).

Federal Courts (LWPP545)

Instructor(s): Kenneth Lee

2 credit(s), Letter Graded
Concentration(s): Civil Litigation (JD), Public Interest Law (JD)

This course will study features of the constitutional law of the federal judiciary.  Specific topics
may include subjects such as these: justiciability doctrines (standing, mootness, etc.), the
constitutional scope of the courts’ federal question jurisdiction, Congressional control over the
federal courts’ jurisdiction, the Eleventh Amendment, abstention doctrines that restrict the
courts’ actions even in cases in which they have jurisdiction, and federal common law. This
course is co-taught by law professor Steve Smith and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Justice
Kenneth Lee.

Financial Accounting for Tax (LWTE533)

Instructor(s): Staff

2 credit(s), Letter Graded
Concentration(s): Business and Corporate Law (JD), LLM in Business and Corporate Law (LLMB), Business and Corporate Law (LLMUS), Taxation (LLMUS), LLM in Taxation (LLMT), Business and Corporate Law (MSLS), Taxation (MSLS)
Prerequisite(s): Tax I
Recommended Class(es): Corporate Tax

The course will cover basic tax accounting principles, such as temporary and permanent differences, current and non-current tax expense, and deferred tax assets and liabilities.  The course will also go over what constitutes an income tax, the accounting rules for different types of legal entities including the accrual of deferred taxes for investment in such entities, along with accounting for business combinations, valuation allowances, tax law changes, and tax reserves.  Students will be introduced to the basics of financial statements.  As each of these subject matters are covered, the implications to specific business matters will be identified and analyzed.

Fundamentals of Bar Exam Writing (LWGC520)

Instructor(s): Michael Brooks, Staff

2 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded

Fundamentals of Bar Exam Writing addresses two components of the bar exam: the performance test and the essay portion. This course develops bar writing skills and imparts strategies and approaches to improve bar exam essay and performance test writing. Students are introduced to bar exam components and topics, and quickly move on to focus on the structure and details of bar essay writing and performance test drafting using highly tested areas of law from actual past bar exam questions. Students will cultivate techniques to analyze and solve bar essays and performance tests and communicate legal analysis in writing. Students will practice under timed test-like conditions, among other in-class activities devoted to developing writing and self-analysis skills. Students receive specific grading and feedback on their written work throughout the course. The course includes self and peer review, as well as professor-student conferencing as needed. Grading is on the H/P/LP/F scale. Students may be withdrawn from the course and/or given a failing grade for missing more than two classes, failing to turn in any written assignments on time, or failing to complete any practice examination.