Course Descriptions

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Family Law Seminar (LWFC543)

Instructor(s): Michael Kelly, Staff

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

This Seminar will focus on student papers prepared by students and presented to the class.  The course will begin with some basic material on Family Law and Community Property in preparation for student presentations, allowing students to take the Seminar even if they have not yet taken either course. Students should quickly identify their paper topic and prepare a draft suitable for the class by middle of the semester.  Students may pursue any topic of interest to them that falls within the scope of the seminar, including (but not limited to) any aspect of:  Community Property; Marital (or Non-Marital) Dissolution, Disputes, or Formation; Child Custody, Visitation, or Support; and proposed improvements to the law governing any of these topics.

Federal Estate & Gift Taxation (LWTE530)

Instructor(s): Miranda Perry Fleischer

3 credit(s), Letter Graded
Concentration(s): Taxation (LLMUS), LLM in Taxation (LLMT), Taxation (MSLS)

This survey course provides an introduction to the federal estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes, with attention to the treatment of various types of inter vivos and testamentary dispositions. Students who enroll in this course should already have taken Tax I (Federal Income Taxation).Trusts & Estates is recommended but not required.

Federal Tax Clinic I (LWVL555)

Instructor(s): Richard Carpenter

2-4 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Taxation (LLMUS), LLM in Taxation (LLMT)
Prerequisite(s): Tax I

This is a hands-on clinical course for students who wish to develop tax controversy skills. Students working under the supervision of the Tax Clinic supervising attorney will represent low income taxpayers in resolving their tax disputes with the IRS. Students will learn client interviewing skills, how to interact with IRS personnel, and how to effectively resolve a client’s federal tax dispute.

Federal Tax Clinic II (LWVL556)

Instructor(s): Richard Carpenter

1-4 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Taxation (LLMUS), LLM in Taxation (LLMT)
Prerequisite(s): Tax I

Federal Tax Clinic II interns refine their tax controversy legal skills by working on more complex tax clinic cases. Students may also have additional opportunities to appear in Tax Court or administrative IRS tax proceedings, depending upon their case assignments.

Federal Tax Procedure (LWTE535)

Instructor(s): Ronson Shamoun

2 credit(s), Letter Graded
Concentration(s): Taxation (LLMUS), LLM in Taxation (LLMT), Taxation (MSLS)

In our Federal Tax Procedure class, we will review IRS tax audits, appeals, assessments, penalties, collections, and the many practical and ethical issues that arise when representing taxpayers in civil tax controversies.

Finance & Accounting for Lawyers (LWBC555)

Instructor(s): Brian Brinig

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)

Much of the practice of law relates to financial issues. This two-credit course deals with understanding and analyzing financial statements, basic business valuation techniques and their importance in litigation matters, economic damages calculations (both personal injury and business damages), and concepts of present value. Understanding these financial concepts is critical to lawyers who encounter them daily in their practices. The course is designed for the student who does not have a sophisticated background in accounting or finance.

Fundamentals of Bar Exam Writing (LWGC520)

Instructor(s): Allison Simkin

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

Fundamentals of Bar Exam Writing (FBEW) addresses two components of the bar exam: the performance test and the essays. This course develops your bar writing skills and provides you with strategies and approaches to improve bar exam essay and performance test writing. You will be reintroduced to bar exam components and topics learned previously in other classes and focus on the structure and details of bar essay and performance test writing. You will cultivate techniques to analyze and solve bar essays and performance tests and communicate legal analysis in writing. You will practice under timed test-like conditions, among other in-class activities devoted to developing your writing and self-analysis skills. You will receive specific grading and feedback on your written work throughout. The course includes learning how to conduct self evaluation of your own work.