School of Law
Graduation requirements and regulations for every academic program are provided in this catalog; however, this catalog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract. Degree and program requirements and course descriptions are subject to change.
In most cases, you will use the catalog of the year you entered KU (see your advisor for details). Other years’ catalogs»
The School of Law
The School of Law is an excellent place to pursue a professional legal education. The school’s primary mission is to prepare its students to be outstanding members of the legal profession, well educated in the law and committed to professional achievement and public service. The school educates students in both the general principles of law and the skills needed for practice in a changing legal environment. Students develop technical competence, pride in legal craftsmanship, a sound sense of ethics and professionalism, and an appreciation for the role of law and of the practice of law in society.
The law school has a venerable history and a commitment to educating for the future. Legal education at KU began in 1878, and the school was a charter member of the Association of American Law Schools. Since 1924, it has had a chapter of Order of the Coif, a national law school honor society with chapters at leading law schools throughout the country. The School of Law is approved by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association, 321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654, 312-988-6738.
Outside the classroom, student organizations provide a focus for service as well as social activities and professional development. In a program that may be unique to KU, law students serve the university community and develop litigation skills by acting as prosecutors, defense counsel and judges in the Traffic Court (KU Court of Parking Appeals), which handles all appeals of campus parking tickets.
Two student-edited scholarly publications, the Kansas Law Review and the Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy, allow students to delve deeply into areas of law that interest them, hone their writing, and expand their editing skills. KU Law students also participate in a rich array of moot court, mock trial and transactional law programs. Some are courses, and some are extracurricular activities. All provide hands-on writing and advocacy skills that are some of the hallmarks of a KU Law education.
Prelaw
Visit prelaw.ku.edu for information about prelaw study at KU.
Tuition and Fees
Current information about law school tuition (resident and nonresident) rates and required campus fees, is available online. Tuition and fees entitle students to course instruction; dispensary care for ordinary illnesses and special medical care at nominal rates; the use of the Ambler and Robinson Recreation Centers; Free access to the Lawrence and KU transportation bus networks and admission at reduced prices to most campus events, such as concerts, plays, films, lectures and athletic events.
Residency Classification
Students are classified as resident or nonresident based on information provided on the application for admission. The determination of residency status is made by the Office of the University Registrar in accordance with Kansas regulations. For information about how your residency status effects your tuition & fees, please visit tuition, fees and residency. If you have questions about your residency status, contact the Office of the University Registrar.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
The law school's website offers detailed information about scholarships and the financial aid process.
Attendance
Regular class attendance is a fundamental part of legal education. Instructors may adopt individual attendance policies, which they must announce no later than the first class session of the course affected. No attendance policy may impose any sanction unless a student’s unexcused absences from class exceed the number of hours of credit given for the course plus one, and no sanction may be more stringent than imposition of a failing grade for the course.
Adding Classes
A student may add classes only in the first two weeks of the semester. After the second week of classes (fifth day in a summer session), classes may be added only with the express approval and signatures of the associate dean for academic and student affairs and the instructor of the course in question. Students contemplating adding a course after the course has begun should understand that they may be at a significant disadvantage.
Dropping Classes
A student may drop a class no later than the last day of classes in the semester or summer session. Enrollment in that class will be canceled and will not appear on the student’s record.
Special Drop Rule
Where the nature of the course requires a continuous commitment by the student, the instructor may establish special rules about dropping the course. Notice of these special rules will be provided before enrollment in the early enrollment instructions issued at the law school.
Maximum and Minimum Load
Students are expected to complete all required first-year courses during their first year of enrollment in law school. Summer starters must take all required first-year courses in the first year plus sufficient electives in both the fall and spring semesters to carry a course load of no fewer than 12 credit hours and no fewer than 4 courses in each semester. After the first year, the maximum course load is 18 credit hours per semester, and the minimum load is 12 hours. The associate dean for academic and student affairs may approve a schedule of fewer than 12 credit hours under exceptional circumstances. Any student taking fewer than 12 credits without prior approval of the associate dean for academic and student affairs will not be in good standing with the law school.
Incomplete Classes
A student must finish an incomplete course by the end of the next semester (excluding summer sessions), whether or not the student is enrolled in the school of law during the next semester. If a student does not make up an incomplete grade by the end of the next semester, the incomplete will be changed to a grade of F at the end of that semester. The last day of the final examination period is the end of the semester. Waivers of this rule or extensions of the time allowed for making up incomplete grades may be granted by the academic affairs committee only in cases of extreme hardship.
Withdrawal and Readmission Following Withdrawal
Students considering withdrawing are strongly encouraged to confer with the associate dean for academic and student affairs. Any student who has completed at least 29 credit hours and is in good standing may withdraw from all law school courses in which the student is enrolled if the student completes all required administrative steps for withdrawal no later than the last day of classes for the semester. Students who wish to withdraw after the last day of classes for the semester must obtain permission from the academic committee.
Any student who withdraws before completing 29 credit hours must reapply for admission, except in extraordinary circumstances. Following the ABA Standard 311, such extraordinary circumstances, for example, might include an interruption of a student's legal education because of health issues, family exigency, or military service. A student facing extraordinary circumstances and wishing to withdraw before completing 29 credits, must be in good standing and must petition the academic affairs committee promptly in light of the relevant circumstances.
Whenever a student is permitted on the basis of extraordinary circumstances to withdraw with the intention of readmission before completing 29 credits, the law school shall place in the student's file a statement signed by the associate dean for academic and student affairs explaining the extraordinary circumstances leading the law school to permit an exception to the withdrawal and readmission rule. Discretion will be vested with the associate dean for academic and student affairs to decide on a re-integration plan that treats both the affected student and student body equitably.
Any student who has completed at least 29 credit hours and who is not in good standing must have permission from the associate dean for academic and student affairs to withdraw if the student wishes to return to school in a subsequent semester. A student who fails to secure permission to return must petition the academic committee for reinstatement.
Students must complete all requirements for the J.D. degree within five years of initial enrollment, except in extraordinary circumstances. Following the ABA Standard 311, such extraordinary circumstances, for example, might include an interruption of a student’s legal education because of health issues, family exigency, or military service. A student facing extraordinary circumstances and wishing to complete their degree beyond the 5-year limitation must petition the academic affairs committee promptly in light of the relevant circumstances.
Whenever a student is permitted on the basis of extraordinary circumstances to exceed the five-year program limitation, the law school shall place in the student’s file a statement signed by the associate dean for academic and student affairs explaining the extraordinary circumstances leading the law school to permit an exception to the completion rule. Read J.D. Degree Requirements.
Examinations
Thorough examinations are given under the honor system at the close of every term. Some faculty members also give midterm examinations. These examinations test students’ reasoning abilities and their knowledge of a particular subject area.
Special examinations are given only in cases of absence from the regular examination because of sickness of the student or in the student’s immediate family or similar exceptional circumstances. Students should contact the faculty member whose examination they must miss as soon as possible, certainly before the date the examination is to be given.
Individual Student’s Right to Reschedule Exams
Except for those excused in advance by the instructor, all students are required to take final exams when prescribed. However, a student enrolled in two or more courses with final exams scheduled to begin during the same calendar day is entitled to notify in writing the instructor of the course with a lower enrollment no more than 30 days after the first day of classes for the semester that the student meets the criteria for requesting an alternative exam date.
If such a student makes a timely notification, then the instructor shall offer that student another time. The student and instructor shall work to find a mutually agreeable alternative exam date, with the instructor having final authority. The student is responsible for reserving a room at the selected time and the instructor is responsible for administering a rescheduled exam, except in the case of students with disability accommodations.
For a course to count toward the “two or more” rule in the first paragraph, the Law School’s exam schedule must show that course’s exam as starting during that calendar day and consuming 24 hours or less. A course with a greater-than-24-hour take-home exam cannot count as one of the two. And for purposes of this rule, an exam’s start time is determined by the Law School’s exam schedule, not a different start time for a particular accommodated student.
Any student taking an exam at an alternate time after the original exam shall certify that they did not discuss the exam with any student who already has taken the exam or otherwise receive any information about the exam, directly or indirectly, other than from the instructor. Conversely, any student who takes the exam before the rest of the class shall certify that the student will not provide information about the exam, either directly or indirectly, to any student who has not taken it. Students taking an exam at an alternate time shall remove themselves from group chats and other social media to prevent inadvertent exposure to or sharing of exam information.
Minimum GPA Requirement
All students must achieve and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better. There is no appeal from the following rules concerning probation and exclusion:
First-year students whose grade point average is below 2.0 after the completion of two five-week summer sessions or at the end of the fall semester are on academic probation. A student who is on academic probation is not in good standing for purposes of the rules on withdrawal, readmission following withdrawal, and all other rules that require good standing.
Students whose cumulative grade point average is below 2.0 after the completion of two semesters of full-time enrollment or two, five-week summer sessions and two semesters of full-time enrollment will be excluded from the school.
Students whose cumulative grade point average is below 2.0 at the end of the semester in which they complete 90 hours will not be permitted to graduate or to continue in school.
These requirements apply equally to 2-Year J.D. students. Therefore, 2-Year J.D. students are on academic probation if their cumulative grade point average is below 2.0 at the end of the fall semester, and 2-Year J.D. students whose cumulative grade point average is below 2.0 at the end of any semester or the completion of two summer sessions thereafter will be excluded from the school.
Grading System
The School of Law uses a 4.0 (A-F) grading scale: 4.0 (A); 3.7 (A-); 3.3 (B+); 3.0 (B); 2.7 (B-); 2.3 (C+); 2.0 (C); 1.7 (C-); 1.3 (D+); 1.0 (D); 0.7 (D-); 0 (F).
A mandatory curve is used. The average of grades in first-year courses must be 2.8-3.0. Seven percent of students in all first-year courses must receive a C- or lower in each class. The average of grades in all other courses must be 3.0-3.6 (the recommended range in these courses is 3.2-3.4).
Courses in which the faculty member finds it difficult or impossible to evaluate student performance with the precision necessary to assign letter grades may be graded Credit/No Credit when approved by the academic committee before the beginning of the semester in which the course is taught.
A waiver from the mandatory curve may be obtained from the academic committee by the faculty member teaching a course if the following conditions are met: it is an upper-level elective course, grades are determined in whole or substantial part other than by examination, the criteria for each grade are articulated clearly, and any student who meets the criteria for a particular grade will be given that grade. The waiver must be obtained before the beginning of the semester in which the course is taught.
Course grades not complying with this policy will not be accepted nor posted by the law school administration.
Clinic and Field Placement Rules
No student may accumulate more than 16 credit hours from clinic and field placement courses — including the Criminal Prosecution Field Placement Program, Elder Law Field Placement Program, Field Placement Program, Judicial Field Placement Program, Legal Aid Clinic, Medical-Legal Partnership Field Placement Program, Project for Innocence and Post-Conviction Remedies, or the Tribal Judicial Support Clinic — as part of the 90 hours of law school credit required for graduation. Concurrent enrollment in more than one of these clinics or field placements is permitted only with the consent of the directors of the clinics and/or field placements in which enrollment is sought.
A student may earn a maximum of six hours of credit toward graduation through the Field Placement Program (LAW 894). Field Placement hours count toward the 16-credit hour limit on field placement and clinic credit hours that may be applied to graduation.
Students must be in good standing to enroll in a clinic or field placement course. This requirement may be waived by the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs only in exceptional circumstances.
For some clinics or field placements, the student must qualify as a supervised legal intern under Kansas Rule 715. To qualify, the student must have completed 59 credit hours.
The credit-hour requirements are necessary to ensure that heavy course loads in the final two semesters will not interfere unduly with clinic or field placement work.
The Honor Code
Matters of law student honesty and integrity in academic performance are governed by an honor code written and administered by law students. This system of peer review has been in effect for more than half a century and addresses issues such as plagiarism, cheating, and unauthorized collaboration in work assignments. Honor code violations found to have occurred by the student committee after notice and hearing are referred to the dean of the law school with recommended sanctions. Final disposition rests within the discretion of the dean. The honor code governs law students in the same way that the Code of Professional Responsibility governs members of the bar. The complete honor code may be found online. Copies also may be obtained from the Student Bar Association, the Dean or an associate dean of the law school.
Career Services
Through an intensive one-to-one approach, the Office of Career Services works with students to design and implement a customized career strategy, beginning the first semester of law school and continuing through graduation and beyond. Staff in the office meet with all first-year students individually to discuss their backgrounds, identify interests and consider the numerous programs, clinics and employment opportunities available to them. First-year students have access to mentoring opportunities, various career exploration events, and skill building programming to help achieve career success in school and after graduation. Upperclassmen are welcome to access these resources as well.
The Office of Career Services is committed to the same open-door policy as the school’s professors. Students are actively encouraged to meet with the members of the office on a walk-in basis or by appointment, as they prefer. Workshops and individual advising sessions help students explore career options and develop job-seeking skills. Excellent resource materials for career planning and placement are available, and staff members are knowledgeable about online resources. KU law students are highly sought after by employers throughout the state, region, and nation. Law firms, government agencies, public interest groups, and other employers post positions and conduct interviews at the law school for summer, school-year and post-graduation employment.
Many graduates join private law firms with practices including corporate and transactional law, civil and criminal litigation, tax, bankruptcy, domestic relations, estate planning and, often, general practice, encompassing all these areas and more. Many graduates enter government service, working at the federal, state, or local level. They become prosecutors and public defenders, and they work in agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Kansas Attorney General’s office, or the U.S. Department of Commerce. Still other graduates accept judicial clerkships, working for federal and state court judges at both the trial and appellate levels. The military branches also actively recruit at the school for their JAG programs.
Public interest work is another career avenue attractive to many graduates. From providing legal services to the underrepresented to influencing public policy, KU Law and the Office of Career Services offer numerous opportunities for students to explore and pursue these careers. Graduates have succeeded in landing prestigious post-graduate fellowships such as Skadden and joined organizations ranging from Kansas Legal Services to Public Citizen.
Nontraditional careers are another area of focus for the law school. As the lines between industry, policy, and law blur, our students have an ever-expanding range of opportunities where their skills and talents are in high demand. The law school supports students and graduates pursuing these hybrid careers, building alliances with employers well beyond traditional legal practice, and in industries such as insurance, banking, engineering and nonprofit management.
Ultimately, the Office of Career Services is focused on individual students, engaging them in a personalized, highly intensive experience throughout their time at KU. Our singular goal is to ensure each student has the very best career options available based on their unique interests and needs.
KU graduates have been successful in passing Kansas and Missouri bar examinations and have performed well on examinations in other states, including Colorado and Texas. Law school applicants should secure information about character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in states in which they intend to practice.
For more information, explore the Career Services section of the law school’s website.
Polsinelli Transactional Law Center
The Polsinelli Transactional Law Center creates unique scholarly and training opportunities for law students by combining the resources, attorneys and client base of a national law firm with the rigor of a Tier 1 research university. The center serves as the umbrella for transactional law courses, symposia and programming related to mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, financing, real estate and other business transactions — arming students with the practical skills necessary for successful careers.
For more information about the center, visit the Centers section of the law school’s website.
Shook, Hardy & Bacon Center for Excellence in Advocacy
The Shook, Hardy & Bacon Center for Excellence in Advocacy capitalizes on its namesake’s distinguished history in litigation to cultivate a new generation of trial lawyers. The center has three broad goals: 1) offer unique skills-based training to KU law students; 2) present valuable programming for KU law alumni and the regional bar; and 3) open new scholarly opportunities for KU law faculty and nonfaculty studying related issues through a fellowship program.
For more information about the center, visit the Centers section of the law school’s website.
Tribal Law and Government Center
The Tribal Law and Government Center prepares a new generation of advocates for careers representing the legal interests of Indigenous nations and tribes. It provides a forum for research and scholarship on indigenous legal and governance issues.
The Tribal Lawyer Certificate Program ensures that law students who plan careers representing indigenous nations have the skills necessary to appreciate and strengthen the unique nature of their legal systems. The Tribal Law and Government Conference promotes research and scholarship regarding the unique legal and governance issues of indigenous nations. The Tribal Judicial Support Clinic gives second- and third-year students the opportunity to assist tribal court systems through a variety of projects. The joint degree program in law and Indigenous studies aspires to facilitate the protection and strengthening of indigenous sovereignty, self-determination, and self-sufficiency in Indigenous nations.
For more information about the center, visit the Centers section of the law school’s website.
The Dru Mort Sampson Center for Diversity and Inclusion
The Dru Mort Sampson Center for Diversity and Inclusion is a programmatic, co-curricular center that helps KU Law meet its mission and the changing needs of the legal profession by fostering and promoting diversity within the law school community. The Center encourages community engagement while helping students adjust to the demands of law school.
For more information about the center, visit the Centers section of the law school’s website.
Law Faculty
The law faculty is composed of honor graduates from law schools throughout the country. Virtually all have substantial experience in private or public interest practice. Many served as judicial clerks — two as clerks to Supreme Court justices.
Law faculty members are committed to excellence in the classroom and to mentoring law students. Students are encouraged to consult their professors regularly about their progress in the study of law as well as about career plans, job opportunities, and the professional responsibilities of lawyers. Law faculty offices are located throughout Green Hall, and doors are open to students.
Faculty members enrich their teaching by researching and writing about the areas of law they teach. They regularly participate in conferences and symposia, publish widely in legal journals, and enjoy national and international recognition for the quality of their work. Many have written important treatises and casebooks used at law schools around the country.
- Raj Bhala. Brenneisen Distinguished Professor. A.B., Duke, 1984; M.Sc., London School of Economics, 1985; M.Sc., Oxford, 1986; J.D., Harvard, 1989. Marshall Scholar, 1984-86. International Law and Literature, International Trade Law, Islamic Law, Public International Law, Human Rights, International Banking Law, International Business Transactions.
- Sharon Brett. Associate Professor of Law. B.A., Michigan, 2005; J.D., Michigan, 2012. Civil Procedure, Evidence, Federal Courts, Social Justice Lawyering.
- Jordan Carter. Clinical Associate Professor. B.A., Washington University in St. Louis, 2011; J.D., Kansas, 2015. Lawyering Skills.
- Amii Castle. Professor of Practice. B.S., Kansas, 1994; J.D., Kansas, 1997. Advanced Electronic Discovery, Electronic Discovery I, Pretrial Advocacy.
- Elizabeth Seale Cateforis. Clinical Professor of Law. B.A., Smith, 1985; J.D., Kansas, 1994. Advanced Criminal Procedure, Capital Punishment, Project for Innocence and Post-Conviction Remedies.
- Paul Cope. Director, Master of Science in Homeland Security: Law and Policy Program, and Professor of Practice. B.A., Pittsburg State, 2006; J.D., Washburn, 2009.
- Robin Kundis Craig. Robert A. Schroeder Distinguished Professor of Law. B.A., Pomona College, 1985; M.A., John Hopkins, 1993; Ph.D., UC Santa Barbara, 1993; J.D., Lewis & Clark, 1996. Civil Procedure, Water Law, Environmental Law, Toxic Torts, Ocean & Coastal Law.
- Melanie Daily. Clinical Associate Professor of Law. A.B., Chicago, 1999; J.D., Washington (St. Louis), 2007. Advanced Legal Aid Clinic, Family Law, Legal Aid Clinic.
- John W. Head. Robert W. Wagstaff Distinguished Professor of Law. B.A., Missouri, 1975; B.A., Juris, Oxford, 1977; J.D., Virginia, 1979. Comparative Law; International Business Law Drafting; International Commerce and Investment; International Economic Law; Global Challenges in Law, Agriculture, Development and Ecology; Public International Law.
- Laura J. Hines. Centennial Teaching Professor. A.B., Brown, 1987; J.D., Michigan, 1991. Civil Procedure, Complex Litigation, Deposition Skills Workshop, Remedies.
- Michael H. Hoeflich. John H. and John M. Kane Distinguished Professor of Law. B.A., M.A., Haverford, 1973; M.A. (by Grace), Ph.D., Cambridge, 1976, 2001; J.D., Yale, 1979. Contracts, Copyright, Law and the Arts, Legal History, Professional Responsibility.
- Jamila E. Jefferson. Pillsbury Winthrop Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging and Earl B. Shurtz Research Professor of Law. A.B., Harvard College; J.D., Harvard Law School. Property Law.
- Glenn Jewell. Director of Field Placement Program, Director of Bar Preparation, and Professor of Practice. B.A., Kansas; J.D. George Washington. Criminal Prosecution Field Placement, Employment Law, Extended Bar Preparation, Field Placement Program, Sixth Semester in D.C.
- Pamela V. Keller. Clinical Professor of Law. B.A., Pennsylvania, 1990; J.D., Kansas, 1993. Lawyering Skills, Moot Court, Writing for Law Practice.
- Vera Korzun. Professor of Law. J.D., Ph.D., Belarusian State University, 2001, 2007; LL.M., Central European University, 2003; Master in Law and Econ., University of Hamburg, 2006; LL.M., Michigan, 2009; S.J.D., Fordham, 2016. Contracts, International Negotiations.
- Lisa Lattan. Director, LL.M. Program, and Lecturer of Law. B.S., J.D., Kansas 1989, 1992. U.S. Legal System, Graduate Lawyering Workshop, Lawyering Skills, Employee Benefits.
- Richard E. Levy. J.B. Smith Distinguished Professor of Law. B.A., M.A., Kansas, 1978, 1980; J.D., Chicago, 1984. Administrative Law, Introduction to Constitutional Law, Legislation and Statutory Interpretation.
- Quinton D. Lucas. Lecturer of Law. A.B., Washington University in St. Louis, 2006; J.D., Cornell, 2009. Local Government Law, Administrative Law.
- Stephen W. Mazza. Dean and Professor of Law. B.S., Samford, 1989; J.D., Alabama, 1992; LL.M., NYU, 1993. Federal Income Taxation, Federal Tax Procedure, Professional Responsibility, Tax Policy.
- Stephen R. McAllister. E.S. and Tom W. Hampton Distinguished Professor of Law. B.A., J.D., Kansas, 1985, 1988. Civil Rights Actions, Introduction to Constitutional Law, Professional Responsibility, State Constitutional Law, Torts.
- Uma Outka. William R. Scott Law Professor. B.A., Virginia, 1995; M.A., Southern Maine, 2005; J.D., Maine, 2005. Energy Law and Policy, Environmental Law, Property.
- Patrick Perkins. Associate Professor of Law. B.A., Brigham Young, 2009; J.D., Michigan, 2013. Business Associations, Business Organizations, Corporate Finance, Entrepreneurial Law.
- Najarian R. Peters. Associate Professor of Law. B.A., Xavier, 2002; J.D., Notre Dame, 2006. Privacy Law, The Practice of Privacy Law, Torts, Marginalized Bodies in Literature, Medicine, and the Law.
- Jean K. Gilles Phillips. Clinical Professor of Law and Connell Teaching Professor of Law. B.A., Augustana, 1987; J.D., Kansas, 1990. Criminal Practice in Kansas, Criminal Procedure, Project for Innocence and Post-Conviction Remedies.
- Alexander I. Platt. Associate Professor of Law. B.A., Columbia, 2006; J.D., Yale, 2012. Contracts, Securities Regulation, Business Organizations.
- Joyce Rosenberg. Clinical Professor of Law. B.A., Boston, 1992; J.D., Kansas, 1996. Advanced Legal Writing, Deposition Skills Workshop, Employment Law, Lawyering Skills.
- Meredith Schnug. Clinical Associate Professor of Law. B.A., Miami (Ohio), 2003; J.D., Washington (St. Louis), 2006. Advanced Legal Aid Clinic, Advanced Litigation, Juvenile Law, Legal Aid Clinic.
- Betsy Brand Six. Clinical Professor of Law. B.A., Indiana, 1989; J.D., Stanford, 1992. Jurisdiction, Lawyering Skills, Writing for Law Practice.
- Adam Sokoloff. Instructor and Supervising Attorney. B.A., University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2006; J.D., Kansas, 2016. Mock Trial, Project for Innocence and Post-Conviction Remedies, Trial Advocacy.
- Andrew W. Torrance. Associate Dean for Graduate and International Law, Paul E. Wilson Distinguished Professor of Law. B.Sc., Queen’s Univ. (Ontario), 1991; A.M., Ph.D., J.D., Harvard, 1994, 1997, 2000. Biolaw, Intellectual Property Law, Legal Analytics, Patent Law.
- Kyle Velte. Associate Dean for Faculty, Karelitz Chair in Evidence Law, Professor of Law. B.A., Hamilton College, 1993; J.D., American, 1999; LL.M., Harvard, 2001; Employment Discrimination, Evidence, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and the Law, Torts.
- Stephen J. Ware. Frank Edwards Tyler Distinguished Professor of Law. B.A., Pennsylvania, 1987; J.D., Chicago, 1990. Alternative Dispute Resolution, Bankruptcy, Consumer Law, Contracts, Secured Transactions.
- Shawn Watts. Lecturer of Law. B.A., St. John's College, 2000; J.D., Columbia, 2012. Federal Indian Law, Mediation and Negotiation Workshop, Mediation Skills Intensive, Tribal Judicial Support Clinic.
- Corey Rayburn Yung. William R. Scott Research Professor. B.A., Iowa, 1999; J.D., Virginia, 2002. Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Sex Crimes.
For more information about law faculty members, go to the Faculty section of the law school’s website.
Library Faculty Members
- Christopher L. Steadham. Assistant Director, Research & Reference Services. B.A., J.D., Kansas, 2001, 2004; M.L.I.M., Emporia State, 2007. Advanced Legal Research, Kansas Supreme Court Research Practicum, Topics in Advanced Legal Research.
- W. Blake Wilson. Assistant Director, Instructional & Faculty Services. B.A., Missouri (Kansas City), 2000; M.A., J.D., Missouri, 2004. Advanced Legal Research, Research in Lawyering, Topics in Advanced Legal Research.
Course Prerequisites
A substantial number of second- and third-year courses have 1 or more upper-level courses as prerequisites.
| Course | Prerequisite |
|---|---|
| LAW 833 Advanced Legal Aid Clinic | LAW 908 Evidence LAW 952 Legal Aid Clinic LAW 972 Professional Responsibility LAW 992 Trial Advocacy qualification under Kansas Rule 715 (See Clinic and Field Placement Rules) |
| LAW 857 Advanced Litigation | LAW 908 Evidence LAW 992 Trial Advocacy |
| LAW 889 Bankruptcy | LAW 892 Business Organizations LAW 873 Commercial Law: Secured Transactions |
| LAW 868 Business Planning Seminar | LAW 892 Business Organizations LAW 913 Federal Income Taxation LAW 855 Taxation of Business Enterprises |
| LAW 869 Contract Drafting | LAW 892 Business Organizations *recommended not required |
| LAW 930 Corporate Finance | LAW 892 Business Organizations* |
| LAW 877 Corporate Governance | LAW 892 Business Organizations |
| LAW 890 Criminal Prosecution Field Placement Program | LAW 908 Evidence qualification under Kansas Rule 715 (See Clinic and Field Placement Rules) |
| LAW 828 Deals | LAW 869 Contract Drafting LAW 892 Business Organizations LAW 947 Mergers and Other Acquisitions* |
| LAW 859 Deposition Skills Workshop | LAW 908 Evidence |
| LAW 835 Due Diligence in Business Transactions | LAW 869 Contract Drafting LAW 892 Business Organizations LAW 947 Mergers and Other Acquisitions* |
| LAW 907 Estate Planning: Practice | LAW 906 Estate Planning: Principles LAW 913 Federal Income Taxation LAW 996 Trusts and Estates |
| LAW 906 Estate Planning: Principles | LAW 913 Federal Income Taxation LAW 996 Trusts and Estates |
| LAW 910 Federal Courts and the Federal System | LAW 845 Jurisdiction or permission of the instructor |
| LAW 924 Independent Research | 29 hours of law school credit, 2.0 overall grade-point average |
| LAW 829 International Business Law Drafting | LAW 945 International Commerce and Investment |
| LAW 845 Jurisdiction | LAW 804 Civil Procedure |
| LAW 952 Legal Aid Clinic | LAW 908 Evidence LAW 972 Professional Responsibility LAW 992 Trial Advocacy* qualification under Kansas Rule 715 (See Clinic and Field Placement Rules) |
| LAW 947 Mergers and Other Acquisitions | LAW 892 Business Organizations |
| LAW 962 Mock Trial Council | LAW 949 Mock Trial Competition |
| LAW 960 Moot Court Competition | Second-year status |
| LAW 965 Nonprofit and Tax-Exempt Organizations | LAW 892 Business Organizations LAW 913 Federal Income Taxation |
| LAW 977 Patent Law | LAW 968 Intellectual Property |
| LAW 979 Patent Practice | LAW 968 Intellectual Property LAW 977 Patent Law *LAW 968 or LAW 977 strongly encouraged |
| LAW 895 Project for Innocence and Post-Conviction Remedies | LAW 896 Project for Innocence and Post-Conviction Remedies Class* LAW 878 Criminal Procedure: Investigation* |
| LAW 986 Securities Regulation | LAW 892 Business Organizations |
| LAW 897 State Constitutional Law | LAW 806 Introduction to Constitutional Law |
| LAW 855 Taxation of Business Enterprises | LAW 892 Business Organizations LAW 913 Federal Income Taxation |
| LAW 948 Transactional Law Competition | LAW 892 Business Organizations LAW 869 Contract Drafting* and permission of instructor |
| LAW 992 Trial Advocacy | LAW 908 Evidence |
| LAW 998 Tribal Judicial Support Clinic | LAW 914 Federal Indian Law |
| LAW 848 Writing for Law Practice | LAW 820 Lawyering Skills I LAW 821 Lawyering Skills II |
- *
concurrent enrollment acceptable
Courses
LAW 800. Mediation and Negotiation Workshop. 4 Credits.
The Mediation and Negotiation Workshop will immerse students in mediation theory, practice, techniques, and ethics while allowing the students to mediate live cases with actual clients. In addition, students may have the opportunity to work directly with ambassadors at the United Nations, foreign governmental officials, other transnational organizations, and American Indian tribal leaders on mediation practice and systems design. This workshop has several goals: 1) to give students the opportunity to improve their ability to represent clients by helping them practice skills that are important to effective problem solving and wise lawyering; 2) to give those students who may make mediation part of their professional lives a head start in terms of both skills and ethics; 3) to help students see the benefits and limitations of mediation and other dispute resolution techniques so that they can responsibly counsel clients about their choices; 4) to help students understand how feelings, background values and personal style affect performance in a professional role; and 5) to provide quality assistance to parties whose disputes the clinic mediates. Students taking the Mediation and Negotiation Workshop will receive four (4) graded credits and must be concurrently enrolled in the Mediation Skills Intensive.
LAW 801. Mediation Skills Intensive. 2 Credits.
The Mediation Skills is an intensive, two-week skills training experiential course. This course will introduce students to core skills in mediation practice, mediation techniques, and mediation ethics while engaging students in discrete skills exercises and simulated role plays. This course has several goals: 1) to give students the skills to be effective mediators; 2) to give students a theoretical and practical foundation to be good advocates for their clients in mediation; 3) to give students adequate practice to hone their mediation skills; 4) to help students see the benefits and limitations of mediation and other dispute resolution techniques so that they can responsibly counsel clients about their choices; and, 5) to help students understand the difference between the professional standards of practice and ethics for attorneys and mediators. Students taking the Mediation Skills Intensive will receive two (2) ungraded credits. First priority for enrollment is given to students accepted into the Mediation and Negotiation Workshop. Additional students may enroll with special permission of the professor based on available space.
LAW 803. Legal Analytics. 2-3 Credits.
Legal analytics is the systematic computational analysis of legal data or statistics. This class teaches students how to use mathematical, statistical, and data analytical approaches to analyzing sources of law such as judicial decisions, briefs, motions, statutes, rules and regulations, legal commentary (e.g., law review articles, treatises), and the vast amounts of data generated by legal institutions (e.g., HHS, USPTO, IRS, SEC, EPA, USDA, FBI). Students will learn how to identify sources of legal data, assemble legal data into usable forms (e.g., database), clean and measure legal data, analyze legal data (e.g., using statistical tests, crowd-sourcing, artificial intelligence, network analysis), interpret results of legal data analysis, and present results of legal data analysis to different audiences (e.g., juries, judges, attorneys, regulators, investors, politicians, the public). The class will include problem sets designed to ensure student mastery of all methods covered. In addition, students will learn how to use powerful legal analytics software tools - access to which will be provided free by commercial vendors for student use - capable of discovering, analyzing, interpreting, communicating, and visualizing legal data. Upon completion of this class, students will possess experience and expertise in all major legal analytics methods.
LAW 804. Civil Procedure. 4 Credits.
This course will examine all phases of the litigation process in civil actions. Specific subjects covered may include: pleadings; discovery; disposition of cases without trial; the right to jury trial; post-trial motions; appeals; the bases for jurisdiction over persons and property; notice; venue; subject matter jurisdiction; choice of federal or state law in diversity cases; joinder of claims and parties; and preclusive effects of judgments. Required course.
LAW 805. Mass Incarceration. 2-3 Credits.
Approximately 2.2 million adults are incarcerated the United States. More are on some type of penal supervision. This population is the largest penal population in the world. The National Academy of Science has concluded that "[t]he growth in incarceration rates in the United States over the past 40 years is historically unprecedented and internationally unique. This seminar will explore how the United States got here, what the consequences of mass incarnation are, and how should we respond to and remedy this "historically unprecedented" level of incarceration.
LAW 806. Introduction to Constitutional Law. 4 Credits.
An introduction to the law of the United States Constitution, including the historical context and evolution of constitutional principles, methods of constitutional interpretation and analysis, and basic doctrine concerning the structure of government and the protection of individual rights. Doctrinal coverage includes separation of powers, federalism, equal protection, due process, and freedom of religion. Required course.
LAW 807. Appellate Advocacy. 2-3 Credits.
This course teaches appellate writing and oral advocacy skills. Students will study leading brief-writing and oral-advocacy texts. Students will engage in numerous in-class exercises that advance their writing and presentation abilities. Students will argue two or more moot court cases, where they will be required to draft briefs and present oral arguments.
LAW 809. Contracts. 4 Credits.
An introduction to contract law, including topics such as offer and acceptance, consideration, contracts enforceable without consideration, defenses to enforcement of contracts, terms of contracts and their interpretation, performance and breach of contracts, remedies for breach, third-party beneficiaries, and assignments. Required course.
LAW 810. Counterintelligence. 3 Credits.
This Homeland Security course will be a study of how the United States Intelligence Community applies Counterintelligence techniques and concepts to foreign and domestic threats. There will be an examination of how the USIC has evolved from World War Two throughout the Cold War, to the Global War on Terrorism and up to and including present-day threat issues such as Economic Espionage and Theft of Trade Secrets. The course will examine key USIC agencies and how they operate and a study of Counterintelligence theory and concepts. There will be a case study of a CI case prosecuted in the United States, District of Kansas, regarding a state sponsored attempt at Theft of Trade Secrets. This will include an examination of how the laws of the U.S. were applied in a CI investigation. Prerequisite: Permission required from the Director of Homeland Security: Law and Policy.
LAW 811. Cyber Law. 3 Credits.
This Homeland Security course considers the interaction between networked information systems and security-related law. We will examine substantive areas of the law which bear directly on information technology (particularly, e.g., criminal law, criminal procedure, data privacy, network security, national security, homeland security, and international law), as well as ways in which information technology is itself shaping and transforming the security and privacy landscape. Prerequisite: Permission required from the Director of Homeland Security: Law and Policy.
LAW 812. Terrorism Finance. 3 Credits.
This Homeland Security course will cover Federal Laws and Regulations, and Executive Orders, relevant to addressing international terrorism and specifically terrorism finance issues. These laws and regulations are also addressed in two case studies that will be covered during the course that demonstrate how the U.S. Government and the USIC investigated and charged defendants in terrorism finance cases. Prerequisite: Permission required from the Director of Homeland Security: Law and Policy Program.
LAW 813. Cyber Policy and Strategy. 3 Credits.
This Homeland Security course examines the strategy, policies, and politics of cyber security, including the necessary knowledge and frameworks to understand the context, theory, and application of cyber capabilities as an element of national power. It covers the national security implications of cyber—including how the low cost of entry, the limited chance of attribution, and the ubiquity of the domain create unique defense challenges. Discusses the international and domestic politics of cyber security—including how American values, culture, organizations, and laws will determine roles and responsibilities for government and the private sector. Evaluates the international considerations of cyber security—including the applicability of deterrence, sovereignty, collective security, institutions, and treaties in cyberspace. Included are considerations of emerging cyber technologies, such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Students will be able to form creative solutions to complex problems with an emphasis on operational and strategic planning and teamwork. Prerequisite: Permission required from the Director of Homeland Security: Law and Policy Program.
LAW 814. Criminal Law. 4 Credits.
An introduction to substantive criminal law, including theories of punishment, basic stages of the criminal process, culpability, defenses, parties to crime, conspiracy, attempts, sentencing, homicide, and other selected offenses. Required course.
LAW 815. International Aspects of Homeland Security. 3 Credits.
This Homeland Security course students will read and discuss materials that provide a basic introduction to the legal, governmental, and policy issues that confront those with responsibility for ensuring the safety of American interests abroad and in the American homeland from both human caused and naturally occurring problems originating abroad. In the class, we will read and discuss materials dealing with the legal, governmental, and policy aspects of this subject such as treaties, international organizations, customary international law, the law of armed conflict, and other relevant materials. We will discuss such problems as internationally originated cyber-attacks, international environmental problems and disasters, epidemics and quarantine laws, etc. Students will be required to take both a midterm and a final examination. Prerequisite: Permission required from the Director of Homeland Security: Law and Policy Program.
LAW 816. Domestic Aspects of Homeland Security. 3 Credits.
This Homeland Security course students will read and discuss materials that provide a basic introduction to the legal, governmental, and policy issues that confront those with responsibility for ensuring the safety of the American homeland. We will be covering American statutes, case law, Presidential executive orders, and other legal sources that regulate issues such as cyber-security, management of natural disasters, failures in utility networks and other vital domestic infrastructure, etc. Students will be required to take both a midterm and final examination. Prerequisite: Permission required from the Director of Homeland Security: Law and Policy Program.
LAW 817. Homeland Security Practicum. 1-6 Credits.
This course will be taught during the full academic year. The class is divided into three parts: Fall: One credit hour in which students will read materials on a specific potential threat to homeland security. Students will be expected to discuss the reading materials at each class meeting and will prepare a short memorandum at the end of the first semester on their reading. Spring: Two credit hour part in which students will divide into teams that will work together for the rest of the academic year. Each team will be expected to create a long-term strategy both to mitigate potential dangers from the threat assigned for the year and to formulate a short-term action plan to be utilized in the event that the threat materializes. Students will be evaluated on the long-term and short-term planning documents they prepare. Final Simulation: Final three credit hour part consists of a five day intensive real time simulation in which each team will be required to deal with an emerging threat as though they were, in fact, an emergency management team dealing with a real threat. Each team will be monitored by a real world professional emergency manager. The actual simulation will last for two full days. A second two day period will consist of analysis and evaluation of each team's actions by the monitors and the simulation leaders. The final day will be for each individual to prepare a comprehensive analysis of her actions and the actions of her team with suggestions for improvement.
LAW 818. Domestic Terrorism. 3 Credits.
This Homeland Security course will study the historical development behind ideologies of violent extremist domestic terror groups and how certain ideologies have evolved over the last approximately 50 years. There will be discussions of how the United States government and U. S. Law Enforcement have attempted to address the issues surrounding investigating and prosecuting Domestic Terror groups, including an analysis of key Federal statutes that have been utilized to prosecute these types of cases and examination of specific domestic terror events. Prerequisite: Permission required from the Director of Homeland Security: Law and Policy Program.
LAW 820. Lawyering Skills I. 2 Credits.
This course introduces students to legal systems and the skills of lawyers. It includes instruction and discussion on legal traditions, legal institutions and legal methods. It focuses on developing students' skills in legal reasoning, writing and research. Students will complete numerous research and writing assignments, culminating in an open memorandum. Required course.
LAW 821. Lawyering Skills II. 3 Credits.
In this course, students build on the research and writing skills they developed in the first semester and practice additional skills such as client interviewing, negotiation and mediation. Students learn about the expectations and demands of lawyers and the legal profession through instruction on bar admission, professionalism, and ethical advocacy, and by working on assignments in a simulated lawsuit. Student work culminates in an advocacy brief and subsequent oral argument. Required course. Prerequisite: LAW 820.
LAW 824. Global Challenges in Law, Agriculture, Development, and Ecology. 2-3 Credits.
This course aims to complement the more foundational courses in public international law, international business law, and comparative law by examining a cluster of particularly important "global challenges." These involve (i) the rule (and role) of law in international relations, (ii) the economic, environmental, and social aspects of modern agriculture, (iii) the quest and prospects for human development, and (iv) the existential threats posed to the ecosphere through climate change, soil degradation, water conflicts, and species extinctions. The course provides also a "paper option": students enrolling in a third credit hour through Independent Research (LAW 924) can, upon satisfactory completion of a research project related to the subject-matter of this course, satisfy the upper-class scholarly-writing requirement.
LAW 825. Sixth Semester in Washington D.C. Field Placement. 6-9 Credits.
This field placement will be worth three, six, or nine credit hours. Students will work in a public policy or public interest placement, earning one credit hour for each 42.5 hours of work. Students will also be required to complete written work. This written work is comprised of a goal-setting memo, weekly journal entries, and a final reflection paper. Students are also required to participate in monthly full-day programming sessions. These programming sessions will include meetings with practitioners to learn about practice in D.C. and substantive areas of law that are commonly practiced there. There will be no co- or prerequisites for this field placement. Finally, students are expected to take advantage of a mentoring program and planned opportunities to meet KU Law alumni set up by the KU Law School.
LAW 826. Property. 4 Credits.
An introduction to personal property law and to real property law, which includes adverse possession, estates in land, cotenancies, landlord-tenant law, easements, and real covenants, and which may include other private and public land use controls, eminent domain, and conveyancing. Required course.
LAW 827. International Law and Literature. 3 Credits.
This course covers both law "as" literature and law "in" literature, plus legal rhetoric. In Part One, treaties are studied as a form of literature using literary criticism methods, comparing and contrasting those methods with standard legal interpretation tools. In Part Two, classic works of fiction and poetry, such as those by William Shakespeare (England), Albert Camus (France), E.M. Forster (England), Seamus Heaney (Ireland), Franz Kafka (Czechoslovakia), and Rabindranath Tagore (India), are read closely to spot enduring legal themes common across all countries, including justice and morality, obedience and rebellion, wealth and poverty, and fairness and prejudice. In Part Three, renowned historical speeches are analyzed to see how they manifest Aristotle's five principles of Rhetoric, with illustrations from Winston Churchill (England), John F. Kennedy (United States), and Martin Luther King (United States).
LAW 828. Deals. 2-4 Credits.
This simulation and professional writing course will serve as an optional lab component for students who are concurrently enrolled in LAW 947 Mergers and Acquisitions, or have previously completed it. This course introduces students to the ethical, structural and technical aspects of negotiating and drafting the documents that bring a business transaction to life. By following a complex business transaction from start to finish, students will gain experience grappling with the type of tasks and issues common to a deals practice in a way that bridges the gap between law school and practice. The course will also help students prioritize their clients' business objectives and understand how deal lawyers create value, manage risk, and work toward optimal outcomes for their clients. The course will be co-taught by law school faculty and experience transactional attorneys. Prerequisite: LAW 892, LAW 869, and LAW 947. LAW 947 concurrent enrollment allowed.
LAW 829. International Business Law Drafting. 1 Credits.
This one-credit-hour course focuses primarily on the preparation of operational documents relating to international business transactions - for example, transnational sales contracts, letters of credit, explanatory memoranda to business clients planning cross-border transactions, international joint venture agreements, etc. - rather than on the drafting of documents that are litigation-oriented or academic in character. The course is available to students who are (or have) enrolled in the International Commerce and Investment course and who wish to engage in an intense set of "companion" legal-drafting exercises. Prerequisite: LAW 945.
LAW 831. Torts I. 4 Credits.
Fall semester. Development of liability based upon fault. Intentional torts, including battery, assault, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of mental distress, trespass to land and chattels, conversion, and privileges. Negligence, including standard of care, causation, limitation of duty, defenses, and comparative negligence. Survival and wrongful death. Strict liability. Damages. Required course.
LAW 833. Advanced Legal Aid Clinic. 1-3 Credits.
Students who have completed a first semester in the Legal Aid Clinic are eligible to apply for enrollment in a second semester as an Advanced Legal Intern. Advanced Legal Interns will continue to represent clients in the Clinic's case work as they did during the first semester; however, they will only be required to commit 10.5-12 hours per week to Clinic work. They will be expected to exercise greater independence and professional role assumption and will mentor newer Clinic students in skills development. Advanced Legal Interns will continue to engage in reflective writing and supervision sessions with faculty; they also will meet as a group with professors for a classroom component featuring a seminar focused on case rounds and advanced litigation skills. Prerequisite: LAW 952.
LAW 835. Due Diligence in Business Transactions. 2 Credits.
This simulation course will expose students to the due diligence process that is critical to every business transaction. It offers students a realistic due diligence setting, in which they will: learn the fundamental scope and goals of the process, including the various types of information that must be obtained and reviewed; identify the typical issues that must be analyzed; practice using a framework for systematically accumulating information; and understand how that information may affect the structure of the transaction and the content of the agreement that memorializes it. Taught by law school faculty and experienced transactional attorneys. Prerequisite: LAW 892, LAW 869, and LAW 947. Concurrent enrollment allowed for LAW 947.
LAW 836. Representing Nonprofit Organizations. 2 Credits.
Following a nonprofit and tax-exempt organization law refresher and overview, the course focuses on application of the fundamental exemption requirements; charitable and other categories of exempt organizations; the application for recognition of exemption process; private inurement, private benefit, and intermediate sanctions; governance policies and procedures; public charities and private foundations; lobbying and political campaign activity; the unrelated business rules; use of subsidiaries; exempt organizations' involvement in joint ventures; annual reporting to the IRS; and charitable giving and fundraising law. Teaching emphasis will be on case hypotheticals.
LAW 838. Criminal Practice in Kansas. 2-3 Credits.
Designed for the student who plans to practice criminal law in Kansas. Examines the Kansas criminal code and case law, explores practical and ethical issues from the perspective of the prosecutor and defense counsel, and develops practical skills in pre- and post-trial proceedings. Includes filing of the complaint, bail, preliminary hearing, pretrial proceedings, motions practice, plea negotiations, client counseling, trial proceedings, jury instructions, post-trial motions, sentencing and appeals.
LAW 840. Kansas Supreme Court Research Practicum. 3 Credits.
This practicum serves the dual goals of providing students with practical research experience and assisting the Kansas Supreme Court by providing needed research support. Students are assigned research projects from the Kansas Supreme Court and the Office of Judicial Administration as arranged by the instructors. Students employ a variety of methodologies to conduct thorough research and concisely convey their findings to the Kansas Supreme Court, culminating with a presentation to the court at the end of the semester.
LAW 843. The Law of War: History, Principles, and Practice. 2-3 Credits.
This course will explore the development of legal ideas about the legal regulation of armed conflict, with special attention given to the role and treatment of civilians and other non-combatants. It will not cover American military justice under the Uniform Code of Military Justice nor will it cover internal discipline of military forces. Among the subjects covered will be the history of attempts to legally regulate armed conflict, the law of war at sea, in the air, and in space, treatment of civilians by combatants, treatment of property, particularly significant cultural property by combatants, and non-military combatants, including pirates and terrorists.
LAW 844. Advanced Project for Innocence and Post Conviction Remedies. 1-3 Credits.
Advanced Project for Innocence and Post Conviction Remedies: Students who have completed the Project for Innocence and Post Conviction Remedies may be selected to enroll in as Student Director. Student Directors are assigned to work with one of more incoming student teams to assist with case assignments. Depending upon the credit hours enrolled, Student Directors may be assigned as a team member to participate in substantive client work, and if 715 eligible, conduct hearings. In other cases the Student Director will serve in a more advisory capacity. Student Directors will conduct client intake and review. Student Directors will be required to commit to 42.4 hours of work per credit hour enrolled, and will continue to engage in reflective writing and supervision sessions with faculty. They will meet as a group with faculty for a seminar focused on intake and advanced issue spotting skills. Prerequisite: LAW 895.
LAW 845. Jurisdiction. 2-4 Credits.
This course deals with issues relating to a court's power to adjudicate claims. Topics covered may include jurisdiction over persons or property, justiciability, subject matter jurisdiction, removal, venue, determining the applicable law, and joinder of parties. Prerequisite: LAW 804.
LAW 846. Sixth Semester Capstone. 1 Credits.
This course is part of the Sixth Semester in Washington, DC Program. It contains in-depth lectures, readings, and discussions on several areas of substantive law and surrounding issues important to practice in Washington, DC, including recent developments, policy implications, and controversies.
LAW 847. Healthcare Regulation. 2 Credits.
This course examines in depth the key areas of state and federal regulation of health care providers, practitioners, and systems in the United States. It will also explore the application of the regulatory regime to a variety of provider affiliation structures that are commonplace in today's health sector. The students will examine applicable statutes, implementing regulations, sub-regulatory agency guidance, and case law as the bases for regulation. Students will come away with a solid foundation in health care regulatory requirements. While LAW 920 is helpful, it is not a prerequisite for this course.
LAW 848. Writing for Law Practice. 2 Credits.
This course provides an opportunity for upper-level students to practice legal writing skills. It focuses on writing for law practice. Students will draft and revise several documents; engage in editing, workshopping and peer critique; and receive intensive feedback from the instructor. By the end of the course, students will have the beginnings of a document portfolio to take with them into their first years of law practice. Prerequisite: LAW 820 and LAW 821.
LAW 849. Cybercrimes. 2-3 Credits.
Cyber threats are a global problem challenging all areas of business. Attorneys must be able to advise and defend clients from these threats. Similarly, all criminal lawyers must be fluent in how new technologies work and how they impact investigations. In this course, students will learn how these new cyber threats and emerging technologies are challenging attorneys across the country, no matter which area of law they focus upon. The course will prepare students to think about these threats-not as consumers or users of these exciting new technologies-but as lawyers confronting the impact of these new devices or services. Course topics will include computer hacking, spear phishing, Internet fraud and social engineering, cyberstalking, and the rising use of computers, mobile devices, and social media in violent crimes. This course will cover methods of investigation of computer crimes, such as the Stored Communications Act (Grand Jury subpoenas, court orders, search warrants), the Pen Register Statute and Wiretap Act (real-time collection of information), as well as current litigation topics like encryption, non-disclosure orders, and privacy. We will also cover the important new Supreme Court cases in this area, Riley v. California and Carpenter v. United States.
LAW 850. Administrative Law. 3 Credits.
The separation and delegation of powers. The development of administrative function. Administrative discretion, notice, hearing, jurisdiction, conclusiveness of determination, and judicial control. Examination of current problems in various administrative processes.
LAW 852. Criminal Procedure: Adjudication. 3 Credits.
Covers federal constitutional provisions that apply to criminal prosecutions in the United States. Course coverage also includes some state and federal criminal procedure rules and statutes, which both codify and supplement constitutional provisions. The course moves from the initiation of the criminal prosecution through sentencing and post-conviction processes. Some of the topics covered in this class are covered on the bar exam. Criminal Procedure: Investigation is not a prerequisite for this course.
LAW 855. Taxation of Business Enterprises. 2-3 Credits.
LAW 856. Advanced Legal Research. 2 Credits.
Spring semester. Evaluates important legal research tools and techniques not covered in the required first year Lawyering course. Provides an in-depth look at Kansas materials, legal reference books, form books, and computer-assisted research. Research aids in selected subject areas will also be examined.
LAW 857. Advanced Litigation. 3 Credits.
This professional skills course builds on the foundational trial skills taught in Trial Advocacy. Through repeated trial performance in a realistic courtroom setting, students will master trial skills such as case analysis and planning, applied legal storytelling, witness examination, and application of the rules of evidence. Special topics may include admitting contemporary forms of evidence and using technology in the courtroom. Prerequisite: LAW 908 and LAW 992.
LAW 859. Deposition Skills Workshop. 2 Credits.
This professional skills course will expose students to substantive and procedural law, as well as the ethical rules, pertaining to depositions. It provides students a realistic deposition setting in which they will learn to conduct and defend a series of depositions in a simulated environment under the direction of experienced attorneys who serve as the workshop faculty. This course is a four-day intensive with self-study before and after. Students should plan to complete a schedule of self-study and preparation for at least two weeks before the Workshop begins; to attend the in-person Workshop from approximately 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, and to complete some reflective work after the Workshop concludes. Prerequisite: LAW 908.
LAW 860. Alternative Dispute Resolution. 2-3 Credits.
This course introduces the student to arbitration, mediation, negotiation, and other methods for resolving disputes. In addition to serving as alternatives to the court system, these processes also play an increasingly important role in litigation and settlement. This is a survey course, which may include exercises to develop skills such as interviewing, counseling, and negotiation.
LAW 861. Curricular Practical Training. 1-2 Credits.
This course allows international students to earn academic credit for independent study with a supervising faculty member that is related to legal work performed by the student in the course of paid employment with a private employer, governmental agency, non-profit legal services organization, foreign or international organization or other employment related to the student's law degree. Students will complete readings and reflective writing assignments under supervision of a faculty member that are related to the subject matter of their employment. Students may enroll for more than one semester with permission of the Associate Dean for International and Comparative Law Programs, provided that no student may count more than 6 hours of Curricular Practical Training credit toward the credit required for graduation.
LAW 862. American Legal History. 2-3 Credits.
An introductory survey of the history of American Law and American legal institutions.
LAW 863. Antitrust Law. 3 Credits.
This course covers U.S. competition law, including the Sherman, Clayton, and Federal Trade Commission Acts. It examines horizontal and vertical restraints, including price fixing, market division, boycotts, monopolization, mergers, tying, and other distribution restrictions. Some principles of economic analysis are employed, but economics is not a prerequisite.
LAW 864. Advanced International Trade Law. 3-4 Credits.
Examines enduring and contemporary issues in international trade practice and policy. Among the practical topics covered in detail are: (1) antidumping and countervailing duties against dumping and unfair subsidies, respectively; (2) safeguard actions against fair foreign competition; (3) unilateral trade retaliation under Section 301 and the Sino-American Trade War; and (4) currency manipulation. Among the policy topics emphasized, from both "our" and "their" perspective, are: (1) trade relations with developing, least developed, and Muslim countries; (2) complex interactions among trade, human rights, labor rights, and the environment; and (3) efforts to protect local culture in an ear of globalization. This course is designed not only for students intending to work in international trade law, but also for students interested in careers anywhere in the world in other fields of, or relating to, international law who seek an appreciation of the increasingly sophisticated connections among these fields and trade.
LAW 868. Business Planning Seminar. 3 Credits.
A problem approach to planning important business transactions, such as organization of a close corporation; organization of a public company; dividend and other corporate distributions; corporate liquidations; and corporate combinations such as merger and consolidation. Each problem is analyzed from the perspectives of tax, securities regulation, and corporate law. Prerequisite: LAW 892, LAW 913, and LAW 855.
LAW 869. Contract Drafting. 3 Credits.
An intensive skills course designed to teach the principles of contemporary commercial drafting, including how to translate a business deal into contract concepts; draft each of a contract's parts; draft with clarity and without ambiguity; add value to a deal; work through the drafting process; and review and comment on a contract. Weekly written homework is required. Prerequisite: Business Organizations recommended but not required.
LAW 870. Biolaw. 2-3 Credits.
This course examines the law of biology and the biology of law. Topics covered will include law and evolution, law and genetics, law and neuroscience, law and ecology, climate change law, biodiversity law, law and biotechnology, reproductive law, behavioral law and economics, and law and deextinction.
LAW 871. Capital Punishment. 2-3 Credits.
This course will examine capital punishment as a system of law and will address many of the intertwining questions raised by the existence of the death penalty in America: How, as a statutory and procedural matter, is the death penalty implemented in America? What procedures are unique to the imposition of death as a punishment? Why are those procedures used, and to what extent are they either adequate or inadequate? What are the arguments for and against the death penalty and how persuasive are they? Do we, as lawyers and as individuals, accept capital punishment as a working legal system.
LAW 872. Arbitration. 3 Credits.
This survey of arbitration law and practice considers major types of arbitration in the United States such as commercial (including securities and trade associations), labor, employment, consumer, insurance, medical, and religious as well as important types of international arbitration, such as commercial, maritime, investment, and sports.
LAW 873. Commercial Law: Secured Transactions. 3 Credits.
Introduction to debtor-creditor law, particularly secured transactions under the Uniform Commercial Code and the Bankruptcy Code.
LAW 876. Feminist Jurisprudence. 2-3 Credits.
This seminar examines the role of law in perpetuating and remedying inequities against women. After studying the historical emergence of sexual equality law in the United States, we discuss several paradigmatic feminist legal theories, including formal equality, MacKinnon's "dominance" theory, relational/cultural feminism, intersectionality and queer theory. We then proceed to apply these analytical structures to various substantive areas of law of particular concern to women, including but not limited to pregnancy, sexual assault, domestic violence, and employment discrimination.
LAW 877. Corporate Governance. 2-3 Credits.
This course will engage major debates and key issues in corporate governance, the challenges for designing an optimal system for governing corporations, and the increasingly important role of lawyers in these decisions. Topics for study include the history of corporate governance; the role and responsibility of the board of directors in, among other matters, evaluating and insuring effective corporate compliance, risk monitoring, litigation and crisis management; and corporate social responsibility. Substantial comparative content will be included. Prerequisite: LAW 892.
LAW 878. Criminal Procedure: Investigation. 3 Credits.
Through the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments, this course provides an in-depth examination of the balance of individual rights with law enforcement interests in investigating alleged criminal conduct. Utilizing landmark Supreme Court cases, students study Fourth Amendment law on search and seizure, probable cause, warrants, exceptions to the warrant requirement, and the exclusionary rule. The course also analyzes the legal framework surrounding confessions and self-incrimination as provided in the Fifth and Sixth Amendments. All topics covered in the course are topics assessed on the bar exam.
LAW 879. Comparative Law. 3 Credits.
A general introduction to and comparison of major legal systems of the world, with special emphasis given to how those systems reflect differing cultural values in addressing common legal questions. A major goal of the course is to deepen the students' understanding of law and practice in the United States and to broaden their perspective of law beyond the boundaries of the common law systems.
LAW 881. Conflict of Laws. 2-3 Credits.
An analysis and consideration of problems respecting the law applicable in transactions or to relationships with elements in more than one state or country. The law to be applied in such situations, the theoretical bases of choice-of-law, and the issues which these matters can present under the Constitution of the United States are discussed. Far-reaching changes are occurring in basic assumptions and methods of approach in the field of choice-of-law, and special attention is given to these developments. Finally, the class considers the recognition and enforcement of foreign state judgments in terms of both standards and requirements that flow from relevant provisions of the Constitution.
LAW 882. Consumer Law. 2-3 Credits.
This course will examine federal and state law governing the formation, terms, and enforcement of consumer contracts. Topics covered will include deception and information in contract formation; regulation of consumer credit, goods, and services; creditors' collection tactics; and consumer remedies.
LAW 885. Privacy Law. 3 Credits.
This course tracks the origins and development of privacy in American law through the examination and analyses of constitutional law, tort law, and some statutory law. We will consider the social impact of emerging technology and social media.
LAW 886. Civil Rights Actions. 2-3 Credits.
A survey of the law governing civil suits against government entities and officials to remedy violations of federal constitutional rights. The focus of the class is litigation under 42 U.S.C. section 1983, which creates a civil cause of action for damages and injunctive relief to remedy violations of federal constitutional rights. This area of law is sometimes referred to as "constitutional torts, " because it involves civil litigation that is in many ways similar to traditional tort actions. The course covers the elements of a Section 1983 action, the constitutional immunity of states and state officers, defenses to Section 1983 liability, defendants' liability for attorneys fees under 42 U.S.C. section 1988, civil suits against federal defendants, and the relationship between Section 1983 and federal habeas corpus.
LAW 888. Copyright Law in a Digital Age. 3 Credits.
Explores the major copyright issues that arise as Congress and the courts attempt to adapt the law to an increasingly complex technological environment. We will examine problems posed by such categories of digital works as software, databases containing factual and other public domain content, multi-media materials, computer generated or assisted works, and digital music.
LAW 889. Bankruptcy. 3 Credits.
LAW 890. Criminal Prosecution Field Placement Program. 1-6 Credits.
Students in the Criminal Prosecution Field Placement gain courtroom experience working side by side with prosecutors in federal, state, and local offices in virtually all phases of the criminal justice process. In addition to appearing regularly in court on behalf of the prosecution, interns work closely with law enforcement agencies in developing cases, preparing trial court documents, and drafting appellate briefs. Students may earn between 3 and 6 credit hours during a semester, including the summer semester. (A student may earn 9 credit hours total, in the Criminal Prosecution Field Placement Program.) The course will be graded on a credit/no credit basis. Prerequisite: LAW 908 and Qualification under Kansas Rule 715 for legal intern permit or another state's equivalent intern permit.
LAW 891. Elections and Campaign Finance. 3 Credits.
This course will consider the process of elections, campaign finance, and voting at both the state and federal levels. Topics addressed will include the role of political parties, voter and candidate eligibility, design of electoral districts, the mechanics of voting and vote counting, federal and state campaign regulation, and challenges to election results.
LAW 892. Business Organizations. 3-4 Credits.
This introductory business law course covers topics including the law of agency, the formation, ownership, and management of partnerships, limited liability entities, and corporations, and the roles of federal law, state law, and contract in regulating the relationships among the various participants in a business venture, including fiduciary duties and enforcement mechanisms. Special attention will be paid to closely held business associations.
LAW 894. Field Placement Program. 1-6 Credits.
Allows students to earn academic credit for performing legal work under the supervision of a practicing attorney at approved governmental agencies, non-profit legal services organizations, and non-profit international organizations. Students will work a specified number of hours per week, complete a goals memo, maintain weekly journals of their experience, and write a reflective paper. Students may enroll for more than one semester with permission of the Director, provided that no student may count more than 6 hours of Field Placement Program credit toward the credit required for graduation. No student may enroll in the Field Placement Program in a placement in which the student was formerly an employee, is currently an employee, or has an offer of employment. No student may enroll in Field Placement Program in a field placement for which there is an existing specialized Law School clinic or externship program without the prior permission of both the director of the affected specialized Law School clinic or externship program and the director of the Field Placement Program. Graded on a credit/no credit basis.
LAW 895. Project for Innocence and Post-Conviction Remedies. 3 Credits.
Provide assistance to the inmates incarcerated at the federal and state facilities in Kansas. Representation includes direct appeals, post-conviction and DNA litigation. Students interview clients, conduct fact investigation, determine the scope of representation and write court briefs. Students who satisfy Kansas Supreme Court Rule 715 may participate in court hearings. Students must enroll for the academic year, for 3 credits per semester. Concurrent enrollment in LAW 896 is required. Prerequisite: Corequisite: LAW 878.
LAW 896. Project for Innocence and Post-Conviction Remedies Class. 1 Credits.
Designed to acquaint students with the issues surrounding the professional skills, substance, and ethics that are critical to student participation in LAW 895, Project for Innocence and Post-Conviction Remedies. A corequisite with LAW 895 and enrollment is limited to students concurrently enrolled in that course.
LAW 897. State Constitutional Law. 3 Credits.
All 50 states have their own constitutions and cases interpreting those charters. State constitutions sometimes mirror or duplicate federal constitutional provisions, but state constitutions also contain provisions not found in the U.S. constitution. In our federal system, both federal and state constitution law are important and vibrant. This course explores the similarities and the differences in federal and state constitutional law. Coverage includes structural aspects of state constitutional law (dual sovereignty, interpreting state constitutions independently of the federal constitution, the organization of state government., restrictions unique to the state constitutions, and the amendment process, as well as individual rights under state constitutions (equality, due process, criminal procedure, property, religion education, "right to a remedy"/"open courts", and privacy). Prerequisite: Introduction to Constitutional Law.
LAW 899. Electronic Discovery I. 2 Credits.
This course will explore developing trends in the increasingly prevalent field of electronically stored information ("ESI") in litigation. Students will learn about the various types of ESI and gain an understanding of how the federal rules impact ESI issues. The curriculum will include discussions of recent cases, the amended federal rules of civil procedure, and the best practices in litigating recurring e-discovery issues. The course follows the natural progression of a case, providing students the opportunity navigate e-discovery matters at each step in the litigation process, including: records retention policies, litigation holds, discovery requests, search methods, production and metadata, spoliation sanctions, and ultimate admission of ESI evidence at trial. No advanced computer skills are required for this class.
LAW 901. Elder Law Field Placement Program. 2-6 Credits.
Involves students in representation of elderly individuals primarily in consumer, housing, and public benefits litigation. Students work under the supervision of attorneys from Kansas Legal Services and faculty from the School of Law. A one-hour classroom component accompanies the field-work requirement.
LAW 902. Complex Litigation (Non-Writing). 3 Credits.
Explores the many interesting facets of complex litigation in the context of mass torts. Topics include class actions, consolidation, multidistrict litigation, and complex joinder issues, as well as substantive issues that may arise in mass tort litigation.
LAW 903. Employment Discrimination Law. 3 Credits.
A study of the major federal statutes prohibiting discrimination in employment and of constitutional objections to employment discrimination.
LAW 904. Environmental Law Seminar. 2-3 Credits.
An intensive study of one or more aspects of environmental law, such as wildlife law, energy policy, marine pollution controls, and so forth. May be repeated for credit, provided there is not duplication of subject matter.
LAW 905. Environmental Law. 3 Credits.
A general survey of the legal mechanisms for protecting the environment. It considers the justifications for and economic implications of regulating activities with potential adverse effects on the environment and the various sources of legal constraints (common law, constitutional, and statutory) on those activities. The course provides an introduction to environmental litigation, to environmental assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act, to endangered species protection, and to the various forms of legislative and administrative controls on and inducements to avoid polluting activities reflected in statutes such as the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the statutes designed to control contamination of land by hazardous substances.
LAW 906. Estate Planning: Principles. 2-3 Credits.
LAW 907. Estate Planning: Practice. 2-3 Credits.
LAW 908. Evidence. 3 Credits.
Functions of the court and jury; burden of proof; presumptions; judicial notice; competency of witnesses; examination of witnesses; hearsay rule, with exceptions; opinion evidence; direct examination and circumstantial evidence; "best evidence" rule; standards of relevancy.
LAW 909. Family Law. 2-3 Credits.
Introduction to marriage and the family as the basic social unit in Western society. Topics include marriage, divorce, annulment, separate maintenance, alimony, child custody and support, antenuptial and post-nuptial agreements, adoption, legitimacy, and minority. Practice points include financial planning, tax considerations, and the attorney's responsibility.
LAW 910. Federal Courts and the Federal System. 3 Credits.
This course addresses the role of the federal courts in our constitutional federal system. Topics covered include justiceability, Congressional power over the jurisdiction of the courts, federal common law, abstention doctrines, Supreme Court review of state court decisions, ant the role of the state courts in enforcing federal law. Prerequisite: LAW 845 or permission of the instructor.
LAW 911. Accounting for Lawyers. 1-2 Credits.
An introduction to Accounting and Auditing for Lawyers. Coverage includes components of Generally accepted Accounting Principles related to assets, liabilities, equity, revenue and expenses; financial statements analysis; auditing standards; corporate governance; audit failure and forensic accounting. Not open to students who have completed an accounting course while an undergraduate or graduate student.
LAW 913. Federal Income Taxation. 3 Credits.
A survey of the federal income tax system, with special emphasis on the tax laws generally applicable to all taxpayers. Topics include income determination, deductions, credits, planning, and procedure. Historical development and policy issues are addressed throughout the course.
LAW 914. Federal Indian Law. 3 Credits.
Addresses the law and policy of the United States regarding Indian nations and their members. Issues include the origins and contours of federal plenary power over Indian affairs, the scope of inherent tribal sovereignty, the limits of state power in Indian country, civil and criminal jurisdiction, and gaming. (Same as ISP 824.)
LAW 915. Natnl Championship Moot Court Competition. 2-3 Credits.
In this class, 2L or 3L students will compete in the Hunton Andrews Kurth National Championship Moot Court. This national championship competition is invitation only to the top 16 moot court programs in the nation, and students on this team will be invited from the moot court program. Students on this team will have their choice to compete in the regular 2-credit national moot court competitions course, LAW 964, or to take this 3-credit course to fulfill their professional writing requirement. This 3-credit option requires students to complete a lengthy brief, a rewrite of the brief, and significant additional writing assignments. As part of their work in this course, students will engage in extensive oral advocacy practices and compete in oral argument rounds at the competition. This course satisfies the requirements of the upper-level writing intensive course (professional). By appointment only. Prerequisite: Invitation Only.
LAW 918. Islamic Law. 2-4 Credits.
Examines the history, doctrine, texts, and role of Islamic law (Shari'a) throughout the world. This course complements (but is independent of) LAW 879. The course focuses on the background and birth of the Arab-Islamic Empire, the life and times of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the development of Islam, the Rashidun, Umayyad, and Abbasid Caliphates, Moghul and Ottoman Empires, the Koran and Sunnah and other sacred texts, the Sunni-Shi'a split, the principal schools of Islamic law, the status of women and religious minorities, and principles of the substantive areas of law, including criminal, family, inheritance, contract, property, business, banking, and international law (including law of war). Also covered are issues of economic growth, marginalization, and terrorism. (Same as GIST 818.)
LAW 920. Health Law and Policy. 2-3 Credits.
A survey of significant legal and policy issues, both historical and current, associated with the delivery of health care. Among these issues are the patient-provider relationship, medical malpractice, the right to die, hospital licensing and physician credentialing, medical staff structure, insurance coverage disputes, and current ideas for health care reform.
LAW 921. Writing for Law Practice: Briefwriting. 2 Credits.
This course provides intense legal writing training for students on the KU Law Moot Court Council. Students will build on their knowledge of fundamental legal writing principles and practice techniques to help them write more clearly, precisely, and effectively. Students will draft 2 and revise two appellate briefs, complete shorter writing assignments, engage in editing and peer critique; and receive intensive feedback. The substantive research students perform will support and deepen their foundational knowledge for their chosen national moot court competition.
LAW 922. Higher Education and the Law Seminar. 3 Credits.
A writing seminar focused on the unique legal issues facing colleges and universities. The over 4000 institutions of higher education in the United States require legal services, especially in light of the changing legal environment for affirmative action and sex-based discrimination. The course explores issues that distinguish institutions of higher education from other corporate entities, including academic freedom, tenure, and student rights and discipline. The differences between public and private institutions are also examined. Grades are based on three memoranda students will research and write, and on class participation.
LAW 923. Immigration Law. 2-3 Credits.
Topics such as standards for the admission of immigrants; nonimmigrant visas for students, workers, and tourists; the regulation and exclusion of undocumented aliens; legal procedures for admission, exclusion, and deportation; refugee law; and citizenship law.
LAW 924. Independent Research. 1-2 Credits.
Students may undertake a project which involves investigation, research, and scholarship in a particular area of the law. The research must be done under the supervision of a faculty member and must culminate in the writing of a research paper in publishable form. Students must complete and submit for faculty feedback at least two drafts or one draft and one outline in addition to the final research paper. The faculty supervisor must provide meaningful feedback to the student on the outline and draft(s). The final product of the independent research must be submitted at a date set by the faculty supervisor which is no later than the last day of classes of the semester. Students must successfully complete 10-15 double-spaced, typed pages of work for every credit hour earned. No student may enroll for more than 2 hours of independent research in one semester, and no student may count more than 6 hours of independent research credit toward the credit required for graduation. Prerequisite: 29 hours of law school credit.
LAW 925. Employment Law. 3 Credits.
A study of state and federal regulation of the employer-employee relationship. This course will introduce students to several employment law subjects that arise in the workplace, including, among others: worker classifications, the at-will employment doctrine and exceptions to it, wage and hour protections, tort liability issues in employment, speech protections for employees, and restraints on trade. This course will not cover traditional labor law or employment discrimination law (both of which are addressed by other classes at the law school).
LAW 926. Intro to Employee Benefits. 3 Credits.
This course is intended to provide a basic overview of the employee benefit issues that lawyers typically see and the federal laws that govern those issues. The course will delve into policy goals and incentives for employers, as well as current “hot topics” in employee benefits law, including fiduciary litigation in the retirement arena and the impact of federal policy and constitutional issues on employer-sponsored plans. Additionally, students will look at actual plan documents and related written materials to gain a practical understanding of the concepts they learn. Students will leave this course not as ERISA “experts,” but as lawyers who can spot important employee benefits issues in their day-to-day practices. For students who do wish to pursue employee benefits law as a specialty, this course will provide a good first step.
LAW 927. Jury Selection. 2 Credits.
This simulation course provides an exploration of the jury selection process, blending legal doctrine with practical exercises. Students will learn about the background of the system, the psychology of persuasion, and the ethical considerations of jury selection, as well as strategies and techniques for leading a successful jury selection. Through lectures, readings, and a lot of hands-on practice, students will develop critical skills in this fundamental litigation process, culminating in a series of mock jury selection exercises with jurors. The techniques and exercises will focus on criminal defense, but the instruction will be transferrable to other areas of trial practice.
LAW 928. Remedies. 2-3 Credits.
The law of remedies is an important part of understanding substantive law, shedding light on how our civil justice system attempts to "right" wrongs. This course will examine the way in which the law responds to the violations of rights, including an exploration of compensatory damages, punitive damages, and equitable remedies, such as restitution and injunctive relief.
LAW 929. International Law Moot Court Competition. 2 Credits.
Spring semester. Open only to the team of students (usually five) selected by a competition held in the preceding fall semester. All students (including first-year students) are eligible to compete for a position on the team. Once selected, the team participates in the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, for which briefs are prepared over the winter recess and oral arguments are usually held in February. Graded on a credit/no credit basis.
LAW 930. Corporate Finance. 2-3 Credits.
This advanced business law course examines the legal and financial aspects of corporate finance. Topics include the time value of money, valuation of stocks and bonds, the use of debt, equity, and derivative instruments in the firm's capital structure, dividends and distributions, and finance theories, including portfolio theory, the capital asset pricing model, and the efficient capital market hypothesis. Prerequisite: LAW 892 or concurrent enrollment.
LAW 931. Introduction to Elder Law. 2 Credits.
This course is an introduction to many of the legal issues that face a person who is older or has a disability. The focus is on the practical aspects of advising the person. Topics covered may include ethical considerations (such as appropriately dealing with non-client family members and people who have diminishing intellectual capacity), government benefit programs (including Social Security, SSI, Medicare, and Medicaid), asset management (including conservatorship, durable powers of attorney, and trusts), guardianship and alternatives to guardianship, elder abuse and neglect, healthcare and end of life decisions, housing options, long-term care planning, long-term care insurance, estate planning, designing trusts for people who are older or have a disability, special needs trusts, and planning for people who have too many assets to qualify for means-tested public assistance but not enough to private pay for needed care.
LAW 932. Federal Tax Procedure. 1-2 Credits.
Federal Tax Procedure covers the chronology of tax disputes, from examination by the IRS to final disposition of the case by settlement or court decision. Topics covered include the IRS's procedure for return administration, the administrative appeals process, statutes of limitation on assessment, choice of forum, Tax Court jurisdiction, overpayment and refund procedures. Prerequisite: Federal Income Tax.
LAW 933. Judicial Field Placement Program. 1-3 Credits.
Students serve as law clerks for state and federal judges performing legal research for the judges and observing proceedings in the courtroom and chambers. There is a classroom component to the clinic. Students also submit weekly journals to the clinic director and prepare either a paper based on their experiences or make a class presentation. Students must enroll for the academic year, for three credits per semester.
LAW 934. Jurisprudence. 2-3 Credits.
Considers issues in legal and political theory or philosophy. The focus is on theories of adjudication, theories of law, and application of these theories to particular cases and problems. Other topics may be added, such as the philosophy of criminal punishment, the theory of legal interpretation, feminist jurisprudence, law and literature, or law and sociology. A writing project is required in place of a final examination.
LAW 935. Juvenile Law. 2 Credits.
A study of the juvenile justice system, juvenile courts, and the children and youth who come under juvenile court jurisdiction. Among the subjects covered will be: the history and philosophical basis of the juvenile court, child abuse and neglect, termination of parental rights, status offenders, children who commit criminal offenses, taking children and juveniles into custody, search and seizure, interrogation, intake, informal supervision, diversion, protective and temporary custody, pretrial detention, waiver of adult court, and adjudicatory and dispositional hearings.
LAW 936. Medical-Legal Partnership Field Placement. 1-6 Credits.
Students provide legal assistance to patients referred by the MLP field placement’s medical partners. Students will engage, under attorney supervision, in interviewing, counseling, negotiation, and other aspects of the legal process. Cases may include public benefits, housing, employment, education, immigration, elder law, and family law. Both 2Ls and 3Ls are eligible to apply. Students may participate for one semester only (unless special approval is given). LAW 972 Professional Responsibility, LAW 908 Evidence, and LAW 992 Trial Advocacy are not required but are recommended. Students generally earn 3 or 6 credits and are required to apply directly to the MLP supervising attorneys. Graded on a credit/no credit basis.
LAW 937. Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy II. 2 Credits.
The Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy publishes articles by scholars, public officials, and others, including student staff members, on public policy topics. The staff of the Journal is chosen on the basis of a yearly writing competition. Second year members of the Journal select articles for publication, edit the articles, and undertake the other responsibilities of publication. Journal members may not enroll concurrently in the Kansas Law Review. Graded on a credit/no credit basis.
LAW 939. Labor Law. 2-5 Credits.
A study of the federal regulation of union-employer-employee relationships in the private sector. Subjects include employee organizational rights, union collective action, injunctions, federal preemption, the duty to bargain, antitrust limitations, the enforcement of the collective bargaining agreement, grievance procedures and arbitration, the union's duty of fair representation, and internal union affairs.
LAW 940. Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy I. 1 Credits.
The Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy publishes articles by scholars, public officials, and others, including student staff members, on public policy topics. The staff of the Journal is chosen on the basis of a yearly writing competition. First year members of the Journal undertake editorial work and write comments for possible publication. Journal members may not enroll concurrently in the Kansas Law Review. Graded on a credit/no credit basis.
LAW 942. Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and the Law. 2 Credits.
This course will examine the evolving legal rights of the LGBTQ community by exploring the rapidly evolving ways in which the law constructs and regulates sex, sexuality, gender identity, gender roles, and sexual orientation. We will begin by exploring the historical evolution of the constitutional rights of gays and lesbians, examining doctrines of privacy and equality as they have evolved to protect LGBTQ individuals. The course will examine constitutional law, statutes, regulations, and other sources of law. Many areas covered by this course involve significant ongoing legal disputes, including religious freedom and nondiscrimination laws; the rights of transgender and gender-nonconforming people; employment discrimination; and family law questions. We will examine these issues critically, including addressing concerns over federalism, free exercise, the democratic process, and the proper role of the courts.
LAW 943. Extended Bar Exam Preparation. 2 Credits.
The course is designed to ensure students know what to expect from both the post-graduation Themis bar review course and the bar exam itself. It will include both weekly in-class sessions and online homework assignments. The course will begin with a diagnostic exam. Next, the course will address the analytical, information-retrieval, and reading-comprehension skills necessary for success on Multistate Performance Test (MPT). The course will then cover several subtopics which are heavily tested on the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) and the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE). Students will learn skills necessary for writing a successful MEE essay. Specifically, students will practice careful reading, outlining, time management, and drafting by completing a variety of MEE exercises. The course will also include a sampling of MBE questions, with instruction on how to analyze both correct and incorrect answers for maximum learning. Students will complete both practice and graded MEE and MPT exercises. Students will receive individualized feedback on the graded MEE and MPT exercises. The course exists to supplement, not replace, the post-graduation bar review course. Enrollment will be limited to students entering their final year of law school (and 2Ls planning to graduate in December). The course will be graded on a credit/no credit basis.
LAW 944. International Trade Law. 3 Credits.
Examines the legal, regulatory, and policy aspects of the sale of goods across national borders. Key topics include: (1) interdisciplinary foundations of international trade; (2) history and institutions of the GATT-WTO system; (3) accession to the WTO; (4) dispute settlement under WTO rules; (5) regulation of import duties and non-tariff barriers; (6) transparency; (7) rules on customs classification and valuation; (8) post-9/11 border security measures; (9) the critical link between trade and national security (and Section 232 actions); (10) trade sanctions and export controls (including with respect to Iran); (11) protection of intellectual property rights against infringement; (12) trade in agriculture (including sanitary and phytosanitary issues); (13) trade in services; and (14) ideological and policy issues relating to trade liberalization and globalization. This course compliments (but is independent of) International Commerce and Investment and is the basis for more advanced study of international trade law.
LAW 945. International Commerce and Investment. 3 Credits.
Examines the transactional aspects of the sale of goods and direct investment across national borders. The focus is on private international business transactions. Among the subjects covered regarding international commerce (sale of goods) are contract drafting, documentary sales, commercial terms, electronic commerce, agency and distributorship, and contract performance. Among the subjects covered regarding international investment are joint ventures, corporate codes of conduct, corrupt practices, transfer pricing, expropriation, and dispute resolution. This course complements (but is independent of) International Trade Regulation.
LAW 946. Introduction to the American Legal System. 1-2 Credits.
This course introduces international students to the common law system and to U.S. legal institutions, including federal and state courts, and the executive and legislative branches of government. Their constitutional position and the role of constitutional law in the U.S. system is emphasized. The course introduces both civil and criminal procedure and gives students practice in legal analysis using both caselaw and statutory sources. Credit for this course cannot be applied toward the J.D. degree.
LAW 947. Mergers and Other Acquisitions. 2-3 Credits.
An examination of the substantive law of corporate mergers and acquisitions. Coverage includes structure of the transaction; the buyer's due diligence process; hostile takeover defenses and the responsibilities of the target's board; state takeover legislation and issues of federal preemption; friendly acquisitions and the seller board's duties; conflicts between majority and minority shareholders; and federal regulation of tender offers via the Williams Act. Prerequisite: LAW 892.
LAW 948. Transactional Law Competition. 1-3 Credits.
Spring semester. A national competition, the goal of which is to provide participants with a meaningful and realistic simulation of transactional practice. The competition involves regional rounds followed by a national round of regional winners. Each round consists of three distinct phases. First, students work in teams of two or three to prepare a proposed draft agreement on behalf of one of the two parties to a business transaction. Second, each team prepares mark-ups to draft agreements prepared by the opposing teams they will encounter at the regional or national site. Finally, the teams meet to negotiate the final contours of the deal. Enrollment requires permission of the instructor and is competitive. Graded on a credit/no credit basis. Prerequisite: LAW 892, permission of instructor. Corequisite: LAW 869.
LAW 949. Mock Trial Competition. 1 Credits.
This is an intensive one-week course that covers the skills necessary to compete in Mock Trial Competitions. Members of the class will learn to analyze a case file, present pre-trial motions, opening statements, and closing arguments, conduct direct and cross-examinations, and introduce evidence. Students from this class will be competitively selected to be on the Mock Trial Council and potentially compete in national mock trial competitions. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis. Permission code required. Enrollment is limited to students who have not taken Trial Advocacy.
LAW 950. Law Review. 1-2 Credits.
The Kansas Law Review publishes scholarly commentary on the law by professors, practicing lawyers, judges, and law students. Students are selected for membership by competition, and are responsible for publishing five issues of the Review each year. Students select articles for publication, edit the articles, check citations, and write notes and comments for possible publication. Students must enroll for the academic year, for one-two credits per semester. Students enrolled in this course will not be permitted to enroll in the Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy. Graded on a credit/no credit basis.
LAW 951. Global Data Protection in the Age of AI. 3 Credits.
This highly interactive course explores ever-evolving global data protection and privacy risks and obligations, as well as emerging risks and obligations triggered by the use of AI solutions, particularly generative AI solutions, by lawyers and businesses. The course will also address risks posed to individuals and businesses by the malicious use of AI tools by cybercriminals and other bad actors. Topics covered in the global data protection portion of this course include global data protection and privacy concepts, principles, and models; personal data use cases for both governments and businesses; varying global approaches to regulating data protection and privacy; data protection and privacy compliance obligations and best practices; and legal, ethical, and other risks posed by inadequate data protection and privacy practices. Topics covered in the AI portion of the course include key AI concepts, principles, and models; AI use cases (with particular emphasis on legal use cases); varying global approaches to regulating AI; AI-related compliance obligations and best practices; and legal, ethical, and other risks posed by different AI technologies and practices, including but not limited to discriminatory AI practices. Classes will incorporate practical, interactive global data protection and AI-related exercises. Guest speakers, including guest speakers from other countries, will be brought in to share their unique insights on select personal data protection and pri
LAW 952. Legal Aid Clinic. 2.5-6 Credits.
Students provide legal assistance, including direct client representation, to indigent child and adult clients with active cases in Douglas County District Court and Lawrence Municipal Court. Recent areas of representation have included juvenile criminal defense, misdemeanor municipal defense, family law, protection from abuse, landlord-tenant, and other civil cases. A weekly seminar meeting accompanies the field work and allows students and instructors to study the methodologies underlying lawyering tasks in context, thereby merging theory with practice. Supervision meetings with faculty are designed to encourage creative case planning, practice management, and individual professional development through feedback and critique. Students are required to be qualified under Kansas Rule 715, which requires a minimum of 59 hours of course work or 44 hours if enrolled in an in-house faculty supervised clinic. Students must apply to the clinic and be accepted before enrolling. Applications and deadlines are available in Room 105. Prerequisite: Trial Advocacy and Professional Responsibility; Qualification under Kansas Rule 715. See Clinic and Externship Rules in the Academic Regulations section of this bulletin.
LAW 953. Marginalized Bodies in Literature, Medicine and the Law. 2-3 Credits.
In this course, we will use literature from several different time periods and sociocultural groups to interrogate how and why diseases might disproportionately impact the lives of those who live on the "margins" of U.S. society: people of color, immigrants, the poor, working-class folks, members of LGBTQ+ communities. Writing by authors from a range of genres-science fiction, the history of medicine, memoir, poetry, the personal essay, and the law-will be analyzed from interdisciplinary perspectives to see how each piece speaks to themes and concerns of health and healthcare, such as varying definitions of "medicine" and "illness," best (and worst) practices for physicians and other healthcare workers, possible tensions between spirituality and science, how disparities like employment opportunities, educational access, housing standards, geographical region, cultural and linguistic bias, and sexism (among others) can affect access to adequate care-both physical and mental. Historical legal principles are still at work in the present, and so all of these data points relate to how we understand the impacts of law and policy on the well-being of marginalized populations.
LAW 954. Legislation and Statutory Interpretation. 2-3 Credits.
This course examines the legislative process, the relationship between the common law and statutes, and statutory interpretation. It focuses primarily on the theoretical and practical aspects of statutory interpretation, including overall theories of interpretation, the canons of statutory interpretation, and the use of legislative history. Because statutory interpretation is a skill needed by all attorneys, the course is designed to be of interest to any student.
LAW 955. Legislative Simulation and Study. 3 Credits.
This simulation class is designed to give students an in-depth working understanding of our multilayered lawmaking process that will be useful in a legislative practice or when researching legislative history in any type of law practice. In this class, students will fill the roles of legislators in a fictional senate. They will draft legislation, give speeches, form strategies, and negotiate with others. Additionally, they will gain hands-on experience working in the Kansas Legislature. By the end of this class, students will be able to guide a bill through the lawmaking process, assist clients and others in solving problems using the legislative process, and consider lawmaking a viable option for you to assist clients or to solve societal ills.
LAW 956. Local Government Law. 2-3 Credits.
The structure, functions, and jurisdictions of local governmental units; intergovernmental arrangements and relationships, financing and staffing local government; tort liability of local governments.
LAW 957. Life of a Startup. 3 Credits.
This course will introduce students to how business considerations of their clients directly impact legal considerations, and vice versa. The students will have the opportunity to wear the dual hats of company founder and general counsel of a fictitious early-stage startup company. Prerequisite: LAW 892 or permission of the instructor.
LAW 958. Media and the First Amendment. 3 Credits.
The study of the First Amendment freedoms of speech and press. The focus is on both traditional media, such as newspapers and broadcast radio and television, and digital media, including blogs, that rely on the Internet to distribute news, opinion, entertainment, and advertising.
LAW 959. First Amendment Advocacy. 3 Credits.
First Amendment Advocacy is an opportunity for students to develop and apply the kinds of skills and knowledge possessed by First Amendment advocates, particularly media lawyers. Students plan and practice how to advise and represent hypothetical clients who are concerned with expressive freedom and the free flow of news and information. In class, students perform as advocates, negotiators, and evaluators of liability risks. Students also perform in the role of lawyer as citizen by planning and practicing how to advance general understanding of the First Amendment. Assignments include research and analysis of media-related law, regulation and public policy. Written work is completed in the form of documents commonly used in practice.
LAW 960. Moot Court Competition. 1 Credits.
A traditional moot court competition based upon an appeal to the United States Supreme Court with written briefs and oral argument rounds. The competition is conducted as a tournament, with elimination rounds and seeding of teams of pairings after the preliminary rounds. Students compete as two-person teams with two teams advancing to the final round. The competition is limited to second-year students. Graded on a credit/no credit basis. Prerequisite: Second-year status.
LAW 961. Moot Court Council. 1 Credits.
The Moot Court Council consists of third-year students who represent KU in various national and international moot court competitions. All students are selected through the Shook Hardy & Bacon Advocates program or through the KU spring in-house Moot Court Competition (LAW 960). The council administers the KU spring in-house moot court competition under the supervision of the faculty member responsible for the course. The council also assists with tasks associated with participation in the various national and international competitions as assigned by the faculty member responsible for the course. Graded on a credit/no credit basis.
LAW 962. Mock Trial Council. 1-3 Credits.
The Mock Trial Council consists of third-year students who successfully completed Mock Trial Competition in their second year. These students help administer the selection process for the mock trial competition under the supervision of a faculty member responsible for the mock trial competitions and course. The council also assists in identifying competitions and with tasks associated with participation in regional and national mock trial competitions and with preparing our competition teams to compete. Graded on a credit/no credit basis. Prerequisite: LAW 949.
LAW 963. Energy Law and Policy. 3 Credits.
This course provides an introduction to the US energy sector in its legal and regulatory context. Energy law is an interdisciplinary field linking public utility law, natural resources law, land use law, and environmental law. From wind and solar to natural gas, energy law structures the production, processing, delivery, and consumption of energy resources for electricity and transportation fuel. The overarching focus of this course is the dynamic state of energy law and policy today, with an emphasis on current events and emerging issues for the field.
LAW 964. National/International Moot Court Competitions: _____. 1-2 Credits.
Students compete in various national and international moot court competitions (except the Jessup International Moot Court Competition, LAW 929.) All students are selected through the Shook Hardy & Bacon Advocates program or through the KU spring in-house Moot Court Competition (LAW 960.) Teams will write a brief and participate in practice oral arguments as required by the faculty member responsible for their particular competition, including at least three arguments judged by law faculty, practicing lawyers, or judges. Students travel to regional, national, and international competitions as applicable. Competitions include: Bankruptcy Law Moot Court, Criminal Law Moot Court, Criminal Procedure Moot Court, European Law Students Association International Trade Moot Court, Environmental Law Moot Court, First Amendment Moot Court, National Moot Court, and Stetson International Environmental Moot Court and Health Law Moot Court. Students also must enroll in the Moot Court Council, LAW 961. Graded on a credit/no credit basis.
LAW 965. Nonprofit and Tax-Exempt Organizations. 1-2 Credits.
Focuses on the legal issues affecting nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations, with primary emphasis on state nonprofit corporation codes and the Internal Revenue Code. Issues covered include allocation of governance responsibility between members and directors, the role of states attorneys general, charitable trust law, obtaining and maintaining tax exemption, private inurement and private benefit, intermediate sanctions, reporting and disclosure requirements, and consequences of unrelated business income. Prerequisite: LAW 892 and LAW 913.
LAW 966. Oil and Gas. 2-3 Credits.
The oil and gas lease; expressed and implied duties under a lease; the effect of various conditions of ownership on oil and gas transactions; oil and gas conveyances; unitization and pooling; conservation of oil and gas.
LAW 968. Intellectual Property. 3-4 Credits.
An introduction to substantive patent law, copyright law, and trademark registration designed (1) to provide background knowledge for those interested primarily in the general law practice and (2) to provide a foundation for future specialization in patents, copyrights, and trademarks.
LAW 969. State Court Practice. 3 Credits.
Designed for the student who intends to enter a private general practice focusing on state court actions. Topics include substantive law of Kansas in domestic relations, landlord-tenant relations, debt collection, probate, and selected areas of criminal law and general civil practice. Students will develop practical skills in pleading and discovery techniques applicable in any state court practice.
LAW 970. Pretrial Advocacy. 3 Credits.
This skills course is designed to teach the fundamentals of pretrial practice from the client's first visit to the day before trial begins. Students will learn to interview and counsel clients, consider alternatives to litigation, draft pleadings, conduct and respond to discovery, and negotiate and draft settlement documents.
LAW 971. Product Liability. 2-3 Credits.
Intensive study of legal developments and problems relating to compensation for injuries resulting from defective products.
LAW 972. Professional Responsibility. 2-3 Credits.
Fall and spring semesters. Must be completed by the time the student finishes 60 hours of law school. Considers some of the history of the profession, training for the practice, the lawyer in the office, the lawyer and the public, the lawyer as lawmaker, limitations on personal conduct, the lawyer as judge, the canons of professional ethics, and many other incidents to the practice. Required course.
LAW 973. Practice of Privacy Law. 3 Credits.
The importance of privacy protection in both the private and public sector continues to grow. The Practice of Privacy Law will focus on the day to day activities of privacy law professionals including risk analyses. In this course, students will be introduced to the implementation of the laws, policies, procedures and day to day practice situated in a variety of privacy contexts. Additionally, through simulations/practice exercises and discussions with privacy law practitioners students will gain a deeper appreciation of privacy law as a practice area.
LAW 974. Public International Law. 3 Credits.
A general survey of the legal system governing the behavior of states and public international organizations. Includes the nature and sources of international law and the role of international law and procedures in the maintenance of world peace and security, the protection of human rights, the management of the environment, and the regulation of international economic relations.
LAW 976. Public Policy Practicum. 3 Credits.
The Public Policy Practicum undertakes in-depth, balanced policy studies in response to requests from public officials. Individual students, or teams of students, supervised by the clinic director, prepare the research reports. Designed to give students practical experience in applying analytical policy methods to public policy issues.
LAW 977. Patent Law. 3-4 Credits.
This class explores the doctrine, policy and practice of patent law in the United States. It examines the challenges posed to patent law by new technologies, such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, the Internet and nanotechnology. Patent law systems in other countries and the role of international patent treaties are also considered. Prerequisite: LAW 968.
LAW 978. Asylum and Refugee Law. 2 Credits.
This course will cover the fundamental doctrines of asylum and refugee law. We will discuss the foundational principles, drawn from international agreements, and then examine their application in United States domestic law. The course will examine practice in immigration courts and policy questions, both recent and long-standing.
LAW 979. Patent Practice. 3 Credits.
This course focuses on the practical application of patent law principles to the practice of patent law, including: assessing patentability, preparing and prosecuting patent applications, and analyzing infringement concepts. Students will examine patent statutes and United States Patent and Trademark rules and guidelines governing patent prosecution, as well as court decisions impacting and interpreting patents. The course will involve in-class and take-home assignments and workshops designed to expose students to situations encountered in actual patent practice, including the preparation of fan opinion of patentability, office action response, and drafting claims. Prior course in LAW 968 or LAW 977 is strongly encouraged.
LAW 980. Sex Crimes. 2-3 Credits.
This course focuses on theory, empirical research, and doctrine related to substantive sex crimes and collateral restrictions on sex offenders. In particular, the course addresses rape, child molestation, incest, child pornography, prostitution, obscenity, and the legal pornography industry. In the latter part of the semester, students will also explore emerging legal issues
LAW 982. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) Seminar. 2-3 Credits.
This course will explore the emergence of the LGBTQ civil rights movement and will cover numerous legal topics at the intersection of law and practice involving issues significant to LGBTQ clients. Among others, topics will include: marriage, divorce, employment discrimination, family creation, healthcare and tax consequences. Students will be asked to prepare legal documents and will complete a major drafting project. The course seeks to provide students with skills and knowledge to meet the needs of this unique client base.
LAW 983. S.J.D. First Year Seminar. 1 Credits.
This seminar is required of all first year S.J.D. candidates. During the first semester we will read and discuss a number of topics including a basic introduction to the American legal system and the American legal profession, common law reasoning and analysis, including the theory of precedent, introduction to common law research, legal scholarship, law reviews and other professional publications, and basic principles of academic writing including introduction to copyright and plagiarism. Students will be required to write a series of short papers on several of these subjects. During the second semester students will work on topics related to their dissertation research and will present the results of their research to the seminar as a whole for critique and analysis. Students will also be expected to prepare a written version of this research that is suitable for publication. The seminar will meet for two hours bimonthly throughout the academic year.
LAW 984. Renewable Energy Law Practice. 2 Credits.
This course introduces students to energy law with a focus on renewable energy. The course emphasizes the practice of renewable energy law, from land use and siting for renewable energy facilities to transactional and finance issues that are key to the success of large-scale renewable energy projects. The course will be an excellent introduction to students interested in transactional practice in a regulated legal environment.
LAW 985. Real Estate Finance. 1-2 Credits.
A basic course in the finance of the acquisition and development of real estate. Course involves the mortgage market, basic security transactions, and remedies of secured creditors including mortgage foreclosure.
LAW 986. Securities Regulation. 2-5 Credits.
An analysis of federal and state securities law and state "Blue Sky" laws. Prerequisite: LAW 892.
LAW 988. S.J.D.. 1-4 Credits.
Supervised research leading to the Doctorate of Juridical Science.
LAW 990. Advanced S.J.D. Seminar. 1 Credits.
This seminar is required of all second year S.J.D. students and may be audited by all S.J.D students beyond two years with permission of the instructor. During this seminar students will conduct research and writing of their S.J.D. dissertations. Students will be required to submit each chapter of their dissertations to a third year writing assistant and to the instructor for editing and revision as part of their seminar work. Edited and revised chapters will be presented to the seminar as a whole for critique and analysis. Second year S.J.D. students will be expected to submit at least one chapter of their dissertations during the second semester of their second year. Second year S.J.D. students who are not in residence will be excused from attending seminar meetings but will be required to engage in the editorial and revision process and to meet virtually with the instructor as needed. The seminar will meet for two hours bimonthly during the academic year.
LAW 992. Trial Advocacy. 3 Credits.
A skills course designed to teach the fundamentals of trial practice including opening and closing statements, direct and cross examination, use of demonstrative evidence, introducing exhibits, making evidentiary objections, and courtroom procedure and decorum. Combines skills workshops, lecture/demonstrations, and a mock trial. Prerequisite: LAW 908.
LAW 994. Special Topics: _____. 1-4 Credits.
The content of this course varies, and will be announced prior to pre-enrollment. May be repeated if there is no duplication of subject matter.
LAW 995. Water Law. 2-3 Credits.
A study of water rights including the riparian and prior appropriation doctrines for surface water, and the various doctrines for groundwater. Private and public water distribution organizations, and special water districts. Water pollution control. Interstate conflicts over water resources. Federal government involvement in water distribution including federal powers and programs. Indian and reserved rights. Kansas water law.
LAW 996. Trusts and Estates. 3-4 Credits.
Interstate succession; execution, construction, and revocation of wills; rights of the surviving spouse (including elective share); creation, construction, and termination of trusts; powers of appointment; future interests and the Rule Against Perpetuities; basic introduction to the federal taxation of estates and gifts; fiduciary administration of trusts and estates.
LAW 998. Tribal Judicial Support Clinic. 3 Credits.
Students are assigned research projects from participating tribal courts as arranged by the instructor. Students provide research assistance to tribal court personnel in an array of projects that range from tribal code development, legal research and drafting of legal memoranda and judicial orders. Prerequisite: Federal Indian Law.