Required and Prerequisite Courses

Introduction to Japanese Law (3 credits)
This comparative law course introduces students to the major principles of civil law systems and Japanese law in comparison with the common law system such in the United States Students will have an opportunity to examine the history, structure, and content of the Japanese legal system as well as the role of domestic and international law in Japan, the Japanese Constitution, and the major areas of Japanese law. To better equip students for transnational work involving Japanese entities, focus will also be given to how Japanese laws, regulations, and culture affect corporations, business transactions, and individual rights in Japan. Also, this course will consider the role of Japanese law in promoting transnational investment and current issues in the practice of law in Japan, as well as several current social issues on which law has an impact. (Japanese-educated students are not permitted to enroll in this class.)

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Current Issues in Japanese Law (2 credits)
This seminar is available only to students with a sufficient level of Japanese language ability to enable them to participate in classes conducted in Japanese and to read primary source material in Japanese. Students are not required to write Kanji, but will have to read complex Japanese texts. A sufficient measure of language proficiency required is the ability to read Japanese newspaper articles, with or without using a dictionary. The course covers a variety of subjects such as Japanese administrative law, the role of Japanese ministries in the formation and interpretation of Japanese law and industrial policy and current topical issues such as Japan's new product liability law and family law reform.

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Legal Research and Writing (3 credits)
This course is required of all non-American trained LL.M. candidates. It may be taken in either Tokyo or Philadelphia and should be completed as soon as possible after entering the program. In this course, legal research, writing and advocacy are explored. After introduction to the American legal system and basic research techniques (including on-line data bases such as Lexis/Nexis), problems are assigned and various methods are utilized to help students develop their writing and analytical skills. The objective of the program is to develop basic legal skills in an informal seminar atmosphere that allows maximum contact with the assigned instructor. There will be one or two Saturday morning library workshops. (American J.D. students are not permitted to enroll in this class.)

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International Law (3 credits)
This course is designed to introduce students to the fundamental concepts of international law. Areas of principal focus include the nature and sources of international law; treaties and customary international law; international dispute resolution; international organizations (including the United Nations, international financial institutions and the WTO); and the application of international law in United States courts.

Note:

This class is offered every Fall semester.

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