Last update: January 15, 2021

Course Schedules

Spring 2021 courses run from January 18 to April 28. For further information as to courses or scheduling, please contact us.

Note:  The schedule is subject to change. Courses are held online during the State of Emergency and will be hybrid style after the state is lifted.

Course Descriptions

EVIDENCE (3 credits)

Tina Saunders, Director and Associate Professor of Instruction in Law, Temple Law School, Japan Campus

An examination of the rules governing the use of evidence, including problems of relevancy, hearsay, impeachment, burden of proof, presumptions and the function of judge and jury.

Note:  This subject is heavily tested U.S. Bar Examinations.

INTERNATIONAL CONTRACT DRAFTING (3 credits)

Kate Borun, Adjunct Professor of Law

This course bridges the gap between contract theory and contract practice and offers practical insights into international contracts such as licenses, distributorships and joint ventures. It will principally focus on developing skills in drafting these types of contracts, although students may also have to undertake ancillary preparation exercises.

Note:  This course satisfies the advanced writing requirement for LL.M.

Note:  This course has limited enrollment.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW (3 credits)

Jonathan McCaskill, Adjunct Professor of Law; and Legal Consultant

This course will introduce legal, business and policy aspects of international trade and investment transactions with a focus on U.S. trade law in the context of the WTO-GATT agreements and rising trade nationalism and protectionism. The class will consider tariffs and tariff negotiations, quotas, most favored nation clauses, domestic standards, industrial safeguards, export regulation, regional trading blocks, national treatment clauses, adjustment assistance, antidumping and countervailing duty law, international rules on intellectual property, trade services and other topics. Recent proposals to renegotiate NAFTA and tax corporations for relocating production outside the U.S. will also be considered. The underlying goal of this course is to provide a rounded understanding of the interplay between national and international trade regulation and its impact on private international transactions.

LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING (3 credits)

Mason Hester, Attorney

This course explores legal research, writing, and advocacy. After being introduced to the U.S. legal system and basic research techniques (including on-line databases such as LexisNexis), students work on assigned problems to develop their writing and analytical skills. The program aims to develop basic legal research and writing skills in an informal, hands-on seminar atmosphere.

Note:  This course is required of all LL.M. in U.S. Law Candidates.

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY (3 credits)

Ric Fouad, Attorney & Child Welfare Advocate

This core course — also known as the “Law of Lawyering” — focuses on the practical and ethical questions that attorneys constantly face. These range from signing up new clients and evaluating complex conflicts of interest scenarios to unrepresented party interaction and attorney advertising. Utilizing select case law excerpts, the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, American Bar Association Committee on Ethics opinions, the California Rules of Professional Conduct, relevant sections of the California Business and Professions Code, select state and local bar ethics opinions, and topical news articles, the class takes a real world approach to Professional Responsibility. It will also help prepare students for the MPRE, as Professional Responsibility is tested on Bar Exams throughout the U.S. The societal role of attorneys in shaping our judicial system is also a focus, particularly issues of racism and wealthism in skewing the scales of justice.

Note:  This subject is tested on many U.S. Bar Examinations.

GUIDED RESEARCH (2-3 credits)

Tina Saunders, Director and Associate Professor of Instruction in Law, Temple Law School, Japan Campus

This independent research offers students an opportunity to (1) satisfy the graduation advanced writing and research requirement; (2) develop research, writing and analytical abilities through producing a single substantive research paper; and (3) work with a faculty member in an area of the teacher's interest or expertise. Students have a Faculty member agree to supervise them and must submit a signed Approval form to the Registrar to request participation.

Note:  This course has limited enrollment.