Last update: July 7, 2025
Course Schedules
Fall 2025 courses run from September 1 to December 8. For further information as to courses or scheduling, please contact us.
| Course Title | Credits | Instructor | Day/Time | Class Style Location Room |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Business Law | 3 | TBA | Monday, 18:45-21:30 | Online |
| Legal Research and Writing Sec. 1 | 3 | Peter Morris | Tuesday, 18:45-21:30 | In-person Tokyo Room 609 |
| Criminal Procedure | 3 | Marcus Landsberg | Wednesday, 18:45-21:30 | Hybrid Kyoto Room AN21 |
| Torts | 3 | Tina Saunders | Thursday, 18:45-21:30 | Hybrid Tokyo Room 609 |
| Legal Research and Writing Sec. 2 | 3 | Marcus Landsberg | Saturday, 10:00-12:45 | In-person Kyoto Room AN21 |
| Guided Research | 2 or 3 | Tina Saunders | ||
| US Bar Exam Study I: Fundamental Knowledge and Writing | Non-credit | Tina Saunders | Saturdays, 10:00-12:00 (9/6, 20, 10/4, 18, 11/11, 22 and 12/6) | Online |
Note: The course offerings and schedule may be subject to change.
Course Descriptions
This tentative course schedule is subject to change.
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (3 credits)
This criminal procedure course deals with the constitutional rules governing police conduct prior to the institution of formal court proceedings. It will focus primarily on the federal constitutional rights and restrictions imposed by the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments. Searches and seizures, police interrogation, identification procedures, and the exclusion of evidence obtained in violation of these provisions account for a substantial portion of the course. It will also cover some additional matters, including some aspects of the formal court-connected proceedings and the basic principles of habeas corpus.
This subject is heavily tested on many U.S. Bar Examinations.
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS LAW (3 credits)
This course provides an introduction to transactional work undertaken by international business attorneys. The course focuses on international sales, and is taught based on realistic problems that clients in international transactions might face. We use simulations and other interactive techniques in an attempt to show students what it would be like to practice law in this area. The course has a cultural component as well, through which students consider how local culture affects the way that business is conducted throughout the world.
LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING (3 credits)
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 a hands-on seminar style atmosphere.
This course is required of all FLLM (US Law) students.
Torts is the study of civil wrongs, which refers to harm caused by wrongful acts that are non-contractual. This course examines the basic principles governing private remedies for civil wrongs. It covers various theories of liability, including negligence for personal injuries and property damages, strict liability based on fault, and products liability. The course will explore the doctrines and policies that underlie those theories as well as defenses, recoverable damages, and related issues.
This subject is heavily tested on many U.S. Bar Examinations.
This independent research offers students an opportunity to (1) satisfy the graduation advanced writing and research requirements for LLM students; (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.
This course has limited enrollment.
US Bar Exam Study I: Fundamental Knowledge and Writing (non-credit)
This is a comprehensive course on learning or refreshing knowledge of the law most commonly tested on US bar exams. Knowing and understanding the rule of law being tested on the bar exam is the fundamental first step to success on the exam. This course will teach effective tactics to memorize the law for the bar exam, including identifying key legal terms and making rule statements in your own words. In addition to increasing competency of legal topics on the bar exam, this course will focus on effective legal writing for Essays and Performance Tests. The written portions of most bar exams comprise 50% of the exam. It is crucial to learn the mechanics of legal writing; thus, this course will have weekly multi-essay writing exercises with personalized feedback. This course is excellent as a starting point for LLM students for bar exam study or if you are retaking the exam and need to return to the basics of good study habits.
Online class meetings held every other week during the regular meeting time, 10:00 – 12:00.
*Learn more about faculty here