Externship: Judicial

Judicial externships are available on part-time and full-time basis and place students with state and federal judges. Externs work closely with the judge, and research attorneys and/or clerks, researching and advising the court on issues pending before the court. Some judicial placements also offer the opportunity of participation in settlement conferences and ADR. The field placement is complimented by an academic component, including several class meetings on campus and/or via videoconferencing. For specific details, please see the Externship Office staff and course syllabus.

The Externship course provides an invaluable opportunity to enhance students’ legal education through structured and supervised off-campus placements, where students learn through observation as well as hands-on fieldwork. The fieldwork is complemented with a class component.

National Security Law

This course surveys the framework of domestic and international laws that variously authorize and restrain the pursuit of the U.S. government's national security policies. This course will be concerned primarily with (i) the use of military force, (ii) the activities of the intelligence community, and (iii) counterterrorism-related activities (including the interrogation, detention, and trial of captured persons). On successful completion of the course, students should: Understand the sources, foundation and structure of national security law.

This course surveys the framework of domestic and international laws that variously authorize and restrain the pursuit of the U.S. government's national security policies.

This course will be concerned primarily with: 

  1. the use of military force,
  2. the activities of the intelligence community, and
  3. counterterrorism-related activities (including the interrogation, detention, and trial of captured persons).

On successful completion of the course, students should:

Capstone: Rep. Entrepreneurs

This capstone course builds skills and knowledge needed to advise early-stage businesses. The course discusses diverse legal and business topics faced by start-up lawyers such as business formation, intellectual property, legal ethics, employment law, financing the enterprise, operational contracts, reading financial statements, online commerce law, risk management, and exit strategies. The course is not meant to replace the core courses in these areas but addressees their particular application to the start-up arena.

This capstone course builds skills and knowledge needed to advise early-stage businesses. The course discusses diverse legal and business topics faced by start-up lawyers such as business formation, intellectual property, legal ethics, employment law, financing the enterprise, operational contracts, reading financial statements, online commerce law, risk management, and exit strategies.

Prison Law & Mass Incarceratn

America has become a carceral state. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, 2.3 million individuals were held in local, state, or federal jails and prisons. We incarcerate a larger percentage of our population than any other nation. Think tanks like the Pew Center on the States observed in a 2008 report that such explosive rates of imprisonment (approximately one in one hundred adults) cannot be sustained because it fails to prevent crime while simultaneously it causes a crippling drain on ever-decreasing public resources.

 America has become a carceral state. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, 2.3 million individuals were held in local, state, or federal jails and prisons. We incarcerate a larger percentage of our population than any other nation. Think tanks like the Pew Center on the States observed in a 2008 report that such explosive rates of imprisonment (approximately one in one hundred adults) cannot be sustained because it fails to prevent crime while simultaneously it causes a crippling drain on ever-decreasing public resources.

Capstone: Rep. Entrepreneurs

This capstone course builds skills and knowledge needed to advise early-stage businesses. The course discusses diverse legal and business topics faced by start-up lawyers such as business formation, intellectual property, legal ethics, employment law, financing the enterprise, operational contracts, reading financial statements, online commerce law, risk management, and exit strategies. The course is not meant to replace the core courses in these areas but addressees their particular application to the start-up arena.

This capstone course builds skills and knowledge needed to advise early-stage businesses. The course discusses diverse legal and business topics faced by start-up lawyers such as business formation, intellectual property, legal ethics, employment law, financing the enterprise, operational contracts, reading financial statements, online commerce law, risk management, and exit strategies.

MBE: Skills & Strategies

Multistate Bar Exam: Skills & Strategies. This course is designed to provide early preparation for the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) and uses best practices and cognitive learning science to promote learning and greater recall of the information. The course takes a "skills first" approach and covers all the 7 MBE subjects (Civil Procedure, Contracts, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts).

Multistate Bar Exam: Skills & Strategies. This course is designed to provide early preparation for the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) and uses best practices and cognitive learning science to promote learning and greater recall of the information. The course takes a "skills first" approach and covers all the 7 MBE subjects (Civil Procedure, Contracts, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts).

Entertainment Industry Guilds

This course is focused on the three major above-the-line unions in the entertainment industry: Directors Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and Writers Guild of America. After an introduction to labor law and an overview of the labor movement in the entertainment industry, students will study key provisions of the guilds' basic collective bargaining agreements for entertainment content. The course will also cover agreements in other areas where SAG-AFTRA has jurisdiction.

This course focuses on the three major above-the-line unions in the entertainment industry: Directors Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and Writers Guild of America.

After an introduction to labor law and an overview of the labor movement in the entertainment industry, students will study key provisions of the guilds' basic collective bargaining agreements for entertainment content. The course also covers agreements in other areas where SAG-AFTRA has jurisdiction.

Children and the Law

This course is designed as a comprehensive overview of the legal issues related to abuse and neglect of children, and termination of parental rights. The course will examine the philosophical underpinnings of the foster care system and will feature speakers ranging from experts in the field to former foster youth. This course is focused on families who find themselves subject to government intervention due to allegations of abuse and neglect.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the legal issues related to abuse and neglect of children and termination of parental rights.

The course examines the philosophical underpinnings of the foster care system and will feature speakers ranging from experts in the field to former foster youth.

Wills & Trusts

This course combines the study of the transmission of property at death, including the rules of interstate succession, with inter vivos gifts, the creation of inter vivos and testamentary trusts, and the rights and duties of trustees who hold and manage property for another or for charitable purposes. It includes the study of resulting and constructive trusts as well as the Uniform and California probate codes.

This course combines the study of the transmission of property at death, including:

  • the rules of intestate succession with inter vivos gifts;
  • the creation of inter vivos and testamentary trusts; and, 
  • the rights and duties of trustees who hold and manage property for another or for charitable purposes.

The course includes the study of resulting and constructive trusts as well as the Uniform and California probate codes.

Criminal Law Practice

Building upon first year concepts, including those covered in Evidence, Criminal Procedure, and Criminal Law, students will study criminal case law and statutes, with a focus on federal law in general and white collar crime in particular. Students will also study various procedural aspects of criminal investigation, such as Fifth Amendment and grand jury issues. Finally, students will also cover some basic common law principles, such as inchoate offenses and theft crimes. Students will complete oral simulations of proceedings that occur during criminal investigations and prosecutions.

Building upon first year concepts, including those covered in Evidence, Criminal Procedure, and Criminal Law, students study criminal case law and statutes, with a focus on federal law in general and white collar crime in particular.

Students also study various procedural aspects of criminal investigation, such as Fifth Amendment and grand jury issues.

Finally, students cover some basic common law principles, such as inchoate offenses and theft crimes.