Courses

The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular semester. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the Student Link for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.

• LAW AM 894: Civil Trial Advocacy for LLMs (S)
  If you want to develop the advocacy skills of a US trial lawyer, watching re- runs of Boston Legal or The Practice won't be enough. You need hands-on training. This course introduces LLM students to the structure of the jury trial process in the United States and the core skills used by trial lawyers. The seminar will give students first-hand exposure to the full range of trial advocacy skills, from opening statements to closing arguments, including conducting direct and cross examination of witnesses, making and meeting objections, introducing documents and discovery into evidence, and using hypothetical questions with expert witnesses. Throughout the term, students will try their hands at using these skills through simulated exercises and role plays. At the end of the semester, each student will perform as counsel in a simulated "mock" civil trial before a jury. Limited to 12 LL.M. in American Law Program students. A student who fails to attend the initial meeting of a seminar (designated by an (S) in the title), or to obtain permission to be absent from either the instructor or the Registrar, may be administratively dropped from the seminar. Students who are on a wait list for a seminar are required to attend the first seminar meeting to be considered for enrollment.
• LAW AM 909: LLM Moot Court/Persuasive Advocacy
  This class will introduce LL.M. students to appellate advocacy, both written and oral. To introduce students to persuasive writing -- a critical lawyering skill, applicable to a range of legal practice settings -- students will first draft a motion and memorandum in support thereof. Students will then draft an appellate brief and participate in an oral argument based on that brief. Students will write multiple drafts of each written assignment and will have the opportunity to meet with the instructor to discuss these drafts. The oral arguments will give students an opportunity to develop their speaking and presentation skills in simulated court setting. For students considering transferring into the J.D. program, this course will satisfy the J.D. Moot Court requirement. GRADING NOTICE: This class will not offer the CR/NC/H option.
• LAW AM 911: Practice of US Copyright and Trademark Law: Media & Entertainment Transactions (S)
  This seminar will provide foreign-trained lawyers with a practical overview of American intellectual property concepts in copyright and trademark as well as rights of privacy and confidentiality in their application and negotiation strategies in media and entertainment transactions. The course will study and analyze contracting/licensing from both a commercial and content creators' perspective. Focused on media and entertainment transactions, students will review, analyze, negotiate and draft agreements among which may include brand sponsorship, trademark licensing and product placement, content distribution, personal services for talent, such as music and TV/video production, and licensing music and clearance of rights for film and TV. Students will receive exposure to how the protection of intangible assets can further a variety of business strategies, as well as the client counseling issues to consider. International comparative analyses of concepts and strategies will be presented where applicable. Students will be evaluated based on their class participation and performance on drafting assignments, negotiation exercises and a final capstone project. Co-Requisites: Contracts; a survey IP class and/or prior exposure to copyright and trademark concepts is highly recommended. Limited to 18 LLM students. ** A student who fails to attend the initial meeting of a seminar (designated by an (S) in the title), or to obtain permission to be absent from either the instructor or the Registrar, may be administratively dropped from the seminar. Students who are on a wait list for a seminar are required to attend the first seminar meeting to be considered for enrollment.
• LAW AM 955: Alternative Dispute Resolution for LLMs (S)
  The goal of this course is to improve the ability of internationally-trained LL.M. students to resolve disputes and to productively engage in conflict. In this highly interactive class, students will examine a variety of dispute resolution processes, other than traditional court adjudication, including negotiation, mediation, arbitration, dispute system design and restorative justice. Over the course of the semester, students will engage in a series of exercises (i.e., role-plays) through which they can develop and hone their skills and approaches to dispute resolution. Discussion and short lectures will accompany the exercises, as appropriate. There will be a series of short written assignments (2-3 pages). No final exam. ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 18 students.
• LAW AM 978: Intellectual Property Rights and Commerce in the Global Cloud
  This course, open to LLM in American Law and LLM in Intellectual Property Law students, will help participants appreciate and understand how the Internet or "Cloud" has introduced into everyday life an ever-expanding and evolving range of proprietary claims on digital information and its communication. We will cover the role of traditional industrial property (patents and trademarks) and of authors' rights (copyrights), as well as of internationally expanding rights in "confidential" information (trade secrets) -- which are amplified by the primacy of online "contracts" and licensing. We will also explore the extended range of quasi-proprietary interests such as privacy, publicity and "freedom of speech" and regulating factors such as consumer protection, e-commerce, competition and telecommunications policies (standards, Internet governance, Net Neutrality). While the subject matter will be examined in systemic appreciation from the perspective of U.S. and international transactions and enforcement, foreign-trained students will be encouraged to share insights on the national laws of their home countries. Grades will be based on a take-home final examination with a reasonable choice of covered subject matter, along with consideration of class participation. PREREQUISITE: None, as the course is directed to systemic understanding, but exposure to any of the mentioned subject matter would be helpful.
• LAW AM 980: International Mergers & Acquisitions
  This course will give students a detailed introduction to the knowledge and skills necessary for an international M&A lawyer to guide clients through a typical cross-border M&A transaction. The course will have two distinct parts: (1) a deep dive into the key M&A contractual language (and underlying theories) that get negotiated in most transactions (including purchase price adjustments, indemnities, covenants, representations and warranties, and other key terms) and (2) navigating through each step in the deal process (including initial term sheet negotiations, due diligence, regulatory and third-party approvals, definitive agreement negotiations, closing mechanics, and other key steps). There will be an emphasis on underlying business principles that are common across different jurisdictions (e.g. U.S., U.K/Australia, EU/civil law countries, Africa, India, China, Japan, Asia-Pacific and other jurisdictions). Students will engage in case study hypotheticals involving real-life deals, which will be used to demonstrate the strengths and weakness of common strategies employed by law firm, in-house and other transactional lawyers. PRE- or CO-REQUISITE: CORPORATIONS. This course is open to LLM in American Law Program students.
• LAW BK 903: Financial Services Law Internship
  This course seeks to give students real world experience in the practice of financial services law by immersing them in the day-to-day operations of a law firm, financial services organization, financial nonprofit entity or regulatory agency. Students are expected to work under the supervision of a professional, approved by a Financial Services Law Internship faculty member, who will ensure that the students have a meaningful, relevant and rigorous experience. It is expected that the Internship will involve a minimum of ten hours workplace experience per week. The Graduate Banking Program will exercise its best efforts to arrange relevant internships with entities involved in providing financial services. The Graduate Banking Program will also review and incorporate in the Internship course, appropriate internship opportunities arranged by the student which meet course requirements. Participation is subject to availability of positions and a matching of student interests, prior course work and language skills with the needs of the internship providers.
• LAW BK 908: Venture Capital Financing
  This one-credit course will provide an introduction to the legal and economic aspects of venture capital financing transactions with the goal of familiarizing students with the legal agreements used to document these transactions. Through a combination of lectures and in-class exercises, the course will cover the entire life cycle of an investment, focusing on the function of the most common transaction documents, the economic and/or legal purpose of the provisions contained within these documents and alternative approaches to address specific situations.
• LAW BK 912: Introduction to the American Legal System
  This course focuses principally on three areas: (1) the use of case law as a primary source of American law, including analysis of cases, reasoning from prior cases, the evolution of case law, and the case method of teaching; (2) the structure of the American legal system and selected elements of Constitutional law, such as allocation of powers among the three branches of government, the relationship between federal and state courts, due process of law, equal protection, and other key concepts; and (3) a brief introduction to particular private law subjects such as contracts, intellectual property, criminal procedure and torts. The goal is to provide insight into the methods used by American lawyers in dealing with legal questions and an introduction to the structural and substantive legal framework within which American lawyers operate. This course is no longer a required course for students who did not obtain their first law degree at a law school in the United States. However, foreign-educated students planning to sit for a bar examination in the United States, especially the New York State Bar Examination, must take this course, which is only offered in the fall semester.
• LAW BK 924: Contemporary Financial Services Compliance Programs: Perspectives & Practices
  This course introduces the core requirements and foundational concepts relating to a financial services compliance program. The core requirements of a compliance program include: the designation of a compliance officer and compliance committee; implementation of written policies and procedures; conducting effective training and education; developing effective lines of communication; conducting internal testing; enforcing standards through well- publicized disciplinary guidelines; and responding promptly to detected problems with corrective action. The course will also address foundational concepts in contemporary compliance practice including the role and responsibilities of the compliance officer; the role of the compliance department within the organization; the importance of a compliance culture; the concept of tone from the top; and the importance of a strong culture of collaboration with internal stakeholders.
• LAW BK 925: Banking Structure and Regulation
  This course provides an introduction to and overview of the banking and financial services industry under US law and where US laws intersect with international banking supervision structures and principles. The course focuses on US banking structures and regulations, with an emphasis on the public or regulatory policies behind the laws and regulations. Recent US legislation in the Dodd-Frank Act and recent international reform initiatives such as Basel III receive close scrutiny. The course addresses a range of safety and soundness rules, permissible activity issues, chartering and merger activity procedures and capital and liquidity requirements. The course also addresses administrative procedures including bank examination and supervision, the regulatory supervisory process and bank enforcement actions. Students are asked to do significant reading and to participate in classroom discussion about course subject matter and to be aware of current developments in the financial services industry. This is a required course for all students studying for the degree of Master of Laws in Banking and Financial Law.
• LAW BK 927: Anti-Money Laundering: A Major Substantive Compliance Topic & an Example of Risk Management
  This AML training course is intended to familiarize students with the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing; describe the legal and regulatory framework that governs AML compliance and its relationship to a financial institution's overall compliance function; and explain the consequences of non- compliance. At the end of the course, students should have not only a good working knowledge of AML compliance as a major compliance area for financial institutions but also a concrete example of risk management, monitoring and testing and the administrative requirements involved in customer screening.
• LAW BK 928: Investment Adviser Compliance & its Lessons for Broader Financial Institution Compliance
  This course introduces the foundational components of an investment advisers compliance program. The course will cover the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the role of the SEC and will touch on the following areas: registration, books and records, fiduciary duty, Code of Ethics, Form ADV, advertising, guideline monitoring, allocation, best execution, error resolution, insider trading, and proxy voting. Emphasis on compliance methods and skills, including review of regulatory rules, compliance case discussions, and building and monitoring surveillance activities, will offer a broader perspective on general financial institution compliance. Students should come away with a working knowledge of how a financial institution compliance department operates.
• LAW BK 931: Compliance Programs
  The course is a survey of the key areas of compliance. The course will examine implementing and maintaining a compliance program. Topic areas to be covered include: U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; the Office of Foreign Assets Control; Bank Secrecy Act; Privacy; Investigations; Whistleblower Rates; Information Reporting/Disclosure; Insider Trading Policies; Code of Ethics; Audit; Conflict of Interest; Management Reporting; Internal Reporting/E- Discovery/Record Retention.
• LAW BK 933: Bankruptcy
  This course examines bankruptcy and related state law from the point of view of secured and unsecured creditors. The course begins with survey of individual state law collection remedies and non-bankruptcy composition and liquidation schemes. The balance (and bulk) of the course focuses on the rights, obligations and procedures created by federal bankruptcy law. Topics addressed include: the automatic stay, the use and protection of collateral during the pendency of a bankruptcy case, the avoidance of pre- bankruptcy transfers as preferences and fraudulent transfers, the treatment of executory contracts and unexpired leases, debtor-in- possession financing, asset sales and the negotiation and confirmation of a plan of reorganization that is binding on all creditors. Finally, the course will discuss recent !? bankruptcy reform!? legislation, which affects both corporate and consumer bankruptcies.
• LAW BK 934: Hedge Funds
  Assets being managed by hedge funds have grown significantly during the past 10 years. As a result, managers of hedge funds have been the focus of increased scrutiny by investors, the press and regulatory authorities. This course will cover the regulations (and exemptions) applicable to hedge funds and their managers, including under the Securities Act of 1933, the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act. We will focus on the formation and operation of U.S. and offshore hedge funds, including structure, disclosure, risks and economic and liquidity terms. This will include a detailed review of hedge fund offering documents. We will discuss the many issues being considered by hedge fund managers and regulators, including valuation, conflicts of interest, insider trading and compliance.
• LAW BK 935: Microfinance and Development
  This course provides an introduction to the field of microfinance, particularly its rapid evolution and role in economic development. Students will learn key concepts including the study of lending methodologies, products available to micro-entrepreneurs and the legal challenges, public policy considerations, and risks faced by investors, technical experts and financial providers. This course will also examine financial practices in the developing world such as payment and remittance systems, which allow foreign nationals to transfer funds internationally within and outside traditional banking systems.
• LAW BK 937: Corporations I
  Corporations I is a two credit introductory course on the fundamental principles of corporate law in the United States. The course does not assume that students have previously engaged in the study of U.S. corporate law. Corporations I will consider the nature and role of the corporation, its formation, its capital structure, and the powers, duties and responsibilities of corporate directors. In Corporations I, to gain a fuller understanding of corporate law, we will also consider basic principles of accounting, corporate finance, and agency law. To place corporate law in context, we will also consider broader issues of economic and social policy, and practical business issues on which corporate lawyers advise their clients. To foster greater understanding of the subject matter, students will be encouraged to engage in discussion and raise questions during class sessions.
• LAW BK 938: Corporations II
  Corporations II is a two credit course on corporate law that focuses on the rights and powers of shareholders and the relationship between shareholders and directors. As in Corporations I, we will also consider broader issues of economic and social policy, and practical business issues on which corporate lawyers advise their clients. To foster greater understanding of the subject matter, students will be encouraged to engage in discussion and raise questions during class sessions. It is recommended, but not required, that students taking this course have taken Corporations I offered in the fall.
• LAW BK 941: Professional Responsibility
  This course will provide an overview of a lawyer's professional and ethical obligations under United States law. It will examine the American Bar Association's Model Rules of Professional Conduct, the ABA Model Code of Professional Responsibility and the Restatement (Third) of the Law Governing Lawyers as they apply to the practicing lawyer. The course explores ethical issues, and tensions and dilemmas that arise in the practice of law, particularly in the representation of financial institutions. Students will have the chance to examine these issues through discussions of current events affecting the financial services industry.

Back to full list of School of Law