Course Descriptions

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Racial Justice - Legal and Societal Dimensions of Truth & Reconciliation (2)
541W
This class is designed for two cohorts of students (JD students and MSU graduate/undergraduate Honors students) to learn about the concept of racial justice in America, and to explore processes of truth and reconciliation that can help bring about the goals of racial healing and transformation. Students will analyze materials from a number of perspectives, including the legal issues involved in truth and reconciliation, as well as the societal ramifications of such efforts.

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Refugee and Asylum Law Seminar (2)
541U
This course will provide an overview of refugee and asylum law in the United States. It will explore the contours of the refugee definition and each element of an asylum claim by looking at statutes, regulations, treaties, and relevant case law. The course will compare the related protections of withholding of removal and relief under the Convention Against Torture. Finally, the course will discuss U.S. asylum procedure generally, and bars to asylum, both substantive and procedural. 

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Regulating Environmental Risk (2)
566Q
This course examines regulatory responses to environmental and other risks to human life and health. It aims to familiarize students with the particular challenges regulators face in responding to such risks, and the spectrum of regulatory choices available to them. Topics to be covered include: Judicial v. administrative regulation of risk, risk assessment and risk management, direct and indirect regulation, cost-benefit analysis, the precautionary principle, and environmental justice. The course will analyze the range of policy, political, and legal-cultural factors behind current American approaches to the regulation of environmental risk. 

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Regulation of Agricultural Production & Marketing (3)
810M
This course highlights laws and regulations relevant to agricultural production and distribution of food. Focus is on understanding how laws and regulation influence what farmers raise, how they raise it and market it, and how that affects food quality and value. Topics include current and past methods of supporting production and profitability, agricultural production standards relevant to food products, including organics, and regulation of relationships between produces and buyers. 

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Regulatory Leadership in Food Law (3)
810U
In the modern regulatory state, the attorney or regulatory affairs manager is looked to for counsel on more than just the meaning of black letter law, but also for guidance and leadership in dealing with agencies, particularly in adverse or high-stakes situations. This course will provide students with an introduction to regulatory affairs through the regulation of food. Among other concepts, this course will cover: the nature of the regulatory process; the role of regulatory affairs; the practical application of regulatory affairs; tools and strategies concerning regulatory affairs; the nature of assessing and communicating risk; quality controls and management; compliance; and judicial review of agency decisions.
Prerequisite(s): This course is restricted to students in the Global Food Law Program.

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Remedies (2)
593D
(Formerly DCL 423)
This course provides an overview of the main types of remedies available in the American legal system following a determination of liability for violation of contract, tort, property, or constitutional law. The course will cover monetary damages, equitable relief, and examine the implications of choosing particular remedies, when such choice is available.
Prerequisite(s): Students who have taken Equity may not take this course.

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Research, Writing & Analysis (3)
530D
(Formerly LAW500J)
Students begin by learning the basics of the U.S. court system, common law, case briefing and legal analysis. They are then taught the fundamentals of non-electronic legal research and writing through the assignment of problems geared to exercise their analytical and problem-solving abilities. Throughout the semester, students produce several legal research assignments, objective office memoranda and a client letter.

Additional $200 for lab fee will be assessed.

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Research, Writing & Analysis: Intellectual Property Perspective (3)
530E
(Formerly LAW500V)
Students begin by learning the basics of the U.S. court system, common law, case briefing and legal analysis. They are then taught the fundamentals of non-electronic legal research and writing through the assignment of problems geared to exercise their analytical and problem-solving abilities. Throughout the semester, students produce several legal research assignments, objective office memoranda and a client letter, with a focus on trademark, copyright and patent law.

A section fee of $350 will be assessed. This fee supports simulated exercises, including program's final trials.

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Research, Writing & Analysis: Social Justice Perspectives (3)
530Q
This course covers the same curriculum as Research, Writing, and Analysis, but the written projects focus around social justice issues. The topics of assignments may include, but are not limited to, any of the following areas of law: human rights issues, equal access to education and health care, child welfare, human trafficking, immigration, or issues surrounding the Native American community. The problems will give students an opportunity to reflect on what social justice means, and how we can utilize the justice system to achieve equity for marginalized populations. This course is for students who have an interest in social justice issues or who will likely seek positions with public interest organizations.

A section fee of $350 will be assessed. This fee supports simulated exercises, including program's final trials.

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Research, Writing & Analysis: Criminal Law Perspective (3)
530N
This course covers all the same curriculum as Research, Writing, and Analysis, however, all of the written projects, including a closed memorandum, a client letter, and a research memorandum, are placed in the setting of criminal litigation. This course is for students who have an interest in criminal law and/or wish to produce writing samples for a position with a prosecutor or public defender's office, with a private firm that handles criminal litigation, with a state or federal appellate court, or with a trial court that handles a criminal docket.

A section fee of $350 will be assessed. This fee supports simulated exercises, including program's final trials.

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Responsible Lawyering (2)
580E
The course will examine the ethical challenges facing the legal profession today, including maintaining lawyer independence despite litigation funding by non-lawyers and alternative business structures for law firms. The course will also examine how the profession should respond or changes in science and technology that affect law practice, such as AI, electronic data storage and retrieval and the availability of DNA evidence. Each student will be asked to choose and research a particular subject in depth, and write their final paper on it course credit.
Prerequisite(s): Professional Responsibility

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Rethinking Intellectual Property in a Technological Age (2)
535R
A selected topics seminar that considers how intellectual property law (with an emphasis on copyright and trademark) might respond to changing technologies and new models of cultural production.
Prerequisite(s): Past or current enrollment in one or more intellectual property course is recommended.

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Rule of Law and Jurisprudence (1)
579W
This course discusses Rule of Law concepts and surveys various views of law and the legal process. It also examines the judicial decision-making process and the social, political and moral contexts that influence and are influenced by judicial decisions.

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