631 - 640 of 873 results for: LAW

This course uses a study of plaintiffs' lawyers as a vehicle to explore many of the most controversial and important issues at the intersection of tort law, civil procedure, and legal ethics. Specifically, in this course, we will study who personal injury lawyers are, how they find clients, how they fund litigation, and how they usher complex cases to conclusion. In so doing, we will address: the role and regulation of lawyers; the use and abuse of the contingency fee; the legality and normative consequences of solicitation and attorney advertising; the propriety of secret settlements, NDAs, and expansive protective orders; the rise and impact of "alternative litigation finance"; and the vexing issues posed by class actions, aggregate actions, consolidated actions, and multidistrict litigations (MDLs). The final segment of the course will involve a series of case studies, where students will test their knowledge of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct and have the opportunity to see the course's themes echoed and expressed in recent real-world controversies. Importantly, though the course is nominally focused on "the plaintiffs' lawyer," it does not just equip students to practice on one side of the "v." Rather, through our grounded and contextualized study of legal ethics, advanced civil procedure, the legal profession, and contemporary legal practice, students will acquire tools to litigate cases of all stripes and for both sides. Elements used in grading: Class participation, attendance, and reflection papers.

The private practice of law has and will continue to undergo fundamental change. Technological, economic and business forces are placing extreme pressure on not only the traditional "Big Law" firm model but also role of in-house counsel. These forces will transform, eliminate or replace virtually every aspect of the current practices of firms and in-house legal departments. Foundations of the law firm model such as bespoke client services, "billable" hours, large staffs (e.g., paralegals and secretaries), high associate-to-partner ratios and summer associate programs are becoming (or have already become) relics of a bygone era. Sophisticated clients today are utilizing a wide range of internal and external service providers and technologies such as artificial intelligence for their legal work. This diversity in the delivery of legal services is dramatically altering the supply and demand characteristics of the legal economy and markets. The breadth of available technologies and options is altering the types of skills and prerequisites required for attorneys to be successful private practice. The course is composed of two parts. In part one, the course focuses on the technological, economic and business practices transforming the legal profession are identified and their impact on the traditional approaches to law will be examined. In part two, the course focuses on how individual lawyers can adapt to or embrace the forces transforming law to improve their practice and succeed in the new environment. Part two of the course will also examine how the changing legal environment creates new ethical and professional challenges for attorneys. Elements used in grading: Attendance, class participation and a research paper for the written assignment.

(Formerly Law 761) Intro to Legal Design is a 9-week course for law students & other graduate students to reimagine how legal services are delivered, & to learn how to use human-centered design methods to create breakthrough solutions to complex problems. The students will work with project partners - including legal aid groups, courts, and private law firms -- on legal service challenges to help the partners solve real problems they & their users face. For each challenge, students will work on interdisciplinary teams, with close coaching from designers, engineers & lawyers. Students will learn design methods to create new innovations that make legal services more accessible & engaging. Elements used in grading: Class Participation, Attendance, Written Assignments.

Ever since the global financial crisis, legal media have focused on the contraction of the corporate legal services sector. But today, partners at the top tier of big corporate law firms -- "big law" -- are earning huge profits and job prospects for graduates of top law schools interested in the corporate sector are bright. Although some commentators continue to predict that demand for corporate legal services will contract in the mid- to long-term, it seems more likely that demand for high-end legal analysis will persist if not increase in the foreseeable future. The question is who (or what) is going to perform that work, in what organizational setting, with what technological assistance, and in what part of the world. This seminar will address the key dimensions of change in the "big law" market and how changes in the delivery of corporate legal services may affect legal careers, gender equality, diversity, and work-life balance. Topics include the increased power of Fortune 100 General Counsel, new organizational models for delivering corporate legal services, the response of large law firms to new market factors, the expanding role of information technology in the delivery of corporate legal services, third-party litigation financing, changing legal markets outside the US, the evolution of global law firms, the effects of changes in law firm organization on women and lawyers of color, and the effects of changes in the legal market on legal careers. Course materials will include books and journal articles, media reports, blog posts and guest lectures. Special Instructions: You may write a series of short reaction papers on 4 of the topics we will cover at the seminar sessions. Students electing this option will be graded on a Mandatory Pass/Restricted Credit/Fail basis and receive 2 units of credit. Alternatively, you may write a single research paper on a topic of your choice related to the evolution and future of Big Law. This will satisfy the Law School's Research requirement. These papers will be graded on an Honors/Pass/Restricted Credit/Fail basis. Students taking the seminar for R credit can take the seminar for either 2 or 3 units of credit (section 02), depending on the project. After the term begins, students registered in the course can transfer from section (01) into section (02), which meets the R requirement, with consent of the instructor. Elements used in grading: Attendance, Class Participation, Four commentaries or one research paper.

This is an era of groundbreaking change in the legal profession. Twenty years ago, email was unheard of at most law firms. Today, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and online services are creating a fundamental shift in how law is practiced. Beyond technology, massive challenges to the code of professional responsibility, from multi-disciplinary practices to law firms filing for IPOs, are reshaping the legal landscape. This course focuses on the opportunities and challenges these disruptions create for the new lawyer. Students will gain hands-on experience with some of the most innovative organizations in the legal community. Significant time will also be spent analyzing changes anticipated to impact the legal industry in the next decade. Elements used in grading: Attendance, Class Participation, Final Paper.

Today's law students are tomorrow's lawyers, and tomorrow's lawyers face a set of fundamental challenges that are likely to reshape the profession in the years ahead. Clients are increasingly dissatisfied with large law firms, and many other people in need of services--like individuals of modest means and small businesses--are unable to access legal assistance altogether. At the same time, government and public interest lawyers continue to be asked to do more with less. These challenges existed in 2019, but the last few years have sharpened them. In particular, the Covid-19 crisis has forced a change in the way lawyers work, with greater use of technology, and the resurgence of the #BlackLivesMatter movement following the death of George Floyd highlights the lack of diversity in the profession. These developments add to existing pressures facing lawyers. Leaders in law are just beginning to grapple with these challenges, and they're looking for help from the next generation. This course is designed for students who want to start their legal careers with a leg up on what success as a lawyer will look like in 5-10 years and beyond, and students who want to make positive change in the profession. The specific topics covered will include: challenges to the law-firm model; the growth of in-house counsel; professional development and well-being as a lawyer; how technology is changing the practice of law; new models for delivering legal services; and the challenges of diversity and inclusion in the profession. The course is a mix of full-class discussion with the instructors and guest speakers from practice, small-group discussion of case studies, and work on projects. A significant part of most classes will involve case studies where students will put themselves in the role of lawyers, and talk through options for dealing with the issues presented. The instructors and guest speakers will introduce context about the challenges, and then engage students in thinking about possible paths forward. Elements used in grading: The requirements will include attendance and participation, and either a final memo and presentation (section 01) or a research paper (section 02). Memo writers will have to write a few short responses to the case studies as well. There is no exam. A maximum of 10 students will be permitted to write the research paper for R credit. All students interested in R credit should pre-register by lottery for Law 6016-0-02. Students who do not receive a spot in section 02 may enroll in section 01.

The American civil justice system sits at a crossroads. In three-quarters of the 20 million civil cases filed in state courts each year, at least one side lacks a lawyer. Beneath those cases sit tens of millions more legal problems that never make it to court. Many are significant, even life-altering moments: debt disputes, evictions, domestic violence, a former partner behind on child support, an employer refusing to pay overtime, or an insurer who denies a legitimate claim. Yet most people face these problems without legal assistance, or they "lump it" rather than navigate a complex system alone. Such large, systemic gaps in access to legal services limit who can vindicate their rights, magnifying disparities based on income, education, race, gender, and ethnicity. They are unfair and undemocratic. The future of the civil justice system, and the legitimacy of the courts at its center, will turn on how --- and how well --- judges, court administrators, the legal profession, and an array of policymakers respond to these realities. This course offers a wide survey of the current state of access to justice in the United States. Students will consider the long-run causes and consequences of the justice gap and the major features, constituencies, and stakeholders of the state court systems that are struggling to close that gap. Students will also tour and assess potential solutions --- from procedural simplification, to revived Due Process, to new technologies (e.g., online dispute resolution), to efforts to prime the supply of legal help by expanding non-lawyer practice of both the human and software sort. Students will emerge with a synoptic understanding of one of the most pressing challenges to the legitimacy of the American legal system, along with new ideas about how to chart a career devoted to access to justice. Student assessment is based on class participation, response papers, and a final project or paper. Students writing a final paper may receive 2 or 3 credits depending on paper length. After the term begins, students enrolled in the course can transfer from section (01) into section (02), which meets the R requirement, with consent of the instructors.

The American civil justice system sits at a crossroads. In three-quarters of the 20 million civil cases filed in state courts each year, at least one side lacks a lawyer. Beneath those cases sit tens of millions more legal problems that never make it to court. Many are significant, even life-altering moments: debt disputes, evictions, domestic violence, a former partner behind on child support, an employer refusing to pay overtime, or an insurer who denies a legitimate claim. Yet most people face these problems without legal assistance, or they "lump it" rather than navigate a complex system alone. Such large, systemic gaps in access to legal services limit who can vindicate their rights, magnifying disparities based on income, education, race, gender, and ethnicity. They are unfair and undemocratic. The future of the civil justice system, and the legitimacy of the courts at its center, will turn on how--and how well--judges, court administrators, the legal profession, and an array of policymakers respond to these new realities This course offers a wide survey of the current state of access to civil justice in the United States. Students will consider the long-run causes and consequences of the justice gap and the major features, constituencies, and stakeholders of the state court systems that are struggling to close it. Students will also tour and assess potential solutions--from procedural simplification, to revived Due Process, to new technologies (e.g., online dispute resolution), to efforts to prime the supply of legal help by amending various Model Rules to expand non-lawyer practice of both the human and software sort. Throughout, students will explore the complex ethical rules that govern lawyers and lawyering and investigate whether and how these rules contribute to, and might instead ameliorate, the access-to-justice crisis. Ultimately, students will emerge with a synoptic understanding of one of the most pressing challenges to the legitimacy of the American legal system, along with new ideas about how to chart a career devoted to access to justice. Student assessment is based on class participation and four short papers. This course satisfies the Ethics requirement for graduation.

Law made by administrative agencies dominates the modern legal system and modern legal practice. This course examines the legal and practical foundations of the modern administrative state. Topics include rationales for delegation to administrative agencies; the legal framework (both constitutional and statutory) that governs agency decision-making; the proper role of agencies in interpreting statutory and regulatory law; and judicial review of agency action. The course will cover these topics through a combination of cases and examples drawn primarily from separation of powers doctrine; the constitutional law of due process; health, safety, and environmental policy; criminal justice; national security law; and agency use of new algorithmic governance tools. The central theme of the course is how administrative law balances "rule of law" values (procedural regularity, substantive limits on arbitrary action) against the often competing values of political accountability, democratic participation, and effective administrative governance. Elements used in grading: Class participation, attendance and final exam.