This skills course complements Legal Methods I. The emphasis is on the development of advocacy skills through problem analysis, legal research, the writing of an appellate brief and the presentation of oral argument. Students are trained in computer-aided legal research.

This course will focus on a particular case each week, typically evidenced by a judicial opinion or series of opinions. Each case will be selected to emphasize some phase or facet of the litigation process, and discussion will center on strategic and tactical choices. Note: since students who take this course will be required to think like lawyers, they will be required to dress like lawyers when attending class sessions (i.e., coats and ties for men, appropriate business attire for women).

This course examines the legal problems involved in insurance against physical loss or damage to maritime property (hull), against maritime liabilities (protection and indemnity), and for damage to goods (cargo).

Marine salvage is the law of rewarding parties for rescuing goods and preventing damage in cases of marine peril.  The concept is unique to maritime law and involves both a different calculation than the Common-Law concept of quantum meruit and give rise to a maritime lien, a ownership interest, in the property subject to salvage.  We'll consider the elements of a salvage claim, and the distinction between salvage and other maritime claims, calculation of the salvage award, salvage for prevention of environmental damage, and problem involved in the recovery of sunken treasure including the relation of salvage to the law of finds and abandonment and issues involved in dealing with the United States and foreign sovereigns.  In addition procedural issues of arbitration and forum selection will be considered. No prior knowledge of maritime law will be assumed.