J.D. Courses
We offer a variety of courses for whatever your professional interest is – private practice, public interest, government, litigation, corporate, marine, non-legal, educational, and more.
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Feinstein Center for Pro Bono & Experiential Education
Course Description
Students represent indigent criminal defendants in Rhode Island District Court and Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal from arraignment through to final trial or other original adjudicative disposition. Trial Advocacy is a prerequisite.
Course Type
Clinic/ExternshipCourse Credits
8.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorPrerequisite
LAW.641 – Trial AdvocacyCourse Description
This course examines the general principles of substantive criminal law and concepts of mens rea, causation, parties, elements, criminal responsibility and capacity, justification, excuse and defenses.
Course Type
Core CourseCourse Credits
3.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorMaster of Studies in LawCourse Description
While less than one percent of all criminal cases go to trial, every criminal case involves a necessary knowledge of criminal pleadings and motions. This course will focus on pleadings, motions and related documents in all stages of a criminal case – from the arraignment through pre-trial, trial and post-conviction proceedings. Students will learn how to review, draft and argue criminal pleadings and motions from both the prosecution and defense perspective. The course is designed for prospective criminal defense attorneys, prosecutors, appellate attorneys, and judicial law clerks in state and federal courts. Completion of, or concurrent enrollment in, Criminal Procedure: Adjudication or Criminal Procedure: Investigation, is considered helpful.
Course Type
ElectiveCourse Credits
2.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorMaster of Studies in LawPrerequisite
LAW.682 – Criminal Procedure: Adjudication LAW.627 – Criminal Procedure: InvestigationCourse Description
This course focuses on the accusatory phase of the criminal process after a defendant is arrested: “from bail to jail.” The class will analyze selected and evolving criminal justice issues under the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, and state and federal procedural law. The course covers the criminal justice process from law enforcement’s decision to charge the suspect to initial appearances, bail and pre-trial release, discovery, plea bargaining and guilty pleas, speedy trial rights, the right to counsel, trial, sentencing, double jeopardy, and habeas corpus. Within that context, the course analyzes the role of the various participants in the criminal justice system: defendants, prosecutors, defense counsel, judges, victims, witnesses, jurors, law enforcement, media, and the public.
Course Type
ElectiveCourse Credits
3.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorMaster of Studies in LawFaculty Associated
Brett BeaubienCourse Description
This course examines the procedural aspects of the criminal justice system with emphasis on the impact of the fourth, fifth, and sixth amendments to the United States Constitution on state and federal prosecutions. Topics include the law of arrest, search and seizure, police interrogation and the privilege against self-incrimination.
Course Type
Core CourseCourse Credits
3.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorMaster of Studies in LawCourse Description
This seminar will examine the ways in which race has played a role in the development of American law. We will look at how race is defined in America and look at the experience of different racial minorities both historically and in the present day. The course material for this seminar will be the work of scholars who have explored the historical and on-going subordination of racial minorities and provided critiques of legal regimes which have enforced racial subordination.
Course Type
SeminarCourse Credits
2.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorMaster of Studies in LawFaculty Associated
Diana J. HasselCourse Description
Are you interested in “International Law” but unsure of what area of international law most interests you? Then this seminar is the perfect course for you. This seminar is a “one stop shop” for all of the hot topics in international law. In this course, we will look at current and cutting edge areas of international private law and the efforts to harmonize and create international legal norms. The areas range from the legal issues of artificial intelligence and electronic contracting to cross-border surrogacy and legal parentage; issues of sustainable development (SDG’s) to corporate social responsibility and human rights; food security to ownership of digital rights.
The course offers a broad introduction to the increasingly important and practical field of private international law. Our focus will be on legal issues arising from private “cross-border” interactions or transactions (those having connections to more than one legal system) and on mechanisms for their resolution, including litigation or alternative dispute settlement. A modern conception of the field encompasses topics on which current international efforts at codification and harmonization are actually focused including such topics as international family law (including cross-border surrogacy and child abduction), alternative dispute settlement mechanisms (including international mediation and commercial arbitration), artificial intelligence, electronic contracting, data privacy, corporate social responsibility and human rights.
The course will be organized by focusing on the works of intergovernmental organizations such as the UN, The Hague Conference, and UNDROIT and regional entities such as the EU, the Organization of American States, and ASEAN. Experts from various entities and countries will provide perspectives (some invited guests include: former Secretary General of the Hague Conference; Deputy Secretary General of UNIDROIT; senior OAS lawyer; Former Chair of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights). Students will select a project or related topic to study and evaluate for a seminar paper and presentation. Students will be required to (1) select a paper topic approved by the professor, (2) submit an outline, followed by feedback from the professor, (3) submit a draft paper, followed by feedback from the professor, and (4) submit a final paper of at least 5,000 words exclusive of footnotes. No prior course in International Law or Conflict of Laws is necessary.
Course Type
SeminarCourse Credits
2.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorFaculty Associated
Louise Ellen TeitzThis course will meet for six weeks.
Course Description
This course will look at cutting edge issues and a selection of current work on harmonization and codification of private international law, both domestically and internationally, such as work in connection with classic areas of private international law-- jurisdiction, choice of law, judicial assistance, and enforcement of judgments-- as well as areas such as commercial law, family law, consumer dispute resolution/online dispute resolution (ODR). In addition, we will look at how some of the private international law conventions are to be/have been implemented in the United States and the practical and policy issues implicated by these decisions. The course will introduce students to the work product of several international entities e.g., The Hague Conference on Private International Law, UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), The International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), OECD; as well as regional entities such as the Council of Europe, EU and the Organization of American States; and also domestic harmonization entities such as the Uniform Law Commission (NCCUSL) and ALI.
Course Type
SeminarCourse Credits
1.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorMaster of Studies in LawFaculty Associated
Louise Ellen TeitzThis course meets for six weeks.
Course Description
This course will consider various current legal issues in the law of piracy, including: the use of force by private vessel; insurance and the payment of ransom money; the extent of Congress' power to define piracy; the appropriate forum for piracy trials; the duty to suppress piracy and flags of convenience; and environmental activism as piracy.
Course Type
SeminarCourse Credits
1.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorMaster of Studies in LawFaculty Associated
Jonathan M. GutoffD
Course Description
This seminar will examine legal issues surrounding the death penalty in America from a variety of perspectives. After a review of the goals of punishment and their relation to capital punishment, the course will explore: constitutional challenges to the imposition of the death penalty, focusing on claims relating to equal protection, due process and cruel and unusual punishment; race, gender and the death penalty; special offenders, including juveniles, the mentally retarded, and the insane; modes of punishment and ethical issues; the impact of international law; procedural issues in trials for capital offenses, as well as post-conviction proceedings; and perspectives from the families of victims and families of capital offenders. Materials for the seminar will include writings providing diverse views of the death penalty, as well as central Supreme Court case law in this area. Seminar requirements will include a final paper, a presentation on the paper; and class participation. This course is offered for 2 credits and will fulfill the paper writing requirement.
Course Type
SeminarCourse Credits
2.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorMaster of Studies in LawFaculty Associated
Emily J. SackCourse Description
The Introduction to Taking and Defending Depositions is a one credit seminar course that will emphasize the methods, techniques, and usage of depositions in litigation. This class will focus on preparing for and taking depositions in federal civil actions. The class will be composed of lectures and in-class exercise sessions in which each student will practice the skills discussed during lectures. The course will discuss the interplay of depositions with written discovery, expert disclosures, and pretrial motions.
Course Type
SeminarCourse Credits
1.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorFaculty Associated
Matthew GiardinaCourse Description
In recent years, there have been several large-scale multi-district litigations involving injury to the public trust. These litigations have resulted in negotiated settlement frameworks designed to efficiently and equi-tably compensate states, subdivisions, and nations in Indian Country. A cornerstone of these compensation funds is the design and implementation of allocation frameworks to inform the disbursement of settlement monies to affected beneficiaries. The selection of trust model, the design of administrative guard rails, and the specifics of the financial structure will dictate who receives how much money and when. These decision calculuses involve the work of attorneys, as well as experts in finance and economics.
Successful public trusts are anchored by financial allocation structures that equitably compensate those injured by the cause of action. This perspectives course is a companion course to LSM.856, Negotiating Environmental Settlements. It will focus on recent financial settlements and compensation schemes related to three multi-district settlements, involving: (1) the opioids epidemic; (2) deceptive marketing of e-cigarettes; and (3) the north and mid-Atlantic wind farms. Topics explored will include, trust structure, compensation design, and public transparency. This course will focus on experiential learning through case studies, introductory-level financial analysis, and mock settlement negotiations. Class discussions will focus on how to design settlement frameworks and compensation schema for the protection of the public trust, including financial structures that maximize compensatory relief. A knowledge of finance is not required; key financial concepts will be introduced and discussed as part of the course materials.
Course Type
SeminarCourse Credits
1.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorFaculty Associated
Chiara TrabucchiCourse Description
This two-credit course will provide intensive, hands-on instruction in pretrial discovery practice in civil litigation. Working with a simulated case in the federal courts system, students will engage in each of the stages of civil discovery, from planning a discovery strategy, to submitting and arguing a discovery motion, to taking a mock deposition. The class will also include discussion of the policies and values reflected in American civil discovery approach, as well as key ethical issues that frequently arise in the discovery practice.
Course Type
ElectiveCourse Credits
2.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorMaster of Studies in LawFaculty Associated
Niki KuckesCourse Description
The DC SIP immerses students in the Washington DC legal and policy world through a full-time
placement with a federal agency, legislative office, non-profit, or trade group. The externship placement is
complemented by a weekly, two-credit, graded seminar. The seminar will cover the rules and skills
relevant to government practice and the entities that interact with the federal government, such as conflict-
of-interest and lobbying regulations. Substantive issues will span administrative and regulatory
enforcement, legislative drafting and congressional oversight, federal judicial policy making, and public
interest litigation. Guest speakers will walk students through real world issues from their careers. Students
will also engage in self-reflective journaling and other writing assignments.
Course Type
Clinic/ExternshipCourse Credits
12Course Degree
Juris DoctorFaculty Associated
David M. ZlotnickCourse Description
This course will examine the dramatic changes in domestic violence laws and policy over the past twenty years, assess their impact, and explore potential new practices in this rapidly developing area. Discussion topics will include: the historical treatment of domestic violence by the justice system; changes in state and federal legislation, including the Violence Against Women Act, and developments in international human rights law; strategies in police and prosecution response; issues involving battered women defendants; use of civil remedies; the impact of changes in family law and immigration law on domestic violence victims; the interplay between the criminal justice and child welfare systems; and changing court responses to domestic violence cases.
Course Type
ElectiveCourse Credits
3.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorMaster of Studies in LawFaculty Associated
Emily J. SackE
Course Description
Concentrating on public education at the K-12 level, this course examines the increasing number of federal and state laws and regulations and court decisions that influence or control schools. Special attention is given to current issues, for example, students' freedom of speech, school prayer, school integration, discipline, school funding, bilingual education, special education, and the constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process, as they affect students and faculty. Utilizing a problem-based approach, the respective rights and responsibilities of the various constituencies in an educational setting are examined.
Course Type
ElectiveCourse Credits
3.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorFaculty Associated
Monica Teixeira de SousaCourse Description
Elder Law is a rapidly growing and intellectually challenging practice area. This course will focus on the legal issues and client situations most frequently encountered by Elder Law attorneys. The course will begin with an overview of how Elder Law differs from a traditional trusts and estates practice, including a review of the particular ethical challenges faced by the Elder Law practitioner. An examination of the major substantive law competencies needed by the Elder Law practitioner will follow. The course will conclude with an analysis of how the practitioner serves elders facing challenges such as diminished capacity and the need for long-term care.
Course Type
ElectiveCourse Credits
2.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorMaster of Studies in LawFaculty Associated
Mark B. HeffnerHonors Course
Course Description
Race, class and party intertwine in almost every decision of the Court in election law. This course introduces students to the judicial doctrines of our democratic system and the interplay of race, class and party. We will survey the history, case law and current debates on the right to vote, redistricting and regulation of voting.
Course Type
SeminarCourse Credits
1.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorFaculty Associated
Miriam RossHONORS COURSE
This course meets for six weeks.
Course Description
This seminar will explore political campaigns and elections in the United States. Selected topics in law and politics will include the right to vote, political participation, political parties, and campaign finance, as well as special attention to the issues arising in the 2012 elections. The goal of this seminar is to provide students with an overview of the basic principles of election law and campaign finance in this country.
HONORS COURSE
Course Type
SeminarCourse Credits
1.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorFaculty Associated
Miriam RossCourse Description
This course will explore the law’s response to the phenomenon of employment discrimination. We will focus on some of the major federal statutes that forbid employment discrimination based on protected characteristics such as race, sex, age, and disability status - Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. We will look at the proof of intentional discrimination required under the statutes, their treatment of neutral employment practices that have a disparate impact on members of the protected classes, and the enforcement and remedial provisions of the statutes. Throughout we will try to assess the efficacy of these regulatory interventions.
Course Type
ElectiveCourse Credits
3.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorFaculty Associated
Michael J. YelnoskyCourse Description
An analysis of selected problems in the law of employment discrimination. Topics will be selected that address the historical, economic, and social dimensions and implications of the problem of employment discrimination. Included will be coverage of federal statutory prohibitions of discrimination in employment, the procedures for enforcement, standards of proof, and remedies for violation of applicable law.
Course Type
ElectiveCourse Credits
3.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorMaster of Studies in LawFaculty Associated
Michael J. YelnoskyMarine Affairs Institute
Course Description
The pursuit of offshore energy development – especially renewable energy - comes with great potential, but with technical, market and legal challenges as well. There are natural and engineering challenges posed by the depth of the water, the struggle to pinpoint optimal siting, the forces of the wind and the waves, and the density of the seabed. There are financing challenges in locating start-up funding, determining the nature of ownership, securing leases, loans, and sufficient operating capital, and insuring the whole enterprise. There are the legal challenges of negotiating contractual arrangements for connecting to the power grid and selling the power to utilities or other users as well as the environmental and other regulatory permitting processes and appeals. This course provides a comprehensive look at the legal, transactional, practical lawyering and regulatory issues associated with the sustainable development and project financing of off-shore energy projects, emphasizing wind and hydrokinetics, but also drawing on experience with on-shore wind, solar and geo-thermal energy. Students successfully completing this course will be better prepared for transactional practice in a burgeoning field.
Course Type
ElectiveCourse Credits
2.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorMaster of Studies in LawCourse Description
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the variety of basic issues that
entertainment lawyers address, and to serve as a stepping-stone in preparation for entry into the
entertainment industry. This course is designed to introduce students to the business and legal
affairs aspects of the entertainment industry, specifically television, theatrical, and digital media
development and production. "Business and legal affairs" is the group or department within an
entertainment company that is responsible for drafting and review of contracts, as well as
handling the legal issues that arise throughout production. Its role is to ensure that the contract
captures the deal points in accordance with the parties' agreement, and that the contract is in
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compliance with the firm's internal policies and all applicable laws and regulations. The
entertainment industry is subject to a variety of legal and regulatory regimes, some of which are
common to all businesses and some of which are unique to the entertainment industry.
We will examine topics/issues that arise under areas of law that some students are familiar with,
while other areas might be new: Torts (defamation, right of privacy, right of publicity, first
amendment concerns), contracts (deal making, major players in entertainment contract
negotiations), and intellectual property (trademarks, copyrights, fair use, rights acquisitions).
Course Type
ElectiveCourse Credits
3.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorFaculty Associated
Lucas BlackadarSPRING SEMESTER ONLY
Course Description
Through the Environmental and Land Use Law Clinical Externship, students train in legal offices or departments of government agencies and non-government organizations doing environmental and land use legal work in Rhode Island and southern New England. Externs are exposed to the various ways in which environmental and land use law is practiced by government agencies and non-government organizations through litigation, administrative rulemaking and adjudication, and engagement in the legislative process. The students also participate in a two-credit, graded seminar “Advanced Topics in Environmental and Land Use Law” that will be designed by the professor, after consultation with the field supervisors, to teach substantive law, regulation, and policy directly relevant to the students’ field work, as well as the ethics and legal skills required of an environmental attorney.
6 Credits- 270 hours (approx. 3 days/week for 14 weeks). SPRING ONLY
Course Type
Clinic/ExternshipCourse Credits
6.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorFaculty Associated
Julia WymanSPRING SEMESTER ONLY
Course Description
Through the Environmental and Land Use Law Clinical Externship, students train in legal offices or departments of government agencies and non-government organizations doing environmental and land use legal work in Rhode Island and southern New England. Externs are exposed to the various ways in which environmental and land use law is practiced by government agencies and non-government organizations through litigation, administrative rulemaking and adjudication, and engagement in the legislative process. The students also participate in a two-credit, graded seminar “Advanced Topics in Environmental and Land Use Law” that will be designed by the professor, after consultation with the field supervisors, to teach substantive law, regulation, and policy directly relevant to the students’ field work, as well as the ethics and legal skills required of an environmental attorney.
8 Credits- 360 hours(approx. 5 days/week for 10 weeks). SPRING ONLY
Course Type
Clinic/ExternshipCourse Credits
8.0Course Degree
Juris DoctorFaculty Associated
Julia WymanCourse Types
We have classified RWU Law classes under the following headers. One of the following course types will be attached to each course which will allow students to narrow down their search while looking for classes.
Core Course
Students in the first and second year are required to take classes covering the following aspects of the law—contracts, torts, property, criminal law, civil procedure, and constitutional law, evidence, and professional responsibility. Along with these aspects, the core curriculum will develop legal reasoning skills.
Elective
After finishing the core curriculum the remaining coursework toward the degree is completed through upper level elective courses. Students can choose courses that peak their interests or courses that go along with the track they are following.
Seminar
Seminars are classes where teachers and small groups of students focus on a specific topic and the students complete a substantial research paper.
Clinics/Externships
Inhouse Clinics and Clinical Externships legal education is law school training in which students participate in client representation under the supervision of a practicing attorney or law professor. RWU Law's Clinical Programs offer unique and effective learning opportunities and the opportunity for practical experience while still in law school.