Fall 2026 Class Descriptions
Deals (LWBC550)
Instructor(s): Frederick Heller
3 credit(s), Letter Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Business and Corporate Law (JD), International Law (JD), LLM in Business and Corporate Law (LLMB), Business and Corporate Law (LLMUS), International Law (LLMUS), Business and Corporate Law (MSLS), International Law (MSLS)
Prerequisite(s): Corporations
This course is designed for students interested in corporate transactional law or business careers. It covers the fundamental categories of corporate deals—mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and financings—spanning both private and public markets. The goal is to give students a practical working familiarity with the legal documents that structure these deals and the financial and business considerations that drive them.
The course will also explore more specialized transactions and emerging areas of practice as the semester progresses. Topics may include deals involving artificial intelligence, current trends in deal-making, and SPACs (special purpose acquisition companies).
Students will complete one or more individual assignments involving the drafting and negotiation of deal-related documents. Depending on progress in class and enrollment, students may also form teams to analyze a selected transaction and present their findings in a written paper and oral presentation. This work will be in lieu of a final examination.
Corporations is a prerequisite.
Additional Information: Business and Corporate Law Concentration, International Law Concentration
Death Penalty (LWCR530)
Instructor(s): John Cotsirilos
2 credit(s), Letter Graded
Concentration(s): Criminal Litigation (JD), Criminal Law (LLMUS), Criminal Law (LLMG), Criminal Law (MSLS)
This course will involve a written exam at the end of the semester focused to evaluating the student's understanding of case law history and practical application of the California statutory scheme. The course will address the following legal issues: 1) History of the Death Penalty; 2) Present legal parameters for trial of a death penalty case; 3) The law and procedure relating to post-conviction death penalty litigation; 4) Systemic issues such as prosecutorial discretion and budgeting concerns; 5) Policy and ethical dilemmas concerning the Death Penalty, i.e., volunteers, race discrimination, and arbitrariness.
Additional Information: Criminal Litigation Concentration (JD)