Course Descriptions

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Immigration Clinic I (LWVL530)

Instructor(s): Tammy Lin

2-4 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): International Law (JD), Public Interest Law (JD), International Law (LLMUS), LLM in International Law (LLMI)

Students gain practical experience through interviewing, counseling, and representing clients with immigration-related problems. Students have the opportunity to assist clients with a range of immigration issues such as naturalization, lawful permanent residency, derivative citizenship, deferred action, and U-visa and VAWA for domestic violence and abuse victims. Students may attend U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services interviews related to their client’s applications. Students may also attend and participate in community immigration outreach. Weekly meetings are held with the clinic supervisor and other interns to discuss immigration law, practical application and casework. The clinic is graded on a 4-tier Pass-Fail basis. No Prerequisites.

Students interested in working in the clinics for either academic credit or as a volunteer must first fill out and submit the USD Legal Clinics Application for Law Students . Clinic staff will review your application and confirm enrollment. 

Additional Information: International Law Concentration, Public Interest Law Concentration (JD)

Immigration Clinic II (LWVL531)

Instructor(s): Tammy Lin

1-4 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): International Law (JD), Public Interest Law (JD), International Law (LLMUS), LLM in International Law (LLMI)

Clinic II interns refine their skills, working on complex cases and cases already begun as Clinic I interns. Students may mentor first time clinic participants, serve as lead attorney on cases, and have additional opportunities to appear in court or administrative proceedings. Supervising attorneys/adjunct professors provide individualized coaching, based on the Clinic II interns’ needs and interests. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Clinic I in the same clinic. The clinic is graded on a 4-tier Pass-Fail basis. 

Students interested in working in the clinics for either academic credit or as a volunteer must first fill out and submit the USD Legal Clinics Application for Law Students . Clinic staff will review your application and confirm enrollment. 

Additional Information: International Law Concentration, Public Interest Law Concentration (JD)

In-House Corporate Counseling (LWBC567)

Instructor(s): Saerin Cho

3 credit(s), Letter Graded
Concentration(s): Business and Corporate Law (JD), Employment and Labor Law (JD), LLM in Business and Corporate Law (LLMB), Business and Corporate Law (LLMUS), Employment and Labor Law (LLMG), Business and Corporate Law (MSLS)
Recommended Class(es): Corporations

This course provides a comprehensive and contemporary examination of the evolving role of in-house counsel and general counsel as both legal advisors and strategic business leaders. Reflecting the rapid growth, demand, and expanding influence of in-house practice, the course explores how today’s general counsel operate at the intersection of governance, risk management, compliance, crisis response, and organizational strategy across corporate, nonprofit, and governmental settings. Course topics include demystifying the role of in-house counsel, contracts, labor and employment law, data protection and privacy law, legal operations, working with outside counsel, serving as a strategic business partner with a law degree, and performing the duties of modern in-house counsel.

Beyond doctrine, the course emphasizes the human skills required to succeed in-house: judgment, communication, emotional intelligence, and the ability to collaborate effectively with non-lawyer colleagues in complex, real-world environments. Through active discussion, peer engagement, and interactions with in-house attorneys, students will deepen their professional networks and gain practical insight into career pathways and strategies for becoming and succeeding as in-house attorneys in this dynamic and influential field.

Additional Information: Business and Corporate Law Concentration, Employment and Labor Law Concentration

Intellectual Property Survey (LWIP550)

Instructor(s): Shawn Miller

4 credit(s), Letter Graded
Concentration(s): Intellectual Property (JD), Intellectual Property (LLMUS), Intellectual Property Law (LLMG), Intellectual Property Law (MSLS)

This course provides a broad overview of intellectual property law. After discussing the policies underlying the protection of intellectual property rights, we will cover trade secret, patent, copyright, and trademark law, and related doctrines such as the right of publicity. These topics will be examined with a focus on new technologies, but a science or technical background is not required. This course provides a foundation for advanced intellectual property courses and is also appropriate for students who seek only a general understanding of intellectual property law.

Additional Information: Intellectual Property & Technology Law Concentration (JD)

International Arbitration (LWIC530)

Instructor(s): David Brennan

3 credit(s), Letter Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Business and Corporate Law (JD), Civil Litigation (JD), Employment and Labor Law (JD), Environmental and Energy Law (JD), Intellectual Property (JD), International Law (JD), Public Interest Law (JD), LLM in Business and Corporate Law (LLMB), Business and Corporate Law (LLMUS), Environmental and Energy Law (LLMUS), Intellectual Property (LLMUS), International Law (LLMUS), Employment and Labor Law (LLMG), Environmental and Energy Law (LLMG), Intellectual Property Law (LLMG), LLM in International Law (LLMI), Business and Corporate Law (MSLS), Environmental and Energy Law (MSLS), Intellectual Property Law (MSLS), International Law (MSLS)

The course covers all aspects of international commercial arbitration from the drafting of arbitration agreements through initiating and conducting the arbitration proceedings to obtain a binding and enforceable award. The class allows students' participation for a sequence of written submissions and oral engagements for the arbitration proceeding. Students will work in teams to give oral presentations and arguments on arbitration issues during various stages of the mock­ arbitration proceeding. A fictional fact-pattern problem that forms the basis for those presentations will focus in part on an international commercial transaction between a foreign and a U.S. company.

The course’s objectives are to develop an understanding of the international arbitration laws, rules, practices, and procedural requirements. Another objective is to develop your confidence to manage an international dispute for a client leading up to and including an arbitration case for your client to obtain a favorable outcome and award. We will learn about the New York Convention for the Recognition & Enforcement of International Arbitration Awards (1958), the UNCITRAL Model Law and the ICDR (AAA) Rules for the arbitration procedure together with the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sales of Goods (1980) and related sources for international sales of goods and arbitration. We will focus on the UNCITRAL Model Law and the ICDR (AAA) Arbitration Rules for our mock problem, however, at the time of the VIS international competition problem release in early October, we will concentrate on the ICDR (AAA) Rules which will be applicable to the problem and essential for the VICAM members who will be engaged in the 2027 pre-moots and moots. The impacts of tariffs and international conflicts on the commercial agreements and performance will be addressed. 

The course will also address the modern trends of international arbitration which include the allowance for on-line proceedings, the inclusion of mandatory ADR processes before the arbitration, the allowance for “fast track” arbitrations, the use of dispositive motions, the discovery of evidence, the ethical obligations for arbitrators and counsel, and related items.  The course will provide insights into the possible use of AI in the arbitration processes. We will also learn about the prominence of third-party funding of arbitrations and the considerations that must be taken to ensure the entities funding the proceedings do not control the parties or counsel during the process or interfere with any determinations.

The course’s final grade is based on 40% of your written submissions and presentations together with 60% based on your final examination score. The final exam will be based on the course’s mock problem and will allow access to the course materials to provide an answer to one of three assignments. There will be no push or pull points applied to the grading. The course also satisfies the VICAM requirement for participation in its program and eligibility to engage in the annual moots.

International Contracts (LWIC537)

Instructor(s): Bert Lazerow

3 credit(s), Letter Graded
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), LLM in International Law (LLMI), Business and Corporate Law (MSLS), International Law (MSLS)

The international sale of goods constitutes 20% of U.S. GDP. Since 1990, most of these contracts are regulated by the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, but some are governed by the Uniform Commercial Code. We discuss the litigation and planning aspects of international sales transactions, including what law is applicable; differences in rules for contract formation; whether the goods comply with contract requirements; the point at which risk of loss shifts to buyer; when a party is excused from performance by an event, such as the imposition of a tariff; availability of remedies such as price reduction, specific performance, avoidance or damages; interest and attorneys’ fees as damages; the advantages and disadvantages of different forms of dispute resolution, such as mediation, arbitration, choice of forum and choice of law; and the effect the U.S. income tax has on planning sales to both related and unrelated parties.

Additional Information: Business and Corporate Law Concentration, International Law Concentration

International Legal Research (Asynchronous Distance Education) (LWGC527)

Instructor(s): Melissa Abernathy

1 credit(s), Letter Graded
Concentration(s): International Law (JD), International Law (LLMUS), LLM in International Law (LLMI), International Law (MSLS)

This course is designed to introduce students to basic concepts, sources, and specialized research tools used in foreign and international legal research.  This course will include segments on researching international treaties, international courts and tribunals, United Nations documents, the European Union, as well as foreign legal systems.

This course is online only for the first seven weeks of the semester and does not have a designated meeting day/time.

Note:

This course is a Distance Education Asynchronous course, taught via modules on Canvas. Students' grades will be based on weekly assignments, quizzes, & class participation (via discussion board).

International Taxation (LWTE539)

Instructor(s): Adam Kern

3 credit(s), Letter Graded
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), Taxation (LLMUS), LLM in Taxation (LLMT), LLM in International Law (LLMI), Business and Corporate Law (MSLS), International Law (MSLS), Taxation (MSLS)
Prerequisite(s): Tax I

This basic course in international taxation addresses the U.S. taxation of inbound and outbound cross-border transactions and activities.  The course includes comprehensive coverage of 26 USC Subchapter N, which contains the basic provisions for tax on income from sources within or without the United States.  The course will cover both FAUST (foreign activities of U.S. taxpayers) and USAFT (U.S. activities of foreign taxpayers), and will emphasize the significant changes brought about in the 2017 TCJA (Tax Cut and Jobs Act).  Examples of specific topics include the sourcing rules, the foreign tax credit, CFCs (controlled foreign corporations), FCCs (foreign controlled corporations), the Subpart F regime, repatriations, the GILTI-FDII-BEAT provisions, and other FAUST-USAFT matters.

Additional Information: Concentrations Page

Interviewing & Counseling (LWLP535)

Instructor(s): Tony Roberts

2 credit(s), H/P/L/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Recommended Class(es): Trial Advocacy

This course provides advanced training in the skills of client interviewing and counseling. The first part of the course is devoted to learning the specific micro-skills that make up effective interviewing through readings, demonstrations and role-plays. The second- part focuses on the counseling dimension of lawyer-client relationships. In addition to classroom preparation and activities, students will interview actual clients, including at the USD Legal Clinics. Ethical issues unique to interviewing and counseling are emphasized. The course is graded on a 4-tier Pass-Fail basis.

Intro to US Law (LWGC530)

Instructor(s): Michael Devitt

2 credit(s), Letter Graded

Introduction to United States Law is a required course for LLM in U.S. Law and Exchange students. No other students may enroll. This course comparatively introduces distinctly American approaches to law, lawyering and legal processes. Special emphasis is placed on the common law tradition.

Note:

This course is for LLMUS and Exchange students only.

IP Externship (LWVL532)

Instructor(s): Ted Sichelman

1-6 credit(s), P/F Graded
Requirement(s): Experiential
Concentration(s): Intellectual Property (JD), Intellectual Property (LLMUS), Intellectual Property Law (LLMG)

This course places students at local law firms and companies in the areas of patent prosecution, patent searching, trademark prosecution, filing of provisional and utility patents, intellectual property litigation, intellectual property transactions, and related areas (including copyright and trade secret law). Students will be supervised by attorneys at the local law firms and companies as well as the professors. Students begin work during the first week of the semester with companies and law firms and meet one-on-one with the professors on a regular basis.

Only students registered for the fall semester will be admitted to the spring semester, so all students must apply for the fall semester. Non-graduating students may apply for the Fall 2026 externship selection process. Applications are due Friday, April 24, 2026, at 5:00 pm. Please see the 2026-27 application linked below for more information on the selection process. 

Students who will be paid corporate law clerks at law firms or companies (including students who have previously participated in the program) in 2026-27 do not need to fill out the application but instead should contact the professor to determine whether they are eligible to register to receive academic credit. 

An information session on the program will be held on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at noon in WH 3B. Interested students should attend the session or watch the Zoom recording (see upcoming Sidebars for details). 

Additional Information: Application, Intellectual Property & Technology Law Concentration