​Paris Program Information

Course Descriptions

Comparative Law (2 credits)

Most courses in law school are about U.S. law. This course is different as it focuses on foreign law. Obviously, foreign law matters to all U.S. lawyers operating on the international scene, for example in international business or in international arbitration. And just as evidently, foreign law is very important within national law. Indeed, a huge quantity of legal situations in the U.S. involve foreign law (whether it be a contract entered into in New York governed by German law or a deceased person from San Francisco bequeathing real estate in France or the victims of a massive chemical explosion in India suing in U.S. courts). More controversially, there are those (including a number of U.S. Supreme Court Justices) who claim that, in an age of globalization when the U.S. is more interconnected with the rest of the world than ever before, U.S. law ought to derive inspiration from foreign law, for instance in constitutional litigation involving the death penalty or the rights of sexual minorities. This course will apply itself to this debate and discuss to what extent foreign law can or must act as persuasive authority. It will also consider two primordial questions. First, how could a U.S. lawyer get to know foreign law despite all the cultural differences arising across laws? Secondly, to what extent is meaningful understanding of foreign law possible? As regards these issues, various theoretical topics will be raised from an interdisciplinary perspective and some case-studies pertaining to human rights will be considered. 

This class introduces students to cross-border deals and to the disruptive impact of global events, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to classroom discussions, several lawyers who specialize in in different aspects of cross-border deals will speak to the class, and the class will visit a London law firm. The focus will be on transactions involving a business unit, including: Joint ventures; mergers, acquisitions and dispositions: and financing. The objective is for students to learn about: How lawyers approach and carry out cross-border deals; the factors that distinguish cross-border deals from domestic deals and how to take those factors into account; and the primary types of cross-border deals and the terms that are customary in those deals. The course will not address commercial transactions between businesses, such as commercial sales of goods or services or commercial licensing, all of which are covered in other courses.

Faculty Biographies

Click a faculty member listed below to view more information.

• Heller, Fred
• Legrand, Pierre

Educational Program Activities

Exclusive educational tours for students include visiting the Palais de Justice, the Conseil d'Etat and the French Senate. We will also host presentations by local practitioners, professors and legal officers of international organizations.

Language Courses

Students who are interested in language courses are encouraged to review local language school options. Courses in French language instruction offered in Paris include Accord French Language School and Language Studies International.

If you have additional questions, please contact:

Kira Espiritu, Ph.D. 
Assistant Provost for International Affairs 

kespiritu@sandiego.edu

University of San Diego - International Center
5998 Alcala Park – Saints Tekakwitha and Serra Hall 201
San Diego, CA 92110
619-260-4598 (tel)