Course Descriptions

LAW 7100 – Fundamentals of Being a Lawyer – 1 SCH

Introduces students to the UNT Dallas College of Law and its curriculum, and introduces concepts and skills that will be important throughout the study of law, including introduction to law as a profession, introduction to the court systems in Dallas, anatomy of a trial and anatomy of a deal, methods of effective studying and learning in law school, and interactions and interviews with lawyers relating to legal education and the practice of law. 

Required.

LAW 7101 – Principles of Accounting and Finance for Lawyers – 1 SCH 

Focuses on the core accounting and finance principles that lawyers encounter across many areas of practice. Core goals are being able to read, interpret, and use basic financial statements, and understanding and applying basic principles of valuation. 

Required. Students may place out of this class by demonstrating proficiency through other coursework at the graduate or undergraduate level or through other methods established by the College of Law. See details for satisfying the Principles of Accounting and Finance for Lawyers requirement. 
Prerequisites: For both full-time and part-time students, completion of all courses taken in their first year.

LAW 7104 - Legal Methods - 1 SCH

Required.

LAW 7108 –  Advanced Legal Research – 1 SCH

The purpose of this course is to build upon the knowledge acquired in the first year Legal Writing and Research course. Students have the opportunity to gain greater depth in their working knowledge of legal research methods, keeping cost effectiveness at the forefront. The course will review primary and secondary sources and and will explore, among other resources, subject-specific secondary sources, practice materials, legislative history, historical resources, and more administrative materials. Students will be introduced in greater depth to alternative resources. Upon completion, students should be able to evaluate research options and make choices that best suit a particular legal research situation.

LAW 7203 – Civil Procedure II – 2 SCH

Continues study of the fundamental procedural doctrines and rules governing civil lawsuits, with an emphasis on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Focuses on pleadings, motions, and processes relating to pre-trial, trial, post-trial, appeal, joinder of parties, and class actions.

Required.
Prerequisite: Civil Procedure I.

LAW 7205 – Texas Civil Procedure – 2 SCH

Study of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure focusing on pretrial and trial practice and the differences between federal and state procedures.

Required.
Prerequisites: Civil Procedure I and II.

LAW 7206 – Texas Criminal Procedure – 2 SCH

Study of how the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure is implemented in Texas criminal prosecutions from arrest through trial proceedings.

Required.
Prerequisites: Criminal Law.

LAW 7207 – Texas Appellate Procedure – 2 SCH

Study of civil and criminal appeals to include interlocutory appeals and mandamus. Contains an advocacy component.

Required.
Prerequisites: Texas Civil Procedure and Texas Criminal Procedure.

LAW 7221 – Effective Oral Communication – 2 SCH

Focuses on understanding and gaining proficiency in effective oral communication in the range of situations in which lawyers must communicate verbally. Includes extensive performance and simulation. 

Required for class entering fall 2014.
Prerequisites: For both full-time and part-time students, completion of all courses taken in their first year.

LAW 7288 – Externship Seminar – 2 SCH 

This seminar is a two credit course that is required for students in the first semester of an externship placement. The course will focus on optimizing the educational and instructional opportunities in a field placement. The seminar complements the field placement by engaging students in structured lessons focused on learning by doing, learning from supervision, skill development, ethical issues in practice, and related topics.

LAW 7302 – Civil Procedure I – 3 SCH

Study of the fundamental procedural doctrines and rules governing civil lawsuits, with an emphasis on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Focuses on the right to bring claims, personal jurisdiction, subject matter jurisdiction, and venue.

Required.

LAW 7308 – Legal Writing and Research I – 3 SCH

Focuses on understanding and practicing effective legal writing, through frequent writing exercises and for a range of audiences. Core goals include understanding and applying the following: sources and hierarchies of legal authority; reading and interpreting cases and statutes (also emphasized in other first-year courses); the process of legal analysis (also emphasized in other first-year courses); synthesizing rules from cases, statutes, or both; distinctive features of effective legal writing. The course will include a basic introduction to legal research, with more intensive focus to come in the following semester.

Required. 

LAW 7309 – Legal Writing and Research II – 3 SCH

Building on Legal Writing and Research I, continues to focus on understanding and practicing effective legal writing, and includes greater emphasis than the first semester on effective research, including defining a research plan and carrying it out. As with the first semester, the course will include multiple writings, and also will include preparation of a brief in connection with a summary judgment motion. 

Required.
Prerequisites: Legal Writing and Research I. 

LAW 7310 – Criminal Law – 3 SCH

Study of the fundamental legal principles, doctrines, and processes relating to criminal law, including the state’s authority to define crimes, standards for criminal liability, defenses, and processes for enforcement.

Required.

LAW 7312 – Practice Foundation I: Interviewing and Counseling – 3 SCH

Provides foundation for the essential lawyering skills of interviewing and counseling, including principles and concepts relating to these essential skills, but emphasizing simulation and practice exercises. Both litigation and transactional contexts and scenarios will be included.

Required.

LAW 7313 – Practice Foundation II: Negotiation and Conflict Resolution – 3 SCH

Provides foundation for understanding and effectively engaging in essential lawyering skills of negotiation and conflict management, including principles and concepts relating to these essential skills, but emphasizing simulation and practice exercises. Both litigation and transactional contexts and scenarios will be included.

Required.
Prerequisites: For full-time students – completion of all first-year courses. For part-time students – completion of all courses in the first and second semester of the part-time program and completion of Practice Foundation I: Interviewing and Counseling.

LAW 7314 – Constitutional Law I – 3 SCH

Introduction to the structure, provisions, history, and interpretation of the United States Constitution. Core goals include understanding and applying the following: structure of government and allocation of authority in the three branches of government; role of federal courts and principles for judicial review of decisions of the Executive branch or Congress; and extent of and limits on powers of the federal government and powers of the states. The course also includes introductory study of the Bill of Rights, in particular the 14th Amendment’s due process and equal protection provisions. Throughout, the course will consider historical and theoretical dimensions of constitutional law.  

Required.
Prerequisites: This is a third semester course for both full-time and part-time students. Thus, prerequisites are completion of all courses required in the first and second semesters. 

LAW 7315 – Family Law – 3 SCH

Provides foundation for knowledge and understanding of family law. Core goals include understanding and applying the following: definition of the family; community property; rights and responsibilities among family members; marriage; dissolution of marriage and issues arising as a result (custody, child support); legal status of unmarried individuals; federal law relating to family issues. The emphasis will be on Texas law, but will address key national issues and trends. 

Required.
Prerequisites: For both full-time and part-time students, completion of all courses taken in their first year.

LAW 7317 – Professional Responsibility – 3 SCH

Survey of the ethics and law of lawyering, including the Model Rules of the American Bar Association and state regulation. Core goals include understanding and applying the following: how and why the profession is regulated; the duties of lawyers, including duty of competence, confidentiality, and loyalty; duties to court; ethical issues in applied settings such as corporate counsel; lawyer discipline. Emphasis will include topics relevant to the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam.

Required.
Prerequisites: For both full-time and part-time students, completion of all courses taken in their first year.

LAW 7318 – Evidence – 3 SCH

A study of the rules of proof in civil and criminal contexts, emphasizing the most critical issues and doctrines, with regular attention to the Federal Rules of Evidence and the Texas rules. Core goals include understanding and being able to apply rules of admissibility, reliability, hearsay, relevance, expert evidence, examination and impeachment of witnesses, privileges, presumptions, and burdens of proof. 

Required.
Prerequisites: For both full-time and part-time students, completion of all courses taken in their first year.

LAW 7321 – Business Associations I – 3 SCH

Introduction to the law relating to business associations. Core goals include understanding and being able to apply the following principles and concepts: choice of business entity (partnership, corporation, limited liability partnership, and unincorporated entities); agency principles relating to persons involved in the entity and those with whom they or the entity relate; financing structure; fiduciary responsibilities; and responsibilities and liability principles relating to partners, directors, officers. 

Required.
Prerequisites: First-year courses, and Principles of Accounting and Finance for Lawyers.

LAW 7322 – Commercial Law – 3 SCH

Introduction to commercial law as goverened by the Uniform Commercial Code (U.C.C.), with a focus on secured sales transactions under Article 9. Course may also address aspects of sale of goods under Article 2 of the U.C.C. Topics under secured transactions include types of personal property secured transactions, creation of security interest, default and secured party remedies, the perfecting of security interests, and priorities among creditors. 

Required.
Prerequisites: For both full-time and part-time students, completion of all courses taken in their first year.

LAW 7325 –  Wills, Trusts, and Estates – 3 SCH

Focuses on wills, trusts, and estates, with attention to Texas law. Core goals include understanding and applying: the functions of wills, trusts, and estates in planning; executing and revoking wills; substitutes for wills; trusts as a method for conveying wealth both during life and after death; and rules and principles relating to administering estates and trusts.  

Required.
Prerequisites: For both full-time and part-time students, completion of all courses taken in their first year.

LAW 7326 – Administrative Law – 3 SCH

Study of the law relating to administrative agencies, including federal agencies and state agencies (coverage of state administrative law will focus on Texas administrative agencies). Core goals are understanding the scope and role of administrative agencies; their statutory authority and constitutional boundaries; the promulgation of regulations (including legal authority and legally required methods of promulgation); core regulatory interpretive principles; and key practice issues.

Required.
Prerequisites: All first-year courses, and Constitutional Law.

LAW 7335 – Practice Foundation III: Business of Law – 3 SCH

Studies the business, organizational, and technological aspects of law practice management for the 21^st century. Core goals include understanding and applying: essential elements of law practice management; types of law practices and organizational variations among them; risk management; planning tools relating to legal practice; technology and the delivery of legal services; and changes in the legal market.

Required.
Prerequisites: Generally, students will take this course in their third year. Prerequisites include completion of all first-year courses and Practice Foundation II.

LAW 7388 – Externship Seminar – 3 SCH

This seminar is a three credit course that is required for students in the first semester of an externship placement. The course will focus on optimizing the educational and instructional opportunities in a field placement. The seminar engages students in structured lessons focused on learning by doing, learning from supervision, skill development, ethical issues in practice, and related topics.

LAW 7401 - Torts - 4 SCH

Study of civil liability for wrongfully inflicted harm to persons and property, with an emphasis on intentional torts and negligence. Core goals include understanding and applying the history, policies, and practice implications of tort law; intentional tort doctrines including battery, assault, and false imprisonment, as well as defenses to these; negligence; damages; and comparative fault in multi-thory and multi-party actions.

Required.

LAW 7407 – Contracts – 4 SCH

Study of the fundamental legal principles and doctrines relating to contract law, including the formation of contracts, the enforceability of contracts, the interpretation of contracts, and remedies for breach of contract.

Required.

LAW 7411 – Property – 4 SCH

Study of the fundamental principles and doctrines relating to the law of property, including defining rights in property, interests in real property and personal property, transfer of property interests, private and public limitations on the use of real property, and the landlord-tenant relationship.

Required.

LAW 7V16 – Health Care Law – 2-3 SCH

Survey of and introduction to health care law, including legal issues related to health care delivery, health care organizations, health care insurance, and statutory and common law obligations of health care providers and professionals.

Prerequisites: For both full-time and part-time students, completion of all courses taken in their first year.

LAW 7V91 – Practicum – 2 to 3 SCH

Course designed primarily around one or more problems or cases that involve advanced understanding in one or more doctrinal areas. Students will engage in activities and experiences similar to those engaged in by lawyers faced with such problems or cases. Topics vary by semester but examples include: Health Law, General Counseling, Lawyering, Environmental Law, Juvenile Advocacy, Elder Law, Urban and Regional Development, Real Estate Transactions, and Business Disputes.

Prerequisites: All 1L courses, Constitutional Law, Professional Responsibility, Evidence, and other courses as specified in the particular practicum.

LAW 7V93 – Clinic – 3 to 6 SCH

Representation of clients under the supervision of a faculty member. Clinics include classroom sessions, assignments on cases, and meetings with faculty member.

Prerequisites: 1L classes and other courses as specified in the particular clinic listing.

LAW 7V98 – Independent Study – 1 to 12 SCH

Concentrated study under supervision of faculty member, on a topic representing advanced work that builds on existing coursework and that is not covered in another course. Generally open only to students who have completed 58 course hours. Requires a sponsoring faculty member and approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and at least 70 documented hours of study for 1 hour of credit. Graded pass-fail.