Factual Investigation and Counseling Courses
Pre-Trial Practice (Skills Grade)
This course develops fundamental lawyering skills starting with the initial client interview and working through the various phases of pretrial discovery. Students will work in two-lawyer “firms.”
Developing Deposition Skills (Skills Grade)
This course offers students an opportunity to master preparing the witness, developing and executing a questioning formula for obtaining complete information, using simple language, creating a clear deposition record, formulating concise questions, listening carefully to answers, making and handling objections, using exhibits during the deposition, and dealing with obstreperous defending counsel. Students participate in a hands-on workshop to develop good deposition techniques.
Practical Legal Research (Skills Grade)
The emphasis in this course is on the practical research skills students need to survive in the real world. The course covers the basic research skills and sources introduced in the Legal Research & Writing and Moot Court courses, as well as more advanced topics. Topics include search strategy, case law, statutory and regulatory research, periodicals and other secondary sources, and practice materials. Students will be required to utilize skills learned in class to complete a research exercise.
Using the Internet For Legal Research (Pass/Fail Grade)
This hands-on course will teach students how to use free sources of primary legal information on the internet. Using lab computers, students will work through reallife research questions along with the instructor and learn when and how the internet can be a useful resource. The students will also gain an understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of using the internet for legal research and how this can compliment the legal research skills the students already possess.
Foreign and International Legal Research (Pass/Fail Grade)
This course will provide a broad overview of print and online resources used for research in international and foreign law. Students will learn strategies for international and foreign research through a hands-on exercise.
Computer Fundamentals For Computer-Assisted Research (Pass/Fail Grade)
In order to understand how computer-assisted legal research actually functions, and thus how to effectively perform this type of research, the course will show students some fundamental operations upon which research software is based. The course will begin with the basics: zeroes and ones. Students will gain an elementary
understanding of hardware, software, browsers, and the internet. Students will also create their own web pages. Two one-and-one-half-hour classes. Homework is a web page turned in on a floppy disk.
Construction Law: Handling Cases Under The Louisiana Private Works Act (Skills Grade)
This course will examine the Louisiana Private Works Act and recent decisions in the area. Students will learn how to prepare, enforce, and challenge a lien. Emphasis will be placed on how to effectively litigate a construction law case based upon actual cases tried by the instructor.
Creative Problem-Solving Techniques - What To Do When The Law Looks Like It's Against You (Skills Grade)
Using an interactive workshop approach, this course will examine creative ways to attack and defeat the various legal challenges which seek to bar an attorney from proceeding with a claim or defense. Students will learn how to read codes, statutes, and rules and regulations with an eye to overcoming apparent barriers. Use of various Internet resources will be discussed.
Documents Drafting (Skills Grade)
This course examines a variety of documents used by attorneys. Emphasis is placed on the purpose and function of a variety of documents, including contracts, wills, deeds, leases, and security devices. Students will draft a variety of documents.
How to Write A Will (Skills Grade)
This course examines the various forms of wills. Students will draft a will in class.
Representing Controversial Clients (Pass/Fail Grade)
Controversial clients pose significant challenges not found with typical clients. With clients ranging from Native American Rights groups some describe as militant, to clients supporting or advocating liberation movements from Ireland to South America, and clients with opinions from the far left, and right, while each are different, each is similar. We will examine the challenges and solutions of representing
controversial clients, including the issues specific to the attorney, the practice, other clients, and the Patriot Act, as well as how to manage the case without violating Rule 3.3 and 8.4.
Drafting Corporate Documents (Skills Grade)
Students will learn to draft corporate formation documents including articles of incorporation, by-laws, articles of organization, and operating agreements.
Pleadings Drafting (Skills Grade)
This course examines the purposes and functions of pleadings in the litigation process. Students will draft a variety of pleadings and motions for both state and federal court actions.
Advocacy and Strategy in Government Regulatory Affairs
This course offers students insight to government relations and regulatory affairs, focusing the coursework on how to manage issues and advocate before Congress and Federal agencies. In today’s environment, clients often require more than just legal advice, necessitating attorneys to be cognizant of alternative course of action and joint efforts in various arenas to achieve a client’s objective. Course
topics include the development of joint legal and government affairs strategies for addressing a client’s legal needs through the political and regulatory processes and at the administrative level, the building of consensus and coalitions among industry, the legislative branch and Federal agencies, and countering, influencing, and focusing agency and legislative action.