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Juvenile Law Advocacy

LAW 386

The course provides an examination through simulation and discussion of the special legal rules and principles applicable to child dependency trials and appeals, including mandatory mediation, detention, disposition, and jurisdictional hearings, writs, and appeals. Practical strategies for child witness, and for medical and psychological expert witness examination are discussed. In addition, for the Summer Abroad program, discussion of the comparable system in Spain and possibly other European countries may be included.

Juvenile Trial Advocacy

LAW 613

Juvenile Trial Advocacy uses films, PowerPoint presentations, and numerous classroom trial simulations to survey and analyze the specialized lawyering skills and evidentiary rules necessary to provide children and adolescents zealous and competent representation in juvenile cases involving delinquency, child dependency, status offenses and mental health proceedings. Students will have the opportunity to learn and apply the full range of trial skills (direct, cross examination, closing arguments, and motion practice) in the unique procedural world of juvenile law. The course is Pass/Fail based upon the quality of student participation in class discussions and simulations.

Labor Law

LAW 534

A study of the federal legal doctrines that regulate labor-management relationships in the private sector, including union representation, collective bargaining, strikes and lockouts.

Law Firm Practice Management

LAW 586

Law 586 Law Firm Practice Management This course is designed to help soon-to-be solo practitioners and attorneys in smaller firms bridge the gap between studying law and practicing law. The class is designed to cultivate proficiency in two practical areas of attorney development, which are typically learned over time rather than formally taught: (A) how to actually practice law, and (B) how to build and manage a law practice. The course covers topics such as how to get started, where to locate a law firm office, how to get your office equipped, how to secure clients, how to set fees, and detailed information about the nitty-gritty of running a small firm. While particularly relevant to solo practitioners and associates at small firms, the concepts discussed in this course will benefit new attorneys in all types of private and public sector organizations.

Law Review

LAW 560

Whittier Law Review is a student honors organization at Whittier Law School and a legal periodical published entirely by members of the organization. Founded in 1977, Whittier Law Review is publishing its thirtieth volume during the 2008-2009 academic year. The Law Review's articles have been cited by the United States Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals for the State of New York, the California Courts of Appeal, and numerous other federal and state courts, as well as by a number of other national law reviews, including Columbia Law Review, Duke Law Journal, Michigan Law Review, and California Law Review. An article published in our prestigious journal was also reproduced in facsimile in The Justices of the United States Supreme Court, a twenty-volume set of hardbound books that republished the most important articles ever written on Supreme Court Justices. Furthermore, an article written by former Law Review member Gary Spero-and published in the 1992 volume of Whittier Law Review-has been recognized by the California State Legislature as instrumental in prompting changes in the looting laws of California. Finally, the Law Review hosted the 38th Annual National Conference of Law Reviews in 1992, as well as the 48th Annual National Conference of Law Reviews in 2002. Each year, the Law Review publishes one volume comprised of four issues. Each issue typically contains a varied format of lead articles, amicus briefs, and speeches or articles from legal symposia, together with student-written Case notes and Comments. In addition, the Law Review occasionally publishes book reviews, essays, and surveys encompassing various topics of legal and social import. Lead articles are the centerpiece of the Law Review, and are written by prominent members of the legal community, including judges, professors, and practicing attorneys. Lead articles generally address topics of timely interest to the legal community, and are sometimes used as persuasive authority by attorneys and judges with respect to actual cases. Issue three of each volume is typically dedicated to publishing proceedings from the annual Health Law Symposia. Moreover, speeches and articles from the International Law Symposia are published shortly after the event takes place. Publication of student-written work is limited to articles authored by current and recent students of Whittier Law School. Student-written articles are generated in two basic forms: The Casenote and the Comment. Case notes analyze a particular judicial opinion that has significantly changed or extended the law. The Case note author cites and discusses the legal authority applied in the opinion, but also provides an independent analysis of the reasoning of the court, which generally includes additional authority that was either not taken into consideration or not applied by the court. The Comment addresses a particular area of the law from a topical perspective, as opposed to examining a specific case. Comments examine majority and minority views, and often illustrate deficiencies in the law or predict future trends. Comments may also analyze areas of social import that have not been sufficiently addressed or that present peculiar legal questions for the courts.

Lawyering Skills

LAW 601

An introduction to the theoretical structures in interviewing, counseling, negotiation, and trial skills, that gives students the opportunity to perform simulations of lawyering tasks. This is the classroom component for the Externship Program. The class includes discussions of externship experiences. This course must be taken with a clinic or an externship.

Legal Analysis Strategies

LAW 589

This course teaches the skills, processes and strategies involved in successfully analyzing law in the context of MBE style questions. Students will practice and refine these skills and strategies using MBE style questions and subjects (Constitutional Law, Contracts, UCC, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts). The final grade will be comprised of a combination of in-class participation, reflective self-assessments, and scores on a mid-term and final MBE style exam. Prerequisite: This course must be taken in a student

Legal Analysis Workshop

LAW 510

Legal Analysis Workshop will cover all MBE tested subjects in both essay and multiple choice form as tested on the California Bar Exam and in all jurisdictions requiring the MBE portion of the bar exam. The class is designed to introduce students to the essay writing and organization skills necessary to succeed on the essay portion of the California Bar Examination and to provide the tools to make students more effective and successful as law students and practitioners. It also covers the strategies and approach to properly answering the multiple choice questions as tested on the MBE portion of the bar exam. It is strongly recommended that students take this course in their final year of law school.

Legal Aspects of Venture Capital & Private Equity

LAW 723

A survey of the legal and business sructures, agreements, transactions, and regulations related to limited partner investments in an international fund; the formation and operation of funds and the general partner entity; and structuring investments and management of portfolio companies, with a special emphasis on the development of China's regulatory framework on offshore funds investing in China.