Administrative Law (3130) Clean water, safe food and drugs, stable banks, sensible land use, an open and accessible internet-these and many more aspects of modern American life depend largely on decisions made by unelected officials staffing administrative agencies at the local, state, and federal levels. This course examines the authority and procedures that these administrative agencies use to make law, investigate violations of the law, and adjudicate the application of the law to individuals and businesses. The course raises student awareness regarding the operation of the administrative state and important separation of powers and due process questions raised by ubiquitous administrative governance. Grading: Exam Credits: 3 Offered: Fall/Spring Subject Areas: Administrative and Legislative Process, Child and Family Law, Government Practice, Health Law, Public Interest Law, Business and Commercial, Criminal Law, Employment Law, Environmental Law Bankruptcy (3271) An examination of the law and practice in bankruptcy. The topics to be covered include exemptions, property of the estate, the automatic stay, treatment of leases and other contracts and preferences and other trustee avoiding powers, with an emphasis on Chapter 7 liquidations and Chapter 13 consumer payment plans. Grading: Letter graded Credits: 3 Offered: Spring Subject Areas: Child and Family Law, Real Estate Law, Bankruptcy Child, Parent, and the State (3109) This course discusses the legal relationship between children, parents, and the state, specifically dealing with statutory and constitutional rights of children and families in the juvenile justice system, civil proceedings of abuse and neglect, and education. It further examines federal and state governments’ regulation of families and children in the context of various cultures, and explores the notions of parens patriae and strict scrutiny and whether there are situations in which the government extends its reach too far. This course will offer students an opportunity to review and discuss the notions of “children’s rights” and “best interests” from various perspectives. Grading: Letter graded Credits: 3 Offered: Irregularly Subject Areas: Child and Family Law, Constitutional Law and Civil Rights Clinic: Legal Assistance to Minnesota Prisoners (9002) Students provide civil representation to indigent persons incarcerated in Minnesota. Students represent clients from interview through any trial. Cases include domestic relations, imprisonment-related matters (institutional grievances, parole, and detainers), and the full range of other civil problems including debtor-creditor, wills, contracts, torts, and civil rights issues. Grading: Letter graded Credits: variable Offered: Fall/Spring Categories: Experiential Subject Areas: Child and Family Law, Public Interest Law, Civil Litigation, Criminal Law Elder Law (3836) This course examines legal, ethical, and social issues raised by our nation's growing elder population. Focus is on the practical application of concepts in Elder Law. Special attention is given to: (1) ethical issues in elder representation; (2) family issues, such as grandparent rights and marriage; (3) retirement; (4) property management, including joint ownership and financial accounts, trusts, and estate planning; (5) alternative decision-making, including health care directives, powers of attorney, and guardianship and conservatorship; (6) managing and paying for health care, including Medicaid, Medicare, and long-term care insurance; (7) health care options and licensing and regulation of health care and housing providers; (8) elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation; (9) remedies, such as criminal, administrative, and civil remedies, including medical malpractice; (10) elder mediation; and (11) end-of-life issues, including POLST and physician aid in dying. Grading: Letter-graded. Credits: 2 Offered: Spring Subject Areas: Child and Family Law, Health Law Externship: Family Law (4040) Students intern with family law practitioners engaged in various professional roles such as mediator, collaborative lawyer, guardian ad litem and traditional practitioner in private and public settings. During the semester, externs will meet regularly as a group with the faculty supervisor. These two hour meetings will encourage critical analysis and reflection. Students may be placed in existing externships or may locate and propose their own placement. Grading: Pass/Fail Credits: variable Offered: Fall/Spring Categories: Experiential Subject Areas: Child and Family Law Family Law (4000) Studies the law as it relates to the family unit with emphasis on the impact of social, economic, moral, and scientific changes in the society on that relationship. Topics covered include marriage, dissolution of marriage, antenuptial contracts, paternity, surrogate motherhood, child support, tax implications of divorce, bankruptcy, family violence, support, child custody, and adoption. Grading: Letter graded. Credits: Variable Offered: Fall/Spring Categories: Bar Courses Subject Areas: Child and Family Law Family Mediation (8241) Family mediation offers divorcing couples a cooperative and constructive way to resolve differences and plan for the future. Minnesota now requires that mediation be considered early in the dissolution process. The interactive course provides students with the opportunity to become qualified family neutrals under Supreme Court Rule 114. Students study conflict resolution and emotional issues surrounding divorce as well as learning specific techniques for mediating custody and property disputes. Special attention is paid to identifying families experiencing domestic violence. A variety of teaching methods are used, including demonstrations, role play, and discussion. Students cannot earn credit in both 8241 Family Mediation and 3040 Mediation. Grading: Letter-graded. Credits: 3 Offered: Categories: Experiential Subject Areas: Child and Family Law Immigration Law (4200) Provides a comprehensive overview of the federal laws as well as policy affecting the ability of foreign nationals to obtain visas to enter and to lawfully remain in the U.S. Topics include the organizational structure of the different branches of government impacting on immigration laws; historical, political, and social aspects of immigration legislation; visa processing and admission requirements; removal grounds and procedures as well as waivers; relief from deportation; applications and petitions; refugees and political asylum; judicial review; and citizenship and loss thereof. Grading: Exam Credits: 3 Offered: Spring Subject Areas: Child and Family Law, Public Interest Law Income Tax (2600) Examines the fundamentals of federal income taxation, including gross income, deductions and credits, assignment of income principles, methods of accounting, gains from dealings in property, non-recognition, capital gains and losses, and tax procedure. Grading: Letter graded Credits: 3 or 4 Offered: Fall/Spring Subject Areas: Child and Family Law, Government Practice, Taxation Juvenile Justice (4583) Examines the procedural and substantive law and judicial administration of the courts in the area of juvenile delinquency. Primary concentration is on rights of accused delinquents, detention and police conduct, constitutional protection, trial, adjudication, reference for adult prosecution, treatment, and the proper function of the lawyer and the court in the juvenile court system. Grading: Letter-graded Credits: Variable Offered: Irregularly Subject Areas: Child and Family Law, Criminal Law LGBTQ+ Youth in Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Systems (7121) This course will focus on understanding the pathways for LGBTQ+ youth into juvenile justice and on the reasons why they may languish in child welfare. The course will explore local, regional and national policies and initiatives designed to disrupt those pathways and improve outcomes for systems involved LGBTQ+ youth. Grading: Letter graded Credits: 2 Offered: Irregularly Subject Areas: Child and Family Law Modern Real Estate Transactions (4930) This course covers some fundamental issues in real estate law. Students will draft deeds, perform a title search and draft an abstract of title, negotiate a residential purchase and sale, negotiate a letter of intent for a commercial lease, and advise a client on fair housing issues. Grading: Letter graded. Credits: 3 Offered: Fall/Spring Categories: Bar Courses Subject Areas: Child and Family Law, Banking, Real Estate Law Residency - Family Law Field Placement (9015) Only offered in the spring, the Family Law Residency Program gives students in their final year of law school an opportunity for intensive practical training in the field. The 2-credit weekly seminar focuses on development of professional judgment as well as doctrine and skills related to the Residency. Students are placed in various family law settings for 3-5 days a week, including legal aid offices, private firms, and prosecutor's offices. In addition to the 2-credit seminar, students receive between 8 and 13 credits for work at the Residency Placement. Students must apply and be accepted into the program before being matched with a Residency Placement. Due to the intensity of the workload, applicants should be in their final year of law school and have a demonstrated interest and prior course work in the substantive area of family law. Grading: Pass/Fail Credits: Variable Offered: Categories: Experiential Subject Areas: Child and Family Law Residency - Family Law Residency Seminar (9005) Only offered in the spring, the Family Law Residency Program gives students in their final year of law school an opportunity for intensive practical training in the field. The 2-credit weekly seminar focuses on development of professional judgment as well as doctrine and skills related to the Residency. Students are placed in various family law settings for 3-5 days a week, including legal aid offices, private firms, and prosecutor's offices. In addition to the 2-credit seminar, students receive between 8 and 13 credits for work at the Residency Placement. Students must apply and be accepted into the program before being matched with a Residency Placement. Due to the intensity of the workload, applicants should be in their final year of law school and have a demonstrated interest and prior course work in the substantive area of family law. Grading: Pass/Fail. Credits: 2 Offered: Spring Subject Areas: Child and Family Law Seminar: Homeless Youth in America (4008) This course will examine the epidemic of youth homelessness including the history, policy trends, systems and movement for responding. Invisible, alone and thrown away, every night more than 1.3 million youth in the United States are homeless and vulnerable to abuse, disruptions to their education leading to long-term poverty and sex trafficking. These youth represent the failures of child welfare safety nets and juvenile corrections systems. In this course, students will learn about, explore and discuss youth homelessness including emerging policy issues and case law. This course will also examine the issues youth homelessness intersects with including race, racism, institutional bias, discrimination, bullying and harassment of GLBTQ youth. Students will meet and talk with leaders in the homeless youth field and be able to develop and propose promising policy solutions to youth homelessness because of this course. Grading: Letter graded Credits: Variable Offered: Irregularly Subject Areas: Child and Family Law Trauma Responsive Legal Advocacy (3111) This course will discuss the biological, social, and emotional effects of trauma experienced by individuals and families involved in legal systems. Students will gain skills to incorporate neuroscience and social science research into legal practice to effectively address the trauma experienced by their clients within the boundaries of an attorney-client relationship. There will be discussion of the adequacy of current legal systems’ trauma response and an opportunity to consider methods of change. This course will pay special attention to the ethical responsibility lawyers have to understand and address the trauma of their clients and themselves, including the relationship between competence, zealous advocacy and trauma responsive practices. This course will offer an opportunity to implement lawyering skills through group work and case scenarios. Grading: Letter Credits: 3 Offered: Subject Areas: Child and Family Law, Public Interest Law
