Course Descriptions

LEST Course Descriptions

• LEST 400 TOPICS (3)

  An exploration of varying legal studies topics or a cross-listed graduate course of interest to legal studies majors. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.

• LEST 401 LEGAL FOUNDATIONS (3)

  In-depth exploration of the organization of the American legal system. Examines how law is organized as a field of knowledge and practice and how it functions as an instrument of government and arena of dispute resolution. Also considers the context of law and law's effectiveness in promoting justice and social policies.

• LEST 402 LEGAL RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS (3)

  Intensive course on the ways law and regulations are made and interpreted, the sources of legal research and proper styles of legal citation. Students are required to learn how to read and analyze court decisions and to write effectively about legal issues. [IL]

• LEST 403 THE TRIAL PROCESS (3)

  Explores the procedural, evidentiary and strategic aspects of litigation. Introduces the basics of pleadings, discovery, motion practice, rules of evidence and trial techniques. Covers how court cases are initiated, prepared and tried. Includes participation in a mock trial. This course cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements in the CRJU or FSCS programs. [OC]

• LEST 496 INTERNSHIPS (3)

  Provides students with an opportunity to work at an organization, government entity or business that offers an experience relevant to legal studies. Students may choose from established internship options or propose an independently-arranged internship option for approval. May be repeated up to four times for credit.

• LEST 498 CAPSTONE PROJECT (3)

  Students consult with the instructor or another faculty member with relevant expertise to develop a mutually agreed-upon capstone project that employs legal skills and knowledge. Examples include legal memoranda, analyses of legislation and legal problem-solving proposals. [CAP]

• LEST 500 LEGAL RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS (3)

  Intensive course on the ways law and regulations are made and interpreted, the sources of legal research and proper styles of legal citation. Students are required to learn how to read and analyze court decisions and to write effectively about legal issues. Required of all students in the first semester upon entering the program.

• LEST 501 LEGAL FOUNDATIONS (3)

  In-depth exploration of the organization of the American legal system. Examines how law is organized as a field of knowledge and practice and how it functions as an instrument of government and arena of dispute resolution. Also considers the context of law and law's effectiveness in promoting justice and social policies.

• LEST 502 LAW AND SOCIETY (3)

  An examination of the ethical significance, historical background, and social impact of law. Focuses on legal issues of historical and/or contemporary importance, and considers the extent to which law vindicates ethical concerns and accomplishes social objectives.

• LEST 600 COMPLEX LEGAL ANALYSIS (3)

  Advanced legal analysis and writing. Emphasizes high-level comprehension of cases and statutes, solidification of good legal research techniques and effective presentation of written legal analysis and argument. Students look at important legal issues, as a means of developing skills useful in law, in a variety of areas as subjects for class discussion and exercises and writing assignments. prerequisite: LEST 500

• LEST 601 ETHICS AND ADVOCACY (3)

  Provides a detailed study of current legal ethics. Promotes understanding of ethical conflicts faced by lawyers in their daily professional and personal lives, demonstrates methods of reconciliation of conflicts among competing ethical rules and standards, and compares and contrasts legal ethics with conventional ethical norms. Surveys the contemporary culture of the legal profession in its various settings, including professional, judicial and educational environments in which legal ethics are embedded. prerequisites: LEST 501, LEST 507 and LEST 508 or permission of program director

• LEST 603 LAW OF CONTRACTS (3)

  Explores the elements of a legally enforceable agreement, defenses to contract actions and statutory modifications to the common law of contracts. Considers the balancing of different interests in contemporary contract law, including considerations of fairness, social and economic policy objectives, and individuals' freedom to structure commercial and personal relationships.

• LEST 604 LAW OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS (3)

  Introduction to the law of business organizations, including their history, function and public policy implications. Forms covered include individual proprietorships, partnerships and corporations as well as newer variations such as limited liability companies. Topics include methods of finance and control and the rights and obligations of the principals, agents and third parties.

• LEST 605 AREAS OF LAW (3)

  Varying course offering that explores a particular area of law. Course may be repeated for credit when topic differs.

• LEST 606 FAMILY LAW (3)

  The legal problems confronting modem families. Examines the law of marriage, marriage-like relationships, cohabitation and divorce, in the context of the ever-changing definition of family. Also considers legal issues relating to children, including custody, support and the complications arising from reproductive technologies.

• LEST 607 PROPERTY LAW (3)

  Basic law of property, including philosophical and ethical justifications and important historical developments in the scheme of ownership in Anglo-American Law. Focus is on current property law from the viewpoint of its underlying rationales and policy considerations.

• LEST 609 EMPLOYMENT LAW (3)

  The law of employment in its social, ethical and historical contexts. Examines common law principles of employment contracts, the employment at will doctrine and a wide range of regulatory regimes governing work. Students consider leading cases in their economic, social and historical contexts and employment law in its practical and principled applications by taking up the ethics of human resources and industrial relations.

• LEST 610 LEGAL TOPICS (3)

  Varying course offering that explores a particular issue, context or method of the law. Course may be repeated for credit where topic differs.

• LEST 614 TORTS (3)

  The civil law of reparation for harm done by wrongful acts. Examines many of the causes of action available under theories of intentional wrongdoing, negligence and strict liability. Considers the range of problems and issues that arise in contemporary practice as well as their historical roots.

• LEST 615 CRIMINAL LAW (3)

  Substantive, procedural and constitutional criminal law. Criminal law involves those actions that society identifies as particularly contrary to morality and society's best interests. Students study the classification of certain actions as crimes and the rationales for such classification, based on the Model Penal Code and Maryland Criminal Law. Examines the criminal process from investigation through appeal, including features mandated by both state law and the U.S. Constitution. prerequisite: LEST 500

• LEST 616 CONSTITUTIONAL LAW (3)

  The American constitutional form of government and the amendments establishing individual rights. Focuses on the parts of the U.S. Constitution that are concerned with civil liberties but also with the structure in which such liberties are protected. Emphasizes First Amendment, due process and equal protection. prerequisite: LEST 500

• LEST 617 ADMINISTRATIVE LAW (3)

  The history, function and powers of administrative agencies. Covers administrative agencies on the federal level and parallel state and local government level. Examines the function of administrative agencies generally, including their rule-making and adjudicative powers, and practice and procedure before such agencies. Includes the study of judicial review of administrative agency decisions.

• LEST 624 PROFESSIONAL ETHICS (3)

  An overview of professional ethics in law, business, finance, health care and other fields. Covers ethical concepts that apply across professions as well as many of the specific ethical rules that apply to particular professions. Considers the rules in the context of important legal cases and controversial contemporary problems. Includes the study of ethical theory as well as applications.

• LEST 625 TOPICS IN APPLIED ETHICS (3)

  Varying course offering that explores a particular topic in applied ethics. Course may be repeated for credit where topic differs.

• LEST 626 THE TRIAL PROCESS (3)

  The procedural, evidentiary and strategic aspects of litigation. Introduces the basics of pleadings, discovery, motion practice, rules of evidence and trial techniques. Covers how court cases are initiated, prepared and tried. Includes participation in a mock trial.

• LEST 628 ENVIRONMENTAL LAW AND ETHICS (3)

  The pressing ethical, legal and political issues facing the world today that have to do with the relationship between humans and the nonhuman world. Explores environmental ethics through classic and contemporary readings from a wide array of philosophic and literary traditions. Examines the role legal institutions play in our efforts (or lack thereof) to deal with ethical issues involving the environment.

• LEST 629 BIOMEDICAL ETHICS (3)

  Explores the ethical considerations that affect legal decision-making on biomedical issues. Among the subjects that may be considered are medical paternalism, patient autonomy and informed consent, research involving human subjects, justice in health care, genetic testing, enhancement, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. The focus is on developing an understanding of varied ethical perspectives and how they relate to controversial biomedical issues. prerequisite: none

• LEST 696 INTERNSHIPS (3)

  Application of legal knowledge and skills at a designated nonprofit organization, government entity, or business. Students will learn about the role that law plays in the activities or services of the site, and how law is used to address issues and solve problems. This course may be taken more than once, with the approval of the program director.

• LEST 697 APPLIED PROJECTS (3)

  Focused and intensive work on one or more projects applying legal knowledge and skills to real world situations to solve problems and improve processes. Students may select from already ongoing projects, or develop their own. This course may be taken more than once, with the approval of the program director.

• LEST 699 INDEPENDENT STUDY (3)

  Individual exploration, with the guidance of a faculty member advisor, of an area of interest involving the law. Can take the form of working through a reading list with discussion and short reflection papers; or researching and writing a longer paper, article, or memorandum; or any other appropriate advanced academic study. This course may be taken more than once, with the approval of the program director. prereq: approval of program director