ORIENTATION IN U.S. BUSINESS LAW
DESCRIPTION
This challenging 3-week program introduces non-U.S. lawyers and law students to the core components and distinctive features of U.S. business law and practice. Practical problem-solving and legal communication (oral and written) is emphasized. Each week, participants attend over 25 hours of business law classes and practical workshops. Optional English conversation classes are included in the program and are offered at least 3 evenings each week.
BUSINESS LAW CLASSES
Law professors teach substantive law classes, providing both overviews of particular legal areas and guidance on how to identify and solve practical problems in those areas. The classes are highly interactive. In addition to lecturing, professors use case studies and model problems and engage participants in interactive discussions. Cases, problems and textbook readings are assigned before each class. Topics include a selection of the following topics, presented in-depth:
Sources of U.S. Law
Commercial Transactions
Corporations and other Business Organizations
Agency and Partnership Law
U.S. Courts and Litigation
Contract Law
Property Law and Real Estate Transactions
Federal and State Securities Regulation
Federal and State Business Taxation
Financial Accounting and Analysis
Warranties and Product Liability
Creditors' Rights and Bankruptcy
Antitrust Law
Intellectual Property
E-Commerce Law
Employment and Labor Law
Governmental Structure
Criminal Wrongs and White Collar Crime
WORKSHOPS
Participants take part in a series of useful exercises that simulate actual situations and typical problems. Law professors and lawyers teach the workshops, which include a selection of the following:
Contract Drafting
Participants examine the language, structure and strategy of contract drafting. After participants negotiate and draft a contract, a professor critiques and compares the results.
Corporate Finance
Using a hypothetical corporation, participants explore all the ways for a corporation to raise money while examining types of debt and equity financing. Participants construct and learn how to read corporate financial documents.
Commercial Real Estate Transactions
By playing the roles of the various parties involved (seller, buyer, investor, real estate agent, legal adviser, etc.) participants examine in detail an actual commercial real estate transaction and all of the documents involved.
Business and Tax Planning
Participants form and structure a hypothetical business by playing various roles including promoter, investor, legal adviser, etc. Participants learn the laws, understand the tax implications, and examine the documents behind each form of business.
Trial Advocacy
After examining and practicing trial procedures in short exercises, participants represent clients in a simulated full trial. Experienced trial attorneys and professors guide and critique the participants throughout the process.
Legal Methodology
This workshop focuses on legal analysis and methodology. Participants research a legal problem, write an opinion memorandum to a senior lawyer or client, and defend the response in a simulated oral argument to a judge in a court of law.
Mediation
Participants explore alternative dispute resolution, focusing on mediation.
Exercises simulate typical disputes that otherwise often result in extensive court litigation.
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