This page lists all currently offered McKinney courses & their official course descriptions in alphabetical order.
All Courses
Partnership Tax (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 730 - Elective - covers federal income taxation of partnerships and limited liability companies. Topics include classification of entities as partnerships for tax purposes, formation and operation of partnerships and LLCs, transfers of members' interests, distributions to members, and death or retirement of a member. P: Income Taxation (DN648), or permission of instructor.
Patent Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 873 - Elective - covers the fundamentals of patent law, including what a patent is, what subject matter is eligible for patenting, what the requirements for patenting are, and the many policy issues that arise in this area as a result. The course also includes discussion of recent statutory changes, recent case law, and commentary on the patent system. This course requires no previous acquaintance with the patent system or any other area of intellectual property, and no background in technology or science is either required or assumed.
Patent Litigation (2 cr.) D/N 625 - Elective - explores the strategic, procedural, and substantive issues involved in modern patent litigation, including the nature and economics of the patent litigation process, pre-suit considerations (including pre-filing investigation, client meetings and communications, document retention, alternatives to litigation), venue and forum shopping, § 1404(a) transfer motions, pleadings, case management, pre-trial conferences, claim construction and Markman hearings, discovery, motion practice, preliminary and permanent injunctions, damages (reasonable royalties, lost profits, enhanced damages, continuing royalty), infringement (literal and doctrine of equivalents), and approaches to litigating validity and enforceability issues.
Patent Prosecution (2 cr.) D/N 643 - Elective - focuses on representing a client with patent matters before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Deals with all phases of the patent process, including soliciting full invention disclosure from the client, prior art searching and patentability opinions, preparing patent application and claims, responding to Examiner Office Actions, patent issuance process, and a variety of post-issuance matters.
Payment Systems (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 617 - Elective - This course (formerly called Commercial Paper) considers the creation and transfer of negotiable instruments, liability of parties thereon, bank-collection systems, electronic funds transfers, and payment by credit card; with an emphasis on Articles 3, 4, and 4A of the Uniform Commercial Code and applicable federal statutes and regulations. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Prison Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 737 - Elective - explores the history of and rationales for incarceration, the social and political contexts that shape the law of corrections, the rights of prisoners in the complex web of correctional institutions, the potential for treating and rehabilitating offenders, and special problems for lawyers who represent prisoners. P: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Criminal Law (DN533).
Professional Responsibility (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 861 - Required (HR) - This course covers the history, traditions, and responsibilities of the legal profession as well as ethics of office practice and trial practice, admission, disbarment, and disciplinary proceedings. The number of credit hours will be announced when the course is scheduled. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Program on Law and State Government Externship Course (2-4 cr.) D802 - Externship - Externship students learn about the practice of law with a combination of legal externship placement at one of over 60 law offices and agencies within the executive and legislative branches of Indiana's state government and discussion based class meetings. The class meetings explore topics such as public records laws, ethical considerations for the public lawyer, rulemaking and the administrative process, federalism and state sovereignty, state supported speech, and state budgeting issues. Two or three (students choose between a 2 credit or 3 credit externship) of the externships credits are graded S/F, based upon satisfaction of externship requirements, with the remaining credit carrying a course grade based upon performance in the classroom component of the course.) (Application Link | More info: PLSG web site)
Property (4 cr.) D/N 509 - Required (Basic) - introduces students to possession and ownership, estates in land, co-tenancies, landlord-tenant relationships, non-possessory interests in land, land purchase and sale transactions, and land title issues.
Prosecution Externship (2 or 3 cr.) D802 - Externship - Externs work in county Prosecutor’s Offices gaining hands-on experience by working under the direction of supervising prosecutors. Students who are eligible for certification as legal interns may carry an actual case load and represent the State in court. Non-certified students may conduct legal research, draft motions, observe and critique trials, take witness statements, and participate in the fact investigation process. Through the externship placement and classroom discussions with other interns, students will gain a better understanding of the major legal, practical, and ethical issues associated with criminal law practice.
Psychiatry and the Law (2 cr.) D/N 874 - Elective - examines the often-troubled relationship between the legal system and people with mental illness. The goal of this course is to explore the areas where psychiatry intersects with court procedures and decisions in both criminal and civil proceedings. Landmark case decisions are used as the starting points for class discussions.
Public Defender Externship (2 or 3 cr.) D802 - Externship - Externs work under the supervision of public defenders in Marion County (or other jurisdictions) interviewing clients and witnesses, investigating facts, and drafting legal documents. Students who are Certified Legal Interns may also speak in court and try criminal cases with appropriate supervision. Externs will write reflective essays and meet periodically with the faculty supervisor.
Publicly Traded Corporations (2 cr.) D/N 646 - Elective - covers the management and control of publicly held corporations, including proxy regulations, struggles for control, transactions in shares by insiders, shareholder litigation, and fundamental changes in corporate structure. Closely Held Business Organizations (DN645) is not a prerequisite for this course. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Purdue University Athletics Compliance Office (2 or 3 cr.) D802 - Externship - This opportunity is with the Purdue University Athletics Compliance Office. The placement will offer students an opportunity to gain a range of experience relevant to NCAA, Big Ten, and institutional compliance issues, as well as other aspects of operations in a Division I intercollegiate athletics department. Enrollment in this SEP will require weekly travel to West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue University will provide a stipend to offset travel costs. To participate, a student must commit to a minimum of 100 hours of work to earn two credit hours or 150 hours of work to earn three credit hours.
