International and Comparative Law Courses
Advanced Course Related Experience (ACRE) (1-3 cr.) D/N 803 This course allows students to earn academic credit for experiential learning done in conjunction with a classroom course that they have taken, or are taking, for credit. Students work in conjunction with full-time faculty members to design and execute proposals for learning how law and theory learned in the classroom operates outside the classroom. Some projects may present opportunities for collaboration between faculty teaching clinical and classroom courses. ACRE also may be used to provide opportunities for students to assist faculty with pro bono representation of community groups or clients. The ACRE proposal must be approved by the faculty member teaching the classroom course to which the experiential learning opportunity relates, and accepted by the ACRE Administrator. The project must be described at the time of registration on a form approved by the ACRE Administrator (ACRE Proposal Form). Credits are awarded commensurate with hours worked (45 per credit hour) unless a different basis is established beforehand by the supervising faculty member and accepted by the ACRE Administrator. Three credits will only be available in the summer term. Non-graded (S/F) credit is awarded by the supervising faculty member upon satisfactory completion of assigned project.
Advanced Field Research (AFR) (1-3 cr.) D603 Students work outside the classroom under the supervision of a full-time faculty member to conduct factual investigations, interviews, and/or legal research aimed at 1) identifying or advancing potential solutions to a legal or public policy problem or 2) examining the relevance of legal doctrine to a legal or public policy problem. The course emphasizes the deployment of doctrinal learning through experiential projects in the same way that many public interest lawyers respond to policy problems through their work. Projects may include the development of policy papers, draft legislation or regulations, comments on proposed rules, or the production of seminars, workshops, and symposia that convene relevant decision-makers and stakeholders. The project must be described at the time of registration on a form approved by the AFR Administrator (AFR Proposal Form). P: Prior approval of supervising faculty member; completion of registration form (available from Registrar). Experiential and Writing: Depending on the nature of the project and outcomes, this course may be used to fulfill the Law School's experiential and/or writing requirements. Supervising faculty members will make a preliminary assessment regarding a project's potential at the time of registration. A final determination will be made upon project completion and must be confirmed by faculty certification that the requirement(s) have been met.
Antisemitism and the Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 700 This course explores the legal system’s dual role in subordinating Jews and protecting them. It covers anti-Jewish oppression from the Spanish Inquisition to Nazi Germany, and remedial measures such as anti-discrimination law, hate crimes legislation, and hate speech laws. It connects these topics to intersectionality and other forms of bias and discrimination. It is an introductory course and no prior knowledge of antisemitism or Jewish subjects is necessary.
Comparative and International Competition Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 742 After introducing the economic rationale for antitrust or competition law and enforcement, the course analyzes the rules and their interpretation in the U.S. and E.U. with regard to the three major pillars of antitrust law: cartels/collusion, abuse of dominant position/monopolization, and merger control. Some discussion of the laws of other countries will be added for illustrative purposes or in response to student interest. P: No prerequisites. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Comparative Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 821 focuses on select features of civil and common law systems. It provides an overview of the history, legal structures, and legal reasoning of several systems, including countries in North America, South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia, with comparisons to legal institutions and cultures of the United Kingdom and the United States. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Housing, Health, and Human Rights Clinic (3 cr.) D/N 808 Students in the Housing, Health, and Human Rights Clinic engage in domestic human rights advocacy and litigation, usually concerning the key social determinant of health that is access to safe, secure housing. Students engage in advocacy in the form of litigation, negotiation, investigations and reports, and public education. Students must be available to attend during the semester at least five (6) sessions of eviction hearings in local courts (dates and times to be set before each semester) and be available for a Saturday five-hour training session the first weekend of the semester. Students must submit an application to be considered for this clinic.
Immigration Law Clinic (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 808 Students represent both detained and non-detained clients in immigration matters before federal administrative agencies under the supervision of the professor/counsel. Typical cases involve claims of asylum, family-based immigration petitions (including domestic violence), special immigrant juvenile petitions, and crime victim visas. Students are encouraged to enroll in the clinic for two consecutive semesters. The Course will be operated in conjunction with the Immigrants' and Language Rights Center at Indiana Legal Services. The Course is open to upper level J.D. students and LL.M. students. Completion of or enrollment in Immigration Law is strongly recommended. Students must receive instructor approval prior to registration.
International Business Transactions (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 783 analyzes the most common issues related to international sales and other business transactions, in particular the choice of law, drafting of the main contract, methods of financing problems related to shipping, passing of property and risk, insurance, as well as related issues, such as licensing and technology transfer. May be taught as a short course on a compressed schedule (students should check the schedule online before enrolling).
International Commercial Arbitration (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 784 provides a thorough introduction to this modern method of choice for disputes arising from international commercial transactions, including the specifics of the arbitration agreement, selection of arbitrators, presentation of cases, and the effect, limits, and enforcement of arbitration awards.
International Criminal Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 713 covers the application of domestic and international law to questions of jurisdiction over international criminal activities, granting of amnesty to persons responsible for international crimes, international cooperation in criminal matters, substantive international law as contained in multilateral treaties concerning war crimes and terrorism, and the permanent International Criminal Court.
International Environmental Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 754 examines how international law and legal institutions are responding to transboundary and global environmental challenges. Students review prominent issues such as climate change, water scarcity, deforestation, biodiversity loss, ozone depletion, mineral extraction, and marine resource threats, in the context of international development and transboundary trade. Students then analyze selected issues in depth, looking at the science and law of specific environmental challenges as well as the political, economic, and cultural context within which solutions must be formulated.
International Human Rights Law (3 cr.) D/N 813 considers selected problems in international human rights law, including problems related to U.S. law and practice. The course focuses on the growing role of human rights in international relations, emphasizing the United Nations system for the promotion and protection of human rights as well as the regional systems in Africa, the Americas, and Europe.
International Intellectual Property Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 634 examines the international context of the development of copyright, patent, and trademark law, with an emphasis on multinational treaties, developments in the European Union and other jurisdictions, and enforcement of international claims. P: completion of any other law school course on intellectual property law or permission of the instructor.
International Investment Law (3 cr.) D/N 900 International Investment Law grew out of efforts dating back hundreds of years at protecting investors from one country who make substantial investments in another. Rather than putting the investors at the mercy of the host country government and any remedies against expropriation or regulatory interventions that the local courts in the host country may or may not provide, international investment law provides international standards for fair and equitable treatment and for compensation in case of interference. This includes international arbitration procedures and other effective remedies. More recently, the system started to evolve into a broader regulatory regime for medium- and long-term commercial activity by individuals from one country in another. The course complements International Business Transactions where the focus is on one-off or short term trading activities.
International Law (3 cr.) D/N 818 introduces basic concepts and principles such as sources of public international law, the law of treaties and international agreements, states and recognition, state liability and human rights, and jurisdiction and immunities from jurisdiction. The course also covers act of state doctrine, law of the sea, and resolution of transnational disputes through national and international courts, arbitration tribunals, the United Nations, and diplomatic exchanges. Course topics include terrorism and hostage-taking, U.S. executive-legislative conflict in the conduct of foreign relations, suits by and against foreign states, worldwide improvement of civil and political rights, extraction of seabed resources, and prohibition of the use of force in international relations. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
International Tax (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 674 This course introduces the fundamental U.S. income tax issues arising when (1) U.S. persons or entities earn income outside of the U.S. or (2) foreign persons or entities earn income inside the U.S. Depending upon the number of credit hours, specific topics may include the rules for classifying income as U.S. or foreign-source income, transfer pricing, income deferral and controlled corporations, double taxation and the foreign tax credit, foreign currency transactions, and the role of tax treaties. Although the course will not study non-U.S. tax systems in detail, it will highlight significant differences between the U.S. approach to cross-border transactions and those adopted by other taxing authorities. P: Income Taxation (DN 648) or permission of instructor.
International Trade Law (2 cr.) D/N 857 addresses theory and practice of international business law issues likely to be encountered by attorneys representing clients engaged in international operations. Topics include foreign investment by U.S. companies, foreign investment in the U.S., international joint ventures, licenses, exporting of goods, international marketing, U.S. trade controls, customs, antidumping, and international antitrust.
Supervised Research (1 to 4 cr.) D/N 661 requires the student to write an in-depth and comprehensive research paper on a current legal problem. Generally, the finished paper should be 8,500 words inclusive of footnotes or endnotes for each hour of credit. The supervising faculty member is the final judge of both quality and length. P: Permission of instructor, completed Enrollment Request Form.
World Trade Organization (WTO) Law (3 cr.) D/N 650 begins with analysis of why nations trade and the effects of free trade vs. protectionism, typical import and export rules and procedures, and various forms of trade barriers. The main focus is on establishment of GATT and WTO rules and their impact on modern trade in goods and services. The course finishes with an outlook on twenty-first century hot spots in international trade, such as intellectual property rights, environmental protection, human rights and labor standards, and the perspectives of developing countries.
