USC Gould is home to students from dozens of states across the United States and from dozens of countries around the world. Photo courtesy of USC Gould.
The USC Gould School of Law provides a forward-looking, interdisciplinary legal education, guided by nationally renowned professors and practitioners and energized by an engaged and collegial student body. As one of the most diverse among the nation’s top law schools, USC Gould is made up of students from across the country and around the world whose ideas and experiences enrich the learning process and provide new perspectives on the law. Through collaborative and rigorous training, hands-on experiential offerings, and exceptional career services support, Gould students acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed locally, nationally and globally.
USC Gould alumni are partners in the world’s largest law firms, chairs and top executives of industry-leading companies, and esteemed leaders in government and public service organizations. Since its founding in 1900, the school has produced scores of judges and elected officials at the city, state and federal levels.
USC Gould School of Law
(213) 740-7331
Email: admissions@law.usc.edu
gould.usc.edu
Administration
Andrew T. Guzman, JD, PhD, Dean*
Franita Tolson, JD, Vice Dean*
Donald Scotten, JD, LLM, Vice Dean*
Elizabeth A. Carroll, JD, Vice Dean
Elizabeth Armour, AB, Associate Dean
Deborah A. Call, MBA, Associate Dean and Chief Programs Officer
Raymond Flores, MBA, EdD, Associate Dean and Chief Information Officer
Diana C. Jaque, MLIS, JD, Associate Dean and Director of the Law Library
David Kirschner, JD, Associate Dean
Robin H. Maness, MS, Associate Dean and Chief Development Officer
Yasmine McMorrin, JD, Associate Dean
Donna Pavlick, JD, LLM, PhD, Associate Dean
Misa Shimotsu-Kim, MEd, Associate Dean
Ian Wood, MBA, Associate Dean and Chief Financial Officer
Margaret A. Kean, BA, Assistant Dean
Nickey Woods, MEd, EdD, Assistant Dean
Faculty
Dean and Carl Mason Franklin Chair in Law: Andrew T. Guzman, JD, PhD*
University Professor and Scott H. Bice Chair in Healthcare Law, Policy and Ethics: Alexander Morgan Capron, LLB*, MA (Hon.)
Judge Edward J. and Ruey L. Guirado Chair in Law: Thomas D. Lyon, JD, PhD*
Edward G. Lewis Chair in Law: Daniel M. Klerman, JD, PhD
J. Thomas McCarthy Trustee Chair in Law: Robert K. Rasmussen, JD
Robert C. Packard Trustee Chair in Law: Robin Kundis Craig, MA, JD, PhD
Robert C. Packard Trustee Chair in Law: Edward J. McCaffery, MA, JD*
The Rader Family Trustee Chair in Law: Rebecca L. Brown, JD*
Nathan and Lilly Shapell Chair in Law: Nomi M. Stolzenberg, JD
UPS Foundation Chair in Law and Gerontology: Martin L. Levine, JD, LLD*
University Professor of Journalism, Communication and Law: Geoffrey Cowan, LLB (Journalism)
Orrin B. Evans Distinguished Professor of Law: Elyn R. Saks, MLitt, JD, PhD, LLD (Hon.)*
Virginia S. and Fred H. Bice Professor of Law: Scott A. Altman, JD*
Roy P. Crocker Professor of Law: Jody David Armour, JD
Richard L. and Maria B. Crutcher Professor of Law: Dan Simon, LLB, MBA, LLM, SJD
William T. Dalessi Professor of Law and Philosophy: Gregory C. Keating, JD, PhD
Sidney M. and Audrey M. Irmas Endowed Clinical Professor of Law: Niels W. Frenzen, JD
Robert Kingsley Professor of Law: Susan R. Estrich, JD
Richard L. and Antoinette S. Kirtland Professor of Law: Daria Roithmayr, JD
Dorothy W. Nelson Professor of Law: Camille Gear Rich, JD
Newton Professor of Constitutional Law: David B. Cruz, MS, JD*
Robert C. and Nanette T. Packard Professor of Law: Scott H. Bice, JD*
Provost Professor of Policy, Political Science and Law: Jeffery A. Jenkins, PhD (Political Science)*
John B. and Alice R. Sharp Professor of Law: Ariela J. Gross, JD, PhD*
John Stauffer Law Library Director: Diana C. Jaque, MA, MLIS, JD
Torrey H. Webb Professor of Law: Jonathan M. Barnett, MA, MPhil, JD
Professors: Sam Erman, JD, PhD; Sofia Mary Gruskin, JD, MIA (Preventive Medicine); Bart A. Kosko, JD, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering); Sharon A. Lloyd, PhD (Philosophy); John G. Matsusaka, PhD (Finance and Business Economics); Claudia Moatti, PhD, HDR (Classics); Kevin J. Murphy, PhD (Finance and Business Economics); Jonathan Quong, PhD (Philosophy)*; Alison Dundes Renteln, JD, PhD (Political Science); Stephen Rich, MA, JD*; Emily Ryo, JD, PhD; Wayne Sandholtz, PhD (International Relations); Hilary M. Schor, PhD (English); Michael Simkovic, JD; D. Daniel Sokol, MSt, JD, LLM; Franita Tolson, JD; Abby K. Wood, MALD, JD, PhD
Associate Professors: Dorothy S. Lund, JD; Jessica Marglin, MA, PhD (Religion); Nathan Perl-Rosenthal, MA, MPhil, PhD (History)
Assistant Professors: Erik Hovenkamp, JD, PhD; Felipe Jimenez, JD, LLM, JSD; Erin Miller, JD, PhD; Jeessoo Nam, JD; Marcela Prieto Rudolphy, JD, LLM
Adjunct Professors: Diana C. Jaque, MA, MLIS, JD; Richard Peterson, MDR, JD, LLM
Adjunct Assistant Professors: Preston Ascherin, JD; Anitha Cadambi, LLB, LLM; Judy K. Davis, MLIS, JD; Cynthia Guyer, MLIS, JD; Sarah Hall, JD; Paul Moorman, MLIS, JD; Brian Peck, JD; Brian M. Raphael, MLS, JD*; Jean Lantz Reisz, JD; Karen Skinner, MS, MLS, JD
Clinical Professors: Michael J. Brennan, LLB; Michael Chasalow, JD, MBA*; Hannah R. Garry, MA, JD*; Lisa Klerman, JD; Heidi L. Rummel, JD
Clinical Assistant Professor: Jef Pearlman, JD
Professors of Lawyering Skills: Elizabeth A. Carroll, JD; Rebecca S. Lonergan, JD; Susan C. Wright, JD
Assistant Professor of Lawyering Skills: Laura Riley, JD
Professors of the Practice of Law: Clare Pastore, JD; Donald Scotten, JD, LLM
Emeritus Professors: Marshall Cohen, MA, MA (Oxon) (University Professor); Edward J. Finegan, PhD (Linguistics); Ronald R. Garet, MPhil, JD, PhD* (Carolyn Craig Franklin Chair in Law, Emeritus); Thomas D. Griffith, MAT, JD (John B. Milliken Professor of Taxation, Emeritus); George Lefcoe, LLB (Ervin and Florine Yoder Chair in Real Estate Law); Michael H. Shapiro, MA, JD (Dorothy W. Nelson Professor of Law, Emeritus); Larry G. Simon, LLB (Herbert W. Armstrong Professor of Constitutional Law, Emeritus); W. David Slawson, MA, LLB* (Torrey H. Webb Professor of Law, Emeritus); Christopher D. Stone, JD, LLD (Hon.)* (J. Thomas McCarthy Trustee Chair in Law, Emeritus)
Clinical Emeritus Professors: Lee W. Campbell, JD; Noel M. Ragsdale, JD*
Emeritus Professor of Lawyering Skills: Robert M. Saltzman, JD
Emeritus Law Librarians: Pauline M. Aranas, JD, MLIS (John Stauffer Charitable Trust Chief Information Officer, Emeritus and Law Librarian Emerita); Leonette Williams, MSLS (Emerita Law Librarian)
*Recipient of university-wide or school teaching award.
USC Gould School of Law School is accredited by the American Bar Association. For information on ABA accreditation, please contact:
The American Bar Association
321 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 988-5000
The Juris Doctor (JD) is the standard law degree. To obtain the degree, full-time attendance for six semesters is required. During the first year, the student takes a curriculum of basic courses that examine fundamental legal institutions and address legal problems relevant to today’s society and the modern practice of law. During the second and third years, the student must complete Constitutional Law: Rights, a writing requirement, and at least 6 units in experiential courses. The remainder of the courses taken in years two and three are elective.
JD students have an opportunity to learn about foreign legal systems and to experience different cultures through study abroad programs. Qualified second- and third-year JD candidates are exposed to international law as they take part in exchange programs with leading partner institutions worldwide. For more information, please check out the Gould School of Law website.
All applicants are required to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) administered by the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) or the Graduate Records Examinations (GRE) administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS). Based on current test administration calendars, applicants who take the LSAT must take the test no later than January of the year in which they seek to start law school. Applicants who take the GRE must take the test no later than mid-January (the specific date is available in the application instructions) of the year in which they plan to start law school. All students begin their first-year classes in August.
USC Gould admits a small number of highly qualified transfer students with LLM degrees from USC Gould. These students will have taken a large number of law courses in their LLM course of study and received strong grades in those courses. The LSAT is not required.
USC Gould School of Law maintains several dual degree programs with the graduate schools on campus. These programs enable qualified students to earn a law degree (JD) and a graduate degree for a slightly reduced number of total units. If the graduate degree normally requires one year of study, a student in a dual degree program may earn both degrees in only three years. If the graduate degree normally requires two years of post-baccalaureate courses, a total of four years may be required. To earn the JD, all students (including dual degree students) must complete 37 numerically graded law units at USC beyond the first year curriculum and at least 76 law hours.
While students may be accepted for a dual degree program when they are accepted to the law school, most students do not apply until near the end of the first year. All programs require that students successfully complete the required first year of law school before beginning work toward the degree. Credit toward the law degree may not be given for graduate work completed prior to the completion of the first year of law school, although some credit toward the degree may be allowed by the faculty of the cooperating department of approved work completed prior to the first year of law school. Students are not eligible for either of their dual degrees until they complete the requirements for both degrees.
In all cases, prospective students must seek and gain acceptance to both the law school and the other graduate program, and have the dual degree program approved by both schools. Decisions regarding admission to the law school and the graduate program are made independently. For more information, contact the Law School Admissions Office at admissions@law.usc.edu.
Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration
In addition to the LSAT, applicants to this dual degree program are required to take the Graduate Management Aptitude Test. Requirements are detailed at Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration (JD/MBA) and in the USC Marshall School of Business section of this catalogue.
Juris Doctor/Master of Business Taxation
The Leventhal School of Accounting offers a specialized program in taxation leading to the Master in Business Taxation (MBT). Requirements are detailed at Juris Doctor/Master of Business Taxation (JD/MBT) and in the USC Leventhal School of Accounting section of this catalogue.
Juris Doctor/Master of Public Administration
Students are required to complete 97 units of course work. Candidates for the dual degree must fulfill the statistics requirement of the Public Administration (MPA) degree. See the Master of Public Administration section. Requirements are detailed at Juris Doctor/Master of Public Administration (JD/MPA) and in the USC Price School of Public Policy section of this catalogue.
Juris Doctor/Master of Public Policy
The USC Price School of Public Policy and the USC Gould School of Law offer a dual degree that enables qualified students to earn both a Juris Doctor and a Master of Public Policy in approximately four years of study.
Dual degree allows students to acquire a blend of the analytic skills of public policy and an understanding of legal institutions and processes. This combination of knowledge is well suited for law students who want to affect the policy-making process and craft legislation to aid in achievement of public policy goals. It is equally appropriate for prospective policy analysts who are interested in law and public policy.
Dual degree students spend the first year of the program completing the required first year of law school. The remaining units of law school courses and the required 36 units of core MPP courses are taken by students in the second through fourth years.
Students are required to complete 114 units of course work, including 78 units in the USC Gould School of Law and 36 units in the USC Price School of Public Policy. The MPP program has a statistics prerequisite. See Public Policy (MPP) . Requirements are detailed at Juris Doctor/Master of Public Policy (JD/MPP) and in the USC Price School of Public Policy section.
Master of Laws in Alternative Dispute Resolution (LLM in ADR)
The on-campus Master of Laws in Alternative Dispute Resolution (LLM in ADR) program is a two- to four-semester, full-time and part-time master’s degree program for law graduates and attorneys interested in building strength as advocates in ADR processes or gaining skills and a prestigious credential for pursuing career opportunities as mediators or arbitrators.
Students submitting an application must have earned a basic law degree, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), a Juris Doctor (JD) or the foreign equivalent. Please visit the Gould School of Law website for more information.
Master of Laws in International Business and Economic Law (LLM in IBEL)
The on-campus Master of Laws in International Business and Economic Law degree is a two- to four-semester, full-time and part-time master’s degree program for law graduates and attorneys interested in developing a global perspective and interdisciplinary skills that will enable them to understand and integrate relevant laws, policies and business best practices that shape international commerce and trade.
Students submitting an application must have earned a basic law degree, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), a Juris Doctor (JD) or the foreign equivalent. Please visit the Gould School of Law website for more information.
Master of Laws in International Trade Law and Economics (MITLE)
The on-campus Master of International Trade Law and Economics (MITLE) degree is offered by USC Gould School of Law jointly with USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Department of Economics. This degree provides students with an interdisciplinary, global perspective and the knowledge and skills relevant to the laws, policies, and business practices that shape international trade and economics.
The Master of International Trade Law and Economics is a one-year, 32-unit degree program offered on campus on a full-time basis, and enrollment is limited to the fall semester. This degree is open to anyone with a bachelor’s degree in any field, however, students are recommended to have a strong foundation in economics and/or mathematics or another quantitative background. Please visit the Gould School of Law website for more information.
Master of Laws in Privacy Law and Cybersecurity (LLM in PLCS)
The on-campus Master of Laws in Privacy Law and Cybersecurity degree is a two- to four-semester, full-time and part-time master’s degree program for law graduates and attorneys who wish to develop skills that will enable them to understand and integrate relevant laws, policies and best practices that shape privacy law and cybersecurity.
Students submitting an application must have earned a basic law degree, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree or the foreign equivalent. Please visit the Gould School of Law website for more information.
Master of Laws (LLM) (On-campus and Online)
The on-campus Master of Laws (LLM) program is a master’s degree program for foreign graduate students trained in law. This two- to four-semester, full-time and part-time program introduces foreign lawyers to American law and the U.S. legal system and prepares them for leadership roles in the global market. Students may enroll in an optional certificate track in Alternate Dispute Resolution, Business Law, Compliance, Media and Entertainment Law, Transnational Law and Business, or Technology and Entrepreneurship Law.
The online Master of Laws (LLM) program is a master’s degree program for foreign graduate students trained in law. This program is offered on a part-time or full-time basis in a completely online modality and introduces foreign lawyers to American law and the U.S. legal system and prepares them for leadership roles in the global market. Students may enroll in an optional certificate track in Business Law, Compliance, Entertainment Law and Industry, Financial Compliance, Health Care Compliance, Human Resources Compliance, or Privacy Law and Cybersecurity.
Students submitting an application to either LLM program must have earned a basic law degree, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree or the foreign equivalent. Please visit the Gould School of Law website for more information.
Two-Year Extended Master of Laws (LLM)
The on-campus Two-Year Extended Master of Laws (LLM) program combines a one-year certificate program with a one-year master’s degree for foreign graduate students trained in law. During the first year, students complete mandatory law and English courses to prepare them for the master’s program and further their English fluency. After successful completion of the first year, students earn a Certificate in U.S. Legal Studies . In the second year, students matriculate into our on-campus Master of Laws program.
Students submitting an application must have earned a basic law degree, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree or the foreign equivalent. Please visit the Gould School of Law website for more information.
Master of Comparative Law (MCL)
The on-campus Master of Comparative Law (MCL) program is a master’s degree program for foreign graduate students trained in law who have already earned an LLM degree. This two-semester, full-time program is focused on the study of comparative law.
Students submitting an application must have earned a basic law degree, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree or the foreign equivalent and have previously earned an LLM degree. Please visit the Gould School of Law website for more information.
Master of Dispute Resolution (MDR)
The on-campus Master of Dispute Resolution (MDR) program is a two- to four-semester, full-time and part-time master’s degree program for graduates from varying fields of study, who are interested in building strength as advocates in alternative dispute resolution processes.
Students submitting an application must have earned an undergraduate degree by the time they begin the MDR program. Please visit the Gould School of Law website for more information.
Master of Studies in Law (MSL) (On-campus and Online)
The on-campus Master of Studies in Law (MSL) is a two- to four-semester, full-time and part-time master’s degree program designed for new graduates as well as seasoned professionals from varying fields of studies and careers, who seek an understanding of how the U.S. legal system functions. Students may enroll in an optional certificate track in Business Law or Compliance.
The online Master of Studies in Law (MSL) is designed for new graduates as well as seasoned professionals from varying fields of studies and careers. This program is offered on a part-time or full-time basis in a completely online modality for students who seek an understanding of how the U.S. legal system functions. Students may enroll in an optional certificate track in in Business Law, Compliance, Entertainment Law and Industry, Financial Compliance, Health Care Compliance, Human Resources Compliance, or Privacy Law and Cybersecurity.
Students submitting an application must have earned an undergraduate degree by the time they begin the MSL degree. Please visit the Gould School of Law website for more information.
A progressive degree is an option for current USC undergraduate students. For more information, please visit the Gould School of Law website. You may also contact USC Gould Undergraduate for more details.)
USC Gould offers stand-alone certificates to allow students with a bachelor’s degree to gain further knowledge of a particular area of law.
JD students may apply their course work to the following certificates: Alternate Dispute Resolution, Business Law, Media and Entertainment Law, and Public Interest Law. Certificate requirements differ for JD students and are detailed at the USC Gould School of Law website.
Registration
Registration for JD students is handled by the USC Gould School of Law Academic Services Office. First-year students will automatically be registered in their fall semester courses approximately two to three weeks prior to the beginning of the school year and for their spring semester courses during the week listed in the law school calendar for upper-division student registration.
Registration for master’s students is handled by the Graduate and International Programs Office. Master’s students will receive registration information in July with detailed instructions on how to register for fall and spring classes.
Grading and Attendance Policies
Grading
The grading system uses both numbers and letters in a range from 1.9 to 4.4 with letter-grade equivalents ranging from F to A+. The grade equivalents are: A+ (4.1–4.4); A (3.8–4.0); A- (3.5–3.7); B+ (3.3–3.4); B (3.0–3.2); B- (2.7–2.9); C+ (2.5–2.6); C (2.4); C- (2.1–2.3); D (2.0); and F (1.9). Students receiving a grade of 1.9 will not be given credit for the course toward graduation. A student who fails a first-year course must repeat the course, but both grades will be included in computing that student’s general average. Other courses may not be repeated except on petition to the associate dean. A student with a weighted cumulative average of less than 3.0 at the end of the year will be placed on restricted enrollment. A Juris Doctor student with a weighted cumulative average of less than 2.9 at the end of any year will not be permitted to continue. An overall grade point average of at least 2.6 is required for graduation for students who are enrolled in the LLM, LLM in ADR, LLM in IBEL, LLM in PLCS, MCL, MDR, MITLE, MSL, or Alternative Dispute Resolution Certificate (on-campus), Business Law Certificate (online), Compliance Certificate (online), and Entertainment Law and Industry Certificate (online), Financial Compliance Certificate (online), Health Care Compliance Certificate (online), Human Resources Law and Compliance Certificate (online) and Privacy Law and Cybersecurity Certificate (online) programs.
Credit/D/F
After the first year, a Juris Doctor student may take up to 8 units on an elected CR/D/F basis, chosen from among courses otherwise graded in a normal manner. No more than 4 such units may be taken in a semester. Master’s students may take up to 5 units of CR/D/F grading during the length of their program. The student must elect to take a course CR/D/F during the first two weeks of the semester. Courses or seminars may, at the instructor’s option, be designated prior to registration as not available for CR/D/F grading. To earn the JD, all students (including dual degree students) must complete 37 numerically graded law units at USC beyond the first-year curriculum and complete at least 76 law hours.
Students may also take such courses regularly offered only on a CR/D/F basis, in addition to courses taken under this rule.
Withdrawals from Courses
A student may not withdraw from a course later than two weeks after the first day of classes of any semester without permission of both the associate dean and the instructor.
Attendance
Class attendance is an important part of law school education. It assists both the individual and fellow students in making the most of the educational opportunity offered. Students should, therefore, attend class regularly and participate in the discussion. Professors may require attendance and may take attendance into account in evaluating student performance.
For tuition and fee information, please visit the Gould School of Law website.
Standard Unit Rule
The Standard Unit Rule (also called “credit hour”) is an amount of work that reasonably approximates:
(1) not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and two hours of out-of-class student work per week for 15 weeks, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
(2) at least an equivalent amount of work as required in subparagraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution, including simulation, field placement, clinical, co-curricular, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours. (ABA Standard 310)
Depending on the course type, the law school awards credit for varying periods of time. In all cases, however, the course work entails no less than the minimum total amount of in-class and out-of-class time required by the ABA (per Interpretation 310-1):
50 minutes of in-class time and two 60-minute periods of out-of-class time for 15 weeks for each unit of credit (a 15-week may period may include one week for a final examination).
In exceptional cases, at the discretion of the Vice Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs (upon the request of the faculty member), a specific course may carry 1 unit of credit greater than the time the course meets each week. Those cases are limited to courses in which the instructor certifies to the Vice Dean that the course requires substantial written work. If the written work is optional, students may enroll in these types of courses for different unit values. Students performing the written work will receive additional credit.
Full policies and procedures for USC Gould School of Law students are published in the Student Handbook and are available on the Law Portal.
USC Gould School of Law, one of the nation’s premier law schools, offers undergraduate courses and programs in its curriculum, which are taught by its internationally distinguished faculty and lecturers. The mission is to provide a broad-based academic foundation in law to undergraduate students who have an interest in law and legal-related fields. Law affects everyone in our society and students will deepen their education by exploring the role law plays in the world, its impact on society, and the way in which it intersects and impacts almost every facet of life.
USC Gould courses meet a variety of graduation requirements. Some courses satisfy USC General Education (GE) requirements, and others are either required or are electives in several USC majors and minors. For more information about the minor in Legal Studies, undergraduate course offerings, and those that satisfy USC General Education requirements, please vist the USC Gould School of Law website or email: undergraduate@law.usc.edu.
Undergraduate Courses
LAW 101w , LAW 200w , LAW 201 , LAW 202 , LAW 205 , LAW 210p , LAW 212 , LAW 220 , LAW 225 , LAW 250w , LAW 275p , LAW 300 , LAW 310w , LAW 320p , LAW 324 , LAW 352 , LAW 402 , LAW 403 , LAW 404 , LAW 406 , LAW 444 , LAW 493 and LAW 498 .
Minor Programs
Legal Studies Minor
The Legal Studies Minor enables students to deepen their understanding of the U.S. legal system and provides them with the fundamentals of law. The Legal Studies Minor totals 22 units, consisting of 6 required units, and 16 elective units.
Law and Social Justice Minor
The Law and Social Justice Minor provides foundational knowledge of current legal systems of justice and encourages critical-analysis skills to recognize where and how change can be made. The Law and Social Justice Minor totals 18 units; 12 required units, and 6 elective units.
Law and Migration Studies Minor
The Law and Migration Studies Minor introduces students to the U.S. legal system as it relates to various aspects of immigration law, its impact on our communities, and consequences on our society nationally and globally. The Law and Migration Studies Minor totals 20 units; 12 required units, and 8 elective units.
For more details on the minors, please visit USC Gould School of Law website. Undergraduate students wishing to declare one of the Law minors, should email: undergraduate@law.usc.edu or submit an application form.
Undergraduate Majors, that include LAW courses:
Law, History, and Culture (BA)
Philosophy, Politics and Law (BA)
Public Policy (BS)
Undergraduate Minors, that include LAW courses:
Business Law Minor
Forensics and Criminality Minor
Justice, Voice, and Advocacy Minor
Health Policy Minor
Law and Public Policy Minor
Law and Society Minor
Philosophy of Law, Politics and Economics Minor
Psychology and Law Minor
Resistance to Genocide Interdisciplinary Minor
USC’s Progressive Degree program enables USC undergraduate students to begin work on a USC master’s degree while completing the requirements for their USC bachelor’s degree. Students complete their undergraduate degree and the Master of Studies in Law (MSL) or the Master of International Trade Law and Economics (MITLE) degree programs in no more than five years.
Undergraduate students may submit an application to the Master of Studies in Law (MSL) or the Master of International Trade Law and Economics (MITLE) degree programs as a junior for enrollment beginning in the fall or spring. Students must have completed at least 64 total units of undergraduate course work, excluding AP, IB or transfer units earned prior to graduation from high school. Students may apply in their junior (recommended) or senior year but no later than the semester prior to beginning graduate course work.
Students must have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 both at the time an application is submitted and at enrollment.
For more information, please vist the USC Gould School of Law website or email: undergraduate@law.usc.edu.
Progressive Degree Program - Master of Studies in Law (MSL)
Master of Studies in Law (MSL) teaches students fundamental U.S. law as well as various areas of legal specialization. This program is designed for individuals who want to gain an understanding of legal and compliance issues that will impact their future careers as entrepreneurs, business owners, administrators, scientists, engineers, educators, advocates, activists and more. USC Gould Progressive Degree Program Masters Studies in Law offers the option of earning a certificate in business law or compliance concurrent with the MSL.
Progressive Degree Program - Master of International Trade Law and Economics (MITLE)
The Master of International Trade Law and Economics degree provides an interdisciplinary, global perspective for students with an economic or other quantitative background who wish to develop knowledge and skills related to relevant laws, policies and business practices that shape international trade and economics.
Master of International Trade Law and Economics students are required to complete 32 units of study. Students are required to enroll in 12 core units from Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and 12 core units from Gould School of Law, with an additional 8 units of electives chosen from a list of approved course offerings.
Accelerated BA/JD Program (3+3)
Undergraduate students at USC, who have completed their required bachelor’s major course work by the end of their junior year (or have minimal units of upper-division elective courses remaining), may apply to our accelerated JD program. Students will complete their undergraduate and law school studies in a total of six years.
Students must have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.80 both at the time an application is submitted and at enrollment. Under current ABA guidelines, the LSAT is not required; however, this is subject to change. The program is open to all participating majors. Please visit the Gould School of Law website for more information.
Minor
Master’s Degree
Dual Degree
Graduate Certificate
Doctoral Degree
Law
Courses numbered 500 and above are open only to law students except by special permission from the associate dean.
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LAW 101w Law and the U.S. Constitution in Global History
Units: 4
By examining key constitutional moments involving race, rights, and revolutions, students will explore how legal meaning changes over time.
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category G: Citizenship in a Diverse World
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 200w Law and Society
Units: 4
Sources and structure of law; history of Bill of Rights emphasizing effect on criminal justice system; limits of law in solving problems in American society.
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category G: Citizenship in a Diverse World
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 201 Law and Politics
Units: 4
Examination of the rules and realities of American politics, and the role politics plays in American life and culture.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
Crosslisted as POSC 201 -
LAW 202 Wrongful Convictions
Units: 4
Explores the phenomenon of wrongful convictions from a variety of fields, including psychology, criminology, policing and law, and through documentary films of real cases. Seeks solutions to increase accuracy of criminal process.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 205 Introduction to Criminal Law
Units: 4
Provides a comprehensive analysis of the criminal justice system and an overview of the fundamentals of substantive criminal law.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 210p Fundamentals of the U.S. Legal System
Units: 4
Introduces the U.S. legal system and its relationship to basic principles of the rule of law. Examines lawmaking institutions, judicial processes and contemporary legal issues.
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 212 Immigration Law for a New America
Units: 4
Examines current immigration law in America, the normative debates over immigration policies and the role the government plays in expanding or limiting immigration rights.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 220 The Legal Profession
Units: 2
Introduces students to the basic aspects of the legal profession.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
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LAW 225 Current Court Cases
Units: 2
Exposes students to the impact of legal decisions on society through analysis of pending and recent cases on the court’s docket.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
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LAW 250w Children and the Law
Units: 4
Examines topics such as children’s suggestibility, decision-making, and risk and resiliency all as they apply to legal settings.
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category G: Citizenship in a Diverse World
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 275p The Origin and Evolution of American Civil Rights Law
Units: 4
Traces the development of U.S. constitutional and statutory mechanisms designed to fulfill the promise of equality under the law.
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 300 Concepts in American Law
Units: 4
The main concepts and topics in American law, in the historical, economic and cultural contexts in which they have developed.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 310w Global Justice for Mass Atrocities and Genocide
Units: 4
Learn about international law and courts trying these cases, while also reflecting on whether criminal trials are the best response to bringing healing and reconciliation to affected societies.
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category G: Citizenship in a Diverse World
Duplicates Credit in former Law 450
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 320p Law, Slavery, and Race
Units: 4
Studies how law, politics and culture interacted to shape the institution of slavery and the development of modern conceptions of race.
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
Crosslisted as HIST 320 -
LAW 324 Sports Law
Units: 4
Examines the relevance and application of legal structures to all participants in the sports enterprise by providing an overview of legal and ethical issues.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 350 Law and Entrepreneurship
Units: 4
Examines areas of the law that impact entrepreneurs, starting, operating and financing businesses. Topics include: selection of business entities; securities laws and issues that arise in fundraising; employment law; contracts; torts; intellectual property; global expansion; mergers and acquisitions; and IPOs.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 352 Introduction to Law and Economics
Units: 4
An exploration of core aspects of the US legal system (property, contracts, torts, criminal law, civil procedure) from the perspective of basic economics theory.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 402 Psychology and Law
Units: 4
Terms Offered: Sp
Explores issues of responsibility and credibility. Intentional and unintentional behavior. Clinical biases. Topics include witness credibility, confessions, cults, hostages, battered persons, and repressed memories.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 403 Mental Health Law
Units: 4
Terms Offered: Sp
Foundational legal and practice concepts at the intersection of law and psychology through three intersecting systems: the mental health, the criminal and the immigration systems.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 404 Law and Psychology: Examining the Criminal Justice Process
Units: 4
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Examination of the capacity of the criminal justice process to produce accurate verdicts. Application of psychological research on witnesses, detectives, suspects, judges and jurors.
Recommended Preparation: PSYC 100 .
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 406 Individual Rights in U.S. Constitutional Law
Units: 4
Explores the U.S. Bill of Rights and the limits that the Constitution imposes on the state majority’s ability to impose its will on an individual.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
-
LAW 444 Civil and Political Rights and Liberties
Units: 4
(Enroll in POSC 444 )
-
LAW 490x Directed Research
Units: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Max Units: 12
Individual research and readings.
Registration Restriction: Open only to undergraduate students
Credit Restriction: Not available for graduate credit
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
-
LAW 493 The History of Discrimination at the University
Units: 4
Using USC as an example, this research seminar examines the historical relationship between discrimination and higher education.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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LAW 498 Law Internship
Units: 2, 4
Intensive experience with a law/social justice related non-profit organization, or public agency.
Prerequisite: LAW 210p
Recommended Preparation: 8 units of law courses
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
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LAW 502 Procedure I
Units: 2, 3, 4
Terms Offered: Fa
Consideration of the participants in litigation — private and public plaintiffs, defendants, and courts. Information exchange, process, outcomes, and costs of lawsuits.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 503 Contracts
Units: 2, 3, 4
Terms Offered: Fa
The interpretation and enforcement of promises and agreements.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 504 Criminal Law
Units: 3
Terms Offered: Sp
The crime problem and the legislative response to it through substantive criminal law; administration of criminal justice through police, prosecutorial, sentencing, and penological discretion.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 505 Legal Profession
Units: 2, 3, 4
Functions of the lawyer in modern society; history and organization of the legal profession; the adversary system; equal access to justice; other problems of ethics and professional responsibility.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 507 Property
Units: 2, 3, 4
Terms Offered: FaSp
The idea of property as understood through economic and philosophical concepts. Rights in land, water and other natural resources. Forms of shared ownership (e.g., landlord and tenant), and a survey of mechanisms for controlling land use.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 508 Constitutional Law: Structure
Units: 2, 3, 4, 5
Terms Offered: FaSp
Considers the delineation of spheres of responsibility between the judiciary and legislature, the nation and the state, and the government and the individual.
Registration Restriction: Open only to Law majors
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 509 Torts I
Units: 2, 3, 4
Terms Offered: FaSp
Individual’s obligation not to harm others; bases for compensating persons who are harmed, either by holding responsible whoever is at fault or by invoking other principles of liability, including the efficiency of resource allocation and the spreading of losses.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 510 Legal Research
Units: 0 or 1
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Examination of the basic sources of law for federal and California jurisdictions, utilizing a vast array of sources from books to computer-assisted research and analyzing research methodology and techniques.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
-
LAW 511a Legal Writing
Units: 1, 2
Terms Offered: Fa
Two-semester course focusing on developing analytic and communication skills. Lawyers will analyze legal principles and incisively apply them to facts.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
-
LAW 511b Legal Writing
Units: 1, 2
Terms Offered: Sp
Two-semester course focusing on developing analytic and communication skills. Lawyers will analyze legal principles and incisively apply them to facts.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
-
LAW 512 Law, Language and Values
Units: 2, 3, 4
An introduction to legal interpretation and normative reasoning. Among the topics addressed are statutory and common law interpretation, the rule of law, externalities, and inequality.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 513 Effective Writing for Professionals
Units: 2
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Focuses on professional writing structure based on audience, tone, form and purpose.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 515 Legal Research, Writing and Advocacy I
Units: 2, 3
Development of legal research, writing and advocacy skills. Emphasis on objective legal writing, including memoranda, and researching case law through primary and secondary sources.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 516 Legal Research, Writing and Advocacy II
Units: 2
Terms Offered: Sp
Continuation of LAW 515 . Development of legal research, writing, and advocacy skills. Emphasis on persuasive legal writing, including appellate briefs, and researching statutory and administrative law. Participation in a moot court program.
Prerequisite: LAW 515
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 520 Introduction to U.S. Legal System
Units: 2
The basic structure of government in the U.S., including the constitutionally mandated division of power in the federal government and the federal system of power sharing between state and federal systems. A comparative perspective on selected substantive and procedural matters, such as common law reasoning, jury trials, adversary process, and various aspects of civil procedure. Open to LLM students only.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 521 Topics in American Law
Units: 1, 2, 3, 4
Terms Offered: FaSp
This course provides LLM and MCL students with a survey of various topics in American law, including criminal law, evidence, family law, constitutional law, torts, wills and trusts, administrative law and property law. Open to LLM and MCL students only.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 522 Entertainment Law and Industry
Units: 2
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Provides a detailed survey of entertainment law, entertainment-related transactions and litigation, and legal issues facing the entertainment industry.
Registration Restriction: Open only to Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 525 Fundamentals of Intellectual Property Law
Units: 3
Focuses exclusively on issues related to copyright and fair use, trademark, trade secrets and related laws that seek to protect intellectual property.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 527 Intellectual Property: Copyright
Units: 2
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Provides an introduction to copyright law, the application of copyright laws in litigation, and the management of copyrighted works.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 528 Constitutional Law
Units: 2
Covers the delineation of spheres of responsibility between three branches of the federal government, the federal government and the states and the government and individuals.
Registration Restriction: Open only to Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 530 Fundamental Business Principles
Units: 1
Exposes students to everyday business and finance vocabulary, concepts and modes of analysis. Strongly recommended for students without significant prior business experience. Graded CR/D/F.
Registration Restriction: Open only to Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
-
LAW 531 Ethical Issues for Nonprofit, Government and Criminal Lawyers
Units: 3
Covers legal ethics issues with an emphasis on access to justice, nonprofit practice settings and duties of prosecutors and defense attorneys. Fulfills Legal Profession requirement.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 532 Constitutional Law: Rights
Units: 3
Examines constitutional rights particularly ones protected under the Equal Protection/Due Process Clauses and related questions of judicial role and theories of interpretation.
Registration Restriction: Open only to Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 540 Topics in Legal Analysis
Units: 1
An analysis of legal writing and problem solving of a variety of 1L subjects designed to enhance legal skills through frequent simulations and individualized feedback.
Registration Restriction: Open only to 1L JD Law Students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 550 Law for Business
Units: 1
Max Units: 04
A student-run periodical that publishes student-written and peer-edited articles relevant to the intersection between law and business.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
-
LAW 551 Intellectual Property Trademark
Units: 2
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Explores U.S. trademark law. Topics include trademark infringement and dilution, trademark selection, clearance, enforcement, federal registration and maintenance, the tension between trademark rights and the First Amendment, trademark licensing and other transactions, trademark fair use and the right of publicity.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 559 Human Resource Compliance
Units: 2, 3
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Provides an overview of human resource related law, and various legal issues involved in the employment relationship.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 560 Academic and Professional Skills for U.S. Law Studies I
Units: 2
Terms Offered: Fa
Explores and develops the legal communication and analytical skills necessary to the practice of law.
Registration Restriction: Open only to master students enrolled in Certificate in U.S. Legal Studies program at USC Gould School of Law.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
-
LAW 561a Fundamentals of Legal Writing Skills
Units: 3
Terms Offered: Fa
Explores purpose and form of legal documents and emphasizes effective communication.
Registration Restriction: Open only to master students enrolled in the Certificate in U.S. Legal Studies program at USC Gould School of Law
Duplicates Credit in former LAW 561
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
-
LAW 561b Fundamentals of Legal Writing Skills
Units: 2
Explores purpose and form of legal documents and emphasizes effective communication.
Prerequisite: LAW 561a
Registration Restriction: Open only to master students enrolled in the Certificate in U.S. Legal Studies program at USC Gould School of Law
Duplicates Credit in former LAW 561
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
-
LAW 562 Introduction to U.S. Legal Culture and Practice
Units: 2
Terms Offered: Fa
Explores the foundation for U.S. law and culture, including the historical and contemporary development of U.S. law.
Registration Restriction: Open only to master students enrolled in Certificate in U.S. Legal Studies program at USC Gould School of Law.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
-
LAW 563 Presentation Skills for International Lawyers
Units: 2
Terms Offered: Fa
Explores the art of public speaking and effective communication in legal settings.
Registration Restriction: Open only to master students enrolled in Certificate in U.S. Legal Studies program at USC Gould School of Law.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
-
LAW 564 Persuasive Advocacy
Units: 2
Terms Offered: Sp
Explores the communication and presentation skills necessary for persuasive legal advocacy.
Registration Restriction: Open only to master students enrolled in Certificate in U.S. Legal Studies program at USC Gould School of Law.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
-
LAW 565 U.S. Common Law Analysis and Skills
Units: 2
Explores how judicial opinions interact with other sources of law and develop law in the U.S.
Registration Restriction: Open only to master students enrolled in Certificate in U.S. Legal Studies program at USC Gould School of Law.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
-
LAW 566 Academic and Professional Skills for U.S. Law Studies II
Units: 1
Terms Offered: Sp
Explores effective legal communication and professionalism skills.
Registration Restriction: Open only to master students enrolled in Certificate in U.S. Legal Studies program at USC Gould School of Law.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
-
LAW 567 Introduction to Litigation in U.S. Courts
Units: 2
Terms Offered: FaSp
Provides an overview of the United States legal system for those unfamiliar with common law courts, including the mechanics of the U.S. Court system in both criminal and civil courts, as well as more detailed analysis of torts and intellectual property disputes.
Registration Restriction: Open only to law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 571 Organizational Conflict
Units: 3
Terms Offered: Sp
Origin and types of conflicts which arise within organizations. Designing systems to prevent conflict from developing or escalating and developing a culture of collaboration and creativity.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 572 Practical Mediation Skills Clinic
Units: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Max Units: 06
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Students learn basic and advanced mediation skills, practice their skills in simulated mediations, and upon certification by the instructor, mediate in the Los Angeles County courts.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 574 Health Care Compliance
Units: 2, 3
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Provides background on about the importance of compliance for health care organizations and legal challenges facing the health care industry.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 579 Global Regulatory Compliance
Units: 2
Terms Offered: FaSp
Introduction to regimes that regulate business practices on a global level and compliance of such regimes, such as Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, and other regulations.
Registration Restriction: Open only to Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 580 Wicked Problems Practicum
Units: 1, 2
Max Units: 6
A year-long project addressing an urgent public policy issue that is both multifaceted and intractable.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 581 Externship for Graduate and International Program Students
Units: 2, 3, 4
Max Units: 08
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
An externship allows a student to gain hands-on legal experience in legal settings. Students will be assigned to a legal services program, government agency or state or federal judge under faculty supervision. All externships include an initial orientation and subsequent academic assignments. A maximum of 8 units may be earned over two externships.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law Graduate and International Students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 596 Internship for Curricular Practical Training
Units: 1, 2, 3
Max Units: 03
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Part-time or full-time, practical work experience in the student’s field of study. The internship must be located at an off-campus facility. Students are individually supervised by faculty. May not be taken until the student has completed at least one semester of enrollment in the graduate program with a cumulative 3.0 GPA.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law graduate students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
-
LAW 598 Regulatory Compliance
Units: 2, 3
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Provides an overview of regulatory compliance law and the ways that various organizations ensure compliance with governing laws and regulations.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 599 Special Topics
Units: 2, 3, 4
Max Units: 8.0
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 600 Taxation
Units: 3 or 4
Federal tax statutes, technical issues and social problems involved in tax planning, tax litigation, and reform of the tax laws.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 601 Advanced Legal Writing
Units: 2, 3
Requires students to draft legal documents they were not exposed to in the first-year writing course, such as client letters, demand letters, and contracts.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 602 Criminal Procedure
Units: 2, 3, 4
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Criminal procedure in the courts, and the regulation of law enforcement by the courts through rules of evidence and interpretation of the Bill of Rights.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 603 Business Organizations
Units: 3, 4, 5
Terms Offered: FaSp
Organization of economic activity — especially the modern corporation — as institutions of social power. The roles of managers, owners, and public regulatory agencies in shaping processes of decision-making.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 604 Real Estate Transactions Problems
Units: 1
Terms Offered: Fa
Selected problems to supplement LAW 605 .
Corequisite: LAW 605 .
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 605 Real Estate Transactions and Finance
Units: 2, 3, 4, 5
Terms Offered: Fa
An in-depth look at the most prevalent transactions and finance tools related to both residential and commercial real estate. Topics include: purchase and sale of realty; property valuation; brokerage agreements; land conveyance and the recording acts; escrows, title insurance and closings; investment vehicles and deal structures; mortgage lending and commercial finance; and foreclosures.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 606 Land Use Controls
Units: 2, 3, 4
Concentrates on the major topics of Land Use and Environmental law in the 21st Century.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 607 Gifts, Wills, and Trusts
Units: 3 or 4
Gratuitous transfer of wealth, especially the transmission of wealth from one generation to the next as a settlement of family affairs. Comparative analysis of the legal mechanisms of gifts, wills, and trusts. Introduction to problems of fiduciary administration.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 608 Evidence
Units: 3 or 4
The purpose and character of trial. Problems of adversary presentation and the nature of proof. The basis for admission and exclusion of evidence in judicial proceedings.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 609 Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Compliance
Units: 2
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Explores regulations and compliance issues as well as related problem-solving techniques in the workplace.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 610 Antidiscrimination Law
Units: 3, 4
Surveys federal constitutional and statutory mechanisms designed to fulfill the promise of equality under the law.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 612 California Civil Procedure
Units: 2, 3, 4
Examines the California rules of civil procedure. Emphasizes California law, with some discussion of the differences between state and federal procedure.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 613 Corporate Governance
Units: 2
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Examines the purpose, evolution and history of corporate governance standards, priorities and culture of boards, shareholder/stakeholder engagement, and corporate social responsibility, as it relates to law.
Registration Restriction: Open only to the USC Gould School of Law students.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 614 Accounting for Lawyers
Units: 2 or 3
The lawyer’s skills needed to understand the financial affairs of a business client.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 615 Election Law
Units: 2, 3
Consideration of legal regulation of the right to vote and otherwise to participate in the electoral process.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 617 History of American Law
Units: 2 or 3
Explores the interaction of law, culture, and politics in American society from the Revolution through the New Deal.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 621 Gender Discrimination
Units: 1, 2, 3, 4
Analysis of the constitutional and statutory debates about the meaning of equality, and the recognition and accommodation of difference.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 622 Money in Politics
Units: 2, 3
Studies the statutes and cases governing campaign finance in America and the latest research into their effects.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 623 Family Law
Units: 3 or 4
Creating, regulating and dissolving family relationships. Explore moral and power relations among men, women, children and the state. Develop skills to help clients in families.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 624 Water Law
Units: 2, 3
Covers the regulation of groundwater and surface water by the courts and the State Water Resources Control Board.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 625 Remedies
Units: 3 or 4
Comparison of the remedial goals of contracts, torts, and property and the impact of procedural devices in law and equity. Damages, injunctions, specific performance and restitution. Remedial theory and transactional application.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 626 International Investment Law and Arbitration
Units: 1, 2
Provides students with understanding of protection offered to foreign investment and investors through bilateral investment treaties and multilateral and regional investment and free trade agreements.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 627 Business Planning: Structuring and Financing a New Enterprise
Units: 3, 4
Covers each phase of the structuring, formation, financing and operation of a new media enterprise.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 628 Real Estate Joint Ventures Between Capital Sources and Developers
Units: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Explores real estate joint ventures, formed by institutional capital sources and local developers or operators, through review and discussion of hypothetical fact patterns and contract provisions. Various issues attached to real estate transactions are also explored, including topics such as: finance, development, zoning and purchase agreements for commercial property.
Prerequisite: LAW 605 or LAW 629
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 629 Real Estate Development, Entitlements and Zoning
Units: 2, 3, 4, 5
An end-to-end look at the various facets of the complex real estate development process, from land acquisition, to the sale and marketing of completed projects. Topics include: the relationship between developers and architects; zoning and land use controls; the subdivision and entitlements process; environmental issues related to development; the interplay between public entities and private developers; constitutional limits on governmental fees; construction contracts and lending; and real estate investment deal structures
Prerequisite: LAW 605
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 630 Mediation Clinic I
Units: 2, 3, 4
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Students receive the training required to become professional mediators for civil cases in the L.A. County Superior Court, and mediate these cases.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 631 Mediation Clinic II
Units: 2, 3, 4
Continuation of LAW 630 .
Prerequisite: LAW 630 .
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
-
LAW 632 Business for Lawyers
Units: 2, 3, 4
This course introduces law students to the tools, concept, and language of business. It is premised on the belief that to excel as a business lawyer, one must understand the business world from the perspective of the clients one counsels and assists. The course will cover, in compressed form, the basic subjects from the MBA program which are most useful to lawyers.
Registration Restriction: Open only to Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 633 Business Principles in Law
Units: 2
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Focuses on fundamental business concepts, including, business strategy, management, sales and marketing, finance and risk, as they relate to law.
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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LAW 634 Legal Analysis of Evidence
Units: 2, 3, 4
Legal analysis of the rules of Evidence using problems designed to improve analytic skills and problem-solving. Taken in conjunction with Evidence.
Corequisite: LAW 608
Registration Restriction: Open only to USC Gould School of Law students
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Numeric
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