E-Commerce and the Law is designed to encourage examination of the rapidly evolving areas of the law that seek to resolve the issues of ownership, privacy, liability, and access (among others) as they relate to information and knowledge technologies. Commerce, the sum of individual transactions that drive our society and create value, has been molded and sometimes disrupted by the opportunities and challenges presented by advances in information technology. One could say that this course is an overview and look into the future of law for the ever-changing digital and information age economy, and the legal environment that will define and shape legal practice in the coming decades. In many ways this course supplements and builds on the subjects in the classical legal curriculum with examples of how changes in technology are manifesting themselves in new legal problems and issues for the economy and society.

The vast majority of cases are resolved prior to trial. This course focuses on effective representation of a client?s interests using resolution techniques before trial. Students will learn to negotiate directly, including how to deal with the many tactics employed by negotiating parties. They will also gain an understanding of when to consider mediation, arbitration, and collaborative law and how to effectively represent clients in these processes. We will critically examine negotiation, mediation, arbitration and collaborative law, including the legal, ethical and policy issues associated with each process. Classes include lecture, discussion and extensive participatory exercises. Reflective writing is an integral component of the course.

Students in residencies and positions after graduation often have no access to premium legal research platforms. Some content essential to completing legal transactions is available only on the open web. Students use open web sources to complete legal and fact research. Since those change over time students apply a transferable approach to use when approaching and searching virtually all open web information sites. Students apply factors to evaluate quality and authoritativeness of open web content.

During a legal residency, students apply classroom knowledge in real-world legal setting by working under the supervision of attorneys and other professionals. Throughout the residency semester, students build skills, personal characteristics, and professional competencies essential to success. Students work in a variety of settings including in state and local government agencies, law firms, judicial chambers, non-profit organizations, or corporations.