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 wishing to engage in academic work (such as authoring or co-authoring a paper under the supervision of a faculty member, working in a supervised law firm or in-house position, or some other project, the final work product to be received by the Registrar) may be eligible and able to work with a faculty member to oversee and guide the work, as well as to provide structure, milestones, and assessment of the work. Credits, grading, and prerequisites will depend on the nature of the work and determined in conjunction with the faculty member.

Students wishing to engage in academic work (such as authoring or co-authoring a paper under the supervision of a faculty member, working in a supervised law firm or in-house position, or some other project, the final work product to be received by the Registrar) may be eligible and able to work with a faculty member to oversee and guide the work, as well as to provide structure, milestones, and assessment of the work. Credits, grading, and prerequisites will depend on the nature of the work and determined in conjunction with the faculty member.