Curriculum Guide · Courses

Professor James Baker

J.D. Seminar 697 | 3 credit hours

This course is about the substance, process, and practice of national security law. The course has two segments. The first segment addresses the substance and process of national security decision-making. The second segment covers the tools of national security: intelligence, military, law enforcement, diplomacy, and homeland security. Special attention is paid to the relationship between law and policy and the role of the lawyer in effecting both. Up to 7 JD students may enroll in the course for three credits, and prepare a research paper that satisfies the Law Center’s upper-class Writing Requirement (WR). (In the event of over-subscription the Registrar will designate those students eligible to take the course for WR credit.) In addition to the final paper, students who select this option must submit an outline and a draft for comment. Both the draft and final papers must be approximately 6,000 words (25 pages) and must be supported by substantial independent research. Students may also enroll in the course for two credits. Students electing this option are required to prepare a term-paper approximately 4,800 words (20 pages) on an approved topic.

This course will be enrolled via waitlist. Students must register for the three credit section of the course (LAWJ-697-16) if they wish to write a paper fulfilling the Upperclass Writing Requirement. This course will typically meet on Thursdays, but some weeks classes will meet on both Thursdays and Tuesdays. The class schedule includes the following Tuesdays in Summer 2013: May 28, June 4, and July 2.