Curriculum Guide · Courses

Professor David Stewart

J.D. Seminar 014 (cross-listed) | 3 credit hours

This seminar provides an introduction to the increasingly important field of private international law as well as an opportunity to explore in depth specific issues now under active consideration in the various international and regional organizations working on the development, codification and harmonization of private international law. Beyond the “classic” questions of jurisdiction, choice of law, judicial assistance and enforcement of judgments, we will explore such substantive topics as international sale of goods, cross-border consumer protection, secured transactions, international securities law, international intellectual property, transport of goods by sea, transnational leasing law, dispute settlement mechanisms, international family law (including international adoption, abduction and enforcement of child support and family maintenance), and even wills and trusts in their cross-border contexts. All students will be expected to choose a topic and to research and to present key findings and recommendations to the class.

This course requires a paper and an oral presentation. It is open to J.D. and LL.M. students. For J.D. students who choose the 3 credit “writing seminar” option, the objective will be to research and write analytical papers of publishable quality on discrete topics of current importance in transnational practice. Students will be required to satisfy the WR requirement including (1) selection of a paper topic approved by the professor, (2) submission of an outline, followed by feedback from the professor, (3) submission of a draft paper of at least 6,000 words exclusive of footnotes, followed by feedback from the professor, and (4) submission of a final paper of at least 6,000 words exclusive of footnotes, incorporating the professor’s suggested revisions. The paper must use legal forms of citation, where appropriate.

Recommended: International Law I.

This course requires a paper. Students must register for the 3 credit section of the course if they wish to write a paper fulfilling the Upperclass Legal Writing Requirement. The paper requirements of the 2 credit section will not fulfill the Upperclass Legal Writing Requirement.