Curriculum Guide · Courses

Professor Zhang

J.D. Seminar 634 | 2 credit hours

The course is an introduction to the Chinese legal system and the basic concepts and terminology of Chinese law. It focuses on the knowledge of distinctive aspects of Chinese law from a comparative perspective, current legal topics and basic legal research skills. It aims to help students in understanding Chinese legal system in relation to broader political and cultural issues. Topics intended to be covered include Chinese legal history and culture, legislative system and legal research, judicial system, contract law, commercial law, labor and employment law, family law, alternative dispute resolution, and energy and environmental law and policy. The course will also teach common Chinese legal terms. The laws of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau may also been covered if time permits.

The course is recommended for students who are planning to study law and/or work in China. It is also recommended for students interested in working in international law firms, government entities or non-government organizations where interactions with Chinese speaking counterparts, clients and co-workers are likely to occur.

The seminar will be taught in Chinese, with interpretation in English when necessary. Students are strongly encouraged to talk with the instructors on the expected language proficiency.

This course requires Professor Permission to enroll. Interested students should contact Professor Zhang (email: laneyzha@gmail.com) by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 16, 2010, to submit their resume, contact information, and a statement explaining their interest in the course and their Chinese language skills. This course is mandatory pass/fail and the credits count toward the 7 credit pass/fail limit. Grading will be based on a paper in Chinese (above 500 characters) by the end of the semester, and one 10-15 minute oral presentation also in Chinese presented in class. The paper, as well the presentation, shall be on a topic of Chinese law or a topic of comparison between Chinese law and the U.S. law.