Curriculum Guide · Courses

Professors Cabrera, Baytor, and McGrady

J.D. Practicum 1108 | 4 credit hours

This course will provide students with the practical experience of working on O’Neill Institute projects that engage intersecting international legal regimes, including trade law, public international law and human rights law, to advocate for and impact domestic legal and regulatory mechanisms for tobacco control. Through coursework, students will gain an in depth understanding of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Weekly seminars will explore key tobacco control measures, including (i) packaging and labeling of tobacco products; (ii) tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; (iii) protection from exposure to tobacco smoke; (iv) illicit trade in tobacco; and (v) price and tax measures.

Through the experiential learning component of the course, students will analyze existing legal and regulatory frameworks for tobacco control. For example, students may draft alternative reports to UN bodies analyzing compliance with human rights obligations related to tobacco control (e.g., “shadow reports”). A report like this will analyze the prevailing legal frameworks for tobacco control in a particular country and highlight any weaknesses in the statutory and regulatory language. It would suggest recommendations for the UN body to consider.

Class time will be devoted to developing practical advocacy and drafting skills to support students in their project work. Students will also learn how to use epidemiological data to support and craft compelling human rights law arguments for advancing government policies on tobacco control. By working with the O’Neill Institute and civil society organizations partnered with the O’Neill Institute (some of which could include the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and the Framework Convention Alliance), the course will give students the opportunity to use international law to advocate for stronger tobacco control legislation.

Prerequisites: Students must complete the required first-year program prior to enrolling in this course (part-time and interdivisional transfer students may enroll prior to completing Criminal Justice, Property, or their first-year elective).

Students may not concurrently enroll in this practicum course and a clinic (except Street Law) or another practicum course. Students may concurrently enroll in this practicum course and an externship.

Students who wish to receive credit for the Externship Seminar and a practicum course that has the same field placement may do so only if: (1) the practicum course is taken in a semester following the Externship Seminar; and (2) the student receives permission from the Assistant or the Associate Dean for Clinical Programs. To receive such permission, the student must explain in writing how the practicum course field work would serve substantially different learning goals than did their externship field placement.

THIS IS A PRACTICUM COURSE.

This is a 4 credit course. Two credits will be awarded for the 2-hour weekly seminar and 2 credits will be awarded for approximately 10 hours of supervised work per week, for a minimum of 11 weeks. Both the seminar and field work portions of the course will be graded. This course cannot be taken pass/fail.

Students who enroll in this course will be automatically enrolled in both the seminar and practicum components and may not take either component separately. A student wishing to withdraw from the course will be withdrawn from both the seminar and field work components.