J.D. Course Descriptions

First-Year Course Descriptions 

LAW 7100 Professional Pathways (1)  

Introduces students to the multiple career pathways available to law school graduates. The course features a variety of guest speakers who will discuss their professional journey after law school in order to help students discern their professional calling. Graded pass/low pass/no pass. 

LAW 7110 Civil Procedure (4) 

Focuses on the civil litigation process in federal court. Specific topics include (1) the jurisdiction of federal and state courts; (2) the fundamental issues related to a plaintiff’s ability to sue a defendant in a specific federal district, including subject matter jurisdiction, personal jurisdiction, and venue; and (3) the procedures and rules governing the process by which a civil lawsuit proceeds through the federal system, including pretrial procedures, dispositive motions, judgments, and appeals.  

LAW 7120 Contracts (4) 

Examines the basic concepts, principles, and doctrines of contract law. Specific topics include the requirements for formation of a contract; defenses to enforceability; interpretation of contract terms; contract performance, breach, and discharge; remedies for breach of contract; and third-party rights and obligations. Four credits. 

LAW 7130 Torts (3) 

Examines the substantive principles of tort claims and their defenses, including three specific types of tort liability—intentional torts, negligence, and strict liability. The theoretical, economic, and practical aspects of tort liability will also be analyzed. Three credits. 

LAW 7140 Legal Research and Writing I (3) 

Focuses on competency in legal analysis and research and in objective legal writing. Students will become familiar with foundational legal sources and work on a series of increasingly complex research and writing projects that allow them to research multiple authorities and write a comprehensive analysis of the law. 

LAW 7200 Professional Formation (1) 

Introduces students to principles for balancing lawyers’ responsibilities to their clients, to the legal system, and to their own interest in remaining an ethical person with a strong sense of personal well-being. The course will explore the institutional values of the profession and how those intersect with students’ personal moral code. The course will also help students develop their professional identity; they will discern how their strengths relate to different professional opportunities and will draft a career development plan. Graded pass/low pass/no pass. 

LAW 7210 Constitutional Law (4) 

Examines the core principles of U.S. constitutional law and constitutional interpretation. Topics such as judicial review, separation of powers, federalism, and individual rights (including due process, equal protection, and First Amendment freedoms) will specifically be analyzed.  

LAW 7220 Property (4) 

Addresses the law pertaining to the nature of private property, both real and personal. Specific topics include property acquisition and ownership; the common law classification of estates and future interests; concurrent estates; landlord-tenant law; easements, covenants, and servitudes; and transfers of interests in real property, including an examination of merchantable title, deeds, conveyancing, recording systems, mortgages, and adverse possession. Four credits. 

LAW 7230 Criminal Law (3) 

Provides a basic understanding of the structure, policies, interpretation, and application of substantive criminal law. The common law, the Model Penal Code, and other statutory sources will be examined. 

LAW 7240 Legal Research and Writing II (3) 

Builds on LAW 7140 and further develops students’ analytical, research, and writing skills in preparation for the practice of law. Students draft pre-trial and appellate briefs, focusing on persuasive organization and rhetoric. Students also learn the foundations of effective oral advocacy and present an oral argument.  Prerequisite LAW 7140. 

LAW 7250 Access to Justice Practicum (1) 

Introduces students to lawyers’ ethical responsibility to provide pro bono legal services to persons of limited means. Students will learn about legal access to justice initiatives and will participate in an experiential learning project serving the legal needs of persons of limited means. Graded pass/low pass/no pass. 

Upper-Level Course Descriptions 

All the first-year courses are prerequisites to the upper-level courses listed below. Upper-level course prerequisite information is included at the end of each description. 

LAW 8100 Professional Responsibility (3) 

Examines ethical issues lawyers face in their responsibilities to clients and to the legal system as they seek to remain an ethical person with a strong sense of personal well-being. The course studies the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and other sources that govern lawyers’ conduct. The course considers how moral virtues inform lawyers’ understanding of how best to approach ethical challenges. The course also addresses how developing a personal philosophy of lawyering helps students form their professional identity. Must be taken in students’ second (2L) year.  

LAW 8110 Evidence (4) 

Studies the law of evidence, as contained in the Federal Rules of Evidence and other sources governing the admission and exclusion of evidence, as well as the policies and theories underlying the evidentiary system. Subject matter areas include relevance, judicial notice, real and documentary evidence, hearsay, competence, presumptions, privilege, impeachment, and rehabilitation of witnesses. Must be taken in students’ second (2L) year.  

LAW 8120 Business Associations (4) 

Explores the law of agency and of business structures, including partnerships, corporations, and limited liability companies. Examines the law associated with formation, operation, control, and termination of various business structures, with particular attention to differences among structures and relationships between and among owners and management.  

LAW 8130 Sales (2-3)            

Studies the law of transactions in goods, with primary focus on sales under Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code.  

LAW 8140 Constitutional Criminal Procedure (2) 

Studies the limitations imposed on law enforcement activities by the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as applied to the States via the 14th Amendment. Procedurally, the course examines the criminal justice process from investigation through arrest and initial court appearance.  

LAW 8200 Negotiation (3) 

Develops legal negotiation skills through participation in negotiation exercises and simulated negotiations. Classroom discussion is devoted to examining practical negotiation strategies and to discussing the theories and ethics involved in the negotiation process. Satisfies experiential learning requirement. 

LAW 8210 Trial Practice (3) 

Develops courtroom skills of process and persuasion through participation in simulations of various pretrial and trial proceedings. Emphasis is on opening statement, direct and cross-examination, and closing argument. Prerequisites: LAW 8110 Evidence. Satisfies experiential learning requirement. 

LAW 8220 Appellate Advocacy (3)

Introduces students to appellate practice and procedure, emphasizing the knowledge and skills essential to effective advocacy before appellate courts. The course blends doctrinal instruction with practical training to prepare students for real-world appellate litigation. Topics include initiating and perfecting an appeal, standards of review, preservation of issues, appellate jurisdiction, relief pending appeal, the record on appeal, and the full spectrum of appellate filings. Satisfies either the experiential learning or upper-level rigorous writing requirement, but not both.

LAW 8240 Real Estate Transactions (3)

Studies the practice of law relating to real estate transfer and finance. Students perform simulations that address practical aspects of title examinations, title searches, contracts for the purchase and sale of real estate, conveyancing techniques, mortgaging foreclosure practices, and settlement and closing of title. Students also participate in exercises in transactional drafting. Satisfies experiential learning requirement. 

LAW 8250 Advocacy Skills Practicum (1) 

Develops in students the advocacy skills lawyers need to represent clients ethically and effectively. Students will learn about these foundational skills in a litigation context and will participate in an experiential learning exercise to apply these skills in a simulated practice setting. Graded pass/low pass/no pass. Satisfies experiential learning requirement. 

LAW 8260 Advanced Legal Research & Writing (3)

Develops the legal writing skills introduced in Legal Research & Writing I and II. Students will be exposed to legal document genres not covered in LRW. They will continue to practice critical legal writing and analysis skills such as organizing a document to emphasize logical progression and applying a complex body of law to a realistic fact pattern. Students will complete multiple graded research and writing projects and will receive written and oral feedback throughout the semester. Satisfies upper-level rigorous writing requirement.

LAW 8300 Family Law (3) 

Examines the law and legal regulation of family relationships. Discusses constitutional and statutory rights and restrictions on marriage, parentage, adoption, child custody, dissolution of marriage, and financial support for children. Explores contemporary topics related to law and the family in light of current legal and cultural settings.  

LAW 8310 First Amendment Religion (2) 

Explores the major U.S. Supreme Court doctrines and decisions interpreting the free exercise and establishment clauses of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, focusing on the historical and philosophical roots of the religion clauses as well as the modern Supreme Court cases that have shaped the contours of these provisions, including examination of the potential shifts in the doctrine evidenced in more recent religious-liberty litigation.  

LAW 8320 First Amendment Speech (3)

Surveys the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, evaluating the theory underlying the Clause and the scope of its protections. Potential topics include unprotected speech, vagueness and overbreadth, commercial advertising, content-based and content-neutral restrictions, forced association, campaign speech, speech compulsions, and government’s acting in special capacities. The course emphasizes the application of free speech rules and values in recent Supreme Court cases, highlighting the developing changes and tensions in the Court’s free speech jurisprudence.

LAW 8330 Health Law (3) 

Studies the physician-patient relationship and how it impacts quality, cost, and access to healthcare. The professional-patient relationship will be analyzed, including formation, confidentiality (HIPAA), informed consent, and the duty to provide care (EMTALA). Then, the course will examine strategies for reducing medical error, moving on to study private peer review actions, malpractice suits, direct corporate liability, agency, and vicarious liability. Finally, the regulation of quality of healthcare through state licensure and discipline will be examined.  

LAW 8340 Healthcare Organizations, Finance & Regulation (3) 

Introduces students to the legal issues associated with the structures of health care organizations, including the regulation of tax-exempt organizations. The course will cover the main systems used to pay for healthcare, including private and public (Medicare and Medicaid) insurance. In addition, the course will survey the federal and state laws that impose criminal and civil penalties on health care providers, including the False Claims Act, the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Stark Law, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and antitrust laws. 

LAW 8350 Administrative Law (3) 

Studies the law pertaining to the appropriate functions and purposes of administrative agencies in the federal government. The course will examine the constitutional, statutory, political, and practical limitations on agency structure and action. The course will also analyze informal and formal procedures of agencies under the Federal Administrative Procedure Act, including investigation, rulemaking, and adjudication.  

LAW 8360 Wills, Trusts & Estates (3)

Studies the legal principles regarding the transfer of family wealth—including: (1) intestate succession; (2) the execution, construction, revocation, and interpretation of wills; (3) the creation of trusts; and (4) the fiduciary administration of trusts and estates.

LAW 8370 Remedies (3)

Studies the law of judicial remedies, both equitable and legal, focusing on the nature and scope of the relief available. Considers different forms of remedies—including money damages, injunctions, declaratory judgments, and ancillary remedies or enforcement mechanisms, such as contempt proceedings.

LAW 8380 Federal Income Taxation (3)

Analyzes the statutory, judicial, and administrative law relating to federal income taxation of the individual. Topics include the determination of income subject to taxation, deductions in computing taxable income, the proper time period for reporting income and deductions, and the proper taxpayer on which to impose the tax.

LAW 8390 Conflict of Laws (3)

Explores the judicial methods and patterns of legal argument used to decide cases in which the relevant facts of the dispute are connected with multiple jurisdictions. Considers both domestic conflict problems in the United States, mostly dealing with choice of law questions in tort, contract, and family law, and transnational conflict problems.

LAW 8400 Intellectual Property (3)

Surveys the fundamental principles of the legal mechanisms for protecting the intangible products of the mind, including patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets.

LAW 8410 Environmental Law (3)

Surveys the major federal environmental programs addressing pollution control and natural resource conservation, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and programs relating to the regulation and remediation of hazardous waste. Discusses various contexts in which environmental law arises in practice, including administrative processes, compliance counseling, litigation, and business transactions.

LAW 8420 National Security Law (3)

Studies national security law from a United States perspective. Analyzes the constitutional structure governing national security matters and the role played by the three branches of government (with special emphasis on presidential power). Also examines governmental surveillance, the investigation and prosecution of national security cases, and international law issues related to national security.

LAW 8430 Secured Transactions (3)

Examines the law of secured transactions in personal property, focusing principally on the creation, perfection, priority, and enforcement of security interests under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code.

LAW 8440 Education Law (2)

Examines the legal aspects of public, private, and home education outside the higher education context. Selected issues include: (1) the legal framework for public education; (2) First Amendment and other constitutional issues related to public schools; (3) federal statutory law related to public schools; (4) government regulation of private/parochial schools; and (5) parental rights concerning home education.

LAW 8450 Federal Courts (3)

Studies the structure and powers of the federal courts in the United States. Focuses on analyzing the constitutional and legislative foundations of federal judicial power and on examining the practice and procedure in the federal court system.

LAW 8460 Election Law (3)

Examines the body of law regulating the conduct of elections and the financing of campaigns. Topics covered include: the right to vote; one person/one vote; legislative districting; partisan gerrymandering; minority vote dilution; the constitutional rights of political parties; access to the ballot, and campaign finance regulation.

LAW 8470 North Carolina State Constitutional Law (2)

Examines North Carolina’s unique constitutional history and principles, comparing the text and structure of the North Carolina Constitution to the United States Constitution.

LAW 8480 State & Local Government (3)

Studies the nature, constitution, powers, and liabilities of local governments, and the interrelationships between municipal, county, and state governments. Emphasis will be placed on how local governments are legally constructed by state constitutions and the extent to which they are subject to state control. Specific topics may include public finance, local economic development, and the state and local provision of services and employment.

LAW 8500 Community Law Clinic (3) 

Provides opportunity for students, under faculty supervision, to represent persons of limited means in civil and administrative matters in High Point and surrounding communities. Through their client representation, students will develop essential lawyering skills in a community-based learning environment. Additionally, students will participate in a classroom component where they learn practical advocacy skills and ethical obligations of attorneys and gain a better understanding of what it means to be a lawyer. Satisfies experiential learning requirement. 

LAW 8510 Veterans Law Clinic (3) 

Provides opportunity for students, under faculty supervision, to represent veterans who cannot afford legal counsel and are pursuing appeals for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation benefits. Students will gain hands-on experience in the VA appellate process and will develop essential legal advocacy skills, which will translate to areas of legal practice beyond veterans law. Satisfies experiential learning requirement. 

LAW 8520 Appellate Advocacy Clinic (3) 

Immerses students in an appellate advocacy experience through researching, drafting, and submitting an amicus brief on a constitutional law-related topic to the Supreme Court of the United States, a federal Court of Appeals, or a State Supreme Court, with a focus on developing and honing the students’ analytical, legal writing, legal research, and advocacy skills. Prerequisites: LAW 8310 First Amendment Religion is recommended but not required. Satisfies experiential learning requirement or upper-level rigorous writing requirement but not both (students can select which requirement course will be used to satisfy). 

LAW 8530 Moot Court (1)*

Builds on Legal Research & Writing I and II by providing students an opportunity to gain additional experience in legal research, brief writing, and oral argument. Teams of students first research and write an appellate brief based on a problem set forth in an interscholastic moot court competition. Students then develop and prepare oral arguments for presentation in the competition. Satisfies experiential learning requirement. Prerequisite: Membership on an interscholastic moot court team. Graded pass/low pass/no pass.

LAW 8540 Veterans Law Clinic II (3)

Serves as a continuation of Veterans Law Clinic. Under faculty supervision, students will continue to represent veterans who cannot afford legal counsel in matters involving Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation benefits, with a deeper and more focused engagement in the substantive and procedural aspects of veterans benefits law. Students will assume increased responsibility for case strategy, legal research, evidence development, and written and oral advocacy before the VA. Satisfies experiential learning requirement. Prerequisite: LAW 8510 Veterans Law Clinic.

LAW 8550 Legal Externship (1-6)*

Enables students to experience the practice of law and develop professional skills by working off campus under the direct supervision of one or more attorneys in an approved field placement. Students receive one credit for every 50 hours of work at the field placement. Course may also include a classroom component and may be repeated for academic credit, up to a total of five credit hours. Satisfies experiential learning requirement. Graded pass/low pass/no pass.

LAW 8600 2L Law Review (2)* (for Spring 2026 only)

Engages the law review’s 2L staff members in writing a scholarly note or comment of publishable quality, with a minimum length of 10,000 words. Graded pass/low pass/no pass.

LAW 8610 2L Law Review (1)* (starting in Fall 2026)

Engages the law review’s 2L staff members in editorial aspects of publishing the law review, as set forth in the law review’s bylaws. Students will learn about scholarly legal writing and will participate in various aspects of the publication of a student-edited journal. Staff members will have primary responsibility for cite-checking the articles, notes, and comments selected for publication. In addition, each staff member will write a note or comment. The note or comment must be at least 10,000 words long and of publishable quality. Graded Pass/Low Pass/No Pass.

LAW 8620 3L Law Review (1-2)*

Engages the law review’s 3L students in editorial aspects of publishing the law review, as set forth in the law review’s bylaws. Students will learn about scholarly legal writing and will participate in all aspects of the publication of a student-edited journal. Graded Pass/Low Pass/No Pass.

LAW 8630 Academic Legal Scholarship (1)*

Engages 3L students who have previously written a note or comment for a law school journal in expanding, under faculty supervision, that note or comment into a publishable work of legal scholarship of at least 15,000 words. Before registering for the course, a student must secure a supervising faculty member and identify the student’s topic. Satisfies the upper-level rigorous writing requirement. Satisfies the upper-level rigorous writing requirement. Graded Pass/Low Pass/No Pass.

LAW 8900 Independent Study (1-2)*

Enables students to engage in research and written examination of legal topics with limited faculty guidance. Before registering for the course, a student must secure a supervising faculty member and identify the student’s topic. Students will obtain one credit for writing a 15-page paper (double-spaced, exclusive of endnotes, appendices, etc.) or two credits for writing a 30-page paper (double-spaced, exclusive of endnotes, appendices, etc.). Satisfies upper-level rigorous writing requirement. Additional course guidelines are published in the law school’s Student Handbook.

LAW 9100 Law Practice Management (2)

Explores the competencies needed to manage a private law practice. Topics include: client intake and relations; marketing legal services; acquiring and maintaining good support personnel; internal law office operations and management; setting, charging, and collecting fees; time keeping and billing; managing trust accounts; law office software and technology; maintaining well-being; and ethical issues and risk management (avoiding malpractice claims).

LAW 9110 Securities Regulation (3)

Studies federal legislation and regulations governing the issuance and trading of corporate stock and other securities, with a particular focus on the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  Also examines the Securities and Exchange Commission’s responsibilities and powers in regulating securities. Prerequisite:  Business Associations.

LAW 9120 Bankruptcy (3)

Surveys federal bankruptcy law under Title 11 of the U.S. Code, including consumer bankruptcy and corporate reorganization. The course provides an overview of the bankruptcy process and federal bankruptcy jurisdiction and explores specific concepts such as automatic stays, types and priority of claims, executory contracts, avoiding powers, and estate management. Prior or contemporaneous enrollment in Secured Transactions is recommended.

LAW 9510 Applied Legal Concepts (2)

Reviews principles from torts, contracts, criminal law, and criminal procedure that are tested on the MBE portion of the bar exam. This course develops strategies for applying these concepts effectively, focusing on multiple choice questions. This course is not designed to replace any commercial bar examination preparation course; however, the course is structured to supplement commercial preparation courses and provide a proactive approach to overall bar examination preparation. Graded Pass/Low Pass/No Pass.

Develops students’ understanding and appreciation of the character traits and skills of effective lawyer-leaders. The course explores the meaning of effective leadership and the role of lawyer-leaders in the legal profession and society. The course also provides students with practical exercises designed to enhance their self-understanding and their leadership traits and skills. Must be taken in students’ third (3L) year. Graded Pass/Low Pass/No Pass. 

LAW 9300 Appellate Clerkship Seminar (2)

Prepares students for appellate judicial clerkships. The course explores the purpose and function of an appellate law clerk, the nature and structure of the judiciary, and how to perform clerkship responsibilities successfully. Topics of discussion include judicial ethics, chambers confidentiality, courtroom decorum, professionalism, judicial drafting, and other issues that law clerks commonly encounter.

LAW 9500 Bar Readiness Workshop (2) 

Develops students’ analytical and writing skills and reinforces their understanding of foundational substantive legal principles in preparation for the bar examination. Must be taken in students’ third (3L) year.