LAWS 6822 In-House Practice and Advising the Corporate Client

This practice-oriented course will provide a real-world perspective on in-house practice and the unique issues faced when advising management and the boards of directors of corporations. The course is intended for students who want to understand what is involved in an in-house" practice as well as those who want to advise companies and their boards of directors, as outside counsel. The course will draw up learnings from traditional law school classes (e.g., Contracts, Corporations, Securities, etc.), and apply them in a practical business environment, in which a broad number of competing, non-legal issues are considered. The course is intended to provide an understanding of the practical skills needed and issues faced by in-house lawyers, as well as those who advise corporations as outside counsel. The course will start with an overview of in-house practice and the elements that differentiate it from other practice areas. It will then provide a more in-depth focus and discussion of various topics and issues often faced by in-house counsel in todays business world. The course will utilize various reading materials and case studies, as background for in-class discussion of the various topics. To create a true understanding of in-house practice, students will be asked to draft various memorandum and engage in in-class simulations, with a focus on effective analysis and communications skills.