Law Practice Management
No boss, no timecard to punch, and unlimited income potential. Sounds amazing, right?
Starting your own law practice can be the ticket to these rewards and many more, but
it also means hard work, calculated risks, and a steep learning curve. This course
is designed to help flatten the learning curve by covering issues commonly encountered
when starting and building a new firm. Students will embark on a practice-oriented
survey of topics such as: selecting a practice area; choosing a business structure;
setting fees; establishing credibility in the space; acquiring clients; hiring and
managing employees; and charting a path from startup to success. Students will design
a business plan for their own startup firm and have the opportunity to receive one-on-one
feedback from the instructor. This course counts toward the experiential course requirement.
Financial Literacy for Lawyers
This course aims to help students maximize the financial return on their law degree
and better understand their clients’ financial interests by examining the U.S. financial
system from both a legal and a business perspective. Students will learn the fundamentals
of the financial regulatory structure, applicable laws, and how wealth is built and
protected. Topics covered include: the regulatory framework of the U.S. financial
system; depository products; equity and debt investments; digital currencies and NFT’s;
common vehicles for investment (retirement plans, brokerage accounts, 529 plans, etc.);
lending; venture capitalism and debt; and asset protection strategies. The instructor’s
goal is for students to leave law school not only “practice ready,” but life-ready.
Legal Landscape of Small Business
Entrepreneurs encounter a wide variety of legal issues while starting and growing
a small business. This course is designed to survey the most common of these issues
and evaluate them from two, sometimes vastly different, perspectives: The Attorney,
and The Business Owner. Students will learn to spot and assess potential liabilities
in small business operations, including those that may arise in the context of contracts,
disability law, employment law, leasing, intellectual property, and taxation. Upon
the conclusion of the course, students will be prepared for a more in-depth analysis
of select topics of their choice as electives.
Client Development and Marketing (Formerly Entrepreneurship and the Law)
Today’s law firms demand more than legal proficiency; they are all looking for rainmakers
who can generate a significant amount of business for the firm. Rainmakers aren’t
made by accident, but rather through effective client development and marketing. This
class will cover the critical intangibles like client trust, perceived expertise,
and business acumen–all learnable qualities that make lawyers more marketable and
less expendable. Students will review real case studies of how lawyers built their
practices from nothing into seven or even eight-figure books of business. Students
will also embark on an advanced analysis of pertinent ethics rules in areas like attorney
marketing and interactions with clients.
Disability Law
This course will examine state and federal laws governing access, employment, education,
and transportation for people with disabilities. Students will review litigation that
has and may come from the disability rights movement, with an eye toward effective
representation of disabled individuals and businesses alike.