Fall 2013 Course Descriptions

Approaches psychology as a problem solving tool that can facilitate legal analysis. Covers a variety of areas including jury decision-making, research methodology, social cognition, culture, and behavioral economics, among others. (Once a year)

This course is an interdisciplinary seminar that explores the pedagogy and theory of teaching law well.  Students use the assignments in Legal Practice I and Legal Practice II, respectively, and additional readings to discover and deliver a range of techniques for teaching writing, using writing to teach, and citing authority appropriately.  Professor permission required.

This workshop provides a framework for considering client centered counseling and for the development of professionalism, client interviewing, client counseling, problem analysis, and negotiation skills.  Each class includes individual or small group exercises in addition to discussion and lecture.  Students complete at least one recorded client counseling session.

An honors program for students who prepare for and compete in national advocacy. Travel/Registration Fees required. (B) Black Law Students Association; (C) Client Counseling; (D) Hispanic Bar Association; (E) Environmental Law; (H) Native American; (J) Jessup International; (K) International Environmental Law; (M) Intellectual Property; (N) Labor; (O) Other. Repeatable one time. CR/NC only. Pre: selection by competition.

This course provides students with a direct experience of working on cases in the context of Native Hawaiian rights and issues. Each semester, the clinic focuses on one or two major cases involving issues such as traditional and customary rights, the public lands trust, the Hawaiian Home Lands trust, and water rights. Students will aid attorneys in identifying and researching significant issues, gathering evidence, interviewing clients, and drafting pleadings.

This course is intended for students who wish to: (1) increase their knowledge of the substantive rules of one or more Pacific Island jurisdictions and (2) study the development of legal systems to broaden their understanding of the basic requirements and general characteristics of legal systems. The course will also consider the relationship between the Pacific Island legal systems and custom and tradition, and will explore the various ways that Pacific jurisdictions have, or have not, been successful in reflecting the values of the people in the substantive and procedural law of the jurisdictions.

This class teaches litigation skills through the prosecution of real, minor criminal cases and the simulation of a major civil trial. After about three weeks of classroom discussions and simulations, students prosecute real traffic and misdemeanor cases for the Prosecuting Attorney's Office. The classroom component meets throughout the semester and is designed to meet the needs of students interested in both civil and criminal litigation.  Courtroom work is supervised by Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys.  Simulated cases are critiqued by the faculty and practicing lawyers. The course can be taken as a 2, 3 or 4 credit class. The 2 and 3-credit options have fewer court appearances and class meetings, and does not include the mock civil trial which uses expert witnesses.  Co-requisite: Evidence (LAW 543).

This course is about getting paid. Lenders may reduce the risk of non-payment by obtaining an interest in the borrowers’ property as collateral to secure repayment. The course introduces students to the Uniform Commercial Code and examines the creation, perfection, priority, and enforcement of security interests in personal property under UCC Article 9.

Topics-Native Hawaiian Law (V) Specific topic areas will be the subject of focus from year to year, depending upon current developments and issues in Native Hawaiian and Indigenous law in Hawai'i, the nation, and internationally, and expertise of faculty and visiting faculty. (B) policy and governance; (C) business and economic development; (D) law and culture; (E) Indigenous peoples, (F) Indigenous environment and sustainability. Repeatable up to 9 credits. LAW students only. Pre: 581.

With the assistance of members of the Hawai‘i trial bar, students examine sequential stages of pre-trial and trial practice in a problem setting. Topics include investigation, pleadings, motions, discovery, voir dire examination, opening statements, direct and cross examination, closing argument, selected evidentiary problems, post-trial motions, and appellate practice. Students engage in simulated exercises and their work is critiqued. The course is graded on a credit/no credit basis. Pre: Evidence (LAW 543).