The third year curriculum will provide additional required courses in critical subject areas mixed with practicum courses in a wide array of subjects. In addition, the course covers the principles by which one party may act as agent for another and of business organizations including partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and other unincorporated business forms. The course also reviews relations between the federal government and the states. The course evaluates the restrictions on private action mandated or permitted by these constitutional provisions, and it reviews additional restrictions on governmental action in the contracts clause and the takings clause. Particular emphasis is given to Fourth Amendment issues.
Students study the Uniform Arbitration Act, the Federal Arbitration Act, and offers of judgment.
Some initial developmental exercises may be included to begin to explore and develop the skills necessary to a conflict resolution approach to legal problems, rather than the adversarial approach. In addition, the course covers a study of the formation and management of trusts, including the rights and responsibilities of settlors, rights and responsibilities of trustees, rights and responsibilities of beneficiaries, the doctrine of cy pres, and the concept of fiduciary duty. Topics covered include relevancy, the hearsay rule and its exceptions, examination, cross-examination, impeachment of witnesses, witness competency, opinion and scientific evidence, admissibility of writings, judicial notice, and burdens of proof and presumptions. Each student is assigned to a full-time faculty coordinator and the faculty coordinators conduct an orientation and a debriefing session before and after the externships. The course introduces the student to the structure of the judicial system and the thought processes used in it.