Fall 2026 First Assignments

(Updated: Tue., August 18, 2026 3:27 PM)

Administrative Law ( - 532) - Ohanesian, N.

Books: Title: Administrative Law: Cases and Materials
Author: Charles H. Koch, Richard W. Murphy, William Jordan, Louis J. Virelli
ISBN: 9781531016814
Publisher: Carolina Academic Press
Edition: 8th
Copyright/Published Date: 2020-01-03
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Other Materials: The 2023 Supplement should be included also.

Assignment: Read pages 3-33 from the Koch textbook, review syllabi

Details:

Administrative Law: Food Safety and Labeling ( - 810K) - Larsen, Z.

Books: Title: Food Regulation: Law, Science, Policy, and Practice
Author: Neal D. Fortin
ISBN: 9781119764298
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Edition: 3rd
Copyright/Published Date: 2022-03-28
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: This textbook is available electronically through the library at this link, https://catalog.lib.msu.edu/Record/hlm.ebs100723036e

Title: Principles of Administrative Law
Author: Keith Werhan
ISBN: 9781640201811
Publisher: West Academic Publishing
Edition: 3rd
Copyright/Published Date: 2019
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: eText ISBN:9781642426564 Link to free online book: https://catalog.lib.msu.edu/Record/hlm.ebs19347509e

Assignment: See D2L page

Details:

Advanced Legal Research ( - 586) - Innes, T.

Books: Title: Principles of Legal Research
Author: Olson, Kent C. / Kirschenfeld, Aaron S.
ISBN: 9798887863719
Publisher: West Academic
Edition: 4th
Copyright/Published Date: June 16, 2025
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Other Materials: The book is available for free electronically through the West Academic website https://subscription-westacademic-com.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/ (to access it from off campus, you will be prompted for your MSU net ID & password). You may also purchase a print copy of the book, and multiple copies are available for checkout from the Law Library reserve collection.

Comments: link to book: https://subscription-westacademic-com.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/Book/Detail?id=28956&q=Principles%20of%20Legal%20Research%20(Kent%20C.%C2%A0Olson%2C%204th%20edition%2C%202025)&goBackUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fsubscription-westacademic-com.proxy1.cl.msu.edu%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DPrinciples%2Bof%2BLegal%2BResearch%2B(Kent%2BC.%C2%A0Olson%252C%2B4th%2Bedition%252C%2B2025)

Assignment: Textbook readings: Olson, Chapter 1

Details:

Advanced Persuasive Techniques ( - 600K) - Eskridge, S.

Books: Title: Point Made: How to Write Like the Nation's Top Advocates
Author: Ross Guberman
ISBN: 9780199943852
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Edition: second
Copyright/Published Date: 2014-04
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment:

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Advanced Topics in Indian Law: Native American Natural Resources Law ( - 635A) - Singel, W.

Books: Book 1:
Title: Native American Natural Resources Law: Cases and Materials
Author: Judith V. Royster, Michael C. Blumm, Elizabeth A. Kronk Warner, Monte Mills
ISBN: 9781531024635
Publisher: Carolina Academic Press (CAP)
Edition: 5th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2023
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Other Materials:
Other Materials: FREE 2025 Supplement for the 5th edition: https://cap-press.com/pdf/RoysterNANRL5e2025SuppWM.pdf
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

Assignment:

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Animal and Natural Resources Law Review ( - 629C) - Vega, A.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment:

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Animal Health, World Trade, and Food Safety ( - 810E) - Haskell, S.

Books: Title: The Communication Scarcity in Agriculture
Author: Jessica Eise, Whitney Hodde
ISBN: 9781138650619
Publisher: Routledge
Edition: 1st
Copyright/Published Date: 2017
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Here is a link to the MSU Library's online copy: https://catalog.lib.msu.edu/Record/folio.in00006884200

Other Materials: ‘The Economics of Animal Health- Scientific and Technical Review’ Vol. 43 (1) (2024) Jonathan Rushton, ed., WOAH Publications https://www.woah.org/en/what-we-do/publications/scientific-and-technical-review/
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No
Comments: Purchasing the publication is not required as it is available online through the WOAH online.

Assignment: Module 1
August 31, 2026 Law School students
Getting Started in a Web Course
Overview of course
Discussion Topic: Introduce yourself to your classmates.
Introductory reading and assignment- Law School

- Pick one of the following topics and read/review the materials. Once completed, write a 500+ word review of your thoughts on these topics and how they would impact global trade.

Reading:

Review: The Food Safety Modernization Act: https://www.fda.gov/food/guidance-regulation-food-and-dietary-supplements/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma

Review: Federal Meat Inspection Act https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/food-safety-acts/federal-meat-inspection-act

Review: Introduction and historical review of meat inspection https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK235649/

Review: Milk Guidance Documents and Regulatory Information https://www.fda.gov/food/guidance-documents-regulatory-information-topic-food-and-dietary-supplements/milk-guidance-documents-regulatory-information

Review: Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) https://www.fda.gov/media/140394/download

Review: European Food Safety Authority: Meat Inspection https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/meat-inspection

Review: The EU Protein Plan: https://fefac.eu/priorities/markets-trade/eu-protein-plan/

Review: Canadian Cannabis Regulations in Food https://www.foodsafety.ca/blog/what-you-need-know-about-edible-cannabis-regulations

Review: Canada: Proposed guidelines for simulated meat and simulated poultry products

https://inspection.canada.ca/about-cfia/transparency/consultations-and-engagement/proposed-changes/proposed-guidelines/eng/1603133676944/1603133677429

Details:

Animal Law ( - 565A) - Vega, A.

Books: Title: Animal Law: Welfare Interests and Rights
Author: David S. Favre
ISBN: 9781543810653
Publisher: Aspen/Wolters Kluwer
Edition: Third edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2019
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment:

Details:

Antitrust Law ( - 504) - Chen, J.

Books: Title: Antitrust Analysis: Problems, Text, and Cases
Author: Phillip E. Areeda, Louis Kaplow, Aaron S. Edlin, C. Scott Hemphill
ISBN: 9781543804393
Publisher: Wolters Kluwer
Edition: 8th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2021-09-15
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment:

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Appellate Competition ( - 627Q) - Copland, J.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment:

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Arbitration Competition ( - 627P) - Bedikian, M.

Books: No book required.

Faculty will provide you, however, with a book or two that they would recommend for students. One explains the arbitration process (nutshell), and the other focuses on cross-examination skills.

Assignment:

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Artificial Intelligence: Legal Research and Writing ( - 586B) - Thompson, D.

Books: None Required at this time

Assignment:

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Bankruptcy ( - 506A) - Bullock, C.

Books: Title: The Law of Debtors and Creditors: Text, Cases, and Problems
Author: Elizabeth Warren, Jay Lawrence Westbrook, Katherine Porter, John A. E. Pottow
ISBN: 9781454893516
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: 8th Edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2021/2020
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment:

Details:

Basic Will Drafting ( - 540A) - Behan, M.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment:

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Business Enterprises ( - 500M) - Fort, C.

Books: Title: Commentaries and Cases on the Law of Business Organization: [Connected EBook with Study Center]
Author: William T. Allen, Reinier Kraakman, Vikramaditya S. Khanna
ISBN: 9798889065944
Publisher: Aspen Publishers
Edition: 7th
Copyright/Published Date: 2025-11-06
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment:

Details:

Business Enterprises ( - 500M) - Douglas, K.

Books: Title: Business Associations, Cases and Materials on agency, Partnerships. LLCs, and Corporations
Author: Stephen M. Bainbridge
ISBN: 9781685614324
Publisher: West
Edition: 12th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2025
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: Due Sunday, August 30, 2026 (the day BEFORE our FIRST Class).

Watch the movie The Founder (2016) and imagine that you are an attorney representing either (a) Ray Kroc or (b) the brothers, Dick and Mac McDonald. Answer the following two questions. Each response must be 100 words or less. Do not use AI or other external aids to complete this assignment.

DO NOT SEND ANY RESPONSES BY EMAIL. Make all submissions through D2L. The course D2L page will be available by this Friday, August 21, 2026.

Question 1
How would you have helped your client(s) resolve or preempt the conflicts over changes in business strategy and business structure that began with powdered milkshakes and culminated in the Franchise Realty Corporation? Answer the question using only what you learned in law school.

Question 2
As expressed from your client’s perspective in the movie, what was wrong with Ray Kroc leasing land to franchisees through the Franchise Realty Corporation? What may your client have been mistaken about regarding the legal problems with the leasing arrangement? What information would you need to know for sure? Answer the question using only what you learned in law school.

The Founder (2016) - IMDB

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Chance at Childhood Clinic I ( - 631F) - Kozakiewicz, J.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: None

Details:

Chance at Childhood Clinic II ( - 631G) - Kozakiewicz, J.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: None

Details:

Civil Procedure ( - 530A) - Pucillo, P.

Books: Title: Civil Procedure: A Modern Approach
Author: Richard L. Marcus
ISBN: 9781640201859
Publisher: West Academic Publishing
Edition: 7th
Copyright/Published Date: June 9, 2018
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Professor is requiring the 7th, not the 8th, edition

Assignment: In preparation for our first class (on Monday, August 31), please:

(1) review the course syllabus (which is posted to our D2L page);

and

(2) review the provisions of law listed below:

• U.S. Constitution, Art. III, §§ 1, 2
• 28 U.S.C. § 1331
• 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a)
• Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 1, 3, 12(b), and 85

Edited versions of those provisions can be accessed via our D2L page.

For our second class (on Wednesday, September 2), please review:

(1) 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a) and (c)(1);

and

(2) the material on pp. 865-872 (up to n. 5 on p. 872) of Richard L. Marcus, et al., CIVIL PROCEDURE: A MODERN APPROACH (7th ed., West Academic 2018) (ISBN: 978-1640201859) (“MRSP”), which will be our casebook for the semester;

And for our third class (on Friday, September 4), please review the following opinions of the U.S. Supreme Court (which are posted to our D2L page):

• Americold Realty Trust v. ConAgra Foods, Inc.

• Hertz Corp. v. Friend

Details:

Civil Procedure ( - 530A) - Staszewski, G.

Books: Books: Book 1:

Title: Federal Rules of Civil Procedure with Selected Statutes, Cases, and Other Materials
Author: Stephen C. Yeazell, Joanna C. Schwartz, and Maureen Carroll
ISBN: 9798894107424
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: 2026
Copyright/Published Date: 2026
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Book 2:
Title: Civil Procedure
Author: Stephen C. Yeazell, Joanna C. Schwartz, and Maureen Carroll
ISBN: 9798894102504
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: Twelfth Edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2026
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Book 3:
Title: Examples & Explanations for Civil Procedure
Author: Joseph W. Glannon
ISBN: 9781543839333
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Copyright/Published Date: 2023-02-27
Required Material: No
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: Yes
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: For our first class session on Monday, August 31, please read pages 1-26 and 277-79 of the casebook. In addition, please read U.S. Const. Art. III (Rulebook pp. 204-05), 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331-1332(a)-(c) & 1391 (Rulebook pp. 253-54, 266-68), and Fed.R.Civ.P. 1, 8, 11-12 (Rulebook pp. 13-14, 35-37, 39-45).

Details:

Civil Procedure ( - 530A) - Greene, L.

Books: Book 1:
Title: CIVIL PROCEDURE: Cases, Problems, and Exercises
Author: John T. Cross, Leslie W. Abramson, and Ellen E. Deason
ISBN: 9798887861517
Publisher: West Academic
Edition: 5th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2024
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Alternatively, students can purchase the ebook version: John T. Cross, Leslie W. Abramson, Ellen E. Deason Civil Procedure: Cases, Problems, and Exercises, 5th Edition by Cross, Abramson, and Deason (West Academic Publishing 2024) ISBN-13 9798887861654

Book 2:
Title: Civil Procedure: Cases, Problems, and Exercises, 2026 Supplement
Author: John T. Cross and Leslie W. Abramson
ISBN: 9798887862637
Publisher: West
Edition: 5th edition, 2026 Supplement
Copyright/Published Date: 07/07/2026
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Alternatively, students can purchase the ebook version: Cross and Abramson's Civil Procedure: Cases, Problems, and Exercises, 5th, 2026 Supplement (West Academic Publishing 2026) ISBN 9798317711290

Assignment: Getting to Know You
Answer questions on D2L
Submission deadline: noon, August 27, 2026

Go to the D2L course page (https://d2l.msu.edu/d2l/home/2533742).
Scroll down the page and go to Content Browser.
Click on Pre-Class Discussions Questions.
Click on September 1, 2026.
Answer the 11 questions (or as many as you like). Instructions are below.

Please post your responses to the following questions by replying to the D2L discussion. You will see your classmates' postings when you post yours. If you do not wish to respond to a particular question, that is your prerogative.

Respond to all these questions by starting a thread* (try to place all your answers in your one thread):

1. What is your name? Do you have a preferred Nickname? Pronoun?
2. Where did you grow up?
3. Where did you attend college, what was your major, and what was your favorite extracurricular activity?
4. When and why did you decide to go to law school?
5. What do you hope to do immediately after you graduate from law school?
6. Have you had any civil or criminal legal experience?
7. Do you plan to specialize in a particular type of law? If so, what area of law?
8. Do you want to work in the public sector, private sector, or both?
9. What is the most important thing that you would like to take away from this class?
10. Do you have in mind a dream job?
11. Who is your favorite musician/singer/group?

*Directions on starting a thread:

Click on Start a New Thread button
In the subject box, give your response a title ("Answers", or something similar)
List your answers to all questions in the text box.
Click on the Post button

Details:

Civil Procedure ( - 530A) - Savarese, L.

Books: Title: Civil Procedure: Cases and Problems [Connected EBook with Study Center]
Author: Barbara Allen Babcock, Toni M. Massaro, Norman W. Spaulding, Myriam E. Gilles
ISBN: 9798892074063
Publisher: Aspen Publishers
Edition: 8th
Copyright/Published Date: 2025
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: The first assignment is to read: Casebook pp. 1-16; Rules 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure; and the course syllabus. I'll also ask the students please to complete a short introductory survey at a link provided on D2L.

In case you don't have your casebook yet, view a scan of the first two casebook reading assignments (PDF).

Details:

Civil Procedure ( - 530A) - Thronson, D.

Books: Title: Federal Rules of Civil Procedure; 2026 Edition: With Statutory Supplement
Author: Michigan Legal Publishing Ltd.
ISBN: 9781640021631
Publisher: Michigan Legal Publishing Ltd.
Edition: 2026 Edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2025-11
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Title: Civil Procedure, a Contemporary Approach
Author: A. Spencer
ISBN: 9798887865430
Publisher: West Academic Publishing
Edition: 7th
Copyright/Published Date: 2025-07-24
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: Check out D2L for first assignment

Details:

Civil Procedure ( - 530A) - Staszewski, G.

Books: Book 1:

Title: Federal Rules of Civil Procedure with Selected Statutes, Cases, and Other Materials
Author: Stephen C. Yeazell, Joanna C. Schwartz, and Maureen Carroll
ISBN: 9798894107424
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: 2026
Copyright/Published Date: 2026
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Book 2:
Title: Civil Procedure
Author: Stephen C. Yeazell, Joanna C. Schwartz, and Maureen Carroll
ISBN: 9798894102504
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: Twelfth Edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2026
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Book 3:
Title: Examples & Explanations for Civil Procedure
Author: Joseph W. Glannon
ISBN: 9781543839333
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Copyright/Published Date: 2023-02-27
Required Material: No
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: Yes
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: For our first class session on Monday, August 31, please read pages 1-26 and 277-79 of the casebook. In addition, please read U.S. Const. Art. III (Rulebook pp. 204-05), 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331-1332(a)-(c) & 1391 (Rulebook pp. 253-54, 266-68), and Fed.R.Civ.P. 1, 8, 11-12 (Rulebook pp. 13-14, 35-37, 39-45).

Details:

Client Counseling and Interviewing ( - 591A) - Wier, R.

Books: Title: Pretrial Litigation in a Nutshell
Author: R. Lawrence Dessem
ISBN: 9781684677443
Publisher: West Academic Publishing
Edition: 7th
Copyright/Published Date: 2019-12-20
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: Class #1: Structure and Preliminary Investigation (09/03/26)
o Reading Assignment: Pages 1-62
o Lecture:
Introductions
Court Introduction
Client File
Pre-filing Factual Development
Contacting Witnesses
Internet
Investigators
Freedom of Information Act
Red Flags for Potential Clients

Details:

Commercial Arbitration ( - 505A) - Bedikian, M.

Books: Title: Experiencing Arbitration
Author: MICHAEL D.. SOURGENS NOLAN (FREDERIC G.), Frederic G. Sourgens
ISBN: 9781640208469
Publisher: West Academic Publishing
Edition: First Edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2019-06-10
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: CLASS 1 – SEPTEMBER 1, 2026

Readings

NOLAN AND SOURGENS: Pgs. 1-28

Make sure you read the Factual Scenario and Associated Readings along with all the Notes and Questions for each assignment. The Notes and Questions will be the primary source of class discussions.

Topics for Class Discussion

§ Chapter 1 – Introduction to Arbitration

Part I – The Arbitration Clause

§ Chapter 2 – Development of the Law Governing Arbitration Clauses

Þ Bernhardt v. Polygraphic Co. of America

Þ Prima Paint Corp. v. Flood & Conklin Mfg. Co.

Details:

Constitutional Law II ( - 500N) - Uddin, A.

Books: Title: Constitutional Law
Author: FELDMAN NOAH R., Noah Feldman, Kathleen Sullivan
ISBN: 9798892093460
Publisher: Foundation Press
Copyright/Published Date: 2025-08-08
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Other Materials: Textbook update memo will be added to D2L

Assignment: 1 Tues 9/1 Introduction and
Constitutional Rights
Text: pp. lxvii-lxxiii, pp.473-480

Details:

Contract Drafting ( - 594A) - Hansmann, L.

Books: Title: Drafting Contracts: How and Why Lawyers Do What They Do
Author: Tina L. Stark
ISBN: 9780735594777
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: Second Edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2014
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Professor is requiring the second, not the current edition.

Assignment: Reading Assignment:
Chapter 1 – A Few Words.
Chapter 2 – The Building Blocks of Contracts.
Chapter 3 – Translating the Business Deal – Part 1.
Chapter 4 – Translating the Business Deal – Part 2.
Chapter 5 – A Contract’s Parts.

Drafting Assignment Due:
Exercise 5-2.

Details:

Contract Drafting ( - 594A) - Bone, D.

Books: Title: Drafting Contracts: How and Why Lawyers Do What They Do
Author: Tina L. Stark
ISBN: 9780735594777
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: Second Edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2014
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Professor is requiring the 2nd edition, not the 3rd.

Assignment: Class 1 – September 1, 2026

Introduction to Contract Drafting. Our first class serves as an overview of the contract drafting process for young attorneys. We focus on foundational skills and considerations to implement when drafting for clients.

Reading Assignment

Review Syllabus – No other reading

Practical Application (In Class)

Discussion on Pre-Drafting Questions
Review of Basic Contract Clauses
New Associate Memorandum

Homework (Ungraded/Participation)

Operating Agreement Review and Revision

Details:

Contracts ( - 530B) - Barnhizer, D.

Books: Book:
Title: CONTRACTS: CASES AND THEORY OF CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION
Author: Bishop, Barnhizer, and Mocsary
ISBN: 9798895451922
Publisher: West Academic Publishing (American Casebook Series)
Edition: 4th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 06/26/2026
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Other Materials:
Subscription to StudyBuddyPro for 3 months-September, October, and November- (instructions and subscription link will be made available after the course begins. DO NOT SIGN UP at this time. You can find a description of StudyBuddyPro here: https://studybuddypro.com/)
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

Assignment: UPDATED AUGUST 3, 2026
9/1 175-180; 190-222 (skip King)
9/3 222-251

Details:

Contracts ( - 530B) - Wilks, S.

Books: Title: Bundle: Cases, Problems, and Materials on Contracts, Ninth Edition and Comprehensive Commercial Law: 2026 Statutory Supplement
Author: Douglas J. Whaley, David Horton, Ronald J. Mann, Elizabeth Warren, Jay Lawrence Westbrook
ISBN: 9798899648427
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: Ninth edition
Copyright/Published Date: 08-14-2026
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Go to https://aspenpublishing.com/products/bundle-cases-problems-and-materials-on-contracts-ninth-edition-and-comprehensive-commercial-law-2026-statutory-supplement?variant=51849702179096.
Bundle: Print + eBook - This bundle includes both print and digital versions of ISBN 9781543838978 and a digital-only version of supplement ISBN 9798899639883.

Assignment:

Details:

Contracts ( - 530B) - Yeargain, Q.

Books: Other Materials: Professor will be providing all materials on D2L.
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

Assignment: The D2L page will be active on Monday, August 17.
By our first class on August 31, please read pages 1–18 and complete the Introductory Survey (located on D2L and in an email sent by your professor).
Class 2 September 2 Consideration pp. 18–34

Details:

Copyright Law ( - 533B) - Pager, S.

Books: UPDATED: JULY 28, 2026
Title: Copyright Law: Cases and Materials
Author: Jeanne C. Fromer & Christopher Jon Sprigman
ISBN: 9798188550936
Publisher: Independently published
Edition: 8.0
Binding: Paperback
Copyright/Published Date: July 22, 2026
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Students can purchase a print version here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H9ZQQH5T. Alternatively, you can also download it for FREE. Copyright Law: Cases and Materials is a copyright textbook offered for free download from this website https://www.copyrightbook.org/ (under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license).

Assignment: Fromer & Sprigman, Copyright Law: Cases & Materials, v. 8.0 (2026)
Introduction to Copyright Theory
pp. 1-17

Details:

Criminal Procedure: Adjudication ( - 616C) - O'Brien, B.

Books: Title: Criminal Procedure: Adjudication and Right to Counsel [Connected EBook with Study Center]
Author: Ronald Jay Allen, Joseph L. Hoffmann, Debra Ann Livingston, Andrew D. Leipold, Tracey L. Meares
ISBN: 9798889061854
Publisher: Aspen Publishers
Edition: 4th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2025
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: 3-9; 12-14 (Stuntz excerpt); 23-25; 42-49 from Allen et al, 4th ed.)

Details:

E-Discovery ( - 537D) - Yelton, J.

Books: Other Materials: All reading materials will be posted for the students on our D2L page
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

Assignment: Craig Ball’s Workbook: pp 9-26

Details:

Eminent Domain and Private Property Rights ( - 508P) - Ackerman, A., Ackerman, M.

Books: Title: Little Pink House: A True Story of Defiance and Courage
Author: Jeff Benedict
ISBN: 0446508624
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Edition: 1st
Copyright/Published Date: 2009-01-26
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Title: The Grasping Hand: "Kelo v. City of New London" and the Limits of Eminent Domain
Author: Ilya Somin
ISBN: 9780226422169
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Edition: 1st
Copyright/Published Date: 2016-11-29
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: Week 1 – September 2
Topics:
(1) Introductions
(2) Course overview and goals
(3) Class administration
(4) Assignment & grading
Readings:
(1) Optional: Jeff Benedict, LITTLE PINK HOUSE: A TRUE STORY OF
DEFIANCE AND COURAGE (2009) (there is also a very mediocre film
adaptation on Prime Video)

Details:

Evidence ( - 500P) - Pucillo, P.

Books: Title: Evidence
Author: George Fisher
ISBN: 9781609300609
Publisher: Foundation Press
Edition: 3rd edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2013
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Purchase the 3rd edition, not any newer edition

Assignment: In preparation for our first class (on Monday, August 31), please review:

(1) the course syllabus (posted to D2L);

(2) the material on pp. 1-6 (up to the section on “Tanner v. United States: Historical Prelude”) of George Fisher, EVIDENCE (3d ed., Foundation Press 2013) (ISBN: 9781609300609) (“Fisher”), which is our required book for the semester;

and

(3) Rules 611(c) and 103(a) of the Federal Rules of Evidence (FRE’s), along with the applicable Advisory Committee notes.

And for our second class (on Wednesday, September 2), please review:

(1) FRE’s 401 and 402, along with the applicable Advisory Committee notes;

and

(2) Fisher pp. 22-34

Details:

Evidence ( - 500P) - Abrams, Y.

Books: Title: Evidence
Author: George Fisher
ISBN: 9781640201606
Publisher: Foundation Press
Edition: 4th
Copyright/Published Date: 2022-12-14
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: Yes
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: You may use the 3rd edition

Assignment:

Details:

Family Law: Marriage & Divorce ( - 541E) - Buchhandler-Raphael, M.

Books: Title: Family Law: [Connected EBook with Study Center]
Author: Leslie Joan Harris, June R. Carbone, Rachel Rebouché
ISBN: 9781543838886
Publisher: Aspen Publishers
Edition: 7th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2023-03
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Students are NOT required to purchase the Connected ebook. They can purchase a used version.

Assignment: Required Text

The reading for this course will be from Harris, HARRIS, CARBONE, REBOUCHE, Family Law (7th ed., Aspen Press, 2022). Readings from the casebook are marked “CB.”

Reading for Class 1: Tuesday 9/1/2026: Introduction to Family Law: What is a “Family?” When Are Adult Partners a “Family?”

CB 3-16 (pay special attention to Braschi v. Stahl Associates Company and accompanying Notes & Questions 1-7, short excerpt from Obergefell v. Hodges and accompanying Notes & Questions 1-5. Stop at City of Ladue v. Horn.

Details:

Federal Law and Indian Tribes ( - 635B) - Singel, W.

Books: Title: Cases and Materials on Federal Indian Law
Author: David Getches, Charles Wilkinson, Robert Williams, Jr., Matthew Fletcher, Kristen Carpenter, Wenona Singel
ISBN: 9781647086329
Publisher: West Academic Publishing
Edition: 8th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2025-09-29
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment:

Details:

First Amendment: Free Speech, Press, and Association ( - 551G) - Uddin, A.

Books: Title: Feldman and Sullivan's First Amendment Law, 9th
Author: Noah Feldman, Kathleen Sullivan
ISBN: 9798317701024
Publisher: Foundation Press
Edition: 9th
Copyright/Published Date: 2025-11-12
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: September 1 - Class 1: Categories of Speech & Overview
Text: pp. 1–18
“Four Ways of Seeing Free Speech,” Architecture of Rights,
https://www.profuddin.com/p/64-four-ways-of-seeing-free-speech
“Between Markets and Ideas,” Architecture of Rights,
https://www.profuddin.com/p/between-markets-and-ideas

Details:

Food and Drug Law ( - 558B) - Carter-Johnson, J.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment:

Details:

Food Regulation in the European Union ( - 810B) - Holle, M.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: Multiple choice quiz in Module 2 of the course.

Details:

Food Regulation in the U.S. ( - 810A) - Fortin, N.

Books: Title: Food Regulation: Law, Science, Policy, and Practice
Author: Neal D. Fortin
ISBN: 9781394379682
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
Edition: 4th
Copyright/Published Date: 2026-04-28
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: First Assignment:

Visit and become familiar with D2L at https://d2l.msu.edu
Visit and become familiar with the course website on D2L
Read: module 1, syllabus, Preface, and Ch. 2

Details:

Foundations of Law ( - 530K) - Rosenbaum, D.

Books: Title: What Every Law Student Really Needs to Know: An Introduction to the Study of American Law
Author: Tracey E. George, Suzanna Sherry
ISBN: 9798894100012
Publisher: Aspen Publishers
Edition: 4th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2025
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: There are two sessions on our first day. The recommended and required reading for all three classes is listed below.

Class 1, 10:15–11:45 a.m., Law College, 4th Floor (see above for section room assignments)

Recommended Reading:
Introduction, Chapter 1 (“What to Expect in Law School”), and Chapter 2 (“The Language of the Law”) in What Every Law Student Really Needs to Know.

Class 2, 12:45–2:00 p.m., Law College, 4th Floor (see above for section room assignments)

Recommended Reading:
Chapter 3 (“The Structure of Government and the Structure of Law”) and Chapter 4 (“The Structure of the American Legal System”) in What Every Law Really Student Needs to Know.

Required Reading:
Swan Island Sheet Metal Works, inc. v. Tory’s Custom Smoking Co. Inc., 619 P2.d 1325 (Or. 1980)

Details:

Foundations of Law ( - 530K) - Douglas, K.

Foundations of Law ( - 530K) - Simard, J.

Books: Title: What Every Law Student Really Needs to Know: An Introduction to the Study of American Law
Author: Tracey E. George, Suzanna Sherry
ISBN: 9798894100012
Publisher: Aspen Publishers
Edition: 4th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2025
Required Material: No
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: There are two sessions on our first day. The recommended and required reading for all three classes is listed below.

Class 1, 10:15–11:45 a.m., Law College, 4th Floor (see above for section room assignments)

Recommended Reading:
Introduction, Chapter 1 (“What to Expect in Law School”), and Chapter 2 (“The Language of the Law”) in What Every Law Student Really Needs to Know.

Class 2, 12:45–2:00 p.m., Law College, 4th Floor (see above for section room assignments)

Recommended Reading:
Chapter 3 (“The Structure of Government and the Structure of Law”) and Chapter 4 (“The Structure of the American Legal System”) in What Every Law Really Student Needs to Know.

Required Reading:
Swan Island Sheet Metal Works, inc. v. Tory’s Custom Smoking Co. Inc., 619 P2.d 1325 (Or. 1980)

Details:

Foundations of Law and Legal Research ( - 807A) - Domann, B.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: None

Details:

Gaming Law ( - 635F) - Fletcher, E.

Books: Title: Indian Gaming Law: Cases and Materials
Author: KATHRYN R. L. RAND, Steven Andrew Light
ISBN: 9781531009793
Publisher: Carolina Academic Press
Edition: 2nd
Copyright/Published Date: 2019-08-21
Required Material: No
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: INTRODUCTION: FOUNDATION OF TRIBAL GAMING
Reading: Rand & Light Ch. 1 (pp. 1-50) – Indian Gaming in
Context
Discussion: Course overview; Understanding inherent tribal
governmental power and treaty federalism; Purpose of Indian
Gaming and Economic Development; Understanding Gaming and
Gambling

Details:

Global Food Packaging Laws ( - 811K) - Hegarty, P.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: Week 1 - Overview – Why global food packaging laws are necessary for human health and global food trade.

Details:

Great Lakes First Amendment Law Clinic I ( - 630T) - Costello, N.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment:

Details:

Health Care Law ( - 558C) - TBA

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: See D2L

Details:

Housing Law Clinic I ( - 630V) - McCarty, D.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: Clinic Orientation
Friday, August 28, 2026
9:00am-5:00pm | Room 335 | Lunch provided; we may conclude early.
Readings
Review: Syllabus
Deed Fraud
• Read: Donovan Cheﬀ McCarty, Victim-Centered Solutions to Deed Fraud, Abstract, Introduction, and Part I, pp. 1-22 (unpublished
manuscript; posted in D2L).
• Review: 13108 Tuller Deeds. Familiarize yourself with the ownership chain and documents, and identify questions you would investigate. Do not upload the packet to an unapproved AI system.
• Review: Bodycam Footage 1 and Bodycam Footage 2. Identify questions, assumptions, and client-centered concerns. The footage is not related to 13108 Tuller.
Interviewing Clients
• Read: David Chavkin, Clinical Legal Education: A Textbook for Law School Clinical Programs, ch. 7, selected pages posted in D2L.
• Review: Learning Legal Interviewing Video Project selection posted in D2L.
Discussion
Syllabus and course expectations
The Clinic as a law oﬃce; conﬁdentiality; prospective clients;
professional responsibility Introduction to deed fraud
13108 Tuller Case Study Discussion
Bodycam Footage Discussion
Interviewing clients, including questions, interpreters, accessibility, safety, setting, technology, documents, participants, and follow-up Clio orientation; uploading documents; document naming; Adobe/PDF basics
Introduction to community partner projects
Jesse Alvarez Intro to Clinic Presentation and Tour
Assign new deed fraud evaluation matters
Assignment
Deed Fraud:
• Review your assigned Clio matter. Do not contact the prospective
client until approved by Professor McCarty.
• Prepare an interview plan that includes both the questions you plan to ask and external considerations such as interpreter needs, accessibility, safety, location, technology, documents, participants, conﬁdentiality, and follow-up.
• After approval, contact the prospective client to schedule the interview.
• Research & Apply 1 - Court and Fee Waiver (posted in D2L; due
September 1, 2026 at 5:00pm).
Community Partners:
• By September 1, 2026 at 5:00pm, submit your preliminary ranking of the available community partner projects.
Supervision:
• By September 1, 2026 at 5:00pm, provide your availability for a standing weekly supervision meeting.

Seminar 1 - Courts and Preﬁling Investigations
September 2, 2026
Review
Read: Michigan Judicial Institute, Civil Cases (2-page handout posted in D2L).
Read: Thomas A. Mauet, Pretrial, ch. 1, “Introduction to Litigation Planning,” pp. 3-18 (8th ed. 2015).
Review: Retainer Agreement
Bring to class: Your completed Research & Apply 1 - Court and Fee Waiver assignment and the current oﬃcial authority and form you identiﬁed.
Discussion
Court system in Michigan; civil and criminal remedies; quiet title
jurisdiction
Case ﬂow from preﬁling investigation through judgment and appeal Prospective-client evaluation and the point at which representation begins
Fee waivers
Preﬁling investigation and research resources, including ICLE, Lexis Public Records, Register of Deeds, LARA, notary records, court dockets, and mapping resources
Retainer agreements and scope of representation Creating a realistic internal case timeline
Uploading directly to Clio and combining, ordering, naming, and saving PDFs in Adobe Acrobat
Individual community-partner interest and learning-goal conversations
Assignment
Deed Fraud:
• Continue preparing for and scheduling the prospective-client interview after approval.
• If the Clinic accepts the matter, review and sign the retainer
agreement with the client.
• Research the case and begin identifying potential claims, defenses, counterclaims, requested relief, sources of proof, missing facts, and unresolved legal or strategic questions. Use your Clio notes, complaint draft, and Weekly Supervision Agenda to document the
analysis and identify issues requiring guidance.

Details:

Housing Law Clinic II ( - 630W) - McCarty, D.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment:

Details:

Immigration Law ( - 541G) - Thronson, D.

Books: Title: Immigration and Refugee Law and Policy
Author: Stephen Legomsky, David Thronson
ISBN: 9781640207349
Publisher: Foundation Press
Edition: 7th
Copyright/Published Date: 2018-12-11
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Other Materials: 2026 Supplement to the Seventh Edition of Immigration and Refugee Law and Policy (Foundation Press 2026) (will be posted to D2L in PDF format – no purchase needed)

Assignment: Check out D2L for first assignment

Details:

Immigration Law Clinic I ( - 630R) - Kloet, J.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: 8 U.S.C. §§ 1101 (especially (a)(8), (a)(34), (b)(4)); 1103; 1104; 1357
8 C.F.R. §§ 1.1 et seq.; 1001.1 et seq. (skim to familiarize yourself only)
Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct 1.6, 1.7, 1.9, 1.16 & 3.3

Details:

Indian Law Clinic I ( - 631J) - Fort, K.

Books: Title: American Indian Tribal Law
Author: Matthew L. M. Fletcher
ISBN: 9798889061618
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: Third edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2024
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment:

Details:

Indian Law Clinic II ( - 631K) - Fort, K.

Integrative Law & Social Work ( - 541J) - Kozakiewicz, J.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: None

Details:

International Children's Rights Lab ( - 542A) - Oliel, M.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: • UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-child
• Georgetown University Law Center (2019). A Guide to the basics of International law: https://www.law.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/A-Guide-to-the-Basics-of-Intl-Law.pdf

Details:

International Food Laws and Regulations ( - 810D) - Fortin, N.

Books: Title: Advanced Introduction to International Food Law
Author: Neal D. Fortin
ISBN: 9781802208283
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Copyright/Published Date: 2023-03-28
Required Material: No
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: No purchase required. All required reading will be provided as PDFs on the course site in D2L or URLs. This textbook is optional.

Assignment: First Assignment:
- Visit and become familiar with D2L at https://d2l.msu.edu
- Visit and become familiar with the course website on D2L
- Read: module 1, Food Legal Diversity, and the syllabus

Details:

Law and Gender ( - 541N) - Johnson, H.

Books: Title: Sexuality, Gender, and the Law (5th Ed.)
Author: William Eskridge, Nan Hunter and Courtney Joslin
ISBN: 9781685610869
Publisher: Foundation Press
Edition: 5th
Copyright/Published Date: 2023
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: Please see the course D2L page for the first assignments and more information.

Details:

Law and Religion ( - 579K) - Ravitch, F.

Books: Title: Law and Religion: Cases and Materials
Author: FRANK S.. RAVITCH & LARRY CATA BACKER
ISBN: 9798317701130
Publisher: West Academic Publishing
Edition: 5th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 08/20/2026
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: UPDATED: 08/19/2026
The new first assignment is Read Ravitch and Backer, Law & Religion: Cases, Materials and Readings, 5th Ed., Pages 3-5, 7-34.

Details:

Law Externship Seminar ( - 625D) - Wease, C.

Law Externship Seminar ( - 625D) - Liggins, J.

Books: Title: Learning from Practice
Author: Leah Wortham, Susan Brooks, Nancy Maurer, Alexander Sherr
ISBN: 9781634596183
Publisher: West Academic Publishing
Edition: 3rd Edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2016
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: Aug. 31 – Sept. 4
Week 1:
Readings:
Article on D2L:
• AI Case Update: The Lamborghini Doctrine Of Hallucinations
Learning From Practice
• Chapter 2: Charting Your Path to Success – Professional Development Planning
• Chapter 8: Reflection & Writing Journals, pages 203-212

Assignment: Learning Plan Due on September 4 by 11:59pm

Externship Orientation Module Due by September 11 by 11:59pm. Please see D2L for more information.

Details:

Law Review ( - 628) - Blankfein-Tabachnick, D.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment:

Details:

Local Government Law ( - 580C) - Rosenbaum, D.

Books: Title: Cases and Materials on State and Local Government Law
Author: Richard Briffault | Laurie Reynolds | Nestor M. Davidson | Erin Adele Scharff | Rick Su
ISBN: 9781647085612
Publisher: West Academic Publishing (American Casebook Series)
Edition: 9th Edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2022
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: We will cover the following readings during the first week of the semester. “Briffault” refers to the primary course textbook. “Packet” refers to the Supplementary Course Packet, which is posted to D2L.

Packet pp. 3-5 (Rental Property Owners Association of Kent County), Packet pp. 6-7 (“Reclaiming the Canvass Board”), Briffault pp. 26-28 (Notes #1 - #3), Briffault pp. 51-53 (Notes #2 - #3), Packet p. 8 (“Which Ancient City Is Considered the Oldest in the World?”), Briffault pp. 286-288 (White), Briffault pp. 293-294 (Borough of Bridgewater), Briffault pp. 294-296 (Borough of New Morgan), Packet pp. 9-12 (“Louisiana Will Get a New City After a Yearslong Court Battle”), Packet pp. 13-18 (Broome).

Details:

Matrimonial Practice ( - 541M) - Brown, E., Simon, J.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: Reading assignment for the first class is to read the week #1 materials in D2L

Details:

Mediation Advocacy and Civil Facilitative Mediator Training ( - 587E) - Pappas, B.

Books: Title: Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most
Author: Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, Sheila Heen
ISBN: 9780143137597
Publisher: Penguin
Edition: First
Copyright/Published Date: 2023-08-22
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Usually available on Amazon for under $10

Assignment: •Read Nolan-Haley (2012)
•Read Kovach (2005)

Details:

Michigan Civil Procedure ( - 593A) - Lauderbach, J.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: Overview of Civil Litigation in Michigan Trial Courts

Objective: To provide an overview of the litigation process from filing of the complaint through entry of final judgment and the Constitutional and statutory authorities from which Michigan trial courts derive their powers and duties.

Reading: Const. 1963, Art. VI, §13, Const. 1963, Art. VI, §15, MCL 600.605, 600.841, 600.8301.

Details:

Moot Court Competition (Class) ( - 627A) - Copland, J.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: First assignments are located on the class D2L page

Details:

Moot Court Competition (Class) ( - 627A) - Copland, J.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: First assignments are located on the class D2L page

Details:

Negotiation ( - 591C) - Basta, J.

Books: Title: Lawyer Negotiation: Theory, Practice and Law
Author: Jay Folberg and Jennifer Reynolds
ISBN: 9781543809077
Publisher: Aspen
Edition: 4th
Copyright/Published Date: 9/21/21
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: Read chapter one of the text and the "Tiger Attack" problem which should be posted in D2L

Details:

Negotiation ( - 591C) - Basta, J.

New Technologies and the Law ( - 535T) - Patel, S.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment:

Details:

Patent Law ( - 533K) - Pager, S.

Books: Title: Patent Law Cases, Problems, and Materials, 5th Edition
Author: Jonathan S. Masur & Lisa Larrimore Ouellette
ISBN: 9798185721353
Publisher: Independently published
Edition: 5th
Copyright/Published Date: July 5, 2026
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Available for FREE download at https://www.patentcasebook.org/. Make sure you have the 5th edition. Alternatively, you may want to purchase the printed book version (in color or in black and white) from Amazon via links found here: https://www.patentcasebook.org/.

Assignment: Masur & Ouellette Patent Law: Cases, Problems & Materials, v. 5.0 (2026)
Introduction to the Patent System
pp. 10-22, 33-41

Details:

Professional Responsibility ( - 500Q) - Fort, C.

Books: Title: Regulation of Lawyers: Problems of Law and Ethics
Author: Stephen Gillers
ISBN: 9798889065814
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: 13th
Copyright/Published Date: 2024
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: ebooks and hardcopy allowed.

Assignment: Context to read before first class: ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct (MRPC) Preamble and Scope:

https://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_rules_of_professional_conduct/model_rules_of_professional_conduct_preamble_scope/; and

-Gillers textbook i) Preface pp. xxv-xxix, ii) Ch. 1 (focus on pages 1-6 (intro and Section A) and 17-18 (Section M)), and iii) Ch. 2 pp. 33-36 (Section B, Part 2 intro).

-Student note: These readings should be skimmed. However, there is an introductory survey posted to D2L which is due before the first class which references a small portion of these readings.

Week 1. Read: Pre-Class Assignment; and Gillers textbook pages 21-50 (Unit 1).

Details:

Public Defender Clinic I ( - 631X) - Hall, B.

Books: Title: Gideon's Promise: A Public Defender Movement to Transform Criminal Justice
Author: Jonathan Rapping
ISBN: 9780807064580
Publisher: National Geographic Books
Copyright/Published Date: 2021-05-04
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: Week 0
Orientation and Case Assignments
8.26.26
Orientation
*Room 344*
Review:
- Read NLADA report, Race to the Bottom
- Read Jonathan Rapping, Gideon’s Promise
- Read entire Syllabus
Goals:
- Logistics – D2L, Clio, network, phones, supervision, etc.
- Case assignments

Week 1
Stories and Themes
9.2.26
Supervision Goals:
- Discuss case assignments, logistics, appellate brief intros
9.4.26 Seminar Due 1 day prior:
- Intro to appellate brief fact section (300 words max)
Review:
- Read assigned case files
Goals:
- Introductions and goals of PD Clinic
- Teams present assigned cases and appellate brief intros
- Presentation/discussion on storytelling

Details:

Public Defender Clinic II ( - 631Z) - Hall, B.

Research, Writing & Analysis ( - 530D) - O'Regan, D.

Books: Title: A Lawyer Writes: A Practical Guide to Legal Analysis
Author: Christine Nero Coughlin, Joan Malmud Rocklin, Sandy Patrick
ISBN: 9781531020699
Publisher: Carolina Academic Press
Edition: 4th
Copyright/Published Date: 2024
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Be sure to get the fourth edition (gray cover), not the third edition (blue cover)

Title: The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation
Author: Harvard Law Review Association
ISBN: 9798218574574
Publisher: Harvard Law Review
Edition: 22nd
Copyright/Published Date: 2025-05-27
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Purchase a hard copy of the Bluebook and not the digital copy.

Title: Citation Made Simple
Author: Carpenter
ISBN: 9798990555624
Publisher: Armour Academic Press
Edition: 2nd
Copyright/Published Date: July 14, 2024
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Other Materials: and Citation Made Simple: Practice Book (2d ed.) (979-8-9905556-4-8)
Comments: The Citation Made Simple books are distributed through www.citationmadesimple.com rather than through physical bookstores. When you purchase Citation Made Simple through this website, use the coupon code MICHIGANST26 to get 50% off the Practice Book plus free access to the online materials. If you do not receive an enrollment email for the online materials from Armour Academic Press within 24 hours of your purchase, please check your spam folder for an email from a no-reply address.

Assignment: Download First Assignment (MS Word)

Details:

Research, Writing & Analysis ( - 530D) - Stokstad, P.

Books: Books: Title: A Lawyer Writes: A Practical Guide to Legal Analysis
Author: Christine Nero Coughlin, Joan Malmud Rocklin, Sandy Patrick
ISBN: 9781531020699
Publisher: Carolina Academic Press
Edition: 4th
Copyright/Published Date: 2024
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Be sure to get the fourth edition (gray cover), not the third edition (blue cover)

Title: The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation
Author: Harvard Law Review Association
ISBN: 9798218574574
Publisher: Harvard Law Review
Edition: 22nd
Copyright/Published Date: 2025-05-27
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Purchase a hard copy of the Bluebook and not the digital copy.

Title: Citation Made Simple
Author: Carpenter
ISBN: 9798990555624
Publisher: Armour Academic Press
Edition: 2nd
Copyright/Published Date: July 14, 2024
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Other Materials: and Citation Made Simple: Practice Book (2d ed.) (979-8-9905556-4-8)
Comments: The Citation Made Simple books are distributed through www.citationmadesimple.com rather than through physical bookstores. When you purchase Citation Made Simple through this website, use the coupon code MICHIGANST26 to get 50% off the Practice Book plus free access to the online materials. If you do not receive an enrollment email for the online materials from Armour Academic Press within 24 hours of your purchase, please check your spam folder for an email from a no-reply address.

Assignment: Research, Writing, and Analysis
Fall 2026
Prof. Stokstad

Welcome to Research, Writing, and Analysis! I’m looking forward to working with you this semester.

First Assignment
A. Register for Westlaw and Lexis, the legal databases you will be using in RWA to find the relevant law. You will use Westlaw and Lexis throughout your law school career. In addition, most legal employers use one of these databases. To register, watch for an email from librarian Daryl Thompson the week of August 17 with further instructions. Be sure to watch the related videos that are included in the email.
B. Reading
Before our first class on August 26, complete the following reading assignments:
1. A Lawyer Writes, Chapter 1
2. Plagiarism Handout (available at http://www.law.msu.edu/rwa/)
3. MSU College of Law Plagiarism Policy (available at https://www.law.msu.edu/studentaffairs/handbook/plagiarism.html)
4. Anne Enquist, Talking to Students About the Differences Between Undergraduate Writing and Legal Writing, Vol. 13 No. 2 Persp: Teaching Legal Res. & Writing 104 (2005) (available at http://www.law.msu.edu/rwa/)
C. Plagiarism Handout Assignments
1. After reading the Plagiarism Handout, print and sign the Student Acknowledgement Form on the first page. Turn that signed page in at the beginning of the first class on August 26.
2. After reading the Plagiarism Handout, complete the RWA Plagiarism Quiz on D2L before our first class. The quiz should be available beginning the week of August 17, though it is possible that could be delayed a few days. To access the quiz, log in at d2l.msu.edu using your MSU net id and password. You will find the RWA Plagiarism Quiz under “My Courses.” Click on the “Assessments” pull-down menu, and then click on the “Quizzes” link.
D. Office Memo One: Case Brief
Over the course of the semester, you will write two legal memos, each of which will analyze the strength of a fictional client’s legal position. Our first client problem will involve a plaintiff in Texas who is seeking to recover damages for emotional distress he claims he suffered when he witnessed his foster son fall from a roof.
As a first step, draft a brief of Freeman v. City of Pasadena, one of the cases that we will use to analyze the plaintiff’s claim. The text of the case is available on our class D2L site. Post one copy of your case brief to the appropriate drop box on D2L site before class, and bring a second copy to refer to during class.
Case briefing is discussed on pp. 31-44 of What Every Law Student Needs to Know. (If you want to see another example of a case brief, you could also look at pp. 59-64 of A Lawyer Writes.) For purposes of this assignment, include sections that identify the case name, the parties, the facts, the procedural posture (also often called the “procedural history”), the holding, and the reasoning. Your brief should also discuss the concurring opinion. Please put your name on the case brief. Limit it to about one single-spaced page.

Details:

Research, Writing & Analysis ( - 530D) - Eskridge, S.

Research, Writing & Analysis ( - 530D) - Gentry, K.

Research, Writing & Analysis: Intellectual Property Perspective ( - 530E) - Costello, N.

Research, Writing & Analysis: Social Justice Perspectives ( - 530Q) - Harokopus, M.

RWA Writing Seminar ( - 530X) - Francis, J.

Books: Title: Bundle: Just Writing: Grammar, Punctuation, and Style for the Legal Writer, Seventh Edition and Connected Quizzing
Author: Anne Enquist, Laurel Currie Oates, Jeremy Francis, Amanda Maus Stephen
ISBN: 9798899647550
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: 7th Edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2/1/26
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Updated 08/11/2026

Assignment:

Details:

RWA Writing Seminar ( - 530X) - Francis, J.

Sales and Leases ( - 501F) - Wilks, S.

Books: Book 1:
Title: Sales: A Systems Approach
Author: Daniel Louis Keating
ISBN: 9798889061960
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: 8th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2023
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Purchase the PRINT VERSION ONLY.

Book 2:
Title: Comprehensive Commercial Law: 2024 Statutory Supplement
Author: Ronald J. Mann, Elizabeth Warren, and Jay Lawrence Westbrook
ISBN: 9798892076760
Publisher: Aspen
Edition: 2024 Edition
Copyright/Published Date: 07-30-2024
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: Yes
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Purchase the PRINT VERSION ONLY. While students are free to purchase their supplements from any source (not necessarily the one listed above), you are encouraged to purchase one no more than two or three years old (published 2023 through 2026). New edition is typically released in early August of each year.

Assignment:

Details:

Secured Transactions ( - 501E) - Barnhizer, D.

Books: Book 1:
Title: Problems and Materials on Secured Transactions: [Connected eBook with Study Center]
Author: Douglas J. Whaley, Stephen M. McJohn
ISBN: 9798889066156
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: 12th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2024-06-07
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Book 2: UPDATED JULY 28, 2026
Title: Selected Commercial Statutes for Secured Transactions Courses (2026 Edition)
Author: Chomsky, Kunz, Schiltz & Lawton
ISBN: 9798317703967
Publisher: West Academic
Edition: 2026
Copyright/Published Date: 07/08/2026
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: NOTE: YOU MUST PURCHASE THE HARDCOPY IF YOU PLAN TO USE THE STATUTORY SUPPLEMENT IN THE EXAM. NO ELECTRONIC VERSIONS WILL BE PERMITTED.

Assignment: Secured Transactions:
(Whaley & McJohn is REQUIRED)

Class 1 History of Secured Transactions and Intro to Article 9 7-16, 21-27 (Problems 2-7)

Class 2 Scope of Article 9: Leases 27-44 (Problems 8-10)

Details:

Securities Regulation I ( - 524B) - Chen, J.

Books: Book #1:
Title: SECURITIES REGULATION, CASES AND ANALYSIS.
Author: Stephen J. Choi & A.C. Pritchard
ISBN: 9781636592718
Publisher: West Academic
Edition: 6th Ediition
Copyright/Published Date: 2024
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Book #2:
Title: Securities Regulation Statutory Supplement, 2026 Edition
Author: Stephen J. Choi & A.C. C Pritchard
ISBN: 9798317704193
Publisher: West Academic
Edition: 2026 edition
Copyright/Published Date: 07/15/2026
Required Material: No
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment:

Details:

Sports and Inequality ( - 609A) - Schneider, D.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: Week 1 – 9/2/26 – Sports as a Reflection of Culture
Mezey, Naomi, Law As Culture, 13 Yale J.L. & Human. 35-67 (2001)
Timothy Davis, Racism in Athletics: Subtle Yet Persistent, 21 U. Ark. Little
Rock L. Rev. 881 (1999)
Kiara Bridges, The Dangerous Law of Biological Race, 82 Fordham Law
Review 21 (2013).
Alfred Dennis Mathewson, Major League Baseball’s Monopoly Power and
the Negro Leagues, American Business Law Journal 291 (1987)
Daniela Tenjido, Shut up and Dribble: The Racial Subordination of the
Black Professional Athlete, an Analysis of the Racial Subordination That
Class Privileged Black Athletes Face Starting with Muhammad Ali and
Leading to Colin Kaepernick, 33 St. Thomas L. Rev. 27 (2020).
Discussion Posts Due: Friday, September 11, 2026

Details:

State Constitutional Law ( - 573A) - Yeargain, Q.

Books: Other Materials: No book required. All materials will be posted on D2L.
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

Assignment: Read pages 1–19 and complete the Introductory Survey.

Details:

Tax Clinic I ( - 630C) - Johnson, S., Wease, C.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: No first assignment

Details:

Tax Clinic II ( - 630D) - Johnson, S., Wease, C.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: No first assignment

Details:

Tax Policy Seminar ( - 572D) - Delmotte, C.

Books: NONE REQUIRED

Assignment: All readings are on D2L:

READINGS:
Criteria in tax design:
1. Delmotte, Beyond the Wealth Tax, 337-343
2. Schizer – Transaction-Specific Tax Reform in Three Steps: The Case of Constructive Ownership -- pp. 9 to 15
Choices in Tax Design: Different tax bases

Lecture on tax base, rates, and special provisions (credits and deductions)

On the different tax bases:
a) Income Tax:
Delmotte, Beyond the Wealth Tax, 334
Harvey Rosen, Public Finance, 8th edition, 380 – 385 (stop before excludable)

b) Consumption Tax:
Delmotte, Beyond the Wealth Tax, 334
Harvey Rosen, Public Finance, 8th edition, 478- 486

c) Wealth Tax:
Delmotte, Beyond the Wealth Tax, 335
Jane Gravelle, Sharing the Wealth, National Tax Journal, 963 – 965

d) Generational Transfer Tax
Rosen 497
Gravelle 959 – 965

Details:

The Victim-Offender Overlap: The Legal System's Treatment of Victimized Offenders in Domestic and Familial Settings ( - 540G) - Buchhandler-Raphael, M.

Books: Other Materials: For my seminar there is no required casebook. I will directly share the reading assignments with the students
Required Material: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

Assignment: Week 1: Tuesday, September 1, 2026: Introducing the Victim-Offender Overlap

Reading for first class:

• Leigh Goodmark, Gender-based violence, law reform, and the criminalization of survivors of violence, 10 (4) International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, pp. 13-25 (2021)
• Cynthia Godsoe, The Victim/Offender Overlap and Criminal System Reform, 87 BROOKLYN L. REV. 1319 (2022)

Note: copies of the assigned two law reviews will be posted on D2L.

Details:

Torts I ( - 500R) - Ravitch, F.

Torts I ( - 500R) - Kalt, B.

Books: Title: PROSSER, WADE AND SCHWARTZ’S TORTS: CASES AND MATERIALS
Author: Victor E. Schwartz, Kathryn Kelly, David F. Partlett
ISBN: 9781684674077
Publisher: Foundation Press
Edition: 14th Edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2020
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Professor is requiring the 14th edition, NOT the current 15th edition.

Assignment: First Assignment
Fall 2026

Torts

Welcome to law school!

The first thing you need to do is get situated on the class D2L site (https://d2l.msu.edu/d2l/le/content/2533764/Home) before our first class. It should be available no later than August 1. The D2L site will be important and helpful: in addition to the syllabus and reading assignments, it contains other materials that you will need to use during the semester. If you have trouble getting set up on D2L, promptly seek out the technology staff for help.

Next, read the (lengthy) syllabus very, very carefully. It is available on D2L. There is a lot of important information on the syllabus, and you will be held responsible for knowing and following the requirements listed in it. It also includes my guide to success in this class—the things in my many years of teaching this class that have separated the students who tended to do well from the students who tended to do poorly.

After that, please read pages 1–4, 17–20 (Garratt and notes 3–4 following it; you may skip notes 1, 2, and 5), and pages 23–25 (notes 1–4) in the casebook. (When the page at the start or end of a range in an assignment has a case start or end in the middle of it, you should start or end there. For example, do NOT read the final paragraphs of Wagner on 23, and do not read Ranson on 26.)

Please note that we are using the 14th edition of the casebook. Make sure that you have the correct edition.

Most of our time on the first day will be spent on introductory matters and some introductory lecture material, but we will get to the (short) assigned reading at the end. Read the cases very carefully so that you are prepared to discuss them in detail. When notes after a case are assigned, be sure to read them too. Very often this semester, the notes will be more important to know than the case they follow.

Reading the assignment will almost certainly take you longer than you think it will, and you may still not “get” all of it. That’s completely normal. Just do the best you can and try not to worry. It will get easier. Preparing for my class should be a serious enterprise for you, but not a scary one. Moreover, worrying is a waste of your time and energy, two resources you need to conserve this semester.

Near the end of the first class, I will be calling on people, but because it is the first day the questioning will be of a low intensity relative to the rest of the semester.

One final thing. If you are comfortable doing so, please email me (kalt@law.msu.edu) a brief introduction: what brings you to law school, where you are from, anything else you would like me to know about you, etc. Please also let me know your preferred title and how precisely to pronounce your last name (I maintain the formality of addressing students as Ms. Smith, etc.), so that I don’t mangle things when I call on you in class or when we speak in office hours.

If you have any concerns, questions, or problems before the first class, please feel free to e-mail me (kalt@law.msu.edu).

Details:

Torts I ( - 500R) - Bronsther, J.

Books: Title: Tort Law: Responsibilities and Redress
Author: John C.P. Goldberg, Leslie Kendrick, Anthony J. Sebok, Benjamin C. Zipursky
ISBN: 9781543806809
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: 5th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2021-02-18
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Professor wants the students to purchase the 5th edition, NOT the current 6th edition.

Assignment: Please read pages 3–22 and 31–40 in the casebook.

Details:

Trademark Law and Unfair Competition Law ( - 533N) - Murshak, M.

Books: Other Materials: Trademark Law: An Open-Access Casebook, Barton Beebe, NYU School of Law, Digital Version (posted June 22, 2025), https://www.tmcasebook.org/ Free download (.pdf or .docx)
Print Version - Available in two volumes from Amazon on an at-cost, royalty-free basis in early August (will be on reserve at the library).
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: Welcome to Trademark Law! I'm looking forward to getting started with you this semester.
BOOK IS FREE (e-version): We'll be using the open-access version of the Beebe textbook for the course. If you prefer a hard copy, the author also sells a print version on Amazon for around $20–$30. https://www.tmcasebook.org/
Below is the reading assignment for our first class. I'd also like everyone to watch the "Dumb Starbucks" episode of Nathan for You. I posted a link in the announcements. Please have it watched by Week 2. It's mostly just funny, but it is also one of the best episodes of television I've seen that puts trademark and broader IP issues right at the center of the story.
And, for the record, the patent episode of Suits is totally laughable.
See you all on Wednesday, September 2!
Week 1 — Introduction & History
Read: Beebe, pp. 1–15
• History of U.S. Trademark Law, including the McKenna excerpt
• Trade-Mark Cases
• Statutory Development of U.S. Trademark Law
Focus: Origins of trademark protection; development of federal trademark law; constitutional foundations; trademark law as part of unfair competition law.

Details:

Trial Competition ( - 627R) - Burakoff, P.

Books: Title: Mock Trials: Preparing, Presenting, and Winning Your Case
Author: Jill R. Koster, Steven Lubet
ISBN: 9798886690576
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: Third edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2024-07-01
Required Material: YES
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Title: A Student's Guide to Trial Objections
Author: Charles B. Gibbons
ISBN: 9781647088347
Publisher: West Academic
Edition: 6th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 03/17/2021
Required Material: YES
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: Yes
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: This book is also available FREE to students in library's The West Academic Study Aids Collection (https://subscription-westacademic-com.proxy2.cl.msu.edu/Book/Detail?id=27347&q=A%20Student%27s%20Guide%20to%20Trial%20Objections&goBackUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fsubscription-westacademic-com.proxy2.cl.msu.edu%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DA%2BStudent%27s%2BGuide%2Bto%2BTrial%2BObjections#search-in-book-tab).

Other Materials: (available for free on ProView): https://proview.thomsonreuters.com/launchapp/title/uscl/an/mich/v11 Trial Handbook for Michigan Lawyers, 4th (Michigan Practice Library), 2026 update Author: Harry M. Philo Publisher: Thomson Reuters Westlaw Hard copy will be placed on reserve at the library
Required Material: No
Used During: Both
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Other Materials: You should also have a current copy of the Federal Rules of Evidence to litigate evidentiary issues throughout the class and during the competition (available FREE online, such as https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-evidence).
Required Material: YES
Used During: Both
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: NO

Other Materials: Case Problem: The entire trial problem, associated exhibits, and competition rules have been provided.
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: NO

Assignment: Please read Chapters 1 through 3 (pp. 1-44) of the required text, Mock Trials, Jill R. Koster and Steven Lubet, Third Edition 2024; National Institute for Trial Advocacy and Aspen Publishing. Notwithstanding its title, this excellent volume is worth keeping well beyond graduation as a valuable guide to trying actual cases. For any questions about the text or the course, email me at pburakoff@hotmail.com or text me at 734.276.9676.

Details:

Trial Competition ( - 627R) - McNally, V.

Books: Title: Mock Trials: Preparing, Presenting, and Winning Your Case
Author: Jill R. Koster, Steven Lubet
ISBN: 9798886690576
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: Third edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2024-07-01
Required Material: YES
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Title: A Student's Guide to Trial Objections
Author: Charles B. Gibbons
ISBN: 9781647088347
Publisher: West Academic
Edition: 6th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 03/17/2021
Required Material: YES
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: Yes
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: This book is also available FREE to students in library's The West Academic Study Aids Collection (https://subscription-westacademic-com.proxy2.cl.msu.edu/Book/Detail?id=27347&q=A%20Student%27s%20Guide%20to%20Trial%20Objections&goBackUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fsubscription-westacademic-com.proxy2.cl.msu.edu%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DA%2BStudent%27s%2BGuide%2Bto%2BTrial%2BObjections#search-in-book-tab).

Other Materials: (available for free on ProView): https://proview.thomsonreuters.com/launchapp/title/uscl/an/mich/v11 Trial Handbook for Michigan Lawyers, 4th (Michigan Practice Library), 2026 update Author: Harry M. Philo Publisher: Thomson Reuters Westlaw Hard copy will be placed on reserve at the library
Required Material: No
Used During: Both
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Other Materials: You should also have a current copy of the Federal Rules of Evidence to litigate evidentiary issues throughout the class and during the competition (available FREE online, such as https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-evidence).
Required Material: YES
Used During: Both
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: NO

Other Materials: Case Problem: The entire trial problem, associated exhibits, and competition rules have been provided.
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: NO

Assignment: Please check D2L course page for first assignment (will post soon).

Details:

Trial Practice Institute - Trial I ( - 623D) - Rusek, A.

Books: Required:

1. Other Materials: American Bar Association Well-Being Toolkit (Free Download) https://vjlap.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Well-Being-Toolkit.pdf
Required Material: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

2. Other Materials: Eastern District of Michigan Administrative Order 08-AO-009 (Free Download) https://www.mied.uscourts.gov/PDFFiles/08-AO-009.pdf
Required Material: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

3. Other Materials: Michigan Appellate Opinion Manual (Free Download) https://www.courts.michigan.gov/publications/michigan-appellate-opinion-manual/
Required Material: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

4. Other Materials: Michigan Civil Jury Instructions (Free Download) https://www.courts.michigan.gov/rules-administrative-orders-and-jury-instructions/current-rules-and-jury-instructions/model-civil-jury-instructions/
Required Material: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

5. Other Materials: Michigan Court Rules (Free Download) https://www.courts.michigan.gov/rules-administrative-orders-and-jury-instructions/current-rules-and-jury-instructions/michigan-court-rules/
Required Material: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

6. Other Materials: Michigan Judicial Institute Benchbooks as Assigned by Professor (Free Download) a. https://www.courts.michigan.gov/publications/benchbooks/mji-benchbooks-and-qrms/ b. https://www.courts.michigan.gov/4a17ad/siteassets/publications/benchbooks/evidence/evidbb.pdf
Required Material: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

7. Other Materials: Michigan Rules of Evidence (Free Download) https://www.courts.michigan.gov/498acb/siteassets/rules-instructions-administrative-orders/rules-of-evidence/michigan-rules-of-evidence.pdf
Required Material: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

8. Other Materials: Other Handouts Assigned by Professor Rusek
Required Material: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

9. Other Materials: State of Bofus v Duframe, et al. Case Problem (on D2L)
Required Material: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

10. Other Materials: Western District of Michigan Standards for Civility in Professional Conduct (Free Download) https://www.miwd.uscourts.gov/sites/miwd/files/Civility%20Plan.pdf
Required Material: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

Recommended:

1. Other Materials: "An Introduction to trauma-informed lawyering," State Bar of Michigan Journal August 2023 (Free Download), https://www.michbar.org/journal/Details/An-introduction-to-trauma-informed-lawyering?ArticleID=4671
Required Material: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

2. Other Materials: ICLE Michigan Courtroom Evidence Annotated, Appendix A: Michigan Rules of Evidence at a Glance
Required Material: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Professor will direct students to the ICLE website. If interested in a hard copy, ICLE will update in October 2026.

3. Other Materials: ICLE Michigan Courtroom Evidence Annotated, Appendix B: Objections to the Form of a Question
Required Material: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Professor will direct students to the ICLE website. If interested in a hard copy, ICLE will update in October 2026.

4. Other Materials: ICLE Michigan Courtroom Evidence Annotated, Appendix C: Objections on Privilege and Related Grounds
Required Material: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Professor will direct students to the ICLE website. If interested in a hard copy, ICLE will update in October 2026.

5. Other Materials: ICLE Michigan Courtroom Evidence Annotated, Appendix D: Objections to Testimony and Exhibits
Required Material: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Professor will direct students to the ICLE website. If interested in a hard copy, ICLE will update in October 2026.

6. Other Materials: Manual for Complex Litigation, Fourth Edition by the Federal Judicial Center (Free Download) i. https://www.fjc.gov/content/manual-complex-litigation-fourth ii. https://www.fjc.gov/sites/default/files/materials/30/Manual%20for%20Complex%20Litigation_Fourth%20Edition_Third%20Printing_2020.pdf
Required Material: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No
Comments: Hard copy will be put on reserve

7. Title: Trial Advocacy: Planning, Analysis, and Strategy [Connected eBook with Study Center]
Author: Marilyn J. Berger, John B. Mitchell, Ronald H. Clark
ISBN: 9781543847567
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: 5th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2023-01-21
Required Material: No
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

8. Title: Michigan Evidence Courtroom Manual
Author: Author(s): Lawrence A. Dubin (Author), A.J. Stephani (Author), Glen Weissenberger (Author)
ISBN: 9798341712256
Publisher: LexisNexis
Edition: 2025
Copyright/Published Date: 2025
Required Material: No
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: The electronic version of this Manual is available for FREE through their Lexis account: https://plus.lexis.com/api/permalink/2d1a11b3-dc78-4ded-a4cd-c2fac5ed8392/?context=1530671.

9. Title: Modern Trial Advocacy: Analysis and Practice
Author: Steven Lubet, J. C. Lore
ISBN: 9798886691863
Publisher: Aspen
Edition: 7th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 06-26-2026
Required Material: No
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: Students are to review the TPI case problem, the Michigan Court Rules, and the Michigan Rules of Evidence.
Students are to prepare a short statement (no more than a paragraph or two) about the area of litigation they are interested in as a career and three skills they would like to strengthen this semester. Statements should be sent to Professor Rusek at least 48 hours before the first class via email (rusekale@msu.edu).

Details:

Trial Practice Institute - Trial I ( - 623D) - Aquilina, R.

Books: Recommended Books:

1. Title: Modern Trial Advocacy: Analysis and Practice
Author: Steven Lubet, J. C. Lore
ISBN: 9798886691863
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: 7th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 06-29-2026
Required Material: No
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

2. Other Materials: Michigan Court Rules - copy will also be maintained in the courtroom for use during class
Required Material: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

3. Other Materials: Michigan Civil Jury Instructions - Available online- Check MJI and available in Law Library
Required Material: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

4. Title: Michigan Evidence Courtroom Manual
Author: Author(s): Lawrence A. Dubin (Author), A.J. Stephani (Author), Glen Weissenberger (Author)
ISBN: 9798341712256
Publisher: LexisNexis
Edition: 2025
Copyright/Published Date: 2025
Required Material: No
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: The electronic version of this Manual is available for FREE through their Lexis account: https://plus.lexis.com/api/permalink/2d1a11b3-dc78-4ded-a4cd-c2fac5ed8392/?context=1530671.

REQUIRED Books/Materials:

1. Other Materials: On D2L: Case File Problem: William Bofus, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Lindsey Marie Bofus, Deceased v Andrew Duframe, Ellis Boyd Ray, and Thompson Summer Camp, LLC, a Michigan Limited Liability Company
Required Material: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

2. Other Materials: MJI Bench books assigned by Professor: Free to Download at MJI (Michigan Judicial Institute): https://www.courts.michigan.gov Click on Publications - Benchbooks- 1. Civil Proceedings 2. Evidence
Required Material: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

3. Other Materials: Handouts assigned by and created by professor
Required Material: Yes
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

Assignment: See D2L for first assignments.

Details:

Trial Practice Institute — Trial Presentation ( - 623M) - Ferris, T., Swartzle, B.

Books: Title: Kemper v. Nita City Cubs Holdings, Inc. EPUB
Author: Theresa Moore
ISBN: 9781601565242
Publisher: NITA (National Institute for Trial Advocacy)
Edition: eBook
Copyright/Published Date: Unknown
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: The students should be “highly encouraged” to get the electronic version, rather than the print copy. Purchase here: https://www.vitalsource.com/products/kemper-v-nita-city-cubs-holdings-inc-theresa-driscoll-moore-v9781601565242?srsltid=AfmBOooWIXixvNBxcRgzaBj7dNmYkluNXrUPWEYiey0BLEaawrjGActs However, if you would like to purchase the print copy, information can be found here: https://aspenpublishing.com/products/nita-moore-kemper. The ISBN: 9781601564863

Other Materials: Coursepack will be provided electronically via D2L.
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

Assignment: THIS IS ALSO POSTED ON D2L IN THE ASSIGNMENTS MODULE:

Assignment #1 Trial Presentation: Theatrical Skills
Please answer via email (tjferris49@gmail.com) the following questions. Please submit your responses on or before Thursday, September 3, 2026, or bring with you to the first class session.
1. What experience you have had in performance related activities, such as: Acting (classes, school, community or professional plays); other performance related activities, such as (debate teams, forensics, etc.); Sports (What kind?); Other (Anything else that it done before an audience of some kind) Please provide details.
2. What do you see as the most important characteristics of the ideal communicator? (It does not have to be a lawyer!)
3. What do you believe is your strongest skill as a performer or presenter?
4. What would you like to improve or correct to enhance your skills as an effective communicator? Please be specific. This may be vocal work, or movement, eye contact, etc. On which issues would you like to focus?

Details:

Trial Practice Institute: Pre-Trial I ( - 623B) - Bone, D.

Books: Required Book:
Title: Pretrial
Author: Thomas A. Mauet, David Marcus
ISBN: 9781543857979
Publisher: Aspen Publishing
Edition: Eleventh Edition
Copyright/Published Date: 11/1/2022
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: Yes
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Eleventh edition is preferred but prior editions are fine

Recommended Book:
Title: An Advocate Persuades
Author: Joan Malmud Rocklin, Robert B. Rocklin, Christine Coughlin, Sandy Patrick
ISBN: 9781531019105
Publisher: Carolina Academic Press
Edition: Second edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2022
Required Material: No
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: Yes
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Second edition is preferred, but first edition is fine

Assignment: See D2L for first assignments.

Details:

Trial Practice Institute: Pre-Trial I ( - 623B) - McNally, V.

Trial Practice Institute: Trial Practicum ( - 623J) - McNally, V.

Books: Title: A Student's Guide to Trial Objections
Author: Charles B. Gibbons
ISBN: 9781647088347
Publisher: West Academic
Edition: 6th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2021
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: This book is also available FREE to students in library's The West Academic Study Aids Collection (https://subscription-westacademic-com.proxy2.cl.msu.edu/Book/Detail?id=27347&q=A%20Student%27s%20Guide%20to%20Trial%20Objections&goBackUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fsubscription-westacademic-com.proxy2.cl.msu.edu%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DA%2BStudent%27s%2BGuide%2Bto%2BTrial%2BObjections#search-in-book-tab).

Assignment: See D2L for first assignments.

Details:

Trusts and Estates ( - 501D) - Blankfein-Tabachnick, D.

Books: Title: Wills, Trusts, and Estates, Eleventh Edition: [Connected eBook with Study Center]
Author: Robert H. Sitkoff, Jesse Dukeminier
ISBN: 9781543824469
Publisher: Wolters Kluwer/Aspen
Edition: 11th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2021-11-01
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Professor is requiring the 11th, NOT the newer 12th edition

Other Materials: SUPPLEMENTS. All Uniform Acts (Uniform Probate Code (“UPC”), Uniform Trust Code (“UTC”) and other Uniform Acts) may be downloaded from the Uniform Law Commission’s web site (http://www.‌uniformlaws.‌org/).
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: No

Assignment: The first assignment is pp. 1-29 in the casebook.

Details:

Trusts and Estates ( - 501D) - Frydrych, D.

Books: Title: Wills, Trusts, and Estates, Eleventh Edition: [Connected eBook with Study Center]
Author: Robert H. Sitkoff, Jesse Dukeminier
ISBN: 9781543824469
Publisher: Wolters Kluwer
Edition: 11th edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2021-11-01
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Professor is requiring the 11th, NOT the newer 12th edition

Assignment: UPDATED 07/30/2026:
Casebook (Sitkoff & Dukiminier 11th edn) pages 1-16, 30-34, 480-481, 487-490, 500, 501-502 (from “TOD Security Accounts”), 505-506.

Details:

Water Law ( - 566U) - Orr, J.

Books: Title: Water Law: Concepts and Insights Series
Author: ROBIN KUNDIS. ADLER CRAIG (ROBERT W.. HALL, NOAH D.)
ISBN: 9781685611149
Publisher: West Academic
Edition: 2nd edition
Binding: softbound
Copyright/Published Date: 2024
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes
Comments: Students may not need to purchase the book. It is also offered for free through West Study Aids Collection (https://subscription-westacademic-com.proxy2.cl.msu.edu/Book/Detail?id=28522&q=Water%20Law&goBackUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fsubscription-westacademic-com.proxy2.cl.msu.edu%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DWater%2BLaw#toc-tab)

Assignment: Water Law: Concepts and Insights series 2ndEdition (Adler, Craig, and Hall)
Chapter 1: Introduction to Water Law (Water Law, pp. 1-15)

Details:

Wildlife Law ( - 565B) - Frampton, C.

Books: Title: North American Wildlife Policy and Law
Author: Bruce D. Leopold (Editor), Winifred B. Kessler (Editor), James L. Cummins (Editor)
ISBN: 9781940860275
Publisher: Boone and Crockett Club
Edition: 1st edition
Copyright/Published Date: August 7, 2018
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: I. FOUNDATIONS OF WILDLIFE POLICY AND LAW – AUG. 31, 2026

This class period will be devoted to understanding the role of the state fish and wildlife agencies in managing wildlife and the general concepts that guide those decisions. Our focus is on the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation (NAM).

READING:
• NA Policy & Law: pp. 65–69, 125–132.

• Read at least one article on the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation to discuss in class. The following are examples of articles available online.
o Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s (RMEF) website, or
o Boone and Crockett Club’s website
o The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation - Technical Review (The Wildlife Society, 2012)
o Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) website, fishwildlife.org

• Geer v. Connecticut, 161 U.S. 519 (1896)

• Hughes v. Oklahoma, 441 U.S. 322 (1979).

Geer and Hughes rulings help define wildlife law jurisprudence.

Details:

Wrongful Convictions Seminar ( - 617E) - O'Brien, B.

Books: Book 1:
Title: The Wrongful Convictions Reader
Author: Russell D. Covey, Valena E. Beety (editors)
ISBN: 9781531023874
Publisher: Carolina Academic Press LLC
Edition: Second edition
Copyright/Published Date: 2023
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Book 2:
Title: Beyond Innocence: The Life Sentence of Darryl Hunt
Author: Phoebe Zerwick
ISBN: 9780802159373
Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press
Copyright/Published Date: March 8, 2022
Required Material: Yes
Used During: Both
Previous Edition OK: No
Material Part of a Bundle: No
Copies on Reserve in Libraries: Yes

Assignment: Covey & Beety, Chapters 1 & 2
Chapter 2 (p. 19 – 42) of Wrongful Convictions: The Literature, the Issues, and the Unheard Voices (available at https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/251446.pdf)

Details:

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