TLS Courses

LA 521 Contracts 1 - 3 Units

Students study the fundamentals of contract law, including common law principles, selected sections of the Restatement (Second) of Contracts, and the Uniform Commercial Code. Students examine remedies, offer, acceptance, discerning the agreement, parol evidence rule, Statute of Frauds, multi-party transactions, and enforceability. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 521x Contracts 1 - 3 Units

Students study the fundamentals of contract law, including common law principles, selected sections of the Restatement (Second) of Contracts, and the Uniform Commercial Code. Students examine remedies, offer, acceptance, discerning the agreement, parol evidence rule, Statute of Frauds, multi-party transactions, and enforceability. Delivery Mode: Flex Juris Doctor.

LA 522a Contracts 2 - 3 Units

Students study the fundamentals of contract law, including common law principles, selected sections of the Restatement (Second) of Contracts, and the Uniform Commercial Code. Students examine consideration, promissory estoppel, warranties and conditions, breach, and defenses. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 522x Contracts 2 - 3 Units

Students study the fundamentals of contract law, including common law principles, selected sections of the Restatement (Second) of Contracts, and the Uniform Commercial Code. Students examine consideration, promissory estoppel, warranties and conditions, breach, and defenses. Delivery Mode: Flex Juris Doctor.

LA 523 Contracts Drafting - 1 Unit

Students learn practical contract drafting skills, including how to translate a business deal into contract concepts, how to draft each of a contract's parts, how to draft with clarity and without ambiguity, and how to review and analyze a contract. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 531a Criminal Law - 3 Units

Students learn how to deal with substantive criminal law problems in both practical and policy terms. Students inquire into the proper scope and objectives of criminal law, limitations on the state's power to define criminal liability, and general principles of liability and defenses for offenses against the person and property. Students are also provided with an opportunity for critical examination of statutes at an early stage in the law student's career. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 531x Criminal Law - 3 Units

Students learn how to deal with substantive criminal law problems in both practical and policy terms. Students inquire into the proper scope and objectives of criminal law, limitations on the state's power to define criminal liability, and general principles of liability and defenses for offenses against the person and property. Students are also provided with an opportunity for critical examination of statutes at an early stage in the law student's career. Delivery Mode: Flex Juris Doctor.

LA 541 Torts 1 - 3 Units

Students learn the civil laws governing compensation for injury to person and property. Students focus on intentional torts and defenses, negligence and defenses, wrongful death, survival, statute of limitations, immunities, and vicarious liability. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 541x Torts 1 - 3 Units

Students learn the civil laws governing compensation for injury to person and property. Students focus on intentional torts and defenses, negligence and defenses, wrongful death, survival, statute of limitations, immunities, and vicarious liability. Delivery Mode: Flex Juris Doctor.

LA 542 Torts 2 - 3 Units

Students learn the civil laws governing compensation for injury to person and property. Students study strict liability, products liability, nuisance, defamation, invasion of privacy, civil rights, misuse of legal procedure, intentional and negligent misrepresentation, business torts and familial relationships, torts in the age of statutes, and compensation systems as substitutes for tort law. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 542x Torts 2 - 3 Units

Students learn the civil laws governing compensation for injury to person and property. Students study strict liability, products liability, nuisance, defamation, invasion of privacy, civil rights, misuse of legal procedure, intentional and negligent misrepresentation, business torts and familial relationships, torts in the age of statutes, and compensation systems as substitutes for tort law. Delivery Mode: Flex Juris Doctor.

LA 545 Human Trafficking: Law and Policy (Cambodia) - 1-3 Units

In this study abroad course in Cambodia, students are introduced to international and domestic laws and policies governing various forms of human trafficking, including forced labor, sexual exploitation, and other modern forms of slavery. Cambodia is considered a source, transit, and destination country for many forms of human trafficking. Students explore Cambodia's history as well as its legal responses to the Cambodian genocide and human trafficking. Students examine the diplomatic and policy tools employed by governments, non-governmental organizations, and other institutions to combat trafficking, including foreign aid, local investment, education, and economic development. Students have the opportunity to meet with multilateral organizations, government officials, NGOs, survivor organizations, and other key individuals involved in the anti-trafficking movement. LA 545 is repeatable for up to 3 units. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 550 Foundations of Law - 3 Units

Students explore the foundational institutions, principles, and norms of American legal systems, along with the legal concepts related to them. Students are introduced to the thinkers and ideas that have significantly contributed to Western and American legal traditions. Students examine the nature of law, the development of common law, the rise of modern legal philosophies, and the influence of Christian and secular worldviews on the evolution of American law. Key appellate court opinions are analyzed to illustrate foundational concepts and the basics of legal reasoning. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 550x Foundations of Law - 3 Units

Students explore the foundational institutions, principles, and norms of American legal systems, along with the legal concepts related to them. Students are introduced to the thinkers and ideas that have significantly contributed to Western and American legal traditions. Students examine the nature of law, the development of common law, the rise of modern legal philosophies, and the influence of Christian and secular worldviews on the evolution of American law. Key appellate court opinions are analyzed to illustrate foundational concepts and the basics of legal reasoning. Delivery Mode: Flex Juris Doctor.

LA 559 Legal Research and Writing 1: Objective Writing - 3 Units

Students are introduced to fundamental legal reasoning, research (both online and in print), and writing skills within the context of objective legal documents. Students learn to identify, utilize, and analyze primary and secondary legal authorities to solve legal problems, as well as how to structure and draft legal memoranda. LA 559 meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 560b Legal Research and Writing 2: Persuasive Writing - 3 Units

Students develop their analytical, writing, and research skills in the advocacy context. Students produce litigation documents including a pre-trial motion and an appellate brief. Students are also required to participate in an oral argument competition to practice oral advocacy skills. LA 560b meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 560d Legal Writing: Litigation Skills - 3 Units

Students are provided legal writing experience in civil litigation, including the drafting of demand letters, complaints, answers and other responsive pleadings, discovery, discovery responses, motions, and pre-trial documents. Students focus on the legal writing skills commonly required in civil litigation. Students have the opportunity to simulate attorney case handling in a civil litigation setting. Using a class hypothetical based on a real civil case, students will learn how to manage the case as practicing attorneys. LA 560d meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 560e Legal Writing: Transactional Skills - 3 Units

Students are provided legal writing experience in transactional civil practice. Students focus on legal writing commonly associated with and required in transactional civil practice including opinion letters, letters to opposing counsel, commonly utilized contractual provisions, mutual settlements and releases, clauses related to indemnification and hold harmless agreements, anti-competition provisions, and confidentiality agreements. LA 560e meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 561 Mastering Multiple-Choice Questions: Part 1 - 1 Unit

Students focus on contracts, criminal law, criminal procedure, and torts for the multiple-choice portion of the California Bar Exam. Students review the substantive law, practice extensively, develop time management strategies, and identify areas for improvement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 562 Mastering Multiple-Choice Questions: Part 2 - 1 Unit

Students focus on civil procedure, constitutional law, evidence, and property for the multiple-choice portion of the California Bar Exam. Students review the substantive law, practice extensively, develop time management strategies, and identify areas for improvement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 567 Mastering the Performance Test - 1 Unit

Students focus on the California Bar Exam Performance Test. Students develop time management strategies and approaches for how to organize and outline the test. Additionally, students complete several Performance Tests and receive personalized feedback. Prerequisites: LA 559 & LA 560b. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 572 Victimology and Restorative Justice - 1 Unit

Students cover the relationship between victims and their offenders, interaction between victims and the criminal justice system, the impact of crime on victims' families and the reintroduction of offenders to society. Students focus on the Christian view of reconciliation. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 599x FYLSX Skills - 3 Units

Students engage in a substantive law review of each subject tested on the California First-Year Law Students' Examination (FYLSX). Students also extensively practice in both essay exam writing and multiple-choice questions. Students focus on approaches, checklists, and writing techniques to enhance issue spotting, analysis, and application skills, which are necessary skills to pass the FYLSX. Delivery mode: Flex Juris Doctor.

LA 600i Constitutional Law 1 - 3 Units

Students explore the structure and powers of the federal government and focus on selected topics regarding the relationship of the branches of the federal government to each other and to the states. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 601i Constitutional Law 2 - 3 Units

Students explore selected topics regarding the Bill of Rights, particularly the First Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process and Equal Protection clauses. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 604 Religious Freedom and Sports - 1 Unit

Students explore religious freedom-related issues as they pertain to sports. Students examine topics including homeschooling, transfers, free speech and prayer, employment law, Sabbath accommodations, Title IX and gender equity issues, and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. Students apply legal principles to current sports-related topics as well as to fact patterns they may encounter if practicing in the area of religious freedom. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 613 Professional Responsibility and Ethics - 3 Units

Students primarily focus on the laws governing lawyers' professional conduct. These laws are studied through ethics codes, cases, professional responsibility opinions, ethics problems, and class discussion. Students focus on the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct, and the California Rules of Professional Conduct. Additionally, the ethics aspect of the course examines the broader moral and ethical issues and responsibilities of lawyers, judges, and clients, including Christian ethical perspectives. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 613x Professional Responsibility and Ethics - 3 Units

Students primarily focus on the laws governing lawyers' professional conduct. These laws are studied through ethics codes, cases, professional responsibility opinions, ethics problems, and class discussion. Students focus on the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct, and the California Rules of Professional Conduct. Additionally, the ethics aspect of the course examines the broader moral and ethical issues and responsibilities of lawyers, judges, and clients, including Christian ethical perspectives. Delivery Mode: Flex Juris Doctor.

LA 661 Property 1 - 3 Units

Students focus on the acquisition, disposition, and use of personal and real property. Students explore the nature of ownership and possession, bailment, donative transfers, adverse possession, common law classifications of estates in land, concurrent ownership, present and future interests in land, and landlord-tenant law. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 662 Property 2 - 3 Units

Students focus on the acquisition, disposition, and use of personal and real property. Students explore transfers of interests in real property, real estate contracts, legal descriptions, conveyances and deeds, recording systems, title insurance, private land-use restrictions (easements, covenants, and equitable servitudes), public land-use regulations, mortgages, eminent domain, and regulatory takings. Students may be exposed to intellectual property. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 671i Evidence 1 - 3 Units

Students learn the standards regulating admissibility of evidence in both civil and criminal trials. Students study common law and statutory principles, policy considerations underlying rules of evidence, admission and exclusion, relevancy and materiality, opinion evidence, authentication, the best evidence rule, judicial notice, and public policy exclusions. Students also study impeachment and rehabilitation as well as presumptions and burden of proof. Trial situations are simulated, students argue for and against the admission of evidence under the rules, and students explore how evidence has an impact on tactical trial decisions. Students address the Federal Rules of Evidence and the California Evidence Code, including any distinctions between the two. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 672i Evidence 2 - 3 Units

Students learn the standards regulating admissibility of evidence in both civil and criminal trials. Students study privileged communications as well as the hearsay rule and its exceptions. Trial situations are simulated; students argue for and against the admission of evidence under the rules; and students explore how evidence has an impact on tactical trial decisions. Students address the Federal Rules of Evidence and the California Evidence Code, including any distinctions between the two. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 673b Civil Procedure 1 - 3 Units

Students examine aspects of civil litigation, including an introduction to the court system, personal and subject matter jurisdiction, venue, and the role of state law in federal courts. Students also discuss remedies and pleading. Students primarily focus on federal civil procedure but also addresses California procedure where it differs from the federal rules. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 674b Civil Procedure 2 - 3 Units

Students examine aspects of civil litigation, including discovery, parties, counterclaims, cross-claims, impleader, intervention, and interpleader. Students primarily focus on federal civil procedure but also address California procedure where it differs from the federal rules. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 674d E-Discovery - 1 Unit

Students examine the legal and technological issues surrounding the use of electronically stored information (ESI), including the practical parameters of e-discovery and electronic case management. Students learn what electronic discovery is and analyze how the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Federal Rules of Evidence, and relevant case law affect this aspect of litigation. Students examine considerations attorneys and litigation teams address when handling ESI prior to and during the litigation process. Students also analyze preservation obligations and spoliation claims. Finally, students examine developing issues, rules, and practices involving e-discovery, digital evidence, and computer forensics in litigation and general legal practice. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 675a Alternative Dispute Resolution - 3 Units

Students develop a thorough understanding of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) through the study of different ADR processes, including arbitration and mediation. Students examine the appropriate use of ADR and analyze the procedural posture through which cases move into and proceed within ADR. Students participate in mock ADR hearings, serving both as counsel for litigants in hypothetical cases and as neutrals conducting the proceedings. Students also prepare documents commonly associated with ADR hearings, including arbitration briefs and mediation briefs. This course meets the practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 702a Business Associations - 3 Units

Students explore the formation of agency relationships, partnerships and corporations, the fiduciary duties of agents, directors and officers, shareholder voting, shareholder lawsuits, rules around corporate disclosures, insider trading, and corporate control transactions. Particular attention is given to the way in which corporations organize and operate. Students also examine the respective roles, relationships, and liability exposure of shareholders, directors, and officers. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 753 Trial Practice - 3 Units

Students develop practical advocacy skills through the study of the fundamental components of a typical civil and criminal trial. Students participate in discrete advocacy exercises, including jury voir dire, opening and closing statements, the presentation of and objections to evidence, and direct and cross-examination. This course meets the practical skills requirement. Prerequisites: LA671i and LA672i. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 763 Family Law - 3 Units

Students study the legal aspects of relationships associated with marriage and parenthood, including spousal and parental rights and responsibilities, children's rights, marital dissolution, annulment, unmarried cohabitation, child custody, illegitimacy, adoption, and guardianship. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 764 Community Property - 2 Units

Students focus on the principles of California's community property system and contrast those principles with the treatment of assets in a common law jurisdiction. Students analyze how California classifies different types of assets that a couple might acquire during the course of a marital relationship. Students primarily discuss how California classifies personal injury awards, pensions, disability benefits, professional degrees, bonuses, credit acquisitions, and jointly-titled assets. Practical problems and solutions are emphasized. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 783i Criminal Procedure - 3 Units

Students are provided with a comprehensive understanding of important issues in criminal procedure arising during the investigation and early stages of the prosecution of crimes. Topics include constitutional limits on arrests and stops, search and seizure, interrogation of suspects, right to counsel, exclusionary rule, identification procedures, the privilege against self-incrimination, and the grand jury. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 783x Criminal Procedure - 3 Units

Students are provided with a comprehensive understanding of important issues in criminal procedure arising during the investigation and early stages of the prosecution of crimes. Topics include constitutional limits on arrests and stops, search and seizure, interrogation of suspects, right to counsel, exclusionary rule, identification procedures, the privilege against self-incrimination, and the grand jury. Delivery Mode: Flex Juris Doctor.

LA 790b Jurisprudence - 3 Units

Students learn core juristic concepts - the modes of jurisprudential reasoning, principles, rights and duties, and institutions - that have shaped Western law, and employ these concepts to understand and critique the institutions, principles, and norms of the American legal system. Students read and discuss classic and contemporary jurisprudential texts and examples of jurisprudence in practice, such as landmark judicial decisions, significant constitutional actions, and policy debates. In particular, students read foundational texts in ancient Greek philosophy, Roman law, and Judeo-Christian jurisprudence; natural law theory; legal positivism; pragmatic jurisprudence, especially legal realism and law & economics; modern human rights concepts; and postmodern critical theories. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 803 Wills, Trusts, and Estates - 3 Units

Students learn rules related to intestate succession; testamentary dispositions; the execution, modification, and revocation of wills; testamentary capacity; will contests; and the interpretation of wills. Students examine the protection of spouses and children as well as the use of will substitutes. Students study the creation, types, and characteristics of trusts, including the construction of trusts, trust administration, and wealth transfer taxation. Fiduciary administration issues are also addressed. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 822a Remedies - 3 Units

Students analyze the judicial remedies available in the American system of jurisprudence. Students are familiarized with compensatory and punitive damages, preliminary and permanent injunctions, restitution and unjust enrichment, rescission, declaratory judgments, attorneys fees, and pre-judgment interest. Students examine claims for and defenses to quiet title, reformation, fraudulent conveyances, subrogation, contribution, indemnity, and replevin. Students also engage in discussion of recent developments in the law of American remedies as well as important practical issues regarding enforcing money judgments, initiating and prosecuting contempt proceedings, and obtaining writs of attachment and other pre-judgment remedies. Students will conclude the course with discussions of equitable and other remedies available to defendants, such as unclean hands, unconscionability, waiver, estoppel, laches, statutes of limitations, and California SLAPP laws. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 843 Christian Legal Thought - 3 Units

Students survey the various ways Christianity intersects with law, legal institutions, and legal values. Students examine the role of Christian legal education and its contributions to individuals and society. Topics include the importance of legal education, biblical foundations for Christian legal thought, natural law and its sources, and applications of these concepts to contemporary legal issues. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 844 Recent Books on Law - 3 Units

Students read several recent books on the law, with an emphasis on American law. After spending several weeks on each book, the author of the book joins the students in a workshop format, summarizes the book, takes questions from the students, and has a general discussion. Students write short reflection papers each week as well as critiques of each book that will be shared with the authors before their visit. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 845a Pro Bono Reading Seminar - 1 Unit

Students and faculty connect in an informal setting to engage with texts that address significant questions about law. Students read a book or selected readings chosen by the faculty member that examines topics related to law, including core issues involving the relationship between law, faith, politics, and culture. Groups meet four or five times during the semester to discuss the readings. Through discussion, students examine the real-world impact of law, analyze principles underlying the legal system, and reflect on the legal profession and vocational considerations of lawyering. The course fosters intellectual engagement and community among students and faculty. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 870b Civil Litigation Skills - 3 Units

Students develop an approach to the pleading and discovery aspects of litigation. Students draft and oppose pleadings, prepare discovery plans, draft and respond to written discovery, prepare witnesses for depositions, and develop deposition skills in accordance with the California Code of Civil Procedure. This course meets the practical skills requirement. Prerequisites: LA 671i, LA 672i, LA 673b, and LA 674b. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 872 Advanced Legal Writing: Skills and Strategies - 2 Units

Students strengthen legal writing skills. Students learn to choose the right words, organize their thoughts, and convey arguments as precisely and succinctly as possible. Coursework includes exercises, revisions of existing legal documents, peer editing, and several writing projects. Students also review and reinforce, through additional practice, the principles of effective research and writing, including citation. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 891b Juvenile Dependency - 3 Units

Students examine the principles of California's juvenile dependency law system as set forth in the Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC), with particular emphasis on section 300 filings. Students analyze evidentiary, civil procedure, constitutional law, and criminal law issues that arise within the juvenile dependency context. Students study the WIC and relevant case law governing the child welfare and foster care system, including the due process rights of families and the roles of parent's counsel, minor's counsel, and county counsel. Students demonstrate their understanding of these rights and roles by presenting evidence and arguments in mock proceedings, including detention hearings, jurisdictional and dispositional hearings, statutory review hearings, and hearings to terminate parental rights. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 901 Introduction to International Human Rights - 3 Units

Students examine the history, theory, and legal development of the systematic protection of human rights throughout the world. Students analyze the theological and philosophical foundations of human rights, the primary sources of human rights law, and the role of non-state actors, including nongovernmental organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Students also examine debates regarding legitimacy, compliance, efficacy, national sovereignty, responses to mass violence, and universal jurisdiction. In addition, students critically examine the strengths and weaknesses of the human rights protection system from a Christian perspective. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 910 The Right to Life and the Law - 3 Units

Students study the complex medical, social, legal, and ethical issues raised by topics such as abortion, euthanasia, and infanticide. Students examine Supreme Court and other judicial decisions pertaining to these issues. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 916a Domestic Human Trafficking - 1 Unit

Students examine trials of domestic human trafficking cases, from jury selection through closing argument, as well as the legal challenges involved in combating this crime. Students study the current understanding of human trafficking in California and advocacy against human trafficking, including the recruitment of victims, characteristics of traffickers, and the laws governing trafficking and its prosecution. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 916b International Human Trafficking - 1 Unit

Students study an overview of the global issue of trafficking in persons for forced labor or sexual exploitation and examine factors that contribute to the issue and how it is being addressed through legal, economic, and other solutions. Students also examine applicable international conventions and the United States policy responses to human trafficking. Delivery mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 922 Public International Law - 3 Units

Students study the fundamentals of international law and examine how it functions in global society. Students analyze the history and sources of international law, the relationship between international and domestic law, and state sovereignty, territory, and jurisdiction. Students also analyze immunities, state responsibility, and the use of force, self-defense, and terrorism. Students study the peaceful settlement of disputes; the law of the sea and the environment; and the law of human rights, armed conflict, and international crimes. Students examine traditional problems and current events through the study of cases, treaties, and other legal instruments, as well as films and news reports. The course serves as an introduction to topics addressed in LA 545 and LA 932. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 929 Children and the Law - 1 Unit

Students examine various ways that children interact with the law. Students discuss fundamental issues regarding children as full persons or people in need of protection, children in the context of families, children and the state, child abuse and neglect, the child and health care, the child and society, the child and school, and children and the criminal justice system. Students learn by utilizing cases, materials, and readings, as well as practical training tools. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 932 International Human Rights Protection (Europe) - 6 Units

In this study abroad course in The Hague, Netherlands, and Strasbourg, France, students address the recognition and protection of human rights under international law. Students address the protection of human beings in the international human rights protection system, the regional systems for protecting human rights, as well as under international criminal law and international humanitarian law. Students investigate the jurisprudence of human rights, including its history and development, as well as the theological and philosophical foundations for reflecting on the nature and scope of human rights. Students visit numerous international courts, museums, and a Nazi concentration camp, and have the unique opportunity to interact with human rights lawyers, judges, government officials, academics, and activists from around the world. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 935 Law, Worldview, and Culture - 1 Unit

Students explore law as a worldview-dependent phenomenon of culture. The reading and video lectures discuss the foundational concept of a worldview, emphasizing the truth of the Christian worldview, and then briefly trace the impact of different worldviews on the Western legal traditions (from the Roman system to our own 21st-century context), address fundamental implications for jurisprudence and practice (e.g., morality, ethics, rights, justice), and engage some of the more significant issues and ideas of our day (e.g., relativism, religious freedom, social justice, freedom of speech) as they are expressed by the culture in its laws. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 953 Legal Externship - 1-6 Units

Academic instruction in lawyering skills, professional responsibility, and hands-on legal practice are integrated into Externships. Students work under the supervision of experienced attorneys or judges in settings such as judicial chambers, district attorney or public defender offices, government agencies, nonprofit legal organizations, in-house legal departments, or private law firms. Externs receive training and guidance in legal research, writing, and practical lawyering skills. Students may earn up to 6 JD units applied toward the elective requirement. Externships must be approved prior to registration for credit; students should contact Academic Support for approval procedures. This course satisfies the practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 957a Law Practice Management - 3 Units

Students examine the practical aspects of opening and operating a law practice, including forms of practice, the role of legal assistants, and the use of systems for professional and business functions. Students study timekeeping and fees, bookkeeping, client relationships, law office staff manuals, library and retrieval systems, calendar and monitoring systems, essential equipment, law office layout, and practice development. Students also analyze the business and ethical issues and personal pressures encountered in solo and small-firm practice. In addition, students study the methods, standards, and procedures used by the accounting profession in the preparation and issuance of financial and accounting documents, including accounting terminology and processes relevant to interpreting financial reports and advising clients. This course meets the practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 958 Law as a Vocation - 1 Unit

Students examine the foundations of the lawyer's calling. Students discuss the concept of professionalism, the religious roots of the idea of calling in the context of ordinary work outside the local congregation, and the implications of these concepts for a philosophy of lawyering. Students also examine the practical consequences of these foundational views of the lawyer's vocation. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 959g Trinity Mediation Clinic - 2 Units

This clinic operates in conjunction with the Orange County Superior Court and Waymakers OC. Students have hands-on experience providing mediation services to disputants while operating under the direction of a professor who is both a mediator and licensed attorney. As mediators, the students act as third-party neutrals to help litigants facilitate a resolution of their pending lawsuits. This clinic equips students interested in entering the field of alternative dispute resolution or those who would like to incorporate peacemaking principles into their own legal practice. This clinic is available for in-person or remote students. LA 959g meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 959i Trinity Law Clinic - 1 Unit

Students participate in an off-campus poverty law clinic while earning elective credit. This clinic is a partnership with the Orange County Rescue Mission (OCRM) and joins in OCRM's purpose "to minister the love of Jesus Christ to the Least, the Last, and the Lost." Students assist in providing services to the residents of the OCRM's multiple programs around Southern California. Under the supervision of an attorney, students interview clients and work with the supervising attorney to problem solve. Students address some of the biggest legal issues faced by the homeless including family law, criminal law, and debt issues. Students receive instruction on the provision of legal service as well as hands-on training in interviewing clients, assessing legal needs, and providing answers to difficult legal issues. LA 959i meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 959j Trinity Law Clinic - 2 Units

Students participate in a poverty law clinic taking place at the Village of Hope campus. This clinic is a partnership with the Orange County Rescue Mission (OCRM) and joins in OCRM's purpose "to minister the love of Jesus Christ to the Least, the Last, and the Lost." Students assist in providing services to the residents of the OCRM's multiple programs around Southern California. Under the supervision of an attorney, students interview clients and work with the supervising attorney to problem solve. Students address some of the biggest legal issues faced by the homeless including family law, criminal law, and debt issues. Students receive instruction on the provision of legal service as well as hands-on training in interviewing clients, assessing legal needs, and providing answers to difficult legal issues. LA 959j meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 959k Trinity Mobile Legal Clinic - 1 Unit

Students participate in an off-campus poverty law clinic while earning elective credit. This clinic is a partnership with the Orange County Rescue Mission (OCRM). Under the direction of a supervising attorney, students work with low-income and homeless residents of Orange County at OCRM facilities. Students interview clients, help complete court or administrative paperwork, and assist clients in contacting governmental agencies as well as preparing for court hearings. Students participating in this clinic address many of the biggest legal issues faced by the homeless. Students are able to provide pro bono legal services to members of society who might not otherwise have access to legal assistance. LA 959k meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 959n Trinity Religious Liberty Clinic - 1 Unit

This clinic is a partnership with the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI). PJI is a non-profit organization with offices on the campus of Trinity Law School which provides pro bono legal services to churches and individuals, primarily involving the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties. Students hone legal writing skills in this writing-intense clinic while under the supervision of an attorney specializing in constitutional law. Students are exposed to writing trial motions and appellate briefs for important religious freedom matters. This clinic is available for in-person or remote students. LA 959n meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 959o Trinity Religious Liberty Clinic - 2 Units

This clinic is a partnership with the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI). PJI is a non-profit organization with offices on the campus of Trinity Law School which provides pro bono legal services to churches and individuals, primarily involving the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties. Students hone legal writing skills in this writing-intense clinic while under the supervision of an attorney specializing in constitutional law. Students are exposed to writing trial motions and appellate briefs for important religious freedom matters. LA 959o meets practical skills requirement. This clinic is available for in-person or remote students. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 959t Trinity Mediation Clinic - 3 Units

This clinic operates in conjunction with the Orange County Superior Court and Waymakers OC. Students have hands-on experience providing mediation services to disputants while operating under the direction of a professor who is both a mediator and licensed attorney. As mediators, the students act as third-party neutrals to help litigants facilitate a resolution of their pending lawsuits. This clinic equips students interested in entering the field of alternative dispute resolution or those who would like to incorporate peacemaking principles into their own legal practice. This clinic is available for in-person or remote students. LA 959t meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 959u Trinity Religious Liberty Clinic - 3 Units

This clinic is a partnership with the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI). PJI is a non-profit organization with offices on the campus of Trinity Law School which provides pro bono legal services to churches and individuals, primarily involving the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties. Students hone legal writing skills in this writing-intense clinic while under the supervision of an attorney specializing in constitutional law. Students are exposed to writing trial motions and appellate briefs for important religious freedom matters. This clinic is available for in-person or remote students. LA 959u meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 959v Trinity Immigration Clinic - 3 Units

Under the supervision of a Trinity Law School professor and attorney, students work with non-profit, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide legal services in areas such as asylum, Temporary Protected Status, Adjustment of Status, removal, and other immigration-related issues. Students receive instruction on representation, case analysis, interviewing, case preparation, and generally serving client needs. This is a virtual clinic. LA 959v meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 959w Trinity Immigration Clinic - 1 Unit

Under the supervision of a Trinity Law School professor and attorney, students work with non-profit, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide legal services in areas such as asylum, Temporary Protected Status, Adjustment of Status, removal, and other immigration-related issues. Students receive instruction on representation, case analysis, interviewing, case preparation, and generally on serving client needs. This is a virtual clinic. LA 959w meets practical skills requirement. Prerequisite: LA 959f and LA 959v, or LA 959f and LA 959x. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor. Remote/Online.

LA 959x Trinity Immigration Clinic - 2 Units

Under the supervision of a Trinity Law School professor and attorney, students work with non-profit, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide legal services in areas such as asylum, Temporary Protected Status, Adjustment of Status, removal, and other immigration-related issues. Students receive instruction on representation, case analysis, interviewing, case preparation, and generally on serving client needs. This is a virtual clinic. LA 959x meets practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 960 Administrative Law - 3 Units

Students study administrative law as the body of law governing the actions of public agencies and the regulatory frameworks affecting modern society. Students examine recent developments in administrative law, including significant cases affecting the relationship among the presidency, Congress, and the courts, as well as emerging trends in regulatory oversight, constitutional developments, and agency accountability. Students analyze the core principles governing the balance of power among regulatory agencies, the judiciary, and other branches of government. Students also examine how administrative law protects the public interest, promotes governmental accountability, and regulates industries across multiple sectors, including power generation, finance, securities, consumer protection, labor, and fishing. Through discussion of policy and reform, students develop an understanding of the field's core concepts. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 962a Intellectual Property - 3 Units

Students examine patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade dress, and trade secrets. Students analyze the requirements for obtaining each type of intellectual property right, the conduct that constitutes infringement of each type of intellectual property right, the defenses available to accused infringers, and the remedies available to intellectual property rights holders. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 962d Intellectual Property - 1 Unit

Students examine patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and other intellectual property rights. Students analyze the rights and remedies associated with each type of intellectual property and the relationships among different types of intellectual property. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 968 Legislation and Regulation - 2 Units

Students develop a foundational understanding of how statutes are interpreted, how regulations are promulgated and enforced, and how administrative agencies fit within the constitutional structure. Students examine perspectives from across the ideological spectrum (e.g., Brookings, Cato, ACLU, Heritage, Federalist Society, Thomas More Society) to explore the interpretation and implementation of the law. Students engage in close readings of significant cases, conduct in-depth analysis of statutory interpretation, and stay attentive to current developments in administrative law. Students learn how to effectively represent clients, especially people of faith, within the context of a hostile administrative state. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 970 Independent Study/Guided Research - 1-6 Units

Students initiate individualized research on an approved topic under the supervision of a law professor. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 973 From Brief to Bench: A Study of the Supreme Court's October Term - 1 Unit

Students examine selected high-profile cases before the Supreme Court of the United States during the current term prior to decision. Students review the parties' briefs and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments presented. Through this process, students study advocacy at the Supreme Court level and critically evaluate complex legal issues before judicial resolution. At the conclusion of the course, each student serves as the authoring justice and writes a majority opinion for one of the cases discussed. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 974 First Amendment Trends and Exam Analysis - 2 Units

Students survey existing and emerging trends in Constitutional jurisprudence on the First Amendment protections of Free Exercise, the Establishment Clause, Free Speech and Press, and Freedom of Assembly and Association. They deepen their understanding of the holdings and reasoning in the most recent First Amendment cases to hone their analytical skills for exam writing and in preparation for lawyerly advocacy in public law practice and service to Trinity's Mission. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 984c Religion and the Law - 3 Units

Students examine advanced issues in law and religion, including the theological foundations of law and the legal foundations of theology, the relationship between church and state, religious civil liberties, religious discrimination and accommodation, and the legal principles and regulatory frameworks governing churches and religious organizations. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 984d Law, Religion, and Public Policy - 3 Units

Students survey the interaction among law, religion, and public policy as a framework for understanding public engagement and citizenship. Students examine topics including the interaction of law and religion, the role of faith in shaping legal judgment, and the public engagement of the church within a contested public square. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 988a Criminal Law and Psychology - 1 Unit

Students study the psychology of criminal trial practice, including strategies for evaluating and presenting criminal cases. Students examine the science and practice of preparing a criminal case from arraignment through sentencing, incorporating both prosecution and defense perspectives. Topics include initial case assessment; interpersonal dynamics among clients, victims, and witnesses; the use of experts; selection of case theory; and the psychology of jury selection. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 988b Domestic Violence Law - 1 Unit

Students examine domestic violence issues across a variety of legal settings. Students develop critical thinking skills through analysis of domestic violence topics and study how domestic violence arises in different legal contexts by examining both historical aspects and recent developments within those settings. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 989 Moot Court - 1-2 Units

Students gain practical advocacy skills through researching, drafting, and arguing an appellate brief. Students may participate upon concurrent enrollment in 24 units. LA 989 is repeatable for up to 4 units. LA 989 meets practical skills requirement. Prerequisites: LA 559 & LA 560b. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 991a Law Review - 1 Unit

Students participate in the publication of the Trinity Law Review. The Trinity Law Review is a legal journal that the student members edit and publish. Members are selected on the basis of academic achievement and a writing competition. Students receive credit for demonstrable competence in scholarly writing and editing. Students may participate upon concurrent enrollment in 24 units. LA 991a is repeatable for up to 4 units. LA 991a meets practical skills requirement. Prerequisites: LA 559 & LA 560b. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 993f Fundamentals of Federal Taxation - 3 Units

Students undertake an in-depth study of federal income taxation. Students learn fundamental concepts including the definition of income, exclusions from income, deductions available for individuals in computing taxable income, the computation of tax liability, basis in property, gains and losses from sales of property, capital gains and losses, and timing issues. Students focus on tax planning and tax policy; more significantly, however, students learn the framework to develop enduring analytical skills necessary to work with ever-changing bodies of statutory and regulatory law. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 994b Employment Law - 3 Units

Students examine fundamental employment rights, public policies, and laws regulating the workplace. Students learn core employment law concepts and vocabulary necessary to identify employment law issues and conduct initial risk analysis. Topics include employee and employer status, employment-at-will, employment contracts, disparate treatment, disparate impact, sex-based harassment and sex stereotyping discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, disability and leave laws, retaliation and whistleblowers, public policy and employment torts, privacy, employment duties, wage and hour law, procedural matters, and remedies. Students focus primarily on federal law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, with selected California laws also addressed. This course does not cover traditional labor law, including collective bargaining or labor-management relations, or employee benefits. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 995f Immigration Law - 3 Units

Students examine the foundations of immigration law and policy. Students analyze statutes, regulations, policies, and cases that form the basis of immigration law. Students study both the substantive law and its practical application through review of the historical and legislative evolution of U.S. immigration law and policy. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 995j Adoption Law - 1 Unit

Students are provided with an overview of all types of adoption permitted under California law, including independent, agency, foster to adoption, guardianship to adoption, relative, stepparent, international, confirmatory, and adult adoptions. Termination of parental rights actions outside the context of dependency will also be covered. Particular attention will be given to the social and emotional aspects of adoption. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 995nb Negotiation for Law and Business - 2-3 Units

Students survey negotiation skills, including strategy, tactics, and planning. Students examine relationships between parties, multi-party negotiations, closure, information bargaining, and initial proposals. Students also examine methods for narrowing differences as well as competitive, cooperative, and problem-solving tactics. Students study negotiation counseling, alternative dispute resolution, and the role of identity in the context of culture, sex, and race. Students participate in in-class negotiation exercises. This course meets the practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 995np Law of Nonprofit Organizations - 3 Units

Students study nonprofit organizations and the nonprofit sector. Topics include the role of nonprofits; theories and justifications for the nonprofit form; nonprofit statutes and other laws governing nonprofits, including the regulation of charitable solicitations; the formation, operation, and dissolution of nonprofit organizations; and tax and tax policy issues related to nonprofits. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 998e Advanced Exam Approaches and Skills - 3 Units

In this skills-oriented course, students focus on the essay, performance test, and multiple-choice question components of the California Bar Exam. Students refine their abilities to identify issues, organize answers, and apply effective testing strategies for essays and performance tests along with tactical approaches to selecting the best responses to multiple-choice questions. Through diagnostics, practice exams, and workshops, students receive personalized feedback to refine their skills in these areas. Students are provided the opportunity to start strengthening their exam skills prior to beginning a formal Bar Exam review course. This course is offered asynchronously online. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 999cr 42 USC Section 1983: Civil Rights Violations - 1 Unit

Students examine 42 U.S.C. section 1983, which permits individuals to bring civil actions against the government for civil rights violations. Students analyze when and how claims may be brought against governmental actors and the governmental immunities that may preclude such actions. Students explore these issues through doctrinal analysis, popular literature, and cinema. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 999g Civil Disobedience and the Christian Lawyer - 1 Unit

Students examine which law binds the conscience of a Christian through the study of biblical exegesis and philosophical theology. Students analyze whether unjust laws ought to be obeyed through the study of ancient literature and film. Students also examine circumstances in which legal institutions are under attack, both domestically and abroad. Students explore ethical and pragmatic questions concerning whether lawyers can or should engage in civil disobedience and, if so, the circumstances under which civil disobedience may be undertaken and how lawyers may prepare themselves and their clients for such action. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 999i Client Interviewing and Counseling - 2 Units

Students focus on the legal principles and skills involved in interviewing clients and witnesses and counseling clients in the course of litigation, dispute resolution, and decision making. Additional topics include addressing cultural differences and interviewing and counseling clients with mental and physical disabilities, children, criminal defendants, and organizational clients. Students participate in simulations of interviewing and counseling and discuss the related ethical and professionalism concerns underlying the lawyer-client relationship. This course meets the practical skills requirement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 999p Estate Planning - 1 Unit

Students apply a practical approach to estate planning by developing a comprehensive estate plan using real-world scenarios. Students apply concepts learned in LA 803 and engage in the analytical process involved in creating an estate plan for a client. Topics include tax planning, incapacity, guardianships, and addressing the specific needs of families. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

LA 999w Workers' Compensation - 3 Units

Students examine general statutory principles of workers' compensation across state jurisdictions. Students study the history of the workers' compensation system, the nature of work injuries including accident and disease, compensation and benefits delivery, and relevant courts, administrative rules, and procedures. Delivery Mode: Traditional Juris Doctor.

MLS 400 Human Resources Compliance - 3 Units

This course examines the institutional models and regulatory schemes governing the management of employees in the workplace. Topics include a survey of the creation, maintenance and termination of the employment relationship, employee/employer duties, employment protections, torts in the workplace, workplace privacy and workplace safety and health. Delivery mode: traditional graduate, online, and accelerated.

MLS 414 Employment Discrimination - 3 Units

Students examine the legal rules and public policies surrounding employer practices and employee claims sounding in discrimination against members of protected classes or in hostility in the workplace. Topics include the state and federal regulations governing employment discrimination; employer planning, best practices, and prevention of claims; and the legal processes for determination and redress of discrimination in the workplace. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 450 SHRM-CP/SCP Exam Prep: Core HR Strategies and Functions - 3 Units

Students combine expert instruction with the official Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) certification preparation tool: the current SHRM Certification Prep System. As an official SHRM Education Partner, TLS offers this two-course sequence which is a comprehensive and effective way to prepare for success on the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP exam while completing the MLS degree. MLS 450 covers HR strategy, talent acquisition, employee engagement and retention, learning and development, total rewards, and structure of the HR function. MLS 450 and MLS 451 must be taken within the same calendar year. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 451 SHRM-CP/SCP Exam Prep: Organizational Effectiveness and Risk Management - 3 Units

Students combine expert instruction with the official Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) certification preparation tool: the current SHRM Certification Prep System. As an official SHRM Education Partner, TLS offers this two-course sequence which is a comprehensive and effective way to prepare for success on the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP exam while completing the MLS degree. MLS 451 covers organizational effectiveness and development, workforce management, employee and labor relations, technology management, managing a global workforce, risk management, corporate social responsibility, and U.S. employment law and regulations. Prerequisite: MLS 450. MLS 450 and MLS 451 must be taken within the same calendar year. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 505 Philosophy and Theology of Justice - 3 Units

Students survey foundational sources in history, philosophy, Christian theology, and the Bible as the basis for law, justice, and governmental order in the United States. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 521 Contracts - 3 Units

Students study the fundamentals of contract law, including the common law and selected portions of the Restatement (Second) of Contracts and the Uniform Commercial Code. Topics include remedies, offer, acceptance, discerning the agreement, the parol evidence rule, Statute of Frauds, flaws in the agreement process, unconscionability, third-party interests, enforceability, consideration, promissory estoppel, performance and non-performance, warranties and conditions, breach, and defenses. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 523 Contract Drafting and Analysis - 3 Units

Students learn practical contract drafting skills, including how to translate a business deal into contract concepts, how to draft each of a contract's parts, how to draft with clarity and without ambiguity, how to negotiate a contract, and how to review and analyze a contract. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 531 Criminal Law - 3 Units

Students learn how to deal with substantive criminal law problems in both practical and policy terms. Students inquire into the proper scope and objectives of criminal law, limitations on the State's power to define criminal liability, and general principles of liability and defenses for offenses against the person and property. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 540 International Human Trafficking - 3 Units

Students examine an overview of the global trafficking in persons for forced labor or sexual exploitation as well as the factors that contribute to this issue. Students also consider how it is being addressed through legal, economic, and other solutions as well as applicable international conventions and the United States policy responses to human trafficking. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 541 Torts - 3 Units

Students examine common and modern law dealing with compensation for injuries to persons and property. Topics include intentional torts and defenses, negligence and defenses, strict product liability, strict liability, defamation, invasion of privacy, nuisance, misrepresentation, vicarious liability, survival actions, wrongful death, immunities, and torts affecting businesses and familial relationships. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 544 Domestic Human Trafficking - 3 Units

Students examine an overview of domestic human trafficking issues by looking at each facet of human trafficking from recruitment of the victims to the execution of the crime. Students examine what domestic trafficking actually looks like in the United States versus the perception of it in the media. Students have insight into the victims of human trafficking and how they fall prey to the traffickers. Students examine the crime of trafficking and legal avenues that may be available both to deter trafficking as well as to help those victims that are discovered; this is accomplished by looking at investigation and prosecution models that may be effective in combating human trafficking. Finally, students examine the roles and responsibilities of third party actors as it relates to this crime. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 545 Human Trafficking: Law and Policy (Cambodia) - 3 Units

In this study abroad course in Cambodia, students are introduced to international and domestic laws and policies governing various forms of human trafficking, including forced labor, sexual exploitation, and other modern forms of slavery. Cambodia is considered a source, transit, and destination country for many forms of human trafficking. Students explore Cambodia's history as well as its legal responses to the Cambodian genocide and human trafficking. Students examine the diplomatic and policy tools employed by governments, non-governmental organizations, and other institutions to combat trafficking, including foreign aid, local investment, education, and economic development. Students have the opportunity to meet with multilateral organizations, government officials, NGOs, survivor organizations, and other key individuals involved in the anti-trafficking movement. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 558 Legal Fundamentals - 3 Units

Students examine American law, including the sources of law, the constitutional system, and the judiciary. Students broadly study major legal doctrines in the United States, with a special emphasis on Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and Property Law. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 565 Juvenile Law and Delinquency - 3 Units

Students examine important issues surrounding juvenile delinquents and different stages of prosecution of juvenile offenses. Topics include theories of causations of delinquency, gangs, drugs, interventions, court procedures, different types of consequences available for punishment, search and seizure, and interrogation of juveniles. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 568 Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Criminal Justice - 3 Units

Students examine the ways in which race, ethnicity, and class impact the offender in the criminal justice system through both a cultural and Christian worldview. Students consider the relationship between law enforcement and racially and ethnically marginalized communities as well as how one's race, ethnicity, and/or class may affect prosecutorial discretion when it comes to charging, plea bargaining, sentencing, the death penalty, and indigent counsel. Additionally, students examine the use of imprisonment in the United States as well as reentry into the community. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 572 Victimology and Restorative Justice - 3 Units

Students examine the relationship between victims and their offenders, the interaction between victims and the criminal justice system, the impact of crime on victims' families, and the reintroduction of offenders to society. Students focus on the Christian view of reconciliation. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 575 Law and Theory of Corrections - 3 Units

Students examine penology, probation, punishment theory, and trends in alternatives to institutionalization. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 580 Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals - 3 Units

Students master the essential techniques of identifying, analyzing, and applying primary and secondary legal authorities to solve complex client issues. By navigating industry-standard databases like Westlaw and LexisNexis, students learn to verify "good law" through modern citators and develop cost-effective research strategies. Participants practice the IRAC method to synthesize judicial opinions and statutes into professional office memoranda, client correspondence, and trial court motions. Throughout the term, students refine their technical proficiency in citation styles to ensure that all work products meet professional court standards. By the conclusion of the course, students possess the analytical tools necessary to provide high-level support in any legal environment. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 581 Civil Litigation and Procedure - 3 Units

Students examine the functional role of the paralegal throughout the lifecycle of a civil lawsuit in both state and federal court systems. By analyzing the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, students learn to navigate the progression of a case from the initial client interview and investigation through the filing of a final judgment. Participants practice drafting essential litigation documents, including complaints, answers, and various discovery requests such as interrogatories and requests for production. The course emphasizes the critical management of deadlines, the mechanics of electronic filing (e-filing), and the ethical preservation of evidence in the digital age. By the conclusion of the course, students possess a technical understanding of the procedural hurdles required to move a civil dispute toward resolution. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 582 Legal Technology and E-Discovery - 3 Units

Students explore the intersection of law and technology, focusing on the specialized software and digital processes essential to modern legal practice. By engaging with the Electronic Discovery Reference Model, students learn to manage the lifecycle of electronically stored information, from preservation and collection to review and production. Participants gain hands-on experience with practice management systems, document assembly tools, and litigation support software used for trial presentation. The course emphasizes the ethical obligations regarding data security, client confidentiality in the cloud, and the technical challenges of "big data" in complex litigation. By the conclusion of the course, students are prepared to navigate the high-tech landscape of a contemporary law office with technical confidence and ethical oversight. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 583 Paralegal Ethics and Professional Responsibility - 3 Units

Students examine the ethical framework and regulatory standards governing the legal profession, with a primary focus on the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. By analyzing the attorney's duty of supervision, students learn to navigate complex issues such as the unauthorized practice of law, attorney-client privilege, and the work-product doctrine. Participants practice establishing "ethical walls" to manage conflicts of interest and explore the professional boundaries of client communication and fee-sharing. The course emphasizes the consequences of ethical breaches in the digital age, including social media pitfalls, data security, and the duty of technological competence. By the conclusion of the course, students are equipped to maintain the highest standards of professional integrity while mitigating risk for the firm and its clients. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 584 Advanced Legal Drafting and Communication - 3 Units

Students master the production of high-stakes legal documents while integrating advanced technology and operational strategy into the drafting process. By moving beyond basic research, students learn to synthesize complex data into concise client intake summaries, strategic case evaluations, and executive-level briefings. Participants explore the ethical deployment of Generative AI for document automation and legal analysis, focusing on prompt engineering and the verification of AI-generated work product. The course emphasizes "Plain English" communication and leadership in legal workflows, preparing students to analyze firm operations and streamline the delivery of legal services. By the conclusion of the course, students are equipped to lead legal teams through the transition from raw information to actionable, high-level work products. Prerequisite: MLS 580. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 600 Constitutional Law - 3 Units

Students examine the powers of the federal government and selected topics regarding the relationship of the branches of the federal government to each other and to the States, as well as topics regarding the Bill of Rights, due process, equal protection, and the effect of the Fourteenth Amendment on the application of the Bill of Rights to the States. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 601 Churches and the First Amendment - 3 Units

Students examine the First Amendment, emphasizing its critical role in protecting the rights of churches and religious organizations in the United States. Students explore the key provisions of the First Amendment that directly impact religious institutions, including the Free Exercise Clause and the Establishment Clause, as well as the freedoms of assembly and speech. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 660 Property - 3 Units

Students focus on the acquisition, disposition, and use of personal and real property. Topics include the nature of ownership and possession, bailment, adverse possession, common law classifications of estates in land, concurrent ownership, present and future interests in land, landlord-tenant law, transfers of interests in real property, real estate contracts, legal descriptions, conveyances and deeds, recording systems, title insurance, private land-use restrictions (easements, covenants, and equitable servitudes), public land-use regulations, eminent domain, and regulatory takings. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 670 Alternative Dispute Resolution - 3 Units

Students practice foundational skills for helping people resolve conflict outside of court using peacemaking principles. Students learn to utilize critical thinking and Christian peacemaking principles necessary for resolving personal conflict. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 675 Mediation - 3 Units

Students examine the use of third-party intervention as an alternative collaborative process for dispute resolution. Students analyze the skills needed to be an effective mediator as well as the ethical and practical limitations on the use of mediation. Students participate in simulated mediation exercises. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 680 Negotiation Theory and Practice - 3 Units

Students examine the theory and practice of negotiation as a process to reach contractual agreements and resolve disputes. Students examine negotiation strategies, Christian principles, and ethical issues to develop a Christian approach to negotiation. Students participate in simulated negotiation exercises. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 685 Labor Law and ADR in the Workplace - 3 Units

Students examine the legal and policy implications of employee organization, bargaining, and dispute resolution. Topics include employee organization, collective bargaining laws and processes, state and federal regulation of organizing and bargaining, and arbitration of labor and employment disputes. Additionally, students examine common and statutory law dealing with arbitration and mediation issues arising from the workplace. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 686 Cross Cultural Dispute Resolution - 3 Units

Students examine the impact of cultural differences on the resolution of interpersonal and international disputes and examine cultural differences such as long-term versus short-term horizons, risk aversion, and individual/community expectations. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 700 Introduction to Bioethics - 3 Units

Students examine an overview of the ethical issues in health care and biotechnology that make up the field of bioethics. Biblical-theological and other prominent contemporary perspectives are developed and assessed. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 702 Business Organizations - 3 Units

Students examine agency relationships, partnerships, and corporations. Topics include the fiduciary duties of agents, directors, and officers; shareholder voting and lawsuits; the rules around corporate disclosures; insider trading; and corporate control transactions. Particular attention is given to the way in which corporations organize and operate. Students also examine the respective roles, relationships, and liability exposure of shareholders, directors, and officers. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 783 Criminal Procedure - 3 Units

Students examine important issues of criminal procedure arising during the investigation and early stages of prosecution. Topics include constitutional limits on arrests and stops, search and seizure, interrogation of suspects, right to counsel, the exclusionary rule, identification procedures, and the privilege against self-incrimination. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 800 Wills, Trusts, and Estates - 3 Units

Students examine rules pertaining to intestate succession; testamentary dispositions; execution, modification, and revocation of wills; testamentary capacity and contests; interpretation of wills; protection of spouses and children; and the use of substitutes. The creation, types, and characteristics of trusts are also examined, including coverage of the construction of trusts, trust administration, and wealth transfer taxation. Fiduciary administration issues also are considered. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 850 Exempt Organizations - 3 Units

Students survey government regulation and oversight of nonprofit organizations by federal and state tax agencies, and address the attorney's role in annual reporting requirements, managing unrelated business income, and bequests to charities. Prerequisite: MLS 861. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 860 Strategic Planning - 3 Units

Students study strategic planning theories, methods, and group processes in different nonprofit organizational environments. Students examine the application of strategic planning specifically to the mission, fundraising, operations, and human resources of charities. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 861 Nonprofit Law - 3 Units

Students study nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations, with an emphasis on governance issues. Students address formation, board responsibilities, fundraising, operations, and dissolution. Students learn about the application for tax-exempt status and annual informational tax returns. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 910 The Right to Life and the Law - 3 Units

Students study the complex medical, social, legal, and ethical issues raised by topics such as abortion, embryonic research, IVF, infanticide, and euthanasia. Students survey U.S. Supreme Court and other U.S. and international judicial decisions pertaining to these issues. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 913 The Rights of Vulnerable Persons - 3 Units

Students survey the international treaties and bodies intended to protect the rights of women, children, and families. Topics include pertinent international instruments and principles of international law relating to gender-based discrimination; violence against women; children's rights to privacy, education, and information; pornography; enslavement and servitude; child soldiers; and the implications of religious liberties on the family. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 914 The Rights of Underrepresented Populations - 3 Units

Students survey international and regional efforts to articulate and protect the human rights of ethnic, racial, religious, linguistic, and national underrepresented populations; persons with disabilities; and indigenous groups. Related issues such as identity, autonomy, self-determination, xenophobia, nationalism, and racism are addressed. Delivery mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 923 Introduction to International Human Rights Law - 3 Units

Students examine an introduction to international human rights law. Topics include the foundational and historical development of human rights, and the development of international and regional legal systems to protect human rights. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 932 International Human Rights Protection (Europe) - 3 Units

In this study abroad course in The Hague, Netherlands, and Strasbourg, France, students address the recognition and protection of human rights under international law. Students address the protection of human beings in the international human rights system, in regional human rights systems, and under international criminal law and international humanitarian law. Students investigate the jurisprudence of human rights, including its history and development, as well as the theological and philosophical foundations for reflecting on the nature and scope of human rights. Students visit numerous international courts, museums, and a Nazi concentration camp, and have the unique opportunity to interact with human rights lawyers, judges, government officials, academics, and activists from around the world. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 951 Religious Liberty and the Law - 3 Units

In this advanced course, students examine critical issues of law and religion both in the United States and internationally. Issues addressed include the theological foundation of law and the legal foundation of theology; the relationship between church and state; religious discrimination and accommodation; prohibitions on blasphemy, apostasy, and defamation; persecution of and by religion. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 952 Religious Freedom and Parental Rights - 3 Units

Students explore the intersection of religious freedom and parental rights within the framework of the U.S. Constitution and broader legal principles. Students examine how the First Amendment and other legal protections safeguard the rights of parents to raise their children according to their religious beliefs while balancing the interests of the state in regulating education, health, and welfare. Key topics include homeschooling and religious education, medical decision making and religious exemptions, and the role of religious beliefs in child custody disputes. Students will also address contemporary challenges, such as vaccination mandates, gender identity issues, and the rights of minors in religious contexts. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 953 Faith in the Workplace - 3 Units

Students explore the complex relationship between faith and the workplace, focusing on the legal, ethical, and practical aspects of religious expression and accommodation in professional environments. Students examine issues such as the rights of employees to observe religious practices, the obligations of employers to provide reasonable accommodations, and the boundaries of religious expression at work. Students will also address contemporary challenges, such as religious attire, prayer in the workplace, and conflicts between religious beliefs and workplace policies on issues like LGBTQIA+ rights and gender equality. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 954 Law, Religion, and Public Policy - 3 Units

Students survey the interaction between law, religion, and public policy as a basis for forming individual patterns of public engagement and establishing habits toward good citizenship. Topics range from the interaction of law and religion, the role of faith in forming legal judgment, and the public engagement of the church in the contested public square. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.

MLS 962 Real Estate Transactions - 3 Units

Students examine the basic statutory and common law principles governing a real estate transaction. Topics include arranging the deal, performing the contract, closing the contract, assuring title, financing the purchase, federal income tax considerations, and condominium and other communal arrangements for home ownership. Delivery Mode: Traditional Graduate, Online, and Accelerated.