This course examines a variety of legal, policy, scientific, social, and ethical issues in the realm of biotechnology. Topics covered include:

1. Foundational technologies, such as recombinant DNA technology

2. Current applications, including nanobiotechnology and synthetic biology

3. Human subjects research and institutional review of clinical trials

4. Regulatory oversight by federal agencies

5. Academic-industry relationships

6. Data privacy and security issues

7. Protection of intellectual property

This course introduces students to the basic concepts and doctrines of copyright law. Topics covered include:

1. Foundational principles of copyright law

2. Copyright in special issues, such as software, architecture, and databases

3. Derivative works, work for hire, and joint authorship

4. The doctrine of fair use

5. Copyright issues raised by new technologies that facilitate copying

6. Digital works and information technologies

This course provides a broad overview of key issues at the intersection of cybersecurity and privacy. Topics covered include:

1. Security practices, standards, and insurance

2. Data breaches, incident response, and corporate governance considerations

3. Consumer protection law and enforcement actions

4. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (aka the “anti-hacking” statute)

5. Law enforcement surveillance

6. Emerging technological paradigms and legislative responses

Entertainment Law 2 examines industry-specific approaches with an eye toward transactional practices, insulation from liability, as well as typical workplace and consumer issues. The course covers contracting practices with respect to the following, among others:

1. Music royalties
2. Film actor agreements
3. Liability waivers for reality television and game shows
4. Contracts regarding credit, pay or play, and profit participation

It also examines recurrent workplace and social issues in the industry, such as the following:

1. Race and gender discrimination
2. Sexual harassment
3. Censorship

Entertainment Law 1 provides an introduction to the torts that are frequently encountered in the entertainment business. The course covers topics such as the following:

1. Law of ideas
2. Copyright law
3. Trademark law
4. Privacy torts
5. Defamation law
6. Breach of contract

This course introduces students to the legal regime governing information privacy, data protection, and data security in the European Union. Topics covered include data protection and privacy in the European Court of Human Rights, the Data Protection Directive and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), data protection supervisory authorities and international data transfers, the "right to be forgotten," and cybersecurity in Europe.

This course explores the federal regulatory scheme designed to protect the privacy and security of health information. Topics covered include:

1. Entities and information to which HIPAA applies

2. When consent is required for the use and disclosure of health information

3. Types of health information requiring heightened protection

4. Use of health information for research and marketing

5. Security measures required to protect digitized health information

6. Individuals’ right to access their health information

7. Business associate agreements

8. HIPAA compliance and enforcement

This course examines legal issues in the hospitality industry, such a licensing, torts, corporate law, and property law. It will also develop skills to facilitate the transactional dimensions of hospitality, including agreements regarding franchising, the creation of hotel chains, and real estate development.

This course provides an overview of the basic doctrines of patent law, as well as related rights such as trade secret law and drug law exclusivity under the Hatch-Waxman Act. Topics covered include:

1. Standards and procedures for obtaining patent protection

2. Patent infringement litigation

3. The relationship between patent protection and trade secret law

4. The role of patent law and litigation in the pharmaceutical industry

An exploration of the impact of the legal system on the sports industry in America, particularly the sources of legal authority, development and recognition of property rights in sports and the substantive principles of contract law. The course examines the legal relationships among athletes, teams, leagues, governing bodies, sports facilities, licensees, agents and fans, as threaded together through contract, property, labor, intellectual property, constitutional, and tort law. We will also study the legal implications of the financial and business platforms relating to the sports industry.

This course explores the impact of the legal system on the sports industry in America, particularly the sources of legal authority, development and recognition of property rights in sports and the substantive principles of contract law. The focus is on the legal relationships among athletes, teams, leagues, governing bodies, sports facilities, licensees, agents and fans, as threaded together through contract, property, labor, intellectual property, constitutional, and tort law. We will also study the legal implications of the financial and business platforms relating to the sports industry.

Coming 2024

This course explores common law and statutory protection of ideas, trade secrets, and trademarks. Topics covered include:

1. Acquisition and loss of trademark rights

2. Registration and licensing

3. Problems of infringement, dilution, and misappropriation of trademarks

4. Fair use and Internet use of trademarks and related remedies