This seminar explores a series of topics within the general subject of "animal law".  It examines the extent to which legal systems, litigation, and cultural values impact the ways in which judges, lawyers, legislators, administrators, and laypersons view and treat animals (other than humans).  It not only covers substantive law, but also the background of claims made explicitly or implicitly in law and decisions affecting nonhuman animals.

This course provides the student with an introduction to constitutional litigation, civil rights policy, and statutory enforcement of civil rights. To that end, emphasis will be placed on gaining a thorough understanding of post-Civil War constitutional amendments and federal civil rights legislation, particularly Section 1983. The course will also investigate some aspects of structural reform litigation, with an emphasis on school desegregation. Intended for students with a strong interest in any or all of the following: constitutional law, civil rights, federal courts, federal/state relations and race relations.

This class will provide an overview of consumer law in the United States with an emphasis on Federal and New Jersey consumer protection. The class will also focus on private actions and the "private attorney general" as well as the use of class action litigation as a vehicle for consumer protection and fraud prevention. It is frequently said that New Jersey has the strongest consumer protection laws in the nation. Moreover, because New Jersey is the corporate headquarters for many significant consumer-oriented businesses including, among others, pharmaceuticals, insurance, banking, telecommunications, and foreign automobiles manufactures. Consequently, the New Jersey courts decide some of the most important and precedent-setting consumer protection-related cases in the country.

This course explores the rights protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and free exercise of religion, as well as the amendment's prohibition on laws respecting an establishment of religion. Particular topics may include categories of unprotected or less protected speech, regulations based on the non-communicative impact of speech, power regarding speech when the government acts in capacities other than as sovereign, special procedural protections for speech, the right not to speak, the right of expressive association, regulations of money and speech, the meaning of religion, discrimination against religion or among religions, enshrining or coercing religious beliefs, financial aid to religious institutions, and exemptions for religious observers.

This seminar examines gender-based bias in several areas of the law including: spousal abuse; rape; employment discrimination and affirmative action; marriage, divorce and child custody; privacy; and international conventions concerning discrimination. The impact of feminist jurisprudence on the study and development of law will be assessed.

This course examines the constitutional basis for regulating immigration into the United States; the history of United States immigration law and policy; grounds for admission and removal of immigrants; refugee and asylum law; the criminalization of immigration law; immigrants’ rights in the workplace and to access education and public benefits; and citizenship and naturalization. In light of the globalization of the economy and the increasing significance of immigration matters and consequences, familiarity with basic immigration law is essential for practice in areas including civil rights law; criminal law; employment and labor law; family law; and international law. In addition to lecture and working with problems, this class incorporates a practical skills component by having students engage in oral arguments; draft legislation; and observe hearings in federal immigration court.

This seminar/course considers a number of areas in which the law addresses human sexuality. These include privacy, fundamental liberty, the regulation of sexual practices, First Amendment rights of expression and speech, Equal Protection as applied to sexual identity, hate speech, workplace discrimination, the proper role of religion and morality in the legal regulation of sexuality, military policy towards women, gay men and lesbians, access of same-sex couples to the benefits of marriage, civil union or domestic partnership, children in non-traditional families, and gender identity issues. Readings from feminist jurisprudence and other jurisprudential traditions will supplement doctrinal readings. The seminar will cover a more limited number of areas to allow time for the preparation of AWR papers. The course will address more areas and will examine some areas in greater depth.

This course illuminates the way racial hierarchy has played a role in the development of American law. It examines the historical origins of racial hierarchy beginning in the colonial period and continues that examination through modern legal doctrine. Students will evaluate the continuing impact of the history of white supremacy in areas such as housing, law enforcement, and education. The course concludes with an analysis and critique of some current efforts to repair the harms that have been created by racial hierarchy.

The seminar studies opinions construing the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, with particular emphasis on recent church-state cases. Areas of discussion will include government regulatory and adjudicative powers over religious institutions and persons, religious pluralism, and religious expression in public and political forums.

This course will introduce students to social justice lawyering practices from the civil rights era to current movement lawyering, with an emphasis on community lawyering skills used to support social justice movements for racial and social equity. Topics covered include voting rights, criminal justice reform, and economic justice. The course materials will include short law review articles or excerpts, social science articles and pieces from mainstream media, video presentations, and podcasts. The course will feature guest speakers who are attorneys engaged in community lawyering as well as community activists.