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« on: March 21, 2008, 08:04:18 PM »
I am in the process of figuring out which classes to take for next year (my 2L year)
The school has these core classes: Income tax, administrative law, trusts and estates, evidence, commercial law, and business organizations which they require you to take 4 of (one of which must be tax or commercial) and recommend all 6. I am getting a joint degree with an MBA so am technically on the 4 year plan
I am hoping to work for a firm for a while primarily doing business law but then at some point open up my own office which while having a largely business focus but will take a few other cases now and then (torts, family, etc.) basically general law but with more of a focus on business cases (especially contract issues).
In light of this, which courses would you recommend? I am thinking of trying to keep them mostly business related but if I take one family law class or one medical malpractice at some point--- would that look bad to firms specializing in business law? I am thinking i should take all 6 of the core classes... is that a good idea?
I am thinking of taking for the fall:
Advanced Contracts ("multi-party contracts" mostly-third party beneficiaries, assignment and
delegation, suretyship, negotiability, ius tertii, fraudulent transfer, voidable
preference, security interests, bona fide purchaser, subordination agreement, pure and “pledgeable”
intangibles, and letters of credit.)
Evidence
2 MBA classes
Trusts and Estates
and for the spring:
business organizations
commercial law
an MBA accounting class (hoping it will also help me with Fed. Income Tax the following fall since I have heard horror stories about that class)
Law and Economics (mostly because it is a huge interest of mine--- is it really just a waste though since it is more philosophical/jurisprudential rather than some classes which seem more clearly substantive?)
Professional Responsibility (required)
any other classes I should consider for the future? should I consider taking IP even though I do not want to be a patent lawyer etc.? I also heard Criminal Procedure is on the bar and it is not required here; there are two upper level classes on it instead; should i take either of them or both, even though I have no desire to be a criminal attorney (save perhaps for white collar defense but there are no white collar crime classes available)?
I am also considering my school's health care compliance certificate since with the JD and MBA it would only be 2 classes extra. I hear it is something very helpful to have particularly with the recent debates on universal health care whether through the govt. directly or the govt. forcing employers to pay their employee insurance bills. I would have to take two health law classes that would count toward both the certificate and the JD... is it a good idea?