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Home / Academics / Areas of Study / Government Law and Policy

Government Law and Policy

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Government Law and Policy

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Requirements:

15 credits from the​ following courses and additional experiential credits:

Required:

  • Title
  • Credits
  • Administrative Law
    Credits: 3

    Examines fundamental and practical issues of federal and New York administrative law. Deals with the scope of power of administrative agencies and the relationship of such agencies to other branches of government. ​​​

    Ayers, Ava

    Woods, Patrick, '12

  • Law of Government
    Credits: 3

    This course will introduce students to fundamental topics in the law of government that are essential for lawyers in public service and lawyers who work closely with government. Topics covered include strategies for making law and policy; structure of government, including state and local government; oversight and governmental investigations; legislative processes; public finance; the Freedom of Information Law and other government-transparency statutes; criminal statutes applicable to government officials; and how to sue government officers.

    Ayers, Ava

Electives:

At least 3 credits fro​m the following courses:

  • Civil Rights Liability Litigation
    Credits: 3

    Focuses on prosecuting and defending a civil rights claim brought pursuant to 42 U.C.C. 167 1983. Deals with constitutional theory and interpretation, emphasizing practical aspects and procedural tactics inherent in suing or defending a civil rights claim in federal court.

    Stewart, Hon. Daniel J. '88

  • Election Law
    Credits: 2

    This course examines federal and state law governing the conduct of elections and the financing of campaigns. It considers ways in which the law governing the political process affects and reflects political power relationships. Topics that may be covered include the right to vote, redistricting, administration, the Voting Rights Act, political parties, party governance, political action committees, the role of the courts, and campaign financing.

    Paulino, Alejandra N., Esq. '02

  • Federal Indian Law
    Credits: 3

    Explores the foundational principles and doctrines governing the legal and political relationship between the United States, the states, and Indian tribes.  Examines the history of federal Indian law and policy, tribal property rights, congressional plenary power, the trust doctrine, tribal sovereignty, and jurisdiction in Indian Country.  Focuses on current issues in Indian Law, including gaming, reservation economic development, fishing and hunting rights, cultural resource protection, and tribal rights in natural resources.

    Batson, Robert C., Esq. '75

  • Government Ethics
    Credits: 2

    Understand and identify ethical issues faced by members of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches at the federal, state and local levels. Examine real current events and hypothetical issues to consider both prosecution and defense processes raised by ethical transgressions. Understand the components of individual action, organizational structure, organizational culture, rule of law and societal expectations to gain best practice knowledge. Learn ethical responsibilities of attorneys in government service and the ethical obligations of government employees who are not attorneys.

    Pearlman, Jeffrey H., Esq. '00

  • National Security Law
    Credits: 2

    Studies the Constitutional, statutory, and international law framework within which the U.S. conducts foreign relations and international law enforcement. Considers allocation of authority over foreign affairs and national security among the agencies of government, and selected contemporary issues such as responses to terrorism, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, the Classified Information Procedures Act, and the legal relationship between law enforcement, the intelligence community and the military. JD students cannot receive credit for this class and Cyberwar, Intelligence and National Security

    Spina, Thomas, Jr., Esq. '85

  • State and Local Government
    Credits: 3

    Introduces the structure, powers and functioning of local governments and their interaction with the state. Topics include police and municipal liability, home rule powers, emergency preparedness, Indian law, land use regulation, open government laws, gun control and pertinent hot topics. Course includes in class exercises, outside speakers and various experiential assignments.

    Kingsley, Linda S., Esq. '82

  • State and Local Government Finance
    Credits: 2

    This course examines the legal foundation for states and local governments to incur debt (municipal securities) and finance infrastructure. It reviews the federal law regulating the sale of municipal securities and disclosure requirements for investors, and federal law which permits interest on municipal securities to be tax-exempt. These fundamentals are examined through various financing structures employed by Wall Street investment bankers, together with case law and think-tank policy which guide the development of the modern municipal securities marketplace.​

    Bond, Kenneth, Esq.

  • State and Local Taxation
    Credits: 3

    Examines state and local tax issues with emphasis on New York tax issues.

    Boll, Jennifer, Esq.

  • U.S. Refugee & Asylum Law
    Credits: 3

    This course will address the legal framework and policy issues raised by asylum seekers in the United States. It examines the preparation and defense of asylum claims at the affirmative level and in immigration and federal courts. It will examine current trends in the evolving ground of “particular social group”. It includes materials on fact-finding in the asylum process, Withholding of Removal and the Convention Against Torture, statutory bars and discretionary factors in the adjudicatory process.​

    Mendel, Lisa, Esq.

Experiential Requirement:

Participation in at least one of the​ following experiential programs:​

  • Related Clinic, Field Placement, or Semester/Summer in Practice (approval by faculty advisor)
  • Government Law Center Fellowship

Writing Requirement:

Students are required to complete one significant piece of writing in the concentration area. The writing requirement does not require that students earn any credits beyond the required credits described above. The topic and the arrangement for fulfilling the writing requirement, however, must be approved in advance by the Concentration Advisor. The paper could be written to fulfill the requirements of a course, an independent study, or a law journal note and comment. It may also be possible to fulfill this requirement by completing a substantial piece of writing in conjunction with an experiential course, clinic, or Field Placement, such as a brief, a series of Motions, or a significant legal memorandum. It could also be fulfilled by writing a paper independently, such as a submission to a writing competition or an article for publication. In all of these arrangements, the prior approval of the Concentration Advisor is required.

(Effective December 18, 2018)

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