Courses Taught

BLAW 243 – Legal Env of Bus (3)
Social control through law: courts, basic policies underlying individual and contractual rights in everyday society.

BLAW 341 – Business Law I (3)
An introduction to the business environment emphasizing business contracts, liability issues arising from business relations, including those in the internet realm and intellectual property issues. Alternative dispute resolution and global perspectives will be integrated throughout. B LAW 341 Business Law I: Introduction to Contracts, Liability Issues, and Intellectual Property (3) Business decisions have legal consequences. Such decisions can represent both legal risks and opportunities. It is important for one entering business to have a fundamental understanding of the governing legal principles. This course will provide an introduction to the U.S. legal system, coverage of the major components of contract law, and an examination of business liability issues under tort law. In addition, the intellectual property issues of trade secrets, trademarks, patents, and copyrights will be covered. The impact of digital technology and business globalization will be integrated into each topic discussed. The course will be taught in a lecture-discussion format to encourage interaction and exploration of difficult issues. The course text and materials will include key business legal cases.

BLAW 447 – Entertainment Law (3)
This course covers legal issues that arise in various entertainment industries through discussion of contemporary issues along with personality rights and intellectual property rights associated with entertainment assets. Issues will be covered within the context of business models, pervasive pop-culture influences affecting entrepreneurial activities, business transactions and contractual provisions unique to creative industries, commercialization of celebrity image, rights of privacy of public figures, defamation, related advanced copyright and trademark issues, ethics and fiduciary responsibilities, and other emerging topics.Students will be introduced to the legal reasoning process necessary to analyze these issues in context and compose creative solutions that both address and avoid the legal problems presented. Instructional methods for the course will include lecture and classroom discussion focused on readings and other materials. The course builds on the introductory business law curriculum by providing an advanced study of legal principles highly relevant to businesses that employ, promote, or monetize creative talent. Upon completion of the course, students should understand the legal concepts impacting the entertainment industry and the impact this has on talent, intellectual ownership, copyrights and trademarks.

BLAW 497 – Special Topics (3)
Formal courses given infrequently to exlore, in depth, a comparatively narrow subject which may be topical or of special interest.

RM 497 – Special Topics (3)
Formal courses given infrequently to explore, in depth, a comparatively narrow subject which may be topical or of special interest.

B LAW 243 – Legal Environment of Business (3)
Social control through law: courts, basic policies underlying individual and contractual rights in everyday society. May not be used to satisfy Smeal College baccalaureate degree requirements. Not available to students who have taken B A 243.

B LAW 341 – Business Law I: Introduction to Contracts, Liability Issues, and Intellectual Property (3)
An introduction to the business environment emphasizing business contracts, liability issues arising from business relations, including those in the internet realm and intellectual property issues. Alternative dispute resolution and global perspectives wi

R M 497B – Entertainment Law (3)
Provide students with an understanding of fundamental issues in entertainment law that arise in a business context.

B LAW 497A – Entertainment Law (3)

R M 497D – Entertainment Law (3)
Provide students with an understanding of fundamental issues in entertainment law that arise in a business context.

B LAW 497D (3)

CORE 914 – Legal Analysis, Research and Writing II (2)
LARW II continues to build on the skills learned in LARW I. Students continueto analyze clients' problems using various sources of legal authority, to use additional research sources, and to further refine their writing style. However, LARW II focuses on

CORE 912 – Legal Analysis, Research and Writing I (2)
The Legal Analysis, Research & Writing (LARW) course is designed to teach each student to think, write, and speak like a lawyer. Students must learn to solve clients problems by using effective research techniques, accurate and in-depth legal analysis, an

PERSP 996 – Independent Study (variable)
In this course the student, under the supervision of a full-time member of thefaculty, will be permitted to do research and write a paper of a substantial nature on a significant subject.

Selected Publications

Research Impact and Media Mentions