Advanced Legal Writing: High-Tech Transactions

This is a practice-based, skills-building class requiring students to draft, edit, and negotiate a complex technology agreement. Using a biotechnology case as context, the curriculum is designed to translate contract principles and doctrine (to which students have been exposed,) into real-world practice. Students will acquire the foundational tools necessary to write clear, effective, plain-language provisions into agreements that memorialize a bargain between parties based on realistic situations. Exercises include simulations in which students will draft, edit, and negotiate sections of agreements. Students will also be expected to show an understanding of what it means to develop, foster, and sustain client trust, advocate in a client's best interests, as well as effectively and ethically engage with a counter-party's counsel. Students will function as senior associates in a law firm, or as in-house counsel tasked with managing licensing and commercial transactions for a technology developer. A focus will be placed on understanding client's needs versus wants, as well as modes of supporting clients to achieve their goals while identifying, counseling, and mitigating legal risk. Exercises are designed to help students improve their critical thinking, due diligence, analysis, drafting, and editing skills, which deepens an understanding as to the expectations of attorneys and clients with whom they will be working and supporting respectively. Grades will be based heavily on class participation, skills built in simulated negotiations, as well as drafting exercises weighted by level of complexity. Students may elect credit for either experiential learning (EL) or professional writing (PW) for this course. Prerequisite: Completed an Introductory level Intellectual Property class (LAW 4005). Waivers of the requirements will be offered on a case-by-case basis.