PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

JURIS DOCTOR

JURIS DOCTOR (JD) – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The College of Law is committed to providing a quality legal education for its students, this commitment is demonstrated by studying under the guidance of experienced professors/lawyers. The student learns to apply the law to solve the real issues and problems that confront the client of today. Writing as a key communication skill is emphasized throughout the course of study for students at all levels.

JURIS DOCTOR (JD) – ADMISSIONS:

Applicants may qualify for admission to the JD program under one of four (4) following categories.

1. Regular Degreed Applicants – An applicant who has received a Bachelor’s Degree from a state-approved, regionally or nationally accredited, or an equivalent foreign institution will be admitted as a Regular Degreed applicant.
2. Regular Non-Degreed Applicants – Students admitted as regular Non-Degree Applicants are those who have completed at least two (2) years college work, which college work shall be not less than one-half of the collegiate work acceptable for a bachelor’s degree from a state-approved or regionally or nationally accredited institution. Students are also considered non-degree applicants if they have accumulated, with passing grades, at least sixty (60) college semester units (54 of those of substantive academic content) at an accredited or state approved college or university with an average grade at least equal to that required for graduation. This is in accordance with Rule VII, Section 1, of the Rules Regulating Admission to Practice Law in California.
3. Transfer Students – Applicants who have earned units from a state-approved or regionally or nationally accredited institution of law may transfer to the College of Law subject to evaluation of grades and courses taken. Applicants who wish to transfer should submit the application and have official transcripts of the completed coursework sent to the Registrar. After review of transcripts, applicants will be notified as to which units will be transferable.
4. Special Student Applicants – Applicants, with fewer than sixty (60) college semester units may qualify as candidates for the study of law. This is in accordance with Rule VII, Section 1, of the Rules Regulating Admission to Practice Law in California. The College Level Equivalency Program Examination (CLEP) will satisfy this requirement. The CLEP Test required for Law School Admissions must include English Composition, along with two (2) of the other four exam categories (Humanities, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, or Social Sciences and History). Students must score fifty (50) or higher on each of the 3 exams. Visit www.collegeboard.com for more information.

LASD – Irvine University College of Law Partnership:

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department consisting of over 10,000 sworn and civilian employees has initiated a consortium of local higher educational institutions to form what is commonly known as the “Star University.” Irvine University College of Law is a partner within this consortium of colleges and universities. It offers admission to the Juris Doctor degree program to members of the Sheriff’s Department and affiliated Los Angeles City and County employees who wish to undertake an educational program leading to eligibility to take the State Bar Examination. LASD students are admitted to the regular Irvine University College of Law program pursuant to State Bar standards but class schedules are adapted to meet the assignment requirements of law enforcement personnel. Some evening classes are conducted at the Sheriff’s Training Academy which is not far from the Cerritos campus.

JURIS DOCTOR (JD) – GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS:

Students must pass the FYLSX and complete eighty-four (84) prescribed units with a cumulative G.P.A of 2.0 or higher. Students must apply for graduation and meet all academic and financial requirements. The following is a sample schedule of a student enrolled in the JD program. The JD program offers evening and weekend schedules. A student completes an average of twenty-one (21) units each year.

JURIS DOCTOR COURSE DESCRIPTIONS:

JURIS DOCTOR (JD) – REQUIRED COURSES:

The College of Law has developed a four-year law study program with required courses to meet the educational standards as prescribed by the Committee of Bar Examiners (CBE) for eligibility to sit for the State Bar Examination.

LAW 100/110 Contracts I and II (6 units)
The law relating to the formation of contracts, damages, statute of frauds, breach, rescission, mistake and ambiguity, liability, third-party beneficiaries, parole evidence, assignment of rights and delegation of duties.

LAW 120/130 Torts I and II (6 units)
The laws relating to civil liability for wrongs to persons and property, intentional wrongs, libel, slander, negligence, strict liability, vicarious liability, assumption of risk, and misrepresentation.

LAW 140 Skills Assessment (3 units)
Using fact patterns, this course develops a students analytical, and reading skills and applying those to the law. Emphasizing writing skills, the course improves an understanding of both of black-letter law, issue-spotting and interpreting the call of the question.

LAW 190 Criminal Law (3 units)
The law and procedure relating to crimes against persons and property, conspiracy, defenses, and the rights of the accused.

LAW 170 Legal Writing (3 units)
An introduction to legal analytical thought, including practical exercises in writing and the fundamentals of legal research that provides a foundation for writing examinations and legal papers.

LAW 180 Transactions in Goods (UCC) (3 units)
The law relating to sales, liabilities, and remedies of buyer and seller, implied and express warranties, and uniform commercial code.

LAW 200 Remedies (3 units)
The law governing the form and type of relief awarded by the courts in law and equity, damages, restitution, reformation, and injunctions.

LAW 210/220 Civil Procedure I and II (6 units)
A study of common law civil procedure and its modern development of rules relating to jurisdiction and venue, pleadings motion practice, discovery, and trials, with an emphasis of federal court procedures.

LAW 230/240 Real Property I and II (6 units)
The law relating to real property, freehold and non-freehold estates, future interests, conveyancing, use of land, and landlord-tenant relationships.

LAW 250 Criminal Procedure (3 units)
This course presents an overview of major issues presented in the administration of criminal justice, from the initial police investigation of a crime and apprehension of a suspect, through prosecution and trial.

LAW 260 Community Property (3 units)
The law relating to the classification of marital property as community and separate property, management and control of the community, liability for debts, dissolution of the community, and death of a spouse.

LAW 300 Wills (3 units)
The law as it relates to capacity, distribution, interstate succession, formation, alternation, and revocation of wills.

LAW 310 Trusts (3 units)
The law as it relates to the creation, alternation and termination of trusts, powers and duties of the trustee, beneficiary rights, charitable trusts, and resulting trusts.

LAW 320 Corporations (4 units)
The law as it relates to the study of the nature and character of business organizations including proprietorships, partnerships and corporations and how they are affected by state corporation laws, tax laws and federal securities laws.

LAW 330 Document Drafting (3 units)
This course introduces “Hard copy” use of federal and state statutes and codes, court and administrative case law, ordinances, administrative law sources and decisions and rules, and digests and annotations. This course also explores online searches for legal information allowing students to evaluate the resources one finds, and assess their value compared to traditional law materials.

LAW 340/350 Evidence I and II (6 units)
The rules of evidence including relevancy, hearsay and its exceptions, the best evidence rule, impeachment and rehabilitation of witnesses, presumptions and burdens of proof.

LAW 360 Professional Responsibility (2 units)
The study of ethics for the attorney, including the code, case law, and CA State Bar rules.

LAW 400 Agency and Partnership (3 units)
The law relating to the formation, termination, and legal consequences of agencies and partnerships.

LAW 410/420 Constitutional Law I and II (6 units)
The law relating to the Constitution, Bill of Rights, powers under the Constitution, Due Process and Separation of Powers.

JURIS DOCTOR (JD) – ELECTIVE COURSES:

Along with the CBE generally prescribed curriculum, the College of Law requires additional elective units to be completed to develop a well-rounded law student. Students are expected to complete nine (12) elective units to complete the College of Law Juris Doctor degree program. The College of Law offers a variety of elective courses to broaden the law student’s breadth of knowledge as well as develop legal specialization.

LAW 500 Advanced Legal Research (3units)
Intensive review of legal research techniques and methods in development of pleadings, legislations, law review articles and authority for casework in such areas as torts, contracts, environmental law, administrative law, criminal law, and constitutional law.

LAW 505 Immigration Law (3 units)
This course is the law as it relates to admission requirements, exclusion, deportation, enforcement agencies, citizenship, and naturalization.

LAW 510 Trial Tactics (3units)
Development of confidence in presentation of a case in court; methods in picking a jury; delivery of summation; client control; Extensive use of video to eliminate negative styles of personal habits in speech and body language that detract from effective representation of a client.

LAW 515 Federal Income Tax (3 units)
The law as it relates to the major provisions of tax legislation, including cases and regulations examining their impact on individual taxpayers, businesses, investments and retirement plans. The emphasis is on strategic tax planning for investments, business entities, and individual planning opportunities. This presentation is designed to meet those needs by identifying features of recent developments having special meaning to the tax practitioner and return preparer. Practical solutions to problems of the general practitioner and tax planner will be emphasized.

LAW 520 Intellectual Property (3 units)
This course examines the law as it relates to intellectual property law core subjects: patents, copyrights, trade secrets, and trademarks. This course examines fundamental principles, their underlying policies, and how the laws inter-relate.

LAW 525 International Business Transactions (3 units)
Current legal issues in NAFTA and similar international treaties governing corporate governance and commercial relationships in a globalized world; emphasis on cross cultural understanding of contracts, partnerships, and other business relationships.

LAW 530 Bankruptcy (3 units)
This course covers the law as it relates to federal bankruptcy law. Students will learn about the rights and duties of debtors, together with the rights of secured and unsecured creditors, under the Bankruptcy Code. It will focus on the policy considerations that underlie the code, and the provisions of the code that apply in both business and consumer cases. Although the class pays particular attention to business reorganizations under Chapter 11, the course will also include sessions devoted to consumer debtors.

LAW 535 Elder Law (3units)
Legal issues under the Older Americans Act; health care benefits; nursing home issues; Social Security Act benefits and hearings; and older client family law matters.

LAW 540 Domestic Relations/Family Law (3 units)
This course reviews the law as it relates to the laws of marriage, annulment, divorce, child custody, and adoption. Expansion on Community property to include fault and no fault divorce, custody and related law.

LAW 545 Business Negotiations (3 units)
This course focuses on the art of negotiation, theories, techniques, and the settlement conference. The aim of the course is to increase students’ awareness of communication and negotiation skills. The course focuses on creating an understanding of the issues of communicating including verbal and non-verbal communication and with different managerial styles.

LAW 555 Secured Transactions in Land (3 units)
Financial and contract law issues related to transactions involving real property, long-term leases, and foreign investments in land; representation of lenders and investors in financing developments in undeveloped land.

LAW 560 Estate Planning, Probate (3 units)
The law as it relates to the basics of estate planning, a subject that many people fail to address as they approach retirement. It will familiarize you with the essential objectives of estate planning, its unique vocabulary, and the devices used to distribute property as intended by its legal owners while minimizing costs and taxes.

LAW 565 Environmental Law (3 units)
Recent legal decisions and issues under the Federal and State EPA acts; endangered wildlife species protection laws; and Native American protected sites.

LAW 570 Appellate Advocacy (3 units)
Intensive development of writing skills in preparation of appellate briefs; review of California approved citations for appellate writing; formulation of specific appellate project brief in selected legal area.

LAW 575 Cyber Law (3 units)
Legal issues involved in electronic communications; recent case decisions regarding responsibilities of providers of information or entertainment in web formats; individual privacy, employer rights, and copyright issues.

LAW 585 Appellate Advocacy (3 units)
This course is designed to examine all avenues of appellate advocacy, both state and federal, with a primary emphasis on the art of argument. While argument in trial courts and other venues will be addressed, the emphasis of those topics will be on the creation or presentation of a record for appellate purposes. The course features numerous exercises, both oral and written, and student participation in those exercises is required.

LAW 590 Law Practice Management (3 units)
This course examines practical considerations focusing on law office management, litigation management, and corporate practice.

LAW 600 Internship Program (up to 6 units)
The Law School’s Internship Program invites students to experience legal practice while enrolled as a law student. Students apply newly acquired legal knowledge to real world problems and this experience enriches the classroom experience. This synthesis of theory and practice builds professional confidence and competence and supports the transition from law school to professional employment.

LAW 605 Advanced Evidence (3 units)
The rules of evidence including relevancy, hearsay and its exceptions, the best evidence rule, impeachment and rehabilitation of witnesses, presumptions and burdens of proof. The purpose of this course is to prepare the Attorney for the competent presentation of evidence in the courtroom. It will focus on the comparisons and differences between the Federal Rules of Evidence and the California Evidence Code. Each student should focus preparation for the California Bar Examination and providing an understanding of the history, scope, and applicability of the rules of evidence.

LAW 610 Native American Law (3 units)
This course introduces the student to the tribal law system as it is currently structured within the State and Federal jurisdictional systems; treaties and compacts governing tribal relations to States are presented; and, significant modern caselaw interpreting Constitutional issues.

PARALEGAL STUDIES CERTIFICATE

The Certificate of Paralegal Studies program consists of a one year program of study requiring successful completion of 24 units of coursework in order to be awarded the Certificate of Paralegal Studies. The Paralegal Studies Program is authorized and approved by the State of California Bureau of Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education. Graduates of the program typically seek work in private or public legal offices under the direction of an attorney performing a variety of tasks ranging from researching legal issues to interviewing clients on court cases. A shorter specialized paralegal course –Legal Form Administration – is also offered for those students.

ADMISSIONS

Applicants to the Certificate of Paralegal Studies Program must hold a High School Diploma or GED at a minimum. Many applicants will have completed college courses or equivalent educational studies demonstrating their abilities to perform post secondary academic work. An interview may be required in some cases to complete the admissions process.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Students must complete six (6) prescribed courses and four (4) specialization courses with a cumulative G.P.A of 2.0 or higher. Students must apply for graduation and meet all academic and financial requirements.

CURRICULUM AND COURSE DESCRIPTION- Certificate of Paralegal Studies:

PL 100 Torts (3 units)
This course teaches the basic theory of tort law. Students will learn to evaluate types of liability, and will become familiar with the concepts of injuries and damages.

PL 110 Contracts (3 units)
This course teaches the basic principles of contract formation. Students will learn about contract enforceability, breach and remedies for breach, third-party interests and choice of law.

PL 160 Civil Procedure (3 units)
This course is an introduction to procedural concepts of civil litigation, jurisdiction, venue, service of process, parties, pleading and discovery, trial processes, and appellate review.

PL 170 Legal Research and Legal Writing (3 units)
This course presents instruction in research techniques and writing skills. Students will learn how to research, analyze, and brief statutory and case law, using library and online resources. They will also learn techniques and skills for preparing, writing and proofreading legal letters, memoranda, briefs and other legal documents.

PL 180 Wills and Trusts (2 units)
This course provides a theoretical and practical understanding of the laws of inheritance and estate planning.

PL 200 Law Office Organization (2 units)
This course describes the functional roles and activities of attorneys, support staff, and paralegals in a law office; Also teaches basic professional rules applicable to all law office workers.

Specialization Courses

PL 130 Family Law (2 units)
This course acquaints the student with the basic areas of a family law practice.

PL 140 Immigration (2 units)
This course is a study of the drafting of documents and instruments related to the main areas of U.S. immigration practice, including admission procedures, exclusion, deportation, political asylum and citizenship.

PL 150 Bankruptcy (2 units)
This course acquaints the student with the three most common forms of bankruptcy: Chapters 7, 11, and 13.

PL 190 Real Estate and Unlawful Detainers (2 units)
This course reviews the various types of real estate such as Real Property and Personal Property. It will cover how property is owned, how ownership is transferred, and the documents that are used. Special emphasis will be placed on the Landlord-Tenant relationship including the Unlawful Detainer process.

LEGAL FORM ADMINISTRATION CERTIFICATE

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

This program introduces students to different areas of law office work and commonly used legal forms. Students are instructed in selection, content, and preparation of forms for areas such as contracts, real estate, motions and pleadings, bankruptcy and immigration. The program is a specialized application of paralegal studies intended for prospective or current law office staff that work under general oversight of attorneys requiring skills in client services and case file preparations. The program likewise prepares students for varied entry level law-related positions such as a court clerk, contracts file administrator, process server assistant, or legal department file clerk in loan, escrow, title companies, or bank settings.
The Legal Form Administration Certificate Program is offered during week days from 6:00PM to 9:00PM and on week ends from 8:00AM to 5:00PM. Students complete the program coursework in five weeks of study.
As part of the Paralegal Studies Program offered by Irvine University College of Law, the LFA Certificate Program is authorized and approved by the State of California Bureau of Private Post Secondary and Vocational Education.

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS:

While all applicants must have a High School Diploma or GED, the majority of successful applicants for the program have some college work credits. Admission decisions also consider an applicant’s maturity and capacity to engage in post secondary level education by a review of the overall personal and work related information submitted by the applicant. In some instances, a personal interview may be requested to review the materials submitted by the applicant for admission.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS:

Students must complete 40 hours of course instruction, pass all required academic examinations, and meet their tuition obligations.

CURRICULUM AND COURSE DESCRIPTION:

LEG 100 – Motions & Pleadings This course is designed to orient the student in assisting in the preparation and service of a civil law suit such as unlawful detainers, negligence, personal injury, various kinds of service of process, motions to strike, demur, summary judgment on the pleadings, and answers to complaints.

LEG105 – Real Estate This course teaches the student the different types of listings, escrows, disclosures and types of broker agencies. The student will learn to summarize a buyer’s and seller’s property purchase statement, describe the applicable taxes on the real estate transaction, recognize the issues involved in property management. Emphasis is placed on understanding a real property purchase agreement and legal mandatory disclosures.

LEG 110 – Immigration This course introduces the student to the most commonly used DOJ immigration forms, local agency and Immigration Court practices and procedures. The student will learn the different types of visas and supporting affidavits for employer sponsored workers, immediate family and relatives, and fiancés. Change of status petitions will also be studied.

LEG 115 – Bankruptcy This course acquaints the student with forms used in Bankruptcy Law Chapter 7 and 13. The student will learn the foundational legal terms, exemptions, concepts in processing of a bankruptcy case, commonly used forms in creditor-debtor hearings, and analyzing affidavit statements for hidden assets research.

LEG 120 – Contracts and Torts This course teaches the basic principles of contract formation and personal injury law. The student will learn frequently used terms in contract and tort law practice, how to assist in the preparation of a form pleading for contract breach or personal injury with damages or other remedies. Instruction in preparing witness affidavits, review of accident reports and proper compiling documents in a case file will be given.