Capstone courses provide intense doctrine and skills-based training and include seasoned
attorneys from the community as instructors. The intricately designed cases will
test your ability to work together and challenge your probelm-solving skills. By the
time you're done, you'll be able to confidently apply what you've learned in the professional
arena.
Capstone Courses
Civil Litigation
Students will be divided into two “law firms” and serve as “associates” in the law
firms. The assignments will focus on the pretrial aspect of a civil litigation. Students
will have an initial client meeting, write a research memo to the client, draft pleadings,
draft and argue motions, prepare discovery requests and answers, take depositions,
and hire and prepare witnesses for a deposition. In the course of these exercises
students will confront problems dealing with choosing the proper parties, identifying
the proper jurisdiction for the litigation, settling discovery disputes, and calculating
damages.
Real Estate Transactions
This course is designed to be a Capstone course for third year (3L) students interested
in an in-depth, practical and advanced course in real estate law and real estate finance.
Students will be participate in simulated experiences throughout the semester, and
will end the semester negotiating a real estate development deal. The course will explore land development, real estate finance, foreclosures and receiverships
and the development of real estate projects such as condominium, office and retail
facilities. The focus will be on real estate commercial transactions in South Carolina,
but will have general applicability to real estate transactions in other jurisdictions,
as well as general application to residential real estate transactions.
Small Business Organization
This course will provide students with practical and substantive knowledge and experience
in transactional law using a small business nonprofit or small business for-profit
organization model. It will be multidisciplinary and provide students a broad theoretical
and practical experience with measurable outcomes and skills, including problem solving,
project management, leadership, and teamwork. Students will act as counsel for a group
interested in forming either a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization or a for-profit entity
that will own and operate a business. As counsel for the organization, students’ responsibilities
will include interviewing a client; reviewing a Retainer Agreement; preparing Articles
of Incorporation; preparing Bylaws; preparing IRC Form 1023 (Application for Exemption)
or LLC or other business documents; providing Board of Director education and advice
at simulated board meetings; and preparing Contracts, Lease Agreements, and/or Sponsorship
Agreements. Students may also advise the client and draft documents related to copyright
issues, potential mergers, and partnership agreements.