Real Property and Environmental Law (RPEL)

This course introduces some of the most important concepts, issues, and statutes in environmental law. After discussing the economic and ethical bases for environmental law. After discussing the economic and ethical bases for environmental law and briefly reviewing the relevant principles of constitutional and common law, students examine a representative selection of federal statutes, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered species Act, "Superfund," and the Clean Air Act.

This course explores the various aspects of litigation, client counseling, and regulatory work that arise in the day to day practice of environmental law. Emphasis is on the practical aspects of the practice of law, with active class participation using problems designed to duplicate situations faced by environmental attorneys in their practices. Among other things, students will cross-examine scientific experts, prepare a plant manager for a deposition, and negotiate a civil penalty for environmental violations. Although environmental law is used a basis for the mock exercises, prior environmental classes are not a prerequisite, and the skills taught in this course will translate well to other types of litigation.

Students will learn to negotiate and draft multiple standard documents used in commercial real estate transactions.

This course will address the basic concepts in oil and gas law within the United States as well as the specific legal issues associated with the developement of the Marcellus Shale formation. This specific topics to be covered include the owernership of oil and gas, oil and gas leasing, oil and gas conservation laws, oil and gas interests, and government regulation of development.

This course will address current legal and policy aspects of shale oil and gas development.

This course provides an overview of U.S.-focused law and policy related to water.

This course examines the peculiar legal problems encountered on construction projects. It covers contract, tort and statutory law as adapted specifically to the construction industry. It analyzes the perspectives of an owner, developer, architect/engineer, contractor, subcontractor and bonding company, both in the context of private and public construction projects, commerical and residential. the principal areas of inquiry are contract structure, public bidding, theories of liability, payment and security mechanisms, claims related to time, disruption and extra work, and claims arising from construction defects. This course is designed to enable you to become familiar with construction law and the construction industry so that, whether you work in the public sector of private practice, you will be able to offer practical legal advice to construction professionals.

This course provides a basic overview of federal and state regulations and the common law affecting title to and exploitation of such resources as water, coal, oil, gas, and public lands. Common mineral leasing provisions are given particular emphasis.