Comparative Law in Action

Catalog description

Comparative Law in Action highlights the fact that large areas of national law are influenced (and sometimes even driven) by developments outside our country's borders, and that `local' legal practice will often require lawyers to engage with foreign and/or international law, or to apply comparative legal techniques in their daily work. The focus is very much on the practical application of foreign/ comparative/international law in areas such as contract law, torts, constitutional law, human rights protection, public international law, environmental law, development, employment law, criminal law, or economic regulation. The course is based on a background hypothetical involving a U.S. company seeking to expand it's operations, in terms of production, distribution and administration, to various foreign markets across the globe and/or import to and sell foreign goods in the U.S. Week by week, different legal questions and difficulties arise. These will touch on contractual issues, product liability, employment law, environmental regulation, taxation, health and safety (consumer protection) and conflicts of law. International treaties such as TRIPS might also come into play. The instructor will set out the (new) facts and discuss core aspects of the relevant area of law in each session.