The University of Florida
Fredric G. Levin College of Law

COMPARATIVE LAW
Fall 2009
(LAW # 6250, Sec. 4899)

Description

An introduction to the comparative method from the perspective of an American lawyer, focusing on methodology, rather than on substantive matters. Starts with a survey of Comparative Law, its history, current definition and scope, followed by practical uses of Comparative legal analysis in United States courts. The more substantial part of the semester studies the Civil Law tradition, the most common legal system in our world today. Naturally, this course can only provide a general overview of the large number of Civil Law nations. It starts with foreign legal education and the legal professions. Then the Civil law system is placed in its proper context: historical roots; structure; approach to judicial review; judicial organization. This is not Trade Law. While I believe that comparative methodology is helpful and often even essential for lawyers engaged in international business transactions, this class is neither International Trade Law nor International Business Law. We have wonderful courses elsewhere in our curriculum that cover those subjects.

 Syllabus

Assignments
& Notes

Exams

Exam
Feedback

Projects

Fall 2009 Exam Review

After February 3, 2010, you may pick up your exam by asking my secretary, Ms. Betty Donaldson, to get it for you. You will have to provide her with your exam number, because exams are filed by number, and allow a few days for her to pick up the exam from storage. You may make a copy of the exam, but you must return the original because we are required to keep them for several semesters.

ON SABBATICAL
I will be on sabbatical in the Spring and on a non-teaching appointment for the Summer. I will be working on research projects during these terms. I will not have office hours and will not engage in individual exam discussion during these terms.

Lectures on iTunesU
(as of October 15, 2009)

I have posted four hours of lectures online using UF's new iTunesU site. The Office of Academic Technology will manually enter the student IDs of all students in the course into the iTunesU system today. You should have access to class recordings starting tonight.

This site may only be accessed after login in using your gatorlink user ID and password via web browser at UF's page: http://itunesu.at.ufl.edu

I recommend that you first open iTunes, then open your web browser and direct it to the UF iTunesU login page. You will be given access only to course pages for classes in which you are registered. For security reasons, UF has chosen to limit access in this manner, therefore, our iTunesU web site does not appear in the general directory posted by the Apple iTunesU Store.

Listening to and downloading of the audio files will be done through the iTunes software. The files have been designated by date with the month appearing first, followed by the day and the session no.

Accordingly, "comparative093001" means that this file is a recording of our class on September 30, 2009, first hour.

Syllabus (Regular)

Summer Syllabus 2005

Notes

Exams

Exam Feedback

Essay Projects

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THIS IS THE END!