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Law of International Institutions

Paolo Galizzi, Institute Director, Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Sustainable Development Legal Initiative (SDLI) at the Leitner Center for International Law and Justice at Fordham Law School.


International organizations increasingly play a fundamental role in international affairs. Their activities and sphere of influence have expanded over the years, both at the global and regional level.  This course will focus on the United Nations (UN) System, arguably the most important intergovernmental organization in contemporary world affairs.  In particular, the course will examine the legal structure of the UN and then focus on its activities in selected areas:
-       Peace and Security;
-       Humanitarian Affairs;
-       Economic and Social Development;
-       Human Rights;
-       International Law.
The course will then examine another example of international “institutional” cooperation and in particular will analyze the activities of the World Bank Group.

International and Comparative Intellectual Property Law

Ron Lazebnik, Clinical Associate Professor of Law

The course will be an introduction to the concepts surrounding intellectual property through an examination of U.S. law and international treaties. All three major areas of intellectual property – copyright law, patent law, and trademark law – will be covered with the discussions mainly focused on how rights are acquired and when such rights are deserved. The class will also hold discussions surrounding the challenges in enforcing intellectual property across international borders based on the differences in obtainable rights in various countries.

Comparative Corporate Law

Martin Gelter, Associate Professor of Law at Fordham

This course will explore core topics in comparative corporate law and comparative corporate governance, focusing on the U.S. and the major Western European jurisdictions (with some excursions to East Asia and to transition economies). Although the corporate form seems to be a universal building block of business development, corporate law and governance systems exhibit considerable diversity, as do the economic systems within which corporate law operates. The course will integrate the two goals of providing an overview of differences in legal regulation, and of introducing participants to current academic thinking on how the respective economic and political framework has shaped the development of corporate law and corporate governance institutions. Topics to be covered include comparative governance structures; board structures; conflicts of interest between managers, shareholders, and other stakeholders; investor protection and enforcement of corporate law; control transactions; the role of gatekeepers; creditor protection and corporate bankruptcy; and the role of the state and corporate governance in emerging economies.

Introduction to Korean Language and Culture (optional non-credit)

Leighanne Yuh, Executive Director, B.A. Wellesley, A.M. Columbia, Ph.D. in Korean History at UCLA

These classes are designed for students who have taken no Korean at all or who have taken less than one semester in college. There are homework assignments but no examinations. The course includes excursions to restaurants and other outings to fully immerse students into Korean culture.