Legal Studies

The course provides a foundation to the study of law. Before any in-depth analysis of any type of law subject, one needs to have a fundamental understanding of how the legal system works and of the basic legal vocabulary involved. This first part of this course provides students with this knowledge, paying particular attention to five topics:
the constitution, the legislation, EU law, the Irish courts system, and access to the courts.

The course covers the basic concepts, principles, purpose, and characteristics of marriage and family and inheritance law. It discusses problems in practice using empirical analysis. Topics include the kinship, institution of marriage, adoption, and inheritance.

This course explores theories of justice. It does this by engaging in a discussion with one of the most rewarding authors on how to interpret and understand theories of justice: Michael J. Sandel. In JUSTICE. WHAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO? he introduces a selective number of theories of justice, from classical to modern and contemporary thinkers that can be used to better understand contested issues such as surrogate motherhood, equal rights, obligations regarding poverty eradication, and all kinds of everyday ethical dilemmas. The book of Sandel is supplemented with texts that highlight, criticize, or complement elements of the ethical theories as presented by Sandel. The course exists of a series of lectures as well as a series of seminars, meant to discuss and reflect upon the themes discussed in the book and the additional texts.

This course focuses on correctly identifying organized crime to establish the scope of international, European, and Spanish legal instruments designed to fight it. 

This course provides an introduction to the basic principles and areas of application of public international law. The course consists of weekly lectures and interactive seminars designed to provide a solid understanding of the most important rules and principles of international law. Additionally, the course covers the place of international law within the international (legal) system. The course covers the most important topics in international law such as sources, subjects, jurisdiction and immunities, peaceful dispute settlement, collective security and the use of force, law of the sea, and environmental law by reviewing the basic rules and general principles and critically analyzing their application to contemporary problems in international relations.

This course introduces the law and practice of international commercial arbitration. It focuses on arbitration of business-to-business disputes, although much of the course material also applies to disputes governed by public international law, such as investor-state arbitrations. The course covers the intersection of international law, national law, and private contract that comprises the governing regime for the resolution of international commercial disputes. Specific topics include the drafting and enforcement of arbitration agreements, the laws applicable to different aspects of the arbitration, the jurisdiction, composition and powers of the tribunal, confidentiality, interim measures, the conduct of the hearing, and the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards. Lectures are supplemented with class discussion and a variety of in-class activities meant to simulate real problems confronted by arbitration lawyers. Text: Gary B. Born, INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION: LAW AND PRACTICE. Assessment: Participation in in-class exercises (33%), Take-home final exam (67%).