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Academics & Clinicals

Law School Course Descriptions

General Course Description for 918 - Selected Problems in International Law

See also: 918-001(Ghosh, S), 918-002(Yackee, J), 918-003(Atapattu, S)

Topics reflect interests of instructor and students.

Section Offerings for Fall 2009

918-001 SP International Law: International IP
Instructor: Ghosh, S

Intellectual property is an important element of international trade and a controversial issue in international relations.  This course will analyze the concept of intellectual property, often presented in a national context, within the sphere of international treaty relations.  The course will focus on four broad topics: extraterritoriality of U.S. law; patent protection and access to pharmaceuticals; the tension between legal protection for authors and artists and the protection of publishers and intermediaries under copyright law; and the role of trademarks in global trade.  The primary casebook is Chow & Lee, International Intellectual Property.  The course is structured as a seminar.  We will meet intensively for 2-3 weeks to explore a topic after which you will be given some time to prepare a 10-15 page paper on the topic at hand.  Those interested in upper division writing credit for the course should consult with me directly at ghosh7@wisc.edu.  Please contact me at this email address for other questions as well. This three credit course is scheduled for 5 times a week, at 55 minutes a session, so that we can meet intensively to go deeply into materials with no class meetings at different times of the semester to permit writing of papers.  There will be three paper assignments over the semester, and the class will meet for thirty class sessions.

918-002 SP International Law: International Commercial Arbitration
Instructor: Yackee, J

This course provides a hands-on introduction to international commercial arbitration.  The course is organized around the Vis Moot Arbitration contest, a premier international student moot.  During the first month of the fall semester we will examine in detail the rules governing international commercial arbitration. Then, in October and November, students will break out into "litigation teams" of four students; each team will be responsible for researching and writing a professional-quality claimant's memorandum based on the current problem for the Vis Moot Arbitration contest.   Finally, each litigation team will argue a portion of its brief orally to a panel of student "arbitrators". Students will receive three credits for the course.  The course must be taken pass-fail. Absent extraordinary permission to the contrary, the course is mandatory for students who wish to try out for UW Law School's official Vis team, which competes in the Vis contest in Vienna and Hong Kong during the spring semester.
 

918-003 SP International Law: Governance of Seas, Polar Regions, Outer Space
Instructor: Atapattu, S

Selected Problems in International Law: The Global Commons
Sumudu Atapattu, PhD ( Cambridge)

In this course we will be looking at areas that are outside the jurisdiction of states – the areas commonly referred to as the global commons.  We will look at the principles that are applicable to these areas and how natural resources in these areas can be exploited, particularly, the common heritage of mankind principle, common concern of mankind principle and principle of peaceful exploration and exploitation and how they are applicable to the following areas:  
  • the high seas and the deep sea bed
  • the Antarctica; and
  • outer space. 

We will also look at climate as a "common concern of mankind" and also the environmental protection of the global commons.