School of Law
E. Edwin Eck, Dean
Fritz Snyder, Associate Dean
The Law School is accredited by the American Bar Association and the Association of American Law Schools, and offers the degree of Juris Doctor (J.D.). Prerequisites for admission to the Law School are a baccalaureate degree and Law School Admission Test.
For detailed information concerning the Law School’s admission criteria, application procedures, facilities, and official course descriptions, consult the Law School Catalog, which may be obtained by calling (406)243-6169 or visiting the website www.umt.edu/law.
The Law School’s administrative regulations are contained in the Law School Student Handbook, which is on the website. The Law School conforms in most instances to the calendar established for the entire University. There are some differences, however, because the Law School operates on a different (and longer) semester system than the rest of the University.
Academic Year Calendar
Autumn Semester 2008
| August 19 (Tuesday) | Registration Finalization |
| August 20-26 (Wednesday-Tuesday) | Introductory Program |
| August 25 (Monday) | Classes Begin |
| September 1 (Monday) | Labor Day (Holiday) |
| November 4 (Tuesday) | Election Day (Holiday) |
| November 11 (Monday) | Veterans’ Day (Holiday) |
| November 26-28 (Wednesday-Friday) | Thanksgiving Holiday |
| Building Closed: | Thursday, November 27 |
|---|---|
| December 1 (Monday) | Last day of classes |
| December 2-7 (Tuesday-Sunday) | Reading period |
| December 8-20 (Monday-Saturday) | Final exams |
Spring Semester 2009
| January 23 (Friday) | Registration Finalization |
| January 26 (Monday) | Classes begin |
| February 16 (Monday) | President's Day (Holiday) |
| March 30-April 3 (Monday-Friday) | Spring Vacation |
| Building Hours: | Monday-Friday, 7:00am - 5:30am |
|---|---|
| Law Library Hours: | Monday-Friday, 7:30am - 5:00am |
| May 4 (Monday) | Last day of classes |
| May 5-May 10 (Tuesday-Sunday) | Reading period prior to exams |
| May 11-22 (Monday-Friday) | Final exams |
| May 16 (Saturday) | UM Commencement |
| May 23 (Saturday) | Law School Hooding Ceremony |
Required Curriculum
| First Year | Credits |
|---|---|
| 500 Civil Procedure I | 3 |
| 501 Civil Procedure II | 2 |
| 502 Contracts I | 3 |
| 503 Contracts II | 2 |
| 504 Pretrial Advocacy I | 2 |
| 505 Pretrial Advocacy II | 1 |
| 506 Legal Research | 2 |
| 508 Legal Analysis | 1 |
| 509 Legal Writing I | 3 |
| 510 Criminal Law & Proc I | 2 |
| 511 Criminal Law & Proc II | 3 |
| 512 Torts I | 2 |
| 513 Torts II | 3 |
| Second Year | Credits |
| 550 Property I | 2 |
| 551 Property II | 3 |
| 552 Federal Tax(may be taken third year) | 3 |
| 554 Business Organizations | 3 |
| 555 Professional Responsibility | 3 |
| 556 Business Transactions | 2 |
| 557 Trial Practice | 2 |
| 558 Constitutional Law | 4 |
| 560 Evidence | 3 |
| Electives (see below) | |
| Third Year | Credits |
| (minimum of 4 credits required) | |
| 599 Clinical Training II | 1-8 |
| 600 Clinical Training III | 1-6 |
| 601 Clinical Training IV | 1-6 |
| Electives (see below) | |
Elective Courses
(Elective offerings vary from year to year)
- Advanced Criminal Procedure (Law 690, 2 credits)
- Advanced Environmental Law (Law 649, 3 credits)
- Advanced Legal Research (Law 615, 2 credits)
- Advanced Legal Issues in Education (Law 686, 3 credits)
- Advanced Legislation (Law 652, 2 credits)
- Advanced Federal Indian Law (Law 617, 2 credits)
- Advanced Public Land and Resources Law (Law 619, 2 credits)
- Advanced Trial Advocacy (Law 685, 1 credit)
- Agricultural Law (Law 656, 2 credits)
- Alternative Dispute Resolution (Law 614, 3 credits)
- American Indian Natural Resources (Law 619, 2credits)
- Appellate Advocacy (Law 616, 3 credits)
- Bankruptcy (Law 621, 2 credits)
- Child Advocacy (Law 670, 2 credits)
- Client Counseling Team (Law 638, 2 credits)
- Conflict of Laws (Law 653, 2 credits)
- Consumer Transactions (Law 645, 3 credits)
- Copyright Law (Law 682, 3 credits)
- Cyber Law (Law 676, 2 credits)
- Disability Law (Law 668, 2 credits)
- Elder Law (Law 620, 3 credits)
- Employment Law (Law 622, 3 credits)
- Environmental Law (Law 650, 3 credits)
- Estate Planning (Law 659, 3 credits)
- Family Law (Law 669, 3 credits)
- Family Law Mediation (Law 672, 2 credits)
- Federal Courts (Law 671, 2 credits)
- Federal Indian Law (Law 648, 3 credits)
- First Amendment Seminar (Law 675, 2 credits)
- Gender and the Law (Law 625, 3 credits)
- Health Care Law (Law 637, 3 credits)
- Independent Study (Law 660/1, 1-2 credits)
- Insurance Law (Law 624, 3 credits)
- International Business & Trade (Law 629, 2 credits)
- Introduction to Environmental Law (Law 650, 3 credits)
- Land Use Planning (Law 687, 3 credits)
- Law & Literature (Law 607, 1 credit)
- Law & Technology (Law 693, 2 credits)
- Law Practice (Law 631, 1 credit)
- Law Reviews I, II, III, IV (Law 564/5, Law 602/3, 1-2 credits)
- Lawyers’ Values (Law 630, 2 credits)
- Legal History (Law 626, 2 credits)
- Local Government (Law 646, 3 credits)
- Moot Courts (Law 666, 2 credits)
- Montana Constitutional Law (Law 618, 2 credits)
- Natural Resource Development (Law 633, 3 credits)
- Natural Resource Dispute Resolution (Law 613, 3 credits)
- Negotiations (Law 641, 2 credits)
- Negotiation Team (Law 642, 2 credits)
- Non-profit Organizations (Law 674, 2 credits)
- Patent Law (Law 627, 2 credits)
- Philosophy of Law (Law 664, 3 credits)
- Product Liability (Law 657, 2 credits)
- Public Interest Lawyering (Law 673, 3 credits)
- Public International Law (Law 634, 3 credits)
- Public Land and Resources Law (Law 654, 3 credits)
- Public Regulation of Business (Law 632, 3 credits)
- Real Estate Transactions (Law 658, 2 credits)
- Remedies (Law 628, 3 credits)
- Sales & Leases (Law 692, 3 credits)
- Secured Transactions (Law 636, 2 credits)
- Special Topics in Criminal Law (Law 667, 2 credits)
- Taxation of Business Organizations (Law 639, 4 credits)
- Taxation of Estates & Gifts (Law 655, 3 credits)
- Taxation of Property Transactions (Law 640, 2 credits)
- Trademark Law (Law 693, 2 credits)
- Tribal Courts/Tribal Law (Law 688, 3 credits)
- Tribal/State Relations (Law 694, 2 credits)
- UCC Articles 203 (Law 609, 3 credits)
- Water Law (Law 663, 2 credits)
- White Collar Crime (Law 644, 2 credits)
- Workers' Compensation (Law 662, 3 credits)
Faculty
Professors
- Bari R. Burke, J.D., University of California, Davis, 1979
- J. Martin Burke, LL.M., New York University, 1982
- Scott J. Burnham, LL.M., New York University, 1981
- William J. Corbett, LL.M., Harvard University, 1971
- Raymond Cross, J.D., Yale University, 1973
- William F. Crowley, LL.M., New York University, 1951 (Emeritus)
- E. Edwin Eck II, LL.M., Georgetown University (Dean)
- Larry M. Elison, S.J.D.,University of Michigan,1962 (Emeritus)
- Cynthia Ford, J.D., Cornell Law School, 1978
- Gregory S. Munro, J.D., University of Montana, 1975
- Robert G. Natelson, J.D., Cornell Law School, 1973
- David J. Patterson, LL.M., University of Michigan, 1966
- Fritz Snyder, J.D., Washburn School of Law, 1979 (Associate Dean)
- Robert E. Sullivan, J.D., Notre Dame, 1946 (Dean Emeritus)
Associate Professors
- Elaine Gagliardi, LL,M., New York University, 1990
- Stacey Gordon, J.D., University of Montana, 2000
- Jeffrey T. Renz, J.D., University of Montana, 1979
Assistant Professors
- Phillip Cousineau, MLS., University of Texas, 1993
- Eduardo Capulong, J.D. City University of New York Law School, 1991
- Larry Howell, J.D., M.A., The University of Montana, 1992
- Kristen Juras, J.D., University of Georgia, 1982
- Andrew King-Ries, J.D., Washington University, 1993
- Elizabeth Krunk, J.D., University of Michigan, 2001
- John W. McDonald, J.D., University of Montana, 1961
- Jeffrey T Renz, J.D.,University of Montana, 1979
- Maylinn Smith, J.D., University of Montana, 1987
- Margaret A. Tonon, J.D., University of Montana, 1974
Adjunct Faculty
- David Aronofsky, J.D., University of Texas, 1982
- Klaus Sitte, J.D., University of Montana, 1972