All VLS Courses

Accounting and Business Fundamentals

An introduction to accounting and basic business principles for attorneys, including reading annual reports and financial statements, researching the financial structure of corporations and non-profits, and exploring relevant issues such as socially responsible investing.

Administrative Law

Provides students with a working knowledge of the general principles of administrative law;  implementation of legislative policy through administrative agencies, including the role of administrative agencies in the governmental process, rulemaking, adjudication, and judicial review of agency actions.

Advanced Appellate Advocacy

Refines and strenghthens the written and oral advocacy skils acquired in Appellate Advocacy, and prepares students to represent VLS in extramural moot court competitions.  Successful participants will become members of competing teams and/or members of VLS's Moot Court Advisory Board.

Advanced Civil Procedure

This is a rule drafting course.  Students, working the Reporter to the Vermont Supreme Court's Advisory Committees on procedural rules, will draft proposed amendments to sets of Vermont Rules , with explanatory notes. Students will participate in the judicial rulemaking process by orally presenting their drafts to the appropriate Advisory Committee, which will ultimately propose a restyled set of Rules to the Court.

Advanced Criminal Law Seminar

This seminar undertakes an intensive and comprehensive examination of the constitutional, legal, procedural, and public policy issues surrounding a topic in criminal law. Specific topic varies from year to year and is detailed in the class description

Advanced Dispute Resolution Writing Seminar

This seminar provides an opportunity to explore emerging issues in dispute resolution through research and writing. The goal is to produce a publishable quality article.

Download the 2013 Summer Course Syllabus

Advanced Energy Writing Seminar

This seminar provides students an opportunity to produce a significant written paper based on sophisticated research and thinking about a key area in energy policy and law. Seminar topics include proposals for reducing the economic and environmental costs of meeting energy needs. Efforts to reduce costs through more efficient delivery and end-use are assessed, with specific attention to the statutory, regulatory, and contractual techniques for creating sound incentives.

Advanced Environmental Legal Research-A

Provides in-depth exposure to the most useful, efficient strategies and resources for environmental law research, including highly specialized information databases, advanced administrative law research, legislative history, and environmental news/updating services.

Download 2013 Course Syllabus

Advanced International Research

Advanced Legal Analysis

Skills-development course designed to provide students with the analytical, test-taking, writing, and study skills that are critical to students' success on the bar exam and in the practice of law.  The course consists of an intensive substantive and analytical review of major multistate bar exam subjects and of numerous writing and practice assignments.