This course is designed to familiarize students with the legal issues surrounding the arbitration process. Arbitration is an efficient, expeditious, and (sometimes) lower-cost alternative to litigation that is growing in popularity. Many areas of law commonly use arbitration, including securities regulation, commercial law, employment law, medical malpractice, and construction law. This course examines the nature of the arbitration process, rules governing hearings, and the relationship between arbitration and the court system. Students will study issues surrounding the enforceability of agreements to arbitrate, defenses to arbitration clauses, and judicial review of an arbitration award. Students will also learn how to read and draft arbitration provisions. This class will provide students with a thorough understanding of arbitration law and a solid foundation for legal practice, whether in alternative dispute resolution tribunals or in the civil justice system.

Method of evaluation: class participation, occasional in-class exercises, and a take-home final examination.