This course is structured around a quarter-long, simulated negotiation exercise which provides an in-depth study of the structuring and negotiating of an international business transaction. This class will be taught in counterpart with a class at Berkeley Law School. Students in this class will represent a U.S. pharmaceutical company, and the students in the class at Berkeley will represent an African agricultural production company. The two companies are interested in working together to exploit a new technology developed by the pharmaceutical company that uses the cassava produced by the African agricultural production company. The form of their collaboration could be a joint venture, a licensing agreement or a long-term supply contract. The negotiations between the two classes will take place through written exchanges and through real-time negotiation, which will be conducted both in-person and via Zoom. The purpose of the course is to provide students with an opportunity (i) to experience the sequential development of a business transaction over an extended negotiation, (ii) to study the business and legal issues and strategies that impact the negotiation, (iii) to gain insight into the dynamics of negotiating and structuring international business transactions, (iv) to learn about the role that lawyers and law play in these negotiations, (v) to give students experience in drafting communications, and (vi) to provide negotiating experience in a context that replicates actual legal practice with an unfamiliar opposing party (here, the students at Berkeley). Students will also learn about the legal and business issues that may arise in joint ventures, supply agreements and licensing agreements. The thrust of this course is class participation and active involvement in the negotiations process. Students are expected to spend time outside of class, working in teams, to prepare the written exchanges, to prepare for the live negotiations (as well as online negotiations in a world where these will be increasingly the norm), and to prepare for class discussions. Class discussions will focus on the strategy for, and progress of, the negotiations; collective evaluation of the class's preparation for, and performance in, the negotiations; and the substantive legal, business and policy matters that impact on the negotiations. In addition to the regular Monday class, THE FIRST CLASS FOR 2026 WILL MEET ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER LAW 26 from LAW 10:LAW 00 AM to 2:LAW 00 PM at Stanford Law School (necessitated by the late start for the Stanford quarter this year and the need to sync with the Berkeley class). In addition, classes will meet for the live negotiations on four Saturday mornings at LAW 10:LAW 30 AM (LAW 10/3, LAW 10/LAW 10, LAW 10/LAW 24 and LAW 10/LAW 31) in the San Francisco office of DLA Piper (LAW 555 Mission Street; close to Montgomery St. BART station), and on one Thursday evening (LAW 10/LAW 15, via Zoom) at 7:LAW 00 PM-LAW 10:LAW 00 PM at SLS. The four Saturday classes will end at 1:LAW 30 PM, except for LAW 10/LAW 31 which will end at 2:LAW 30 PM. Due to the Thursday and Saturday classes, this class will conclude on November 2. Admission to this class is by consent of instructor. The maximum class size is LAW 21, which will include students from GSB or other departments. Attention Waitlist Students: Students on the waitlist for the course will be admitted if spots are available on the basis of their position on the waitlist and degree of study; all waitlist students are encouraged to attend the first class and will be notified as spaces become available. Attention Non-Law Students: In addition to the class consent application (see more details below; application will be available about mid-July), you must complete and submit both a consent application form and a Non-Law Student Course Add Request Form to the SLS Registrar's Office (Room LAW 100). See Stanford Non-Law Student Course Registration on the SLS Registrar's Office website. Prerequisites: A course in basic negotiations (e.g., Law 7821) or comparable prior experience is recommended. Elements used in grading: Class participation, written assignments and final paper. CONSENT APPLICATION: To apply for this course, students must complete and submit a Consent Application Form available on the SLS Registrar website https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/. Click SUNetID Login in the top right corner of the page and then click the "Consent Courses" tab. See Consent Application Form for instructions and submission deadline.
3 units · Law Honors/Pass/Restrd Cr/Fail
This course is structured around a quarter-long, simulated negotiation exercise which provides an in-depth study of the structuring and negotiating of an international business transaction. This class will be taught in counterpart with a class at Berkeley Law School. Students in this class will represent a U.S. pharmaceutical company, and the students in the class at Berkeley will represent an African agricultural production company. The two companies are interested in working together to exploit a new technology developed by the pharmaceutical company that uses the cassava produced by the African agricultural production company. The form of their collaboration could be a joint venture, a licensing agreement or a long-term supply contract. The negotiations between the two classes will take place through written exchanges and through real-time negotiation, which will be conducted both in-person and via Zoom. The purpose of the course is to provide students with an opportunity (i) to experience the sequential development of a business transaction over an extended negotiation, (ii) to study the business and legal issues and strategies that impact the negotiation, (iii) to gain insight into the dynamics of negotiating and structuring international business transactions, (iv) to learn about the role that lawyers and law play in these negotiations, (v) to give students experience in drafting communications, and (vi) to provide negotiating experience in a context that replicates actual legal practice with an unfamiliar opposing party (here, the students at Berkeley). Students will also learn about the legal and business issues that may arise in joint ventures, supply agreements and licensing agreements. The thrust of this course is class participation and active involvement in the negotiations process. Students are expected to spend time outside of class, working in teams, to prepare the written exchanges, to prepare for the live negotiations (as well as online negotiations in a world where these will be increasingly the norm), and to prepare for class discussions. Class discussions will focus on the strategy for, and progress of, the negotiations; collective evaluation of the class's preparation for, and performance in, the negotiations; and the substantive legal, business and policy matters that impact on the negotiations. In addition to the regular Monday class, THE FIRST CLASS FOR 2026 WILL MEET ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Stanford Law School (necessitated by the late start for the Stanford quarter this year and the need to sync with the Berkeley class). In addition, classes will meet for the live negotiations on four Saturday mornings at 10:30 AM (10/3, 10/10, 10/24 and 10/31) in the San Francisco office of DLA Piper (555 Mission Street; close to Montgomery St. BART station), and on one Thursday evening (10/15, via Zoom) at 7:00 PM-10:00 PM at SLS. The four Saturday classes will end at 1:30 PM, except for 10/31 which will end at 2:30 PM. Due to the Thursday and Saturday classes, this class will conclude on November 2. Admission to this class is by consent of instructor. The maximum class size is 21, which will include students from GSB or other departments. Attention Waitlist Students: Students on the waitlist for the course will be admitted if spots are available on the basis of their position on the waitlist and degree of study; all waitlist students are encouraged to attend the first class and will be notified as spaces become available. Attention Non-Law Students: In addition to the class consent application (see more details below; application will be available about mid-July), you must complete and submit both a consent application form and a Non-Law Student Course Add Request Form to the SLS Registrar's Office (Room 100). See Stanford Non-Law Student Course Registration on the SLS Registrar's Office website. Prerequisites: A course in basic negotiations (e.g., Law 7821) or comparable prior experience is recommended. Elements used in grading: Class participation, written assignments and final paper. CONSENT APPLICATION: To apply for this course, students must complete and submit a Consent Application Form available on the SLS Registrar website https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/. Click SUNetID Login in the top right corner of the page and then click the "Consent Courses" tab. See Consent Application Form for instructions and submission deadline.
Offered in Autumn 2026 at Stanford University.