The Work Law Course of Study guides students in selecting a set of courses that provide the substantive foundation for Labor and Employment Law practice. Students can use this foundation to further specialize in a wide array of fields that rely on knowledge of employment or antidiscrimination law – for example, union representation and negotiation, discrimination or civil rights practice, workers compensation or benefits practice, government or regulatory practice, public sector employment law practice, sports and entertainment law management, human resources management, and business general counsel practice.
The foundational courses introduce students to the basic regulation of the workplace: employment contracts, at-will work, and wrongful termination; wage and hour law; workplace health and safety law; employees’ privacy and free speech rights; employee mobility issues (like noncompete and nondisclosure); layoffs and unemployment insurance; benefits and family and medical leave; protected concerted activity; the right to unionize and its implications; and employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, and disability.
Students following the course of study should aim to take at least two foundational courses, at least three related courses, and pursue an experiential opportunity. Students may also engage in an academic research project in the area through a seminar, law review note, or directed research.
For more information on this course of study, externships, or other experiential opportunities, contact Faculty Advisers: Professors Stephanie Bornstein, Tristin Green, or Jonathan F. Harris.
Foundational Courses
- Employment Law
- Employment Discrimination Law
- Labor Law or Labor Law, Alt-Labor, and the Gig Economy (varies by year)
Related Courses
Courses Related to Litigation and Administrative Practice
- Administrative Law or Introduction to Administrative Law
- Advanced Civil Litigation
- California Civil Procedure
- Civil Litigation Practice I and II
- Evidence
- Fact Investigation
- Federal Courts
- Introduction to Negotiations
- Legislation and Regulation
- Mediation or Mediation Advocacy
- Remedies
Courses Related to Public Interest & Social Justice Advocacy
- Civil Rights Litigation
- Critical Race Theory or Race and the Law
- Disability Rights Law
- Education Law
- Immigration Law or Introduction to Immigration Law
- LGBTQ+ Advocacy and Inclusive Lawyering
- Sexual Identity and the Law
- Seminars on Advanced Topics in Labor and Employment Law (vary by year)
- Women and the Law
Courses Related to Government Practice
- Antitrust Law
- First Amendment
- Government Lawyering
- Health Law
- State and Municipal Government Law
- State Constitutional Law
Courses Related to Intellectual Property and Entertainment Practice
- Artificial Intelligence and the Law
- California Privacy and Data Security Law
- Entertainment Law
- Intellectual Property or Introduction to Intellectual Property
- Law and Practice with the Hollywood Guilds
- Law, Algorithms, and Justice
- Sports Law
- Technology and Privacy
- Trade Secret Law
Courses Related to Business Planning and Regulatory Compliance
- Business Associations
- Business Immigration Law
- Business Planning
- Corporate Governance
- Executive Compensation
- Insurance Law
- Legal Drafting
- Securities Regulation
- Solo Law Practice
Experiential Opportunities
- Workers' Rights Clinic (Hybrid/Evening Program) or Employment Rights Clinic (varies by year)
- Conciliation & Mediation Assistance Clinic (C-MAC)
- Moot Court or Trial Advocacy Teams
Students have obtained externships and field placements at a wide variety of organizations engaged in some part of labor and employment law, including, for example:
- Judicial Externships or Field Placements: U.S. District Court judges or magistrates (who often handle employment matters), Los Angeles County Superior Court (large wage docket), or California or U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals.
- Government Externships or Field Placements: local, state, or federal agencies that enforce labor and employment laws—for example, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), California Civil Rights Department (CRD), California Occupational Safety & Health Commission (CalOSHA), Los Angeles City Attorney (Employee Relations Division), or Public Employment Relations Board (PERB).
- Non-Profit Externships or Field Placements: Bet Tzedek Legal Services, Senior Citizens Law Center, Lambda Legal, Disability Rights California, Korean Immigration Workers Association, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Peggy Browning Fund Fellowships, UCLA Downtown Labor Center, Unions/Labor Organizations (SAG-AFTRA, WGAW), or Wage Justice Center.
Student Organization
- LLS Labor and Employment Law Society (LELS)