Course Number:6915
Professor: Rachel Ngo Ntomp
Credit Hours & Type of Credit: 3
Semester Offered: Fall
Required: No
Prerequisites: Must complete first year of law courses.
Recommended Courses: N/A
Course Overview: This seminar provides an introduction to comparative contract law and the comparative methodology. It will guide students through the comparative analysis of key topics in contract formation, validity, interpretation, performance, breach, and remedies. We will examine questions like: Why does one legal system use the mailbox rule for acceptance while another relies on receipt? How does the concept of consideration manifest in legal systems across the world? How do legal systems decide on remedies like monetary damages versus specific performance? Adopting a "learning by doing" approach, students will engage with practical case scenarios under multiple legal frameworks, including international rules such as the Vienna Convention on International Sales of Goods (CISG) and the European Draft Common Frame of Reference (DCFR). The sources of study will include (but not be limited to) the common law tradition as represented by the U.K. and the U.S. and the civil law tradition as represented notably by China, Germany, France and Eastern European countries. In addition to readings, students will gain hands-on experience conducting comparative research, including through two special sessions led by law library staff. Students will learn how to effectively find, evaluate, and use foreign primary sources and academic commentary. Over the course of the semester, students will apply their growing expertise in comparative methodology and research through short written assignments. The seminar culminates in an individual (or group) research paper (approx. 6,000 words, not counting footnotes), requiring students to conduct comparative analysis of a contract law topic selected by the student after consultation with the instructor and the law librarian.
Course Materials: See the current Book List located under Scheduling. All other materials will be made available on the WyoCourses page.
Course Format: Seminar, class lecture and group discussion.
Written Assignments: An individual memo, a research memo, and reaction papers.
Type of Exam: Final research paper
Basis for Grading Student Performance: Active participation, written assignments, and final research paper.
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