Elizabeth W. Milnikel
Director of The Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship and Lecturer in Law
1111 East 60th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
phone: 773-834-3108
email: emilnikel@ij.org

Current Year Courses

• 49901 40 Independent Research
  Second- and third-year students may earn course credit by independent research under the supervision of a member of the faculty. Such projects are arranged by consultation between the student and the particular member of the faculty in whose field the proposed topic falls.
  Autumn (3)
  
  
• 61902 1 Entrepreneurship and the Law
  This seminar examines how the regulatory environment and legal advice shape entrepreneurial enterprises, particularly micro-enterprises in the US. The course explores the position of the entrepreneur in society, in the economy, and in our constitutional framework, in order to analyze the entrepreneur s fundamental legal needs. The seminar then surveys legal questions particular to start-ups, including strategies for structuring a business organization, licensing, financing, and protecting intellectual property. Throughout the course, students will analyze strategies for counseling entrepreneurial clients. This seminar is a prerequisite for participation in the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship by 2Ls and a co-requisite for participation by 3Ls. Students' grades will be based on active participation and several short writing assignments.
  Autumn (2)
  
  
• 62101 1 Transactional Lawyering
  This class will lay the foundation for the skills transactional lawyers employ in practice. It will expose students to the fundamentals of transactional lawyering starting with an orientation to a typical "deal" and the mindset of a transactional lawyer. Exercises will address skills such as interviewing and counseling clients, contract reviewing and drafting, and negotiation. Assignments will be a combination of simulations, out of class editing and writing, and peer review.
  Autumn (1) +
  
  
• 67613 1 Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship
  The Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship, or IJ Clinic, provides legal assistance to local lower-income entrepreneurs who are pursuing the American Dream on a shoestring. Students in the IJ Clinic advise clients on issues such as business formation; license and permit application; contract and lease review; contract negotiations; intellectual property protection; and basic tax and regulatory compliance. Students are involved in all phases of client representation and have the opportunity to interview and counsel clients; draft business documents and contracts; negotiate with contractors, investors, or lenders; prepare documents for filing; and occasionally represent clients before administrative bodies. Students gain both practical skills in transactional lawyering and a deep understanding of the entrepreneur s role in the inner city. Academic credit varies and will be awarded according to the Law School's general criteria for clinical courses as described in the Law School Announcements and by the approval of the clinical staff. The seminar Entrepreneurship & The Law and the skills class Transactional Lawyering are prerequisites for 2Ls and corequisites for 3Ls entering the IJ Clinic. Students on the lottery list who took the prerequisites as 2Ls will be given priority for admission to the IJ Clinic as 3Ls.
  Autumn (1) a, +
  
  
• 98801 1 Negotiation and Mediation
  This course will introduce the theory and practice of negotiation and mediation across various contexts, including deal-making and dispute resolution. It will give students an organized theoretical framework for analyzing various parties positions and crafting thoughtful strategies. Students will develop their practical skills and individual styles through a series of simulation exercises, which will be executed inside and outside of class and then discussed and critiqued. Exposure to different techniques, styles, and contexts will be used to teach students what works best for them. Grades will be based on in-class exercises, a series of reaction papers based on out-of-class assignments, and a final negotiation that will be observed and evaluted by the instructors. Enrollment is limited to 32 students, with a preference given to third-year students. Students who take this class may not take Negotiation Theory and Practice (46702).
  Winter (3)