Adjunct Lecturer in Law - Contract Drafting, Analysis and Negotiation

LAW 708 – Contract Drafting, Analysis and Negotiation for LLM Students (2 units)

This class is an introductory course in drafting and analyzing contract language and negotiation principles. During the semester, students will learn about the fundamental components of business contracts and become familiar with basic contract structure, common contract provisions, and boilerplate language. Students will also be assigned two contract drafting exercises. Approximately one-third of the course will cover certain fundamental principles of contract negotiation, including preparation and strategy. The focus will be on practical concepts of negotiation rather than on theoretical or psychological analysis. There will be several mock negotiation exercises in which all students will participate.

While this class is geared towards foreign lawyers, legal professionals, and students of foreign legal systems, the concepts discussed will be based on an American style of contract drafting and negotiation. Although this is an introductory course, foreign lawyers and legal professionals with practical experience will benefit by becoming more expert in technical legal terminology and by gaining a deeper and more detailed understanding of familiar contract provisions. Students without practical legal experience will benefit by becoming familiar with the common structure of a contract, the manner in which contractual provisions are organized, and the common language found in most contracts.

Candidates must have a JD and at least five years of practical experience, including experience in the course subject matter. Teaching experience is preferred. In addition, this course will be taught on campus, so instructors must be local.

USC reserves the “Adjunct” appointment for faculty teaching less than full-time at USC, who are employed full-time in a primary profession or career elsewhere. Adjunct faculty typically teach only one course per year but, in exceptional cases, may teach one course per semester, if approved by the dean.

The base salary range for this position is $2,304 - $5,000 per semester. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the number of units per course, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

Equity, diversity, inclusion, opportunity, and access are of central importance to the Gould School of Law. Gould holds a unique position in society, and within the university, as every aspect of these principles is influenced by and can be protected through legal rules and institutions. At Gould, we are proudly committed to maintaining a community in which each person respects the rights of others to live, work, and learn in peace and dignity, to be proud of who and what they are, and to have equal opportunity to realize their full potential as individuals and members of society.