by Jeff Sovern
In preparation for remarks at the University of Houston's Teaching Consumer Law Conference, to be held this year in Santa Fe in May, I asked my research assistant, Preston Postlethwaite, to review the web sites of the ABA-accredited schools to see which are teaching consumer law courses this school year. According to Preston, 49 schools offer a consumer law course or a consumer law clinic or both this year. Many more schools list a consumer law class among their courses but are not providing it this year. Because the data are based on school web sites, and such web sites are sometimes not updated timely or may not be accessible, the information is probably not completely correct. Accordingly, I've pasted in the data below the fold. If you know of a law school's information that is not correctly reported below, please so state in the comments. Preston's data also indicate who is teaching the various courses and whether they are full- or part-time where that information is available. Please indicate any errors or omissions in that information as well. I'm disappointed to see that three-quarters of the ABA-approved law schools don't offer the course, especially since Brian Leiter's poll found that consumer law was the top choice for subjects that receive less attention in law schools than is deserved. Thanks!
| School | Consumer Protection Course Offered in 13-14 | Name of Course | Professor Name | Adjunct or Full Time | Clinic | Professor Name/Status | Link | Clinic Link | Other Additional Relevant Links | |
| Akron | None | |||||||||
| Alabama | Yes | Consumer Protection Law | Maurice Sheven | Adjunct | ||||||
| Albany | Yes, but unclear if offered 13/14 | |||||||||
| American University | Yes, but not offered 13/14 | Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection | ||||||||
| Appalachian School of Law | None | |||||||||
| Arizona | None | |||||||||
| Arizona State | None | |||||||||
| Arizona Summit Law School | None | |||||||||
| Arkansas | None | |||||||||
| Arkansas – Little Rock | Yes, clinic | Consumer Protection Clinic | Amy Pritchard, Adjunct | |||||||
| Atlanta's John Marshall Law School | Yes, not offered in 2014, unclear as to offered in 2013 | Consumer Law | ||||||||
| Ave Maria School of Law | Unable to determine | |||||||||
| Baltimore | Yes, but unclear if offered 13/14 | |||||||||
| Barry University | None | |||||||||
| Baylor | Yes | Consumer Protection | David G. Tekell | Adjunct | ||||||
| Berkeley | Yes | Consumer Protection Law | Ted Mermim | Adjunct | None | http://www.law.berkeley.edu/php-programs/courses/courseSearchResults.php?termCode=D&termYear=2013&key=&instructorSearch=&categoryfield=&courseTitleSearch=&courseNumSearch=&descriptionfield=&unitfield=&start_time_open=&start_time_open_am=AM&start_time_close=&start_time_close_am=AM&end_time_open=&end_time_open_am=AM&end_time_close=&end_time_close_am=AM&Search.x=38&Search.y=1 | ||||
| Boston College | Yes | Consumer Law | Glenn Kaplan | Adjunct | ||||||
| Boston University | Yes | Consumer Law | Mark Pettit, Jr. | Full Time | ||||||
| Brooklyn | Yes and Clinic (though not totally certain offered 13-14, website is unclear) | Consumer Protection Law | Winnie Taylor | Full Time | New York Civil Court Consumer Law Externship | Sidney Cherubin, Adjunct | ||||
| BYU | None | |||||||||
| California Western School of Law | None | |||||||||
| Campbell | None | |||||||||
| Capital University | Yes, but not offered 13/14 | Unfair Trade Practices | ||||||||
| Cardozo (Yeshiva) | Yes, clinic | Consumer Rights Protection Field Clinic (Consumer Debt Protection) | Unclear | |||||||
| Case Western Reserve | None | |||||||||
| Catholic University | Yes, clinic | Consumer Protection Project | Paul Kurth, Adjunct | |||||||
| Chapman | None | |||||||||
| Charleston School of Law | None | |||||||||
| Charlotte School of Law | None | |||||||||
| Chicago | Yes | Consumer Law | Omri Ben-Shahar | Full Time | None | http://www.law.uchicago.edu/courses | ||||
| Cincinatti | None | |||||||||
| Cleveland State University | None | |||||||||
| Colorado-Boulder | Yes | Consumer Empowerment | Amy Schmitz | Full Time | ||||||
| Columbia | None | X | None | http://web.law.columbia.edu/courses/search | ||||||
| Cornell | None | x | None | http://support.law.cornell.edu/students/forms/current_Course_Descriptions.pdf | ||||||
| Creighton University | None | |||||||||
| CUNY | None | |||||||||
| Dayton Law School | None | |||||||||
| Denver | None | |||||||||
| Depaul | Yes | Consumer Protection | Wayne K. Lewis | Full Time | ||||||
| Drake | Yes, but consumer protection not offered 13/14 | Consumer Protection/ Consumer Law Internship | Cathy Mansfield | Full Time | ||||||
| Drexel | None | |||||||||
| Duke | None | x | None | https://law.duke.edu/curriculum/courseinfo/course?id=13 | ||||||
| Elon University | Yes, but not offered 13/14 | Consumer Protection | ||||||||
| Emory | None | |||||||||
| Faulkner University (Jones) | None | |||||||||
| Florida A&M University | Yes, but not offered 13/14 | Consumer Law | ||||||||
| Florida Coastal School of Law | Yes, and clinic, but neither offered 13/14 | Consumer Transactions | Consumer Law Clinic | |||||||
| Florida International | None | |||||||||
| Fordham | Yes, clinic | Consumer Litigation Clinic Fieldwork/Seminar | Marcella Silverman, Full Time | |||||||
| FSU | Yes | Consumer Law | Elwin J. Griffith | Full Time | ||||||
| George Mason | None | |||||||||
| George Washington | Yes | Consumer Protection Law | Lesley Fair | Adjunct | ||||||
| Georgetown | None | x | None | http://apps.law.georgetown.edu/curriculum/tab_courses.cfm?Status=Course&Detail=1835 | http://apps.law.georgetown.edu/curriculum/tab_courses.cfm?Status=Course&Detail=2042 | |||||
| Georgia | Yes | Consumer Law | Not specified | Not specified | ||||||
| Georgia State | Yes | Consumer Protection | Mark Budnitz | Full Time | ||||||
| Golden Gate University | Yes, clinic | Consumer Rights Clinic | Marie Noel Appel/ Adjunct | |||||||
| Gonzaga | Yes, but in Summer 2014 | Consumer Law | David K. DeWolf | Full Time | ||||||
| Hamline | Yes, but not offered Spring 14 (Fall 13 not accessible) | Consumer Transactions | ||||||||
| Harvard | Yes | Consumer Contracts, Consumer Law, Consumer Law: Educational Institutions and Student Debt | Lauren Willis; Lauren Willis; Max Weinstein | Visiting; Visiting; Visiting | Predatory Lending and Consumer Protection Clinic | http://www.law.harvard.edu/academics/curriculum/catalog/index.html | http://www.law.harvard.edu/academics/curriculum/catalog/index.html?type=Clinic&keywords=consumer&year=2013-2014 | |||
| Hawaii | None | |||||||||
| Hofstra | Yes | Consumer Transactions | Norman I. Silber | Full Time | ||||||
| Houston | Yes and clinic | Texas Consumer Law | Jim Hawkins | Full Time | Consumer Law Clinic | Richard McElvaney, Full Time | ||||
| Howard | Yes, but not offered 13/14 | |||||||||
| Idaho | Yes, but not offered in 14, unclear if offered Fall 13 | |||||||||
| Illinois Institute of Technology | Unclear | |||||||||
| Indiana – Bloomington | None | |||||||||
| Indiana – Indianapolis | Yes | Consumer Law | James P. Nehf | Full Time | ||||||
| Inter-American University | Unverifiable | |||||||||
| Iowa | Yes | Payment Law: Negotiable Instruments & Electronic Payment Systems | Jonathan C. Carlson | Full Time | ||||||
| Kansas | Yes | Consumer Law | Stephen J. Ware | Full Time | ||||||
| Kentucky | Not in Spring 14, but cannot access Fall 13 | |||||||||
| La. State University | None | |||||||||
| Lewis and Clark | Yes | Consumer Law | Richard Slottee | Full Time | ||||||
| Liberty University | None | |||||||||
| Louisville | Requires Access | |||||||||
| Loyola Chicago | Yes | Consumer Law | Theresa A. Amato | Adjunct | ||||||
| Loyola Marymount | Yes, but not offered 13/14 | |||||||||
| Loyola University New Orleans | None | |||||||||
| Maine | Yes, but not offered in 14, unclear if offered Fall 13 | |||||||||
| Marquette | None | |||||||||
| Maryland | Yes, clinic | Consumer Protection Clinic | Peter Holland; Full Time, Leigh Maddox; Full Time (Clinic) | |||||||
| Mercer University | None | |||||||||
| Miami | Yes, but not offered 13/14 | |||||||||
| Michigan | None | x | None | |||||||
| Michigan State | Yes | Consumer Law | Joshua Ard | Adjunct | ||||||
| Minnesota | Yes, clinic | x | Yes, Consumer Protection Clinic | Prentiss Cox, Full Time | http://www.law.umn.edu/current/alphabetical-course-list/details.html?courseNumber=7030 | |||||
| Mississippi | None | |||||||||
| Mississippi College | Yes, but unable to determine if offered 13/14 | Consumer Law | ||||||||
| Missouri | None | |||||||||
| Montana | Yes, but unable to access 13/14 class schedule | Consumer Transactions | ||||||||
| Nebraska-Lincol | None | |||||||||
| Nevada – Las Vegas | None | |||||||||
| New England Law Boston | Yes, but not offered sprign 13, fall 13 not clear | Consumer Protection | ||||||||
| New Hampshire | Yes, and clinic | Consumer and Commercial Law Class | Peter S. Wright | Full Time | Consumer and Commerical Law Clinic; Advanced Consumer and Commercial Law Clinic | Peter S. Wright, Full Time | ||||
| New Mexico | Yes | Consumer Law Seminar | Nathalie Martin | Full Time | ||||||
| New York Law School | None | |||||||||
| North Carolina central University | yes, but not offered Spring 14, fall 13 unclear | Consumer Protection | ||||||||
| Northeastern | Yes, but unclear if offered 13/14 | |||||||||
| Northern Illinois University | yes, but not offered Spring 14, fall 13 unclear | Consumer Law | ||||||||
| Northern Kentucky University | None | |||||||||
| Northwestern | None | x | None | |||||||
| Notre Dame | None | |||||||||
| Nova Southeastern University | yes, but not offered Spring 14, fall 13 unclear | Consumer Protection | ||||||||
| NYU | None | x | None | https://its.law.nyu.edu/courses/description.cfm?id=11853 | ||||||
| Ohio Northern University | None | |||||||||
| Ohio State | Need Ohio State Access | |||||||||
| Oklahoma | None | |||||||||
| Oklahoma City University | yes, but not offered Spring 14, fall 13 unclear | Consumer Law | ||||||||
| Oregon | None | |||||||||
| Pace University | None | |||||||||
| Penn | Not offered in 13-14 | Law of Credit | None | https://www.law.upenn.edu/cf/registrar/descriptions/upperlevel.cfm | ||||||
| Penn State | None | |||||||||
| Pepperdine | None | |||||||||
| Pittsburgh | None | |||||||||
| Quinnipiac | None | |||||||||
| Regent University | None | |||||||||
| Roger Williams University | None | |||||||||
| Rutgers – Newark | None | |||||||||
| Rutgers-Camden | None | |||||||||
| Samford | Yes, but not offered 13/14 | |||||||||
| San Diego | None | |||||||||
| Santa Clara | Yes | Consumer Protection | Scott Maurer; Eric Wright | Full Time; Full Time | Consumer & Debtors Rights Interviewing and Advising | Scott Maurer; Full Time | ||||
| Seattle | Yes, but cancelled for Spring 2014, unclear if offered 13 | Consumer Protection Clinic | Bryan Adamson; Full Time | |||||||
| Seton Hall | Yes and clinic | Consumer Law | Not specified | Not specified | Consumer Arbitration Practicum | Unclear | ||||
| SMU | Yes and clinic | Consumer Law | Mary Spector | Full Time | Consumer Advocacy Project | Mary Spector, Full Time | ||||
| South Texas College of Law | None | |||||||||
| Southern Illinois – Carbondale | Yes | Consumer Protection | Jeffrey M Feltman | Adjunct | ||||||
| Southern University Law Center | Yes | Consumer Law | Donald North | Full Time Professor | ||||||
| Southwestern Law School | None | |||||||||
| St. John's | Yes, and clinic | Consumer Protection | Jeff Sovern | Full Time | Consumer Law Clinic | Ann Goldweber, Full Time, Gina Calabrese, Full Time | ||||
| St. Louis University | None | |||||||||
| St. Mary's University | Yes, but not offered 13/14 | Consumer Protection Law | ||||||||
| St. Thomas University | None | |||||||||
| Stanford | None | X | None | http://www.law.stanford.edu/courses/2nd-3rd-year-programs | ||||||
| Stetson | Yes, but unable to access 13/14 class schedule | |||||||||
| Suffolk University | Yes, but only Consumer Law offered 13/14 | Consumer Law, Consumer Protection | Barbara Anthony | Adjunct | ||||||
| SUNY Buffalo | Yes | Hot Topics in Consumer Law | Lauren Breen | Full Time | Consumer and Financial Advocacy Clinic | Lauren Breen, Full Time | ||||
| Syracuse | None | |||||||||
| Temple | Yes | Consumer Law and Litigation | Cary Flitter | Adjunct | ||||||
| Tennessee – Knoxville | None | |||||||||
| Texas | Yes | Consumer Protection | Manuel Newburger | Adjunct | None | http://www.utexas.edu/law/sao/academics/schedules/142crssched.pdf | ||||
| Texas A&M University | Yes | Consumer Law | Wayne Barnes | Full Time Professor | ||||||
| Texas Southern University | Yes | Consumer Rights | James M. Douglas, Okezie Chukwumerije | Full time, Full Time | ||||||
| Texas Tech | None | |||||||||
| The John Marshall Law School | Yes | Consumer Law | David Sorkin | Full Time | ||||||
| Thomas Jefferson School of Law | Clinic only, but not offered 13/14 | Consumer Advocacy Skills Seminar | ||||||||
| Thomas M. Cooley Law School | Yes, but unclear if offered 13/14 | Consumer Law | ||||||||
| Touro Law School | Yes, but not offered in 14, unclear if offered Fall 13 | Consumer Law | ||||||||
| Tulane | None | |||||||||
| Tulsa | Yes, but not offered 13/14 | |||||||||
| U Florida | Yes | Consumer Law | Melissa Murphy | Adjunct | ||||||
| U Illinois-Urbana Champaign | Yes, but unclear if offered 13/14 | Trademark, Unfair Competition and Consumer Protection; Consumer Lending Law | Unclear | |||||||
| U Missouri – Kansas City | Yes, but unclear if offered 13/14 | Consumer Protection | ||||||||
| U Richmond | none | |||||||||
| UC-California | Unclear | |||||||||
| UC-Davis | None | |||||||||
| UCLA | None | x | None | |||||||
| U-Connecticut | Yes | Consumer Protection Law and Debt Collection | Dalie Jimenez | Full Time | ||||||
| UNC Chappel Hill | Yes | Consumer Law | D. Goldstein | Adjunct | Yes, Consumer Financial Transactions Clinic | L. Collins Britton, Full Time | ||||
| University of California – Irvine | Yes, clinic | Consumer Protection Clinic | Luz Herrera, Visiting Professor, Katherine Porter, Full Time | |||||||
| University of Detroit Mercy | None | |||||||||
| University of La Verne | None | |||||||||
| University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth | Yes, but not offered in 14, unclear if offered Fall 13 | Consumer Law | ||||||||
| University of Memphis (Humphreys) | None | |||||||||
| University of Puerto Rico | Unverifiable | |||||||||
| University of San Francisco | None | |||||||||
| University of South Carolina | Yes | Consumer Law | Eboni S. Nelson | Full Time | ||||||
| University of South Dakota | Yes | Antitrust Law and Consumer Protection | Thomas Horton | Full Time | ||||||
| University of St. Thomas | Yes, but not offered 13/14 | |||||||||
| University of the District of Columbia | Yes, clinic, but not offered 13/14 | Housing and Consumer Law | ||||||||
| University of the Pacific | None | |||||||||
| University of Toledo | Yes | Consumer Law | Kara Bruce | Full Time | ||||||
| USC | None | x | None | |||||||
| Utah | None | |||||||||
| Valparaiso University | None | |||||||||
| Vanderbilt | Yes | Current Trends and Developments in Consumer Protection | David Tarpley | Adjunct | None | http://www.vanderbilt.edu/catalogs/law/law.pdf | ||||
| Vermont | None | |||||||||
| Villanova | Yes, but not offered 13/14 | |||||||||
| Virginia | Yes | Consumer Law | Rich Hynes | Full Time | None | http://lawnotes2.law.virginia.edu/lawweb/course.nsf/CBTBN?Openview&Expand=3#3 | ||||
| Wake Forrest | Not offered in 13-14 | |||||||||
| Washington | Yes | Consumer Law | Paula Selis | Adjunct | ||||||
| Washington and Lee | None | |||||||||
| Wayne State University | Yes, but not offered 13/14 ("Spring 2014" not yet posted to website) | |||||||||
| West Virginina | None | |||||||||
| Western New England University | None | |||||||||
| Western State College of Law at Argosy University | Yes | Consumer Law and Financing | Tracie Porter | Full Time | ||||||
| Whittier College | None | |||||||||
| Widener University | Yes, but not offered in 14, unclear if offered Fall 13 | Consumer Law and Litigation | ||||||||
| Willamette University | Yes, but not offered in 13/14 | Consumer Protection Law | ||||||||
| William and Mary | None | |||||||||
| William Mitchell College of Law | None | |||||||||
| Wisconsin | Clinic Only | Clinical Program: Consumer Law Clinic | Sarah Orr, Full time | |||||||
| WUSTL | None | x | None | http://law.wustl.edu/registrar/coursedir/2013-2014/FL13-CourseDescrips-LatestVersion.pdf | ||||||
| Wyoming | Yes | Consumer Protection | Dee Pridgen | Full Time | ||||||
| Yale | None | X | None | http://ylsinfo.law.yale.edu/wsw/prereg/courseGridAll.asp | ||||||
I’m teaching two sections of Consumer Law at The John Marshall Law School (Chicago) this year (Spring 2014 and Summer 2014). These sections are online rather than traditional classroom courses, and are open to visiting students from other schools.
University of North Dakota School of Law offers Consumer Protection Law (Spring 2014, Fall 2014). I am teaching it.
I’m teaching Consumer Finance at Georgetown this spring.
I teach consumer law at Georgia, and I’m full-time. We have a public-interest practicum, and students often work (but not exclusively) with consumer-debt issues. My colleague Alex Scherr teaches the practicum, and he is full-time, too.
Carolyn Coffey is the adjunct professor teaching the Consumer Rights Protection Field Clinic at Cardozo.
At Suffolk this year, we offered two sections of consumer law (taught by Barbara Anthony) and one section of consumer credit that I teach. I also periodically teach a course called credit and catastrophe.
Kathleen Engel
Carolyn Coffey teaches Cardozo’s consumer law clinic as an adjunct.
South Texas College of Law: Yes, three sections in 13/14
Consumer Transactions
John H. Bauman; Mark E. Steiner
Full-time
The Charleston School of Law is currently teaching Consumer Law (spring 2014). I am teaching it.