JOINT J.D./LL.M. IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW

LAW FACULTY APPROVES:

 JOINT J.D./LL.M. IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW

At its meeting earlier this month, the law faculty voted to create a joint J.D./LL.M. program in Intellectual Property Law, effective fall 2011.  Under the program, a student would have to complete 100 credit hours of study, including 24 credit hours in intellectual property-related courses, earn an overall 3.0 GPA in IP courses, and satisfy all current requirements for the J.D. degree.   Included within the 24 credit hours would be a six-credit thesis, which would also satisfy the GWR requirement.  Up to 12 credits of IP-related course work at the J.D. level could be credited towards satisfaction of the LL.M. requirements. It is anticipated that a student could meet these requirements during three years of full-time study, plus summer study.  Students should apply for the program no later than the beginning of their second year of study.

At the same meeting, the faculty also approved changes to the current LL.M. requirements.  The number of required credits has been reduced from 30 to 24; all students would be required to enroll in Fundamentals of Intellectual Property (formerly Introduction to Intellectual Property); and all students would have to take a course in either patent, copyright or trademark law, as well as at least one international IP course.

An informational meeting regarding the new program will be held within the next few weeks.  Stay tuned for date/time/location.

 In the meantime, please contact either Professor Samuels at Samuels@uakron.edu or Assistant Dean Thorpe at LThorpe@uakron.edu if you have any questions.

Author: Liz Sauders

Manager of Compliance and Technology for The University of Akron School of Law