BU LLM in IP Law

Learn ip law from world-renowned intellectual property faculty and choose from a broad curriculum that covers legal topics across the technology spectrum.
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A top ten program in Intellectual Property

In a world where people can send infinite copies of digital assets around the globe, instantly and at no cost, clients demand competent counsel to protect their substantial interests in intellectual properly. Few schools will better prepare you for this challenge than BU Law. For five consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked us among the national’s top ten schools for intellectual property law studies. Each year, we invite a select group of lawyers to seize the future through advanced training in this all-important field.

As a BU Law Intellectual Property Law LLM student, you will pursue a range of IP and IP-related classes offered through the School’s JD curriculum. That means you will have access to the law faculty consistently named to the top of Princeton Review’s “Best Professors” list, and focus their studies in the primary areas of IP: copyright law, patent law, and trademark & unfair competition law. Included among our intellectual property instructors are a number of prominent practitioners engaged in cutting-edge work at Boston’s top intellectual property boutiques and biotechnology companies.

Interested in intellectual property, but not sure you want the full LLM?  We also have a concentration in IP available in the American Law Program.

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Courses of Study

Expansive intellectual property law curriculum offers a range of courses and seminars examining the economic, ethical, and social issues arising from the creation and ownership of intangible assets. All LLM in Intellectual Property Law students must complete the following required courses:

1. Three of the following four foundational classes:

Copyright Law: LAW JD 952

Intellectual Property: LAW JD 857

Patent Law: LAW JD 870

Trademark and Unfair Competition: LAW JD 780

2. The Intellectual Property Workshop Seminar

Intellectual Property Workshop (S): LAW JD 776

3. Foreign-trained lawyers must also take:

Introduction to American Law: LAW JD 700

Research and Writing Seminar: LAW JD 893

4. Electives

While the required “core” courses are offered annually, electives change each year as new professors join the faculty, some take sabbaticals, others visit, and new courses are added. During the academic year, LLM in Intellectual Property Law students will earn the 24 credits required for the degree by completing the required courses listed above, and selecting their remaining courses from the following electives:

Antitrust Law: LAW JD 838

Contract Law Practice for LLM Students: Understanding the US Lawyer’s Perspective: LAW JD 688

Contracts for LLMs: LAW JD 812

Economics of Intellectual Property Law (S): LAW JD 900

Entertainment Law (S): LAW JD 905

First Amendment: LAW JD 839

Food, Drug and Cosmetic Law (S): LAW JD 802

Intellectual Property and the Internet (S): LAW JD 791

Intellectual Property Law Research: LAW JD 733

Intellectual Property Rights and Commerce in the Global “Cloud”: LAW JD 978

International Intellectual Property: LAW JD 953

Intro to Analytic Methods for Lawyers: LAW JD 997

IP Licensing in the Global Marketplace for LLMs (S): LAW JD 795

Law and Sports (S): LAW JD 886

Patent Litigation (S): LAW JD 964

Practice of US Copyright and Trademark Law: Media & Entertainment Transactions (S): LAW JD 911

Privacy (S): LAW JD 822

Representing Life Sciences Companies: Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices (S): LAW JD 907

Structuring Intellectual Property Ownership: LAW TX 944

Taxation of Intellectual Property: LAW TX 955

Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants: LAW JD 793

Trademark and Unfair Competition: LAW JD 780

Transaction Simulation: Forming and Financing a Start-Up Business (LLM only): LAW JD 787

Transactional Contracts: Drafting and Analyzing Transactional Agreements under U.S. Law (for foreign-trained LL.M. students): LAW JD 719

(S)  Denotes seminar

Subjected to Change

FAQ

Most frequent questions and answers

Who is this Program suited for?

The LLM in Intellectual Property Law Program is suitable for domestic and foreign-trained lawyers who seek the credential of a specialized degree in one of the most dynamic fields of legal practice—intellectual property law. Foreign-trained lawyers who already have strong academic and professional backgrounds in intellectual property benefit from learning the American perspective on IP doctrine and practice. Candidates who hold a first degree in law from a foreign country are strongly encouraged to apply to the LLM in American Law Program and pursue the program’s Intellectual Property Concentration. Science or technical backgrounds are not required and candidates without this prior training are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility

Candidates to the LLM in Intellectual Property Law Program must hold a first degree in law, or its equivalent, from an ABA-accredited law school or a comparably recognized law school or law faculty outside the United States. Admission is highly competitive and depends to a great extent on the demonstration of outstanding ability in previous law studies. Prior work experience in the intellectual property field is strongly recommended, though not required.

What are exceptions to TOEFL?

You may be exempted from the TOEFL requirement if

1. English is your native language; or
2. You received your first degree in law from a college or university in a country where both the language of instruction and the native language is English. This also applies to US citizens and US permanent residents.

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Is Work Experienced Required?
No. Work experience in the intellectual property field is strongly favored, but not required. While most students come to the program with some work experience—and while work experience is often a positive factor in admissions decisions—some students attend the program immediately after their law studies.
Is there Writing or Thesis requirement?

While there is no thesis requirement, all students must participate in a spring semester Intellectual Property Workshop Seminar in which they write weekly reaction papers to scholarly works-in-progress. Foreign-trained lawyers must also take a fall semester Legal Research and Writing Seminar, unless otherwise waived.

What is Exam Schedule?

Exams take place at the end of each semester, in December and May. The exams are written, not oral. They usually last three to four hours. Occasionally, classes have “take-home” exams. LLM students take the same exams as JD students, though they are graded separately from the JD’s and are not compared to JDs for grading purposes. Foreign-trained LLM students receive an extra hour to take their in-class exams.

What Kind of support do LLMs receive?

The Graduate and International Programs Office has an unwavering commitment to helping ensure the best experience for every student. LLMs receive dedicated academic guidance and counseling from the director and assistant director, who are also always available to help students with any issues or problems that arise, whether personal or academic. LLMs have access to JD “Teaching Assistants” in many of their classes to help them understand the materials and answer questions; each Research and Writing seminar has an upper-class JD student who serves as a “Tutor” for the LLM students; and OGIP has on retainer “Writing Coaches” and “Citation Coaches” to support student in their academic (seminar) papers. LLMs also have the support of a full-time career counselor assigned to work with them on their job searches and to guide them through any bar-application questions or issues they may encounter.

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Law School Complex

Director’s Message

Dear Prospective IP Law Student,

BU Law is proud to offer a select group of lawyers the opportunity to pursue an advanced degree in one of the most dynamic fields of legal practice today: intellectual property law. This initiative builds upon the academic excellence that has earned our school its leading reputation in the field. BU Law has been ranked one of the top intellectual property law schools, ranking 9th among American law schools for intellectual property law studies, according to U.S. News & World Report (2018 edition).

The excitement of studying IP law at our school is palpable. Our world renowned intellectual property faculty; the breadth of curricular choices in such emerging topics as the internet and biotechnology; and a graduate student body representing over 30 nations—with backgrounds in high-technology, engineering, biotechnology, publishing, the arts and entertainment—create a truly invigorating learning environment for advanced study.

As an Intellectual Property Law LLM student, you will pursue a range of IP and IP-related classes offered through the School’s JD curriculum. That means you will have access to the law faculty consistently ranked at or near the top of the Princeton Review’s “Best Professors” list. Included among our intellectual property instructors are a number of prominent practitioners engaged in cutting-edge work at Boston’s top intellectual property boutiques and biotechnology companies.

You will also benefit from being a part of a world-class university: Students seeking interdisciplinary-learning can supplement their law studies by cross-registering in IP-related classes at the University’s other graduate schools.

If you are not familiar with Boston, you will soon discover that it is a robust and vibrant market for intellectual property work and study, boasting the highest concentration of high-tech industries in America, with leading-edge software, hardware, biotechnology, and medical device firms. You will benefit directly from being in one of America’s leading communities for discovery and innovation.

The program’s limited size ensures that each Intellectual Property Law LLM student receives the dedicated support of a faculty advisor and full-time career manager, in addition to the undivided attention of the program director, who is available to counsel on all academic planning and adjustment issues.

I invite you to learn more about this exciting program through our website or by contacting us directly. I’m sure you’ll agree that there are few better places to learn intellectual property law than at BU Law.

Best regards,

John N. Riccardi
Assistant Dean for Graduate and International Programs
Director, LLM in Intellectual Property Law Program

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