phd in information technology law

All Areas of Interest

Area of Interest Technology Law and Policy

The software, hardware, platforms, and networks that we use every day are regulated by overlapping (and sometimes conflicting) sets of laws, policies, and norms. New technologies constantly create challenges and opportunities for policymakers, technology developers, and the general public, as they seek to understand and balance costs and benefits. Harvard Law faculty and students study the complexities at play in an effort to inform sound tech policy and encourage thoughtful innovation with an eye toward fairness and justice.

From Harvard Law Today

Hls professors, christopher t. bavitz.

WilmerHale Clinical Professor of Law

Yochai Benkler

Jack N. and Lillian R. Berkman Professor for Entrepreneurial Legal Studies

I. Glenn Cohen

James A. Attwood and Leslie Williams Professor of Law

Noah R. Feldman

Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law

William W. Fisher

WilmerHale Professor of Intellectual Property Law

Jack L. Goldsmith

Learned Hand Professor of Law

D. James Greiner

The Honorable S. William Green Professor of Public Law

Jon D. Hanson

Alan A. Stone Professor of Law

Harry S. Martin

Henry N. Ess III Librarian and Professor of Law, Emeritus

Martha L. Minow

300th Anniversary University Professor

Charles R. Nesson

Weld Professor of Law

Ruth L. Okediji

Jeremiah Smith, Jr. Professor of Law

Laurence H. Tribe

Carl M. Loeb University Professor, Emeritus

Rebecca Tushnet

Frank Stanton Professor of the First Amendment

Henry L. Stimson Professor of Law

Jonathan L. Zittrain

George Bemis Professor of International Law

Visiting Professors & Lecturers

Kendra albert.

Lecturer on Law

Jacques de Werra

Hieken Visiting Professor in Patent Law

Timothy Edgar

Jessica fjeld, rebecca harris, sue hendrickson, sheila s. jasanoff.

Harvard University Affiliated Professor

Ioannis Kalpouzos

Visiting Professor of Law

Mason Kortz

Mason marks, linda k. netsch, aileen nielsen.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Law

Memme Onwudiwe

Leah a. plunkett.

Meyer Research Lecturer on Law

Daniel Rauch

Climenko Fellow and Lecturer on Law

Richard Salgado

Jeffrey seul, alex walker, cyberlaw clinic, government lawyer: semester in washington clinic, research programs and centers, access to justice lab, berkman klein center for internet and society, institute for global law and policy, john m. olin center: law, economics and business, petrie-flom center: health law, biotech and bioethics, program on international law and armed conflict, program on law and society in the muslim world, harvard law school project on disability, systemic justice project, related courses, additional programs.

• Law, Science, and Technology Program of Study

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Georgetown Law

Technology law & policy.

More than ever, lawyers and policymakers need a deep understanding of technology and the legal frameworks around it. Law firms are building specialized practices to meet increased legal demands around data security, privacy, artificial intelligence, fintech, and emerging technologies. Elected officials and government agencies require well-grounded counsel to update tech law and regulations. The business and public interest worlds alike demand advocates who can address new legal, ethical and societal challenges as they arise alongside rapid advances in technology.

The Technology Law & Policy LL.M. is designed both for recent law school graduates interested in entering technology-related fields, and for mid-career lawyers and policymakers seeking to hone their expertise in this specialty. Home to the nation’s leading academic program in technology law and policy, Georgetown Law is the ideal place for this innovative degree. We offer more than 70 tech law courses and have 17 full-time Law Center faculty.

Application forms and other information on requirements, deadlines and processes are available now on the  Graduate Admissions section  of Georgetown Law’s website.

Learn more about Georgetown’s offerings in tech law and policy at  The Institute for Tech Law & Policy .

Note on Admissions and Application for Technology Law & Policy LL.M.

Application materials  and answers to  tuition related questions  can be found by going to the  Graduate Admissions page . Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.

Contact Information To learn more, please contact: Mary Pat Dwyer, Program Director, Technology and Law Policy Phone: (202) 662 - 9036 Email:  Mary Pat Dwyer

Please address any questions about admissions the  Office of Graduate Admissions .

LAW 3165 v00 Health Care Privacy and Security

LL.M. Seminar (cross-listed) | 1 credit hour

This course will explore the primary legal and policy principles surrounding the use and disclosure of personal data across the healthcare industry – the key privacy and security laws, regulations and principles that govern how the healthcare industry operates. We also will focus on the concepts surrounding the privacy of health information, and evaluate why this information should be treated differently than other personal information (if at all). We will learn through understanding the relevant legislative and regulatory provisions, and by applying a series of case/situation examples for class discussion. The overall goal of the course is to provide both an understanding of the relevant legal principles for health care privacy in general and to develop an ability to address how these issues arise in legal practice.  

This course will emphasize the primary privacy and information security principles set out in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) as a baseline framework for compliance, and will explore how these rules apply in theory and in practice. We will discuss the best approaches for overall HIPAA compliance. We also will explore emerging areas for privacy and information security, including new enforcement principles, issues related to security breaches and breach notification, and the emergence of “non-HIPAA” data as a new challenge to the privacy and data security regulatory structure (including important developments connected to the Dobbs decision and the COVID-19 pandemic). We will spend some time on issues related to privacy and medical research. We also will assess how these issues affect the business of healthcare, including a broad range of strategic and compliance issues affecting healthcare companies and others that use personal data. We will conclude with an analysis of these issues going forward – how the law and the health care system are changing and how the regulation of the privacy of personal health data can impact these developments.

LAW 025 v00 Administrative Law

J.D. Course (cross-listed) | 3 credit hours

This course considers the constitutional, statutory, and other legal limitations on what government agencies can do and how they can do it. What constraints govern the power of agencies to make law, decide cases involving private parties, and investigate citizens? How much "due process" must government agencies give citizens whose lives they affect; what limits has Congress imposed on the procedures for agency decision making; and to what extent can people call on courts to check what they regard as abuses of governmental power? These are among the questions addressed in the course, which draws together problems ranging from the legitimacy of New Deal institutions to the dramatic procedural innovations of recent federal administrations and problems created by renewed Congressional interest in the details of agency decision making.

LAW 025 v08 Administrative Law

J.D. Course | 3 credit hours

Virtually all areas of law today involve a substantial element of administrative law.  This course introduces you to the role of administrative agencies and how law and political factors shape their powers and work.  This includes materials on how they are empowered and constrained by the Constitution, Congress, presidents, and the courts.  We also study ways in which agencies generate law and develop policies.  This class coverage includes, among other topics, materials on citizens’ abilities to petition, shape, and litigate over agency actions; changing views of presidents’ roles and powers over agencies; and statutory factors and doctrine shaping judicial review of agency law interpretation, reasoning, responsiveness, policy shifts, and engagement with science and facts.   

LAW 1528 v00 Advanced Antitrust Seminar: Antitrust and Intellectual Property

J.D. Seminar (cross-listed) | 2-3 credit hours

The intersection of antitrust and intellectual property underlies many key debates in contemporary competition law and presents topics of recurring importance. This advanced seminar introduces students to the antitrust/intellectual property interface, including the economics of innovation, the debate over the relationship between the two fields, and the impact of the evolution of that relationship on the antitrust analysis of specific practices. Topics include the economics of innovation, licensing practices, product design and tying, patent settlements, patent pools, standard setting, the acquisition of intellectual property rights, patent assertion entities, the assertion of IP rights, antitrust counterclaims in U.S. litigation, and select issues in the contemporary debate over "Big Tech."  Grades will be based on bi-weekly papers written in response to the assigned readings; class participation can increase, but not decrease, the course grade.

Learning Objectives:

Students taking this course will:

• Develop an understanding of the basic economics of innovation and their application of those principles to antitrust law and its intersection with intellectual property law.
• Acquire an overview of key aspects of the intersection of antitrust and intellectual property in U.S. law, both in litigation and agency settings.
• Explore recurring tensions between antitrust and intellectual property through the lens of particular practices.
• Debate competing positions on the antitrust laws’ application to cutting-edge issues in IP-rich industries.

LAW 1745 v00 Advanced Foreign Intelligence Law

Foreign Intelligence (FI) law as a field is marked by a complex statutory and regulatory framing. Increasingly, it is coming into play in ordinary Article III courts in the United States, as well as in European courts overseas. Simultaneously, new and emerging technologies present fundamental challenges to the traditional FI collection paradigms. This course, accordingly, provides students already broadly familiar with the contours of the national security infrastructure and foreign intelligence collection with the opportunity to do a deep dive with a particular eye towards ways in which technology alters threat vectors and presents new opportunities, and risks, to the foreign intelligence regime.

It begins with the constitutional framing and historical background undergirding the introduction of statutory and regulatory measures. The course then dissects the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and its expansion in 1994 to incorporate physical search and again in 1998 to include the use of pen register and trap and trace devices, as well as certain business records. The attacks of 9/11 led to additional changes, with further alterations implemented by the 2008 FISA Amendments Act. Discussion centers on targeting, querying, and minimization procedures adopted by the National Security Agency/Central Security Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and National Counterterrorism Center, as well as reports detailing use of FISA.

The course next turns to new technologies that have fundamentally shifted the type of information available to the intelligence community (IC). Special emphasis is given to technologies of import for metadata: social network analytics and algorithmic sciences. It looks at how these technologies mesh with the legal analysis, with particular attention paid to FISA sections 215 and 702.

The course then addresses Executive Order 12333, delving into the associated DoD Directives, Instructions, Manuals, and Annexes; Attorney General Guidelines; CIA Regulations and Directives; and parallel regulatory and policy documents throughout the IC. With the advent of the Internet of Things, next generation social media, 6G networks, artificial intelligence and machine learning, the landscape is about to again shift. Accordingly, the course will further address new and emerging technologies, looking at how they fit – or fail to fit – current law.

The course ends with a unit focused on doctrinal developments (specialized Article III courts, geographic Article III courts, and European tribunals), as well as Article II deliberations introduced via Executive Order in autumn 2022.

LAW 040 v01 Advanced Patent Law Seminar

J.D. Seminar (cross-listed) | 3 credit hours

This advanced seminar presumes knowledge of patent law fundamentals and examines various specific topics, including the Hatch-Waxman Act, patent administration, claim interpretation, the doctrine of equivalents, the experimental use privilege, and comparative and international patent law. Students will write papers on some specific aspect of patent law, not limited to those topics covered in class.

LAW 1852 v00 AI and the Law Seminar: Principles and Problems

The ongoing development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies poses significant challenges and opportunities that the law must grapple with. This course will explore some of the normative and theoretical questions raised by the use of AI tools in different legal contexts. Topics to be covered include the use of AI as a substitute or guide for professional judgment; the use of AI as part of systems of government enforcement and adjudication; the use of AI by the private sector to predict, manage, and differentiate consumers; and the use of AI to generate texts, sounds, images, and other products. 

Throughout, we will consider the principles at issue in debates over AI in the context of specific case studies of real world AI legal “problems.” We will ask whether existing legal theories and frameworks are up to the task of fostering the beneficial use of AI or whether and where new approaches may be necessary. We will also explore how understanding the marginal costs and benefits associated with AI sheds light on the uses and limitations of unassisted human judgment in the legal system as it currently exists.

No technical background is assumed. 

Learning Objectives: This course is designed for students to improve their understanding of the following: (1) how artificial intelligence works, both in terms of existing technology as well as the pace and nature of its ongoing development; (2) how artificial intelligence is employed by the private and public sectors; (3) the concerns and hopes that these uses raise; (4) the possibilities and limitations of regulatory approaches to managing those concerns and encouraging AI’s benefits; and (5) how to identify what kinds of claims and concerns are driven by realistic assessments of current and near-future technology versus “hype” or ungrounded projections.

LAW 038 v05 Antitrust Law

This class will serve as a basic survey and introduction to U.S. antitrust law, including coverage of recent critiques and policy developments.  As such, the reading will include the traditional case law, but also some examples of proposed legislation and contemporary advocacy material from policy activists.  Thus, we will learn the basics of antitrust doctrine but also seek to understand the merits (or lack thereof) of contemporary critiques and proposed policy responses. 

LAW 1396 v00 Antitrust Law Seminar: Case Development and Litigation Strategy

This course explores the process of raising and defending against antitrust challenges. Through a series of contemporary case studies, we will examine the resolution of antitrust disputes, focusing on the substantive strategies and procedural tools available to the litigants. In the context of these case studies, we will discuss criminal indictments, plea agreements and the DOJ's leniency policy, sufficiency of pleading, presumptions and burdens of proof, rules of evidence (including the use of expert evidence), dispositive pretrial motions, class actions and class action settlement strategies, temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions, treble damage judgments, interlocutory and final appeals, and Supreme Court review. There will be no exam but a paper will be required.

LAW 038 v03 Antitrust Law: A Survey from the Sherman Act of 1890 to Today’s Progressive Movement

This class will serve as a basic survey and introduction to U.S. antitrust law, but with as much focus on the historical evolution of antitrust policy objectives as on antitrust case law. The course readings will therefore include historical analyses, scholarly commentaries, proposed legislation, and contemporary advocacy material from policy activists in addition to a narrowed selection of traditional case law. The objective of this course will be not just to learn the basics of antitrust doctrine but to understand and assess contemporary critiques and proposed policy responses to the current state of that doctrine.

LAW 1796 v00 Antitrust Seminar: From the Chicago School to the New Progressives: Regulating Technology Platforms, Durable Monopolies, and Mega-firms

In recent years progressive groups, Congress, and government antitrust agencies have taken an increasingly aggressive approach to enforcement against “big tech”, very large “mega firms,” and monopoly power more generally. In this seminar, we will examine current legislative and enforcement initiatives toward particular kinds of firms and economic conduct. We will examine how these enforcement initiatives differ in their presumptions, analysis, and objectives from antitrust enforcement principles and doctrine that rose to prominence over the second half of the twentieth century. We will trace the evolution of those principles from the “Chicago School” revolution in antitrust of the 1970’s and 1980’s through to the current “New Progressive” era, and critically assess both the new progressive policies and the shortcomings of the doctrine and theory to which those policies respond.

LAW 1740 v00 Artificial Intelligence and National Security: Law, Ethics, and Technology

J.D. Seminar (cross-listed) | 2 credit hours

This two-credit course provides students with an appreciation of the legal, ethical, and technical issues raised by the proliferation of artificial intelligence in the field of national security. The focus of the course is to enable students as lawyers, leaders, and policymakers to grapple with these issues by giving them an understanding of how artificial intelligence operates; its potential and likely use in different national security settings; and how each use raises distinctive legal and ethical questions involving predictability, trustworthiness, responsibility, and accountability. The course will use examples and case studies to illustrate these issues, as well as videos to depict some of the technical aspects of artificial intelligence.

The specific learning objectives for the course are for students to understand the following:

(1) How artificial intelligence operates, including the concept of an algorithm, how it is trained on data, the statistical models that underlie this training and the basis for its outputs, machine learning, deep learning and neural networks, and the ways in which human choices and interactions shape this process. No technical background in statistics or computer science is necessary, since the goal is to explain these concepts in accessible terms.

(2)  Artificial intelligence as a system involving human-machine teaming, the roles that each member of the team potentially plays at different points in the process, and the concept of trustworthy artificial intelligence.

(3) The role that artificial intelligence is playing in the national security field, its capabilities and potential applications to specific areas, and the extent to which global competition to employ and refine artificial intelligence is itself a national security issue.

(4) Limitations and risks of artificial intelligence, and possible ways to address them.

Assessment will be based on paper of 3,000 words (about 12 doubled-spaced pages) discussing a legal, ethical, or technological issue relevant to the course.

LAW 1856 v00 Artificial Intelligence and the Law

Machine Learning (ML) and other forms of Artificial Intelligence (AI) are rapidly transforming the way we make decisions, conduct business, and express ourselves. Our legal institutions are struggling to respond, and policymakers around the world are tweaking, overhauling, or remaking just about every area of law. This course will investigate the emerging legal frameworks being created to address the way ML and AI are reshaping society. Students will survey laws at the local, state, and federal levels from the United States as well as engage in comparative analyses of approaches in other countries.

The course will cover how AI is reshaping venerable common law doctrines–how should  tort law treat autonomous vehicles?–Constitutional Law–do large language models produce protected speech under the First Amendment?–statutory protections–when do algorithmic hiring practices violate the Civil Rights Act?–and regulatory approaches–does high-frequency trading raise risks not currently accounted for in Securities Law? The course will investigate the use of AI by private parties and by public actors alike.

A core premise of this course is that students must deeply understand the technological advances that are spurring the rapid development of AI. Although no prior technical knowledge is required, students should expect to devote several dedicated class hours training neural networks and studying the computer code underlying recent advances in AI to understand the legal developments in a deeper manner.

Learning Outcomes.

At the end of the semester, students will have gained or strengthened the ability to:

• Understand the technological advances that have led to the rapid advance of AI technology and develop a foundation of technical knowledge to better understand future advances;
• Apply the emerging legal frameworks for regulating AI surveyed in the course and anticipate and understand future developments in this area of law;
• Articulate moral, ethical, and policy-focused positions underpinning AI regulation;
• Place the current developments and approaches in AI regulation into longer historical arcs of regulating technology and other complex systems; and
• Diagnose the way AI and related technologies can exacerbate or alleviate pre-existing disparities such as in the differential treatment of individuals and groups based on race, ethnicity, gender, and disability. 

LAW 2028 v01 Assisted Reproductive Technologies and the Law

LL.M Seminar (cross-listed) | 2-3 credit hours

This 2 or 3 credit seminar will provide an overview of the underlying and competing laws and policies arising from the assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) that continually make front page news. Since the 1980 opening of the country’s 1st IVF clinic amidst protests and pickets, courts and legislatures have struggled to create laws and policies in response to continually evolving reproductive advances. Topics will include: the legal status of the IVF embryo in the context of procreative rights (highlighted by the currently changing and challenging legal context); embryo cryopreservation, storage, disposition and mix-ups; legal implications of advances in egg freezing, reproductive genetics and oncofertility; posthumous reproduction; egg and sperm donation; traditional/genetic and gestational surrogacy; unique issues for single and same-sex couples, including the impact of legally recognized same-sex marriage; and professional and regulatory aspects of the ARTs.

Two classes that will examine selected legal and policy aspects of comparative ART law perspectives on “third-party ART” and the impact these differences have on cross-border reproductive practices, with a particular focus on surrogacy.

National experts in their respective fields will provide guest lectures on: medical advances in ART; psychosocial aspects of donor egg and 3rd party ART;  reproductive genetics; and potentially other emerging developments. 

LAW 050 v01 Aviation Law

J.D. Course (cross-listed) | 2 credit hours

The course, taught by practitioners in the field, covers contemporary and cutting-edge aviation topics such as international commercial aviation, aviation security, and the integration of unmanned aircraft systems (i.e., drones) into the national airspace. The course material will encompass most aspects of aviation law, including the law of international civil aviation, the economic and safety regulation of air transportation, aircraft registration and certification, aircraft accidents, airport law, government immunity from tort liability, and airline liability for the carriage of passengers and cargo domestically and internationally under the Montreal Convention. Students are exposed to a range of materials, including cases, treaties, executive agreements, and regulations, with a view towards imparting practical skills that can be applied to any field of law.

LAW 1789 v00 Biotechnology and the Law Seminar

This is a survey class, examining issues ranging from drug regulation, clinical trials, assisted reproductive technology, telemedicine, and stem cell development/regulation to the commercialization of the human body.  For this class we will use the Biotechnology, Bioethics, & The Law Casebook (Goodwin, et. al., eds).  This course requires substantial reading, preparation, organization, and the ability to analyze subtle nuances between various judicial decisions, legislative enactments, ethics, and legal rules, which sometimes may seem in conflict.     

In this class, we will examine whether emerging biotechnological conflicts are best resolved by regulation, judicial intervention, or private negotiation.  Professor Goodwin encourages robust dialogue.  As such, students should come to class prepared with their ideas, intuitions, and opinions.  Their analysis should demonstrate a grasp of the materials.   Students are expected to discuss the materials, act responsibly toward their peers, as well as conduct themselves in a professional manner.  There are no prerequisites for this course. However, students must be prepared for rigorous discussions and substantial reading assignments.  This course is a building block for the other courses in ethics, health law, and a law and science curriculum, including Patents, Food & Drug Law, Health Regulations, and Bioethics. The core competencies expected in this class are critical thinking and the application of social, legal, moral, and economic reasoning.

Much of the reading assigned for class will be covered during discussion.  However, some assigned readings may not be covered given limited class time.  Nonetheless, students are responsible for all reading materials.  The readings include excerpts from medical journals, regulations, cases, newspapers, and social science periodicals.

Course Goals

The goals of this course are to:

• Introduce students to the study of biotechnological developments, health policy, and ethics;
• Familiarize students with the medical and legal literature on the topic;
• Engage students with practical as well as theoretical ideas in biotechnology law;
• Stimulate intellectual curiosity about the subject matter;
• And inspire critical thinking and thoughtful analysis.

LAW 1040 v01 Civ Tech: Digital Tools and Access to Justice (Project-Based Practicum)

J.D. Practicum (cross-listed) | 4 credit hours

In a project-based practicum course, students participate in a weekly seminar and work on a project under the supervision of their professors. This project-based practicum course will expose students to the varied uses of computer technologies in the practice of law, with an emphasis on technologies that enhance access to justice and make legal services more affordable for individuals of limited means. Students will participate in a two hour/week seminar and carry out 10 hours/week of project work under the direction of the course professors.

SEMINAR: The seminar portion of the class is devoted to two topics: the access to justice crisis and the role of digital tools in bridging it. Among the issues we will discuss throughout the semester are: the extent of the justice gap, the economic and regulatory barriers to access, and the problem of resource constraints. We will also discuss how legal technologies are altering the landscape for persons of limited means and empowering disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and communities. The second topic is learning to design and develop legal expert systems. To create our systems, we use a software platform that does not require a coding background.

PROJECT WORK: Students will work in small teams for a legal service organization to develop a platform, application, or automated system that increases access to justice and/or improves the effectiveness of legal representation. These organizations include civil rights organizations, direct service providers, and other public interest organizations. The course culminates in a design competition: The Georgetown Iron Tech Lawyer Competition. Along the way, students learn systems logic, teamwork, and visual literacy skills. By the end of the semester, each team will have built a functional app intended for adoption by the participating legal services organization to put into use for its clients.

No programming background is required. Students are not required to have coding experience and will not be expected to learn to write software.

Students are encouraged to check out these apps created by Georgetown Law students in earlier semesters and in use at various organizations. They are also encouraged to contact Professor Rostain at ( [email protected] ) with questions.

LAW 3078 v00 Commercial Space Law

LL.M Seminar (cross-listed) | 2 credit hours

This course will provide an overview of U.S. domestic legal regimes that govern commercial spaceflight activities, including those managed by the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Communications Commission, Department of Commerce, U.S. Defense Department and State Department. The course will examine existing regulations and statutes as well as current discussions about changes to policy and law to address the evolving nature of the space industry and U.S. national space priorities. Examples include the Space Force, space traffic management, and oversight of non-traditional commercial activities in light of international treaty obligations. 

LAW 1835 v00 Communications Law

This course will examine the historical, current, and prospective legal and regulatory treatment  of communications services, devices, service providers, and platforms. Focusing on current regulatory and policy developments, we will cover issues concerning telephone companies, wireless carriers, Internet application and service providers, device manufacturers, and broadband network operators. The emphasis of the course will be on the rules, policies, and processes of the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”), but we also will discuss the roles of Congress, courts, and the Executive Branch. Once armed with a firm background in existing statutory and regulatory requirements, students will explore current legal and policy questions regarding communications law. In particular, our focus this semester will be on the structure and functions of the FCC, mobile broadband networks; recent debates surrounding the regulation of broadband networks and online platforms; and some special “hot topics.”

LAW 073 v02 Communications Law and Policy

This course is intended to help students understand the policy issues that underlie the regulation of communications industries, become familiar with the fundamental approaches to communications regulation and judicial review of that regulation, and evaluate the successes and failures of recent reforms. The course will address regulation of broadcasting, cable, wireline and wireless telephony, and broadband and Internet communications. Sections begin with a brief history of communications regulation and discuss the fundamental legal and policy decisions that have evolved through the present day. The course seeks to understand in what instances the government should intervene in the marketplace. When intervention occurs, the course seeks to evaluate government's most appropriate role in broadcast regulation, telephone regulation, wireless spectrum issues, cable television regulation and broadband regulation. We will discuss the powers of local, state, and federal regulators and attempt to identify the jurisdictional boundaries among them. The course explores the regulatory theory underlying the Communications Act of 1934 and the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and attempts to predict the regulatory models that should govern the 21st century.

LAW 073 v05 Communications Law and Policy

This course will survey the historical, current, and prospective legal and regulatory treatment of communications services, devices, service providers, and platforms. We will examine legal and regulatory issues regarding telecommunications services, mobile communications, broadcasting, cable, and broadband networks. The emphasis will be on the rules, policies, and processes of the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”), but we will also discuss the roles of Congress, courts, the Executive branch, states, and localities.  Armed with a firm background in statutory and regulatory models, students will explore current and future legal and policy questions regarding communications law, considering the challenges technological convergence and innovation pose for existing regulatory frameworks in areas such as competition, spectrum policy, broadband subsidy, and net neutrality.

• Understand the regulatory framework for the communications sector, including the statutory framework for the FCC’s regulatory authority.
• Understand the roles, as well as the institutional competence and limitations, of the other key players in communications law and policy – Congress, the Executive branch, courts, states, and localities.
• Deepen students’ understanding of major communications policy topics, so that they can identify key concepts and attendant arguments in play.
• Analyze communications issues in an interdisciplinary manner, recognizing the intersection of economics, technology, policy, and law. 
• Practice skills useful to participating in the regulatory advocacy process by drafting a short, mock ex parte letter to the FCC on a designated issue.  Skills practiced will include, among others, making legal arguments, discussing policy rationales, and appealing to policymakers’ agendas.

LAW 200 v01 Communications Law: Law and Policy in the Internet Age

The advent of the Internet has spawned massive leaps in technology and the way Americans use communications services to reach that technology. This course examines how courts, legislatures, and regulatory agencies react to constant change in communications technologies. We will focus on specific technological advances to explore the way legal, economic, social, and technological forces shape and are harnessed by legal systems faced with challenges to the status quo. The course will draw on leading communications law cases, statutes, and FCC and FTC actions. Students will explore the legal and lobbying battles raging today in Washington and across the world that are fueled by technological change, in areas such as net neutrality, privacy, broadband subsidy, competition, and spectrum policy. We will try to focus in particular on questions currently before the courts, the FCC and Congress. N ote that the focus of readings and in-class discussion is on physical communications technology, not on policies relating specifically to social media sites   (although such topics are not out-of-bounds for paper topics). The goal is to deepen each student's understanding of major communications law topics, to determine if a comparison of these topics reveals a set of common legal, policy, and political reactions to technological change, and to provide future policymakers with the tools to respond to change more effectively.

The class will meet for two hours once per week. Grades will be based on class participation (25%) and a final paper/oral presentation (75%). There are no course prerequisites. While there is overlap with Communications Law and Policy on several issues, we cover different issues in total. For students with no communications law background, we will cover the basic background on the law and policy needed to understand the issues addressed.

• Deepen each student's understanding of major communications policy topics in dispute.
• Determine if a comparison of these topics reveals a set of common legal, policy, and political reactions to technological change.
• Provide future policymakers with the tools to respond to change more effectively.
• Provide insight to the role legal constraints play in policy debates and policy plays in legal challenges.
• Improve oral and written advocacy skills through writing and presenting an advocacy white paper.

LAW 080 v00 Computer Crime Law

This course will explore the legal issues that judges, legislators, prosecutors, and defense attorneys confront as they respond to the recent dramatic increase in computer-related crime.  In particular, we will consider how crimes online challenge traditional approaches to the investigation, prosecution, and defense of crime that have evolved from our experience with crimes in physical space.  Topics will include: the Fourth Amendment online, the law of electronic surveillance, computer hacking and other computer crimes, cyberterrorism, the First Amendment and the Internet, and civil liberties online.

Although much of this class involves computer and internet technology, no prior technical background or knowledge is required.

Any technology that needs to be understood will be explained in class, and students should not hesitate to ask for other technical explanations.

LAW 1384 v00 Computer Programming for Lawyers: An Introduction

This class provides an introduction to computer programming for law students. Students will learn to code in Python, a language which is both easy to learn and powerful. There are no prerequisites, and even students without training in computer science or engineering should be able successfully to complete the class.

The course is based on the premise that computer programming has become a vital skill for non-technical professionals generally and for future lawyers and policymakers specifically. Lawyers, irrespective of specialty or type of practice, organize, evaluate, and manipulate large sets of text-based data (e.g. cases, statutes, regulations, contracts, etc.) Increasingly, lawyers are asked to deal with quantitative data and complex databases. Very simple programming techniques can expedite and simplify these tasks, yet these programming techniques tend to be poorly understood in legal practice and nearly absent in legal education. In this class, students will gain proficiency in various programming-related skills.

A secondary goal for the class is to introduce students to computer programming and computer scientific concepts they might encounter in the substantive practice of law. Students might discuss, for example, how programming concepts illuminate and influence current debates in privacy, intellectual property, consumer protection, antidiscrimination, antitrust, and criminal procedure.

This class will consist of weekly lectures, in which students will review concepts from their weekly reading and writing code in collaboration with the professor. There will also be weekly labs, in which students will go over issues they might be having with the problem set and work in small groups with their TA.

Students will be required to complete problem sets between class meetings. To obtain a passing grade, students must complete problem sets, participate in class sessions, and demonstrate that they have learned the assigned skills.

At the completion of this class, students should be able to write simple to moderately complex computer programs that can automate text-handling and data-handling tasks that would be difficult or impossible to perform without programming skill. Students will also gain a solid foundation of programming knowledge and skills they can build upon to progress toward mastering more advanced programming techniques and other programming languages.

LAW 1499 v00 Computer Programming for Lawyers: Intermediate

This class builds on Computer Programming for Lawyers: An Introduction by introducing students to intermediate-level concepts of computer programming and computer science relevant to legal practice. The students in this course will serve as the Teaching Assistants for the introductory course, which will always be taught concurrently. In addition, students in this course will complete at least one substantial programming term project.

Enrollment in this course is by prior permission of the Professor only. All students must have prior computer programming experience. Students who have successfully completed the introductory course meet this requirement. Other students must demonstrate comparable prior experience, but this experience need not be formal training or professional experience. Students need not possess a technical degree, and self-taught programmers are welcome.

The course is based on the premise that computer programming has become a vital skill for non-technical professionals generally and for future lawyers and policymakers specifically. Lawyers, irrespective of specialty or type of practice, organize, evaluate, and manipulate large sets of text-based data (e.g. cases, statutes, regulations, contracts, etc.) Increasingly, lawyers are asked to deal with quantitative data and complex databases. Programming techniques can expedite and simplify these tasks, yet these programming techniques tend to be poorly understood in legal practice and nearly absent in legal education. In this class, students will gain proficiency in various programming-related skills.

A secondary goal for the class is to introduce students to computer programming and computer scientific concepts they might encounter in the substantive practice of law. Students might discuss, for example, how programming concepts illuminate and influence current debates in privacy, intellectual property, consumer protection, antidiscrimination, antitrust, litigation and criminal procedure.

This is a hands-on class. Each student will spend most class sessions using his or her own computers, reading, writing, and debugging code. Every student must bring to every class a computer, on which free software will be provided to be installed.

LAW 215 v00 Constitutional Law II: Individual Rights and Liberties

J.D. Course (cross-listed) | 4 credit hours

This course focuses primarily on the First, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments (free speech, due process, and equal protection) and the role of the Supreme Court as ultimate interpreter and guardian of the Bill of Rights.

Note for Professor Barnett's Fall section: As a way to understand the structure of current doctrines, Professor Barnett’s course will stress how and why the doctrines evolved from the Founding through the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Progressive Era, the New Deal, the Warren and Rehnquist Courts to the Roberts Court today. The course will also stress the effect that slavery had on the original Constitution and the Reconstruction Amendments. Coverage will include the Second and Ninth Amendments.  Professor Barnett's section will consist of a 3-hour unit consisting of two 85 minute class sessions and a 1-hour unit consisting of video presentations on the theory and practice of originalism that students can view at their convenience at any time before or during the semester.   Internet access on any device is not allowed during class;  all laptop use is disallowed in Professor Barnett's course  (unless necessary to conduct Zoom instruction).  

Learning goals for Professor Spann's section

The primary goal of the course is to teach students how to manipulate the doctri­nal rules and underlying policy consid­era­tions that govern the topics in the course, and to get students to confront the norma­tive implications raised by such vast amounts of doctrinal indetermi­nacy, especially for the law’s claim of neutrality toward subordinated groups. 

LAW 1881 v00 Constitutional Law: Federal Courts Tackle the Digital World

J.D. Seminar (cross-listed) | 1 credit hour

For more than a century, court decisions have lagged advances in technology. The advent of the Internet and developments in artificial intelligence, particularly generative artificial intelligence, have accelerated this gap. This course explores how federal courts are tackling disruptive technologies and digital challenges. The focus will be on a few select areas, including speech, Section 230 of the Communications in Decency Act, privacy, and artificial intelligence, though in reality the lines are blurred between these topics. We will look at cases that serve as the analytical foundation for these issues and consider contemporary judicial efforts to address the shifting legal and digital landscape in an ambiguous environment. Students will have an opportunity to engage in structured, in-class debates and exercises to highlight conflicting views in this arena. The course will also address how judges are engaging with technology in their chambers and courtrooms and how this engagement may impact the decision-making process.

LAW 458 v00 Contract Law Seminar: Franchising

Franchised businesses account for approximately 40 percent of retail sales in the U.S., more than a trillion dollars a year, and have about 10 million employees. Franchising is growing: a new franchise opens in the U.S. roughly every eight minutes of every working day. Although most people may associate franchising with “fast food restaurants,” franchising is prevalent in many areas of the economy, including automotive, hotel, various retail establishments, and numerous business services, among others. With the explosive growth of franchising, which really began in the 1950s, has come the development of franchise law as a separate discipline during the past 60 or so years and significant growth in the number of lawyers who practice in this field. Thus, franchising and the evolving practice of franchise law have a great practical impact on the U.S. and global economy.

Franchise law is a combination of contract and statutory law and is heavily influenced by trademark, antitrust and other areas of business law. Franchise agreements tend to be lengthy multi-year trademark licensing agreements. Because franchising involves distribution of goods and services, antitrust and other competition law considerations must be taken into account. Franchising is also regulated at both the federal and state level. Many franchise sales are regulated by state and federal disclosure requirements, analogous to SEC requirements. Automotive, petroleum and certain other franchise relationships are regulated by specific statutes, while various states generally regulate aspects of the franchise relationship, such as termination or renewal of the relationship. There is a substantial amount of litigation in franchising, involving not only disputes between franchisors and franchisees, but also franchise employees, consumers and others. Many common law contract concepts, such as the “implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing,” have evolved and continue to evolve in the context of franchise law. Franchising is also growing rapidly outside the U.S.; accordingly, a variety of laws and regulations of other countries are relevant.

This course will cover the legal and practical business basics of franchising, including, structuring of the franchise relationship and the analysis of franchise agreements; the sales process and disclosure requirements; the relationship of franchising, employment, trademark, antitrust and other generally applicable statutes; contract and other common law concepts that affect the franchise relationship; statutes regulating the franchise relationship at the state and federal levels; automobile, petroleum and international franchising; and franchise-related dispute resolution. Students will be evaluated on the basis of a paper and class participation, including mock negotiations at the end of the semester.

My principal goal is for you to gain a general understanding of franchise law. In addition, I want you to become comfortable reading complex contracts, specifically franchise agreements, and to be able to analyze and negotiate a franchise dispute.

LAW 110 v03 Copyright Law

This course examines the law of copyright and its role within the overall framework of intellectual property law. Topics covered include the subject matter requirements for copyrightability; the rules that govern determination of authorship, the rights that copyright law confers on authors and the limitations and exceptions to those rights; the rules governing indirect liability of intermediaries and liability for circumvention of technological protections; and the scope of copyright preemption.

Learning goals for this course:

Critical mastery of the existing copyright statutory, doctrinal, and policy landscapes; critical mastery of strategic considerations in copyright licensing and litigation, in technology ventures that implicate copyrights, and in copyright policymaking.

LAW 110 v07 Copyright Law

This course examines copyright law, providing a basic understanding of its objectives and principles. Topics covered include subject matter requirements for copyrightability; rules that govern determination of authorship; rights copyright law confers on authors; rules governing indirect liability of intermediaries and liability for circumvention of technological protections; and scope of copyright preemption. The course will also consider the tensions between copyright holders and technology that threatens traditional content business models.

LAW 110 v08 Copyright Law

This course will cover the system of legal protection for creative expression and content dissemination in the United States, with a particular emphasis on policy and policy implications. Topics covered include: requirements for copyright protection, copyrightable subject matter, authorship, useful articles, Section 106 rights (including moral rights), copyright infringement and its elements, exceptions (especially fair use), copyright licensing (via the music industry), copyright infringement (with a focus on substantial similarity analysis), direct and secondary liability, and remedies. When applicable, we will include and encourage discussion of the historical, cultural, political and racial contexts in which copyright law arose, and how lawmakers have (and haven’t) accommodated evolving norms.

LAW 2070 v00 Corporate National Security Law

LL.M Course (cross-listed) | 2 credit hours

Corporate National Security Law explores important legal issues arising out of the U.S. government’s reliance on the private sector for its national security, and the increasing convergence and conflict between national security, technology, and the private sector. The course will focus on: (1) privatization and insourcing/outsourcing issues for the U.S. government in the national security arena; (2) government contracts issues in the national security sphere; (3) export controls; (4) classified information and secrecy issues; and (5) emerging issues at the intersection of national security, technology, and the private sector. 

LAW 121 v01 Corporations

Students should note that Corporations is a prerequisite for Corporate Finance, Securities Regulation, Business Planning Seminar, and many corporate law seminars.

This is a basic course in business corporations. Brief coverage is given to factors bearing on choice of organization, including partnership attributes, process of corporate formation, corporate privileges and powers, corporate capital structure, and limited liability. Close examination is given to the governance structure of the corporation and the fiduciary obligations of directors and officers. The particular nature of the public corporation is explored. Topics studied may include stock trading by corporate insiders, transactions in corporation control, and the procedural problems in stockholder derivative suits. Along with a focus on such policy questions as federal-state jurisdiction, the nature of the corporate governance system, and the role of the corporation in modern society, the course deals with the role of the lawyer in corporate matters. 

LAW 121 v05 Corporations

This is a basic course in business corporations. This course explores the governance structure of the corporation and the fiduciary obligations of directors and officers, with a particular focus on the nature of the public corporation. Topics studied may include: the role of shareholders in contrast with the role of directors and officers, the issues surrounding transactions in corporation control, and the procedural problems in stockholder derivative suits. Policy questions such as federal-state jurisdiction, the nature of the corporate governance system, the role of the corporation in modern society, and the role of the lawyer in corporate matters may also be included.

Note: This course will not cover alternative entities or federal securities law.

LAW 121 v08 Corporations

LL.M Course | 3 credit hours

Students should note that Corporations is a prerequisite for Advanced Corporate Law, Comparative Corporate Law, Corporate Finance, Securities Regulation, Business Planning Seminar, and corporate law seminars.

This is a basic course in business corporations. Brief coverage is given to factors bearing on choice of organization, including partnership attributes, process of corporate formation, corporate privileges and powers, corporate capital structure, and limited liability. Close examination is given to the governance structure of the corporation and the fiduciary obligations of directors and officers. The particular nature of the public corporation is explored. Topics studied may include stock trading by corporate insiders, transactions in corporation control, and the procedural problems in stockholder derivative suits. Along with a focus on such policy questions as federal-state jurisdiction, the nature of the corporate governance system, and the role of the corporation in modern society, the course deals with the role of the lawyer in corporate matters.

This course will presume familiarity with the basic vocabulary and fundamental concepts of corporate law and focus on salient divergent features of US corporate law.

LAW 121 v09 Corporations

This is a basic course in business organizations with a primary focus on corporations and including a brief examination of limited liability companies. Throughout the course, students will consider the role of lawyers in corporate matters. Brief coverage is given to factors bearing on choice of organization, including process of corporate formation, corporate privileges and powers, corporate capital structure, and limited liability. Close examination is given to the governance structure of the corporation and the obligations of directors and officers. The particular nature of the public corporation is explored. Topics studied may include stock trading by corporate insiders, transactions in corporation control, the procedural problems in stockholder derivative suits, and judicial disregard of the corporate form.

LAW 1127 v00 Cyber and National Security: Current Issues Seminar

This seminar will examine legal and policy issues related to cybersecurity -- that is, hacking and other intrusions on global computer and communications networks. The primary focus will be the national security implications of cybersecurity and the current challenges that senior lawyers, policymakers, and the private sector face in addressing those issues.  The course will look at international and U.S. domestic law and will examine cyber issues both from the perspective of (1) the U.S. government entities that seek to use cyber tools to further military and other national security aims, and (2) the many government and private sector actors who must defend against the use of these tools use by others.  The goal of the course is to introduce students to the complex legal and policy issues that senior national security decision-makers must address and to provide insight into the practical challenges they present.  The focus of the class is law and policy, not technology.  You do not need a technical background to take the course.

LAW 3171 v00 Cyber Threat Landscape: Legal Considerations at the Crossroads of the Public and Private Sectors

LL.M. Seminar (cross-listed) | 2 credit hours

The cyber threat landscape is constantly changing: threat actor tactics and technological advances, including the proliferation of AI solutions, are rapidly evolving as the legal field tries to keep pace. While cyber defense and national security considerations are often thought of as governmental responsibilities, the private sector has a critical role to play in addressing cybersecurity threats. The management and mitigation of, and defense against, cybersecurity risks is multifaceted, and the public and private sectors are closely intertwined in this effort. 

This advanced, discussion-based seminar will focus on the intersection of the private and public sectors in the cybersecurity field with a particular focus on legal considerations and challenges the private sector faces in the industry. We will cover a range of topics, including: intelligence and information sharing; cybersecurity threats, updates, and trends; private sector cybersecurity laws and regulations; cybersecurity investigations and threat actor disruptions and prosecutions; and challenges and tensions between the public and private sectors in these contexts. At the end of the seminar, students will participate in a live “tabletop” cyber-attack simulation with the goal of developing practical skills in the practice of cybersecurity law. 

LAW 1545 v00 Cyber Threats, Information Security and Technology in the Practice of Law

For all practical purposes, nearly every substantially-sized legal matter presents critical challenges that require attorneys to embrace and understand how to handle significant volumes of data and documents and to advise clients on the security risks threatening that information. Today’s lawyers need to be prepared to handle the increasing levels of vital threats and risks posed against their clients and their data.

This hands-on seminar will take students through an exciting, practical exploration of the ways in which the use of powerful technology-based tools is fundamentally transforming the practice of law as we know it. Data and information security as concerns are creating a ‘new normal’ in terms of how lawyers can be best prepared to help their clients, through an important understanding of technology-based solutions, to augment traditional legal representation.

In this course, we will examine some fascinating dynamics of the legal practice, as shaped by ‘information as risk’ as a new fundamental principle, with a focus on the importance of handling those concerns and evaluating how they could impact client risks and affect case outcomes.

This seminar will visit an expansive range of subtopics including data forensics, data analytics, cyber security, data privacy, Internet of Things, deep/dark web, social media, cloud computing, structured and unstructured data, and the emerging roles of lawyers as data and information-risk experts.

From an exploration of essential electronic discovery principles through non-traditional evidentiary concepts, for in-house, government, and outside lawyers alike, this seminar will prepare students to enter the job market with an enhanced understanding of what organizations require of lawyers, especially from technology and information-risk advisory perspectives.

Through a series of lectures and demonstrations that will feature industry-recognized experts, this seminar will provide valuable insights that will illuminate the fascinating interplay of technology and law, with particular focus on how case outcomes can be shaped by leveraging an understanding of data, security, and technology.

LAW 2052 v00 Cybersecurity Law

This interactive lecture course will explore various legal and policy issues related to enabling a safe and secure Internet and protecting government and private sector networks. The topics to be discussed include relevant U.S. legal authorities, cybersecurity roles and responsibilities of government agencies, private sector cybersecurity risk management, information sharing, Internet governance, and the application of international law to nation state activity in cyberspace. Lectures by the professor and occasional guests with relevant expertise will be used to stimulate class discussion. Students will be assigned a reflection assignment following each of a number of in-class table top exercises. There will be a four-hour take-home exam that must be completed during the first week of the exam period.

LAW 1825 v00 Cybersecurity Risks, Rules, Responsibilities and Recovery

This class will provide students with a focused study of what laws, standards and liabilities govern cybersecurity. The course will examine cyber risks faced by private and public sector entities such as ransomware, destructive malware, critical infrastructure attacks on industrial control systems, personal data breaches, email account take-overs, exfiltration of proprietary data and intellectual property, exploitation of software and internet hardware vulnerabilities, insider threats, and state-sponsored cyber attacks. 

The class will review the role of various government agencies such as the FBI, DOJ, NSA, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Federal Trade Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, financial regulators, and their respective international counterparts, etc. 

Students will explore the distinction between agencies that help protect and defend against cyberattacks, and those that regulate the sufficiency of private sector cybersecurity safeguards and enforce against putative laggards. 

A broad range of cybersecurity laws, Executive Orders, and agency actions will be covered.  Major cybersecurity incidents such as those involving (e.g.) Yahoo!, Equifax, NotPetya, Office of Personnel Management, SolarWinds, Colonial Pipeline, Cyclops Blink will be discussed as case studies.  The responsibility of corporate boards of directors will be examined. Readings will include legal decisions and settlements related to consumer class actions, shareholder derivative and securities litigation, business-to-business legal claims, and government enforcement actions.

LAW 1815 v00 Decentralization, Finance, and the Law

This seminar will examine the concept of decentralization and finance as it is applied across various issue areas:  securities law, antitrust law, intellectual property, and financial stability.  

Decentralization has attracted enormous attention with the rise of cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance. However, the term “decentralization” is a term of art rather than a legal concept—although the norms and general understanding of particular uses of the term can have decisive legal consequences.  In this seminar, students will compare and contrast the contexts and settings in which the decentralization conversation has had particular salience, particularly when applied to Web 3 and blockchain technologies.  Guest speakers will additionally visit the class to provide real world applications and perspective.  A basic understanding of what a cryptocurrency is will be useful to students taking the course.

LAW 219 v00 Emerging Growth Companies and Venture Capital Financings

J.D. Course | 2 credit hours

This course covers the legal and business issues that arise in the context of representing emerging growth companies and the venture capital investors who provide an important source of capital to such companies. In particular, the course will focus on the legal issues typically encountered by private companies at formation, financing, operation and key corporate events, including acquisition transactions and public offerings. Topics covered include corporate formation and governance, venture capital financing, employment and equity compensation matters, protection of intellectual property, securities laws compliance and exit strategies through merger, acquisition or initial public offering. The course will offer an introduction to these topics through the eyes of attorneys who practice in a Silicon Valley-based law firm active in the East Coast technology and life sciences market and will also include guest presentations by industry participants, such as venture capitalists, angel investors and entrepreneurs. The course will include a practice exercise designed to introduce students, working in practice teams, to the process of structuring and executing venture capital transactions.

LAW 1337 v00 Empirical Analysis for Lawyers and Policymakers Seminar

This seminar is intended to help students become better consumers of empirical work in the law and social sciences. By the end of the semester, students should: (1) understand the basics of some common empirical methodologies; (2) see how empirical work can inform public policy; and (3) have a better sense of the limits and problems inherent in empirical work.  

Each week, we will cover one or more policy-relevant empirical papers that students will be expected to read. Students will submit a 1-2 page analysis of an assigned paper before class. Each paper will introduce students to a particular empirical methodology, or show how it might be applied in a particular policy setting.  

Topics will be drawn from a variety of areas, including criminal law, education, health, development, and labor. For example, we might study questions like: what is the impact of education on earnings? How do 401(k) plans affect people’s savings decisions? How does a change in the minimum wage affect labor supply? Do minimum drinking ages reduce drunken driving deaths? What are the benefits and limits of randomized controlled trials?  

Toward the end of the semester, students will be asked to write an 10-12 page paper that analyzes in detail an empirical paper of their own choosing. If there is time, students will be asked to present their analysis to the class in a final presentation.  

Grades will be based on the short 1-2 page analyses, the 10-12 page final paper and presentation, and classroom participation.

LAW 137 v03 Entertainment Law

This course will explore legal and business issues that arise in connection with the development, production and exploitation of entertainment product, with a primary focus on theatrical motion pictures, television and digital content. Topics will include contracts and contractual relations in the entertainment industry; individual and publicity rights; protection of literary material; the protection of ideas; representation of clients in the entertainment industry; issues raised by exploitation of entertainment works in the distribution chain; the roles of agents, managers and creative executives; and so-called “backend” participation accounting. We will explore how digital innovation and technology has dramatically transformed the production and distribution of content and how relevant law, public policy and business principles apply to this industry (including the role of copyright and antitrust throughout the history of the business). The class will strive to emphasize real-world lawyering and how to advance a client's interests through careful business analysis, the crafting of contract language and legal interpretation.

Class participation is encouraged and will form some part of the grade.

LAW 656 v00 Entrepreneurship and the Law: Evaluating Client Business Plans and Growth Strategies

This two-credit course will focus on the processes and challenges of entrepreneurship and the legal and strategic roles that a lawyer plays as an advisor to early-stage and rapid-growth companies. Topics will include: the entrepreneurial mindset, capital formation, resource management, forecasts and projections, leadership and team building, the entrepreneur-attorney relationship, leveraging intellectual capital and related growth strategies. Students will work in teams on mid-term assignments and a final assignment that will include analyzing a business plan. The goal of these exercises is to develop the skills that are essential to the evaluation of business plans and strategic growth of companies and to build an advisory skill set. Guest speakers will include entrepreneurial leaders, accountants, investment bankers and others involved in the entrepreneurial advisory process. Students who are interested in representing and advising entrepreneurs and start-up companies or in becoming entrepreneurs themselves will benefit from this class. This class also will be beneficial for JD/MBA joint degree students.

LAW 1617 v00 Entrepreneurship: The Lifecycle of a Business

This course is targeted towards law students who are interested in participating in an entrepreneurial venture at some point in their career, whether in a business or legal role (i.e., as internal or external advisor).  To be clear, it is a business class, not a traditional law class, although legal issues will be highlighted and addressed throughout, as they would be if taught to business students since business and legal issues are always closely intertwined. The primary objective of this course is to give students an understanding of and appreciation for the primary and critical steps in the lifecycle of a start-up, from inception to raising capital to scaling/business execution to exit. 

The course takes a real-world approach to learning, leveraging heavily off the extensive experience of the Professor, who has successfully executed two entrepreneurial ventures, as well as guest speakers with particular expertise in certain topics covered by the course and a simulation group exercise involving a real-life start-up scenario.  This perspective should help prepare students for the real-life challenges – and rewards – of engaging in entrepreneurship and business building.  This course is aimed at law students who are interested in participating in an entrepreneurial venture at some point in their career, whether in a business or legal role (i.e., as internal or external advisor).  

Course Goals / Student Learning Outcomes :

• start and structure a business with the right team and idea;
• draft an effective business plan and raise capital from different sources;
• build a collaborative company culture and infrastructure for scalability; and
• exit the business while maximizing value.
• The goal is to give students an understanding of and appreciation for the primary steps in the lifecycle of a start-up, from inception to raising capital to scaling/business execution to exit.
• Students will gain an appreciation for the practical requirements and challenges (and rewards) of starting and building a business, as well as the attendant legal issues at each step in the start-up process.

LAW 3144 v00 Federal Advocacy in Technology Law and Policy

Students who take this course will better understand stakeholder politics; federal legislative, regulatory, and enforcement processes; and the advocacy skills needed to achieve policy outcomes in the interrelated fields of technology, telecommunications, and media (“TTM”). Students will gain hands-on experience practicing technology advocacy. The course first reviews key issues in technology policy and advocacy, such as competition, content moderation, net neutrality, privacy, AI & bias, and cybersecurity.

Armed with the basics of current technology policy issues, students then learn advocacy tools to “make” technology policy. Students will review and draft collateral materials used for technology policy advocacy, including white papers, talking points, comments, “op/eds,” earned media coverage, and more, gaining an appreciation for the differences from, and complementary relationship with, traditional legal materials and legal practice. Students will be introduced to the legislative process (committee hearings and markups, bicameral action, budget procedure); independent agency rulemaking and adjudication (comments, ex parte presentations, Administration and congressional input); relevant enforcement proceedings (Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission merger review); and related advocacy in the courts (amicus briefs).

This is a skill-intensive course with writing assignments, workshops, presentations, peer support, and simulations. It will have a final assessment with a written and oral component. There are no prerequisite courses required. Classes will incorporate pre-class preparations and in-class skill-building exercises.

LAW 2044 v00 Financial Market Reform and Innovation

This course examines the ever-evolving regulation of financial markets, institutions, and innovative financial products. We will evaluate the emerging regulatory issues and reform of over-the-counter derivatives markets, analyzes changes to federal banking laws (including systemic risk regulations, new capital and margin requirements, resolution authorities and the Volcker Rule), and explores enhanced consumer protection rules.  The course will also explore advances in financial technology (commonly referred to as ‘FinTech’), specifically virtual currency. We will examine how virtual currencies are used by financial market participants and evaluate major developments in the regulation of virtual currencies, such as Bitcoin, Ether, Ripple, Litecoin, and others.

This course also provides a comprehensive overview of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (“Dodd-Frank Act”) and its ongoing implementation efforts by Federal financial regulators. The Dodd-Frank Act is the most consequential reform of the financial services industry since the Great Depression. We will analyze financial market reform efforts emerging regulatory issues that are intended to increase transparency in financial markets, reduce systemic risks, increase the safety and soundness of the financial system, and enhance protections for consumers. 

Learning objectives: By the end of this course, I hope you will have a comprehensive overview of the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act. You will gain a sense of the genesis and policy developments underpinning the Dodd-Frank legislation, an overview of fundamental aspects of financial reform in Dodd-Frank, its basic requirements, its overarching goals, and its upsides and downsides. You will not learn every detail of financial services regulation or every part of Dodd-Frank, but you should grasp the nature and structure of the central tenants of federal oversight of the financial services industry and its market participants.

Another aim of the course is skills-oriented. By participating in class discussions and preparing and presenting the Comment Letter Group Project, I hope you will hone your skills in speaking fluently and comfortably about legal issues. The Comment Letter Group Project is designed to give you real-world experience/exposure to what regulatory lawyers actually do in private and government practice in the financial services space. I want students to be able to identify an issue, think critically about how to solve it, employ legal reasoning to defend their approach, and practice legal writing. My specific expectations for the comment letter project are set out in the “Comment Letter Group Project” section of syllabus

LAW 1744 v00 FinTech and Financial Democratization Seminar

“Fintech” often refers to the use of modern technologies and novel methods in offering financial services. This bourgeoning sector has significantly disrupted the financial marketplace, challenging the conventional roles of banks, other financial institutions, regulators, and policymakers. Legal scholars often evaluate how the novelties of Fintech fit or do not fit within existing legal regimes, and how such regimes should be modernized in response. Fewer scholars examine what might be the most transformative promise of Fintech – whether it does or can democratize the financial marketplace and how the law might facilitate (or frustrate) that aim. This seminar examines just this.

Seminar readings will illuminate the relationship between the financial marketplace and oft-marginalized communities and allow students to assess whether effective solutions to certain inequities lie in Fintech, fundamental policy reforms, or both. This course covers topics such as payment systems, credit markets, financial advising, savings, and security investing. It focuses on the U.S. marketplace, but will occasionally reference trends in international markets for comparative analysis. Readings are primarily drawn from legal, economic and sociological research, regulatory and legislative reports, cases, and popular news media.

The goal of this seminar is for students to develop views on the purpose and role of Fintech, the objectivity of financial markets and regulation, and whether financial democratization is a necessary or achievable aim for market providers. Students will further hone their critical analysis, research and writing, and public speaking skills.

LAW 1442 v00 Fintech Law and Policy

Technology-driven disruption has upended many industries – retail, entertainment, transportation, to name just a few – and now we are seeing it redefine financial services. The rise of Fintech is perhaps the most interesting industry transformation to study from a legal perspective because of the way it impacts complex financial services regulations. Regulatory frameworks that were created decades ago are being challenged by the rise of Internet and mobile-driven financial services providers. This course will hone in on a few areas where the US financial regulatory structure is being challenged by technological innovation and may require fresh thinking.

Financial services can be broken down into three distinct subsectors: 1) Insurance; 2) Retail Banking; and 3) Investment/Advisory Banking. This course will focus on how technology is transforming both retail and investment/advisory banking. Retail banking law was designed for a world of brick and mortar banks that accepted deposits and leveraged those deposits to provide commercial and personal loans. Investment/advisory banking law was designed for a world of a relatively small number of sophisticated investors. This traditional schema is being transformed, rapidly.

The smartphone is replacing the retail bank as the method by which a small business or consumer conducts their day-to-day banking activity. A 2015 report by Goldman Sachs found that 33% of millennials do not think they will need a traditional bank in the next five years. In fact, 73% of millennials reported that they are more excited about new offerings in the financial services space from the likes of Google, Apple and Amazon.

Moreover, in the financial services industry lines are blurring – financial tech companies are expanding financial services ecosystems and traditional financial services companies are expanding their digital capabilities. New business models are being created that leverage the data and capabilities afforded by the Internet, and seemingly diverse industries ranging from telecom to traditional banks are competing over similar financial services activities.

Crowdfunding, mobile payments, online lending, robo-advisors, and Bitcoin are new phenomenon that challenge existing regulatory structures. The SEC, Treasury Department, Office of Comptroller of Currency, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Federal Deposit Insurance Commission, Federal Reserve Bank, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and Federal Trade Commission are just a few of the regulatory bodies that are increasingly exploring Fintech developments. Moreover, the courts have been faced with challenges to several federal and state laws that were written before modern technological innovations took hold and challenged existing concepts of Federalism. This class will focus in on these particular challenges, will question existing regulatory bodies, approaches and standards, as well as discuss the practicalities of alternative regulatory structures and rules.

The class will proceed in 4 parts. Part 1 will be an introduction to retail banking law and disruptions that are occurring due to Fintech. Part 2 will be an introduction to investment/advisory banking law and disruptions that are occurring due to Fintech. Part 3 will address cross-cutting horizontal disruptions. And, finally Part 4 will involve a high-level assessment of regulatory structures and approaches for Fintech. After this course, students should have a strong baseline knowledge of the myriad of legal and policy issues that exist in the Fintech arena.

LAW 196 v03 Free Press

"Congress shall make no law . . .," the First Amendment commands, "abridging the freedom . . . of the press." But Congress, the Executive Branch, and the courts have promulgated a host of laws governing both print and electronic media. This survey of mass media law explores such current topics as prior restraints on publication, defamation, privacy, newsgathering liability, media liability for unlawful conduct of third parties, compelled disclosure of sources, and access to information. Practical aspects of representing media clients are examined along with public policy implications of existing legal doctrines and proposals for change. Much of the course is discussion-based, and students will be expected to make meaningful contributions to that discussion, with class participation forming the basis for one-fourth of the grade for the semester.

LAW 1829 v00 From Formation to Exit - Capital Formation for Startups

This course is early stage financing from formation to a $75M Reg A+ round in hyper-speed. Students will play the role of the company’s outside legal counsel. Students will assist with  formation, capital formation, and general legal guidance. They’ll assist with raising a $1 million pre-seed round from friends and family, a $5 million Regulation Crowdfunding Offering, and eventually a $75M Regulation A+ offering. Lastly, the company will receive a term sheet from a prominent VC which students will assess, issue spot, and advise the company thereon.

LAW 3152 v00 Front Lines and Foreign Risk: National Security Through the Lens of CFIUS and Team Telecom

This course will examine how the United States increasingly relies on two committees to assess risks to national security arising from foreign investment in the United States and foreign participation in telecommunications. Specifically, this course will provide students the opportunity to compare and contrast the assessment processes established by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States Telecommunications Services Sector (Team Telecom). To establish a foundation, students will consider the history of CFIUS and Team Telecom since the millennium and examine how successive administrations and Congress have shaped foreign risk reviews, which have dramatically increased in frequency, gravity, and complexity with greater public visibility. Students will assess how CFIUS and Team Telecom reviews fit within the broader U.S. national security strategy and will consider the increasingly prevalent view that economic security is national security. Students will learn that although national security priorities vary from administration to administration, bipartisan attention has continued to focus on risks related to foreign investment in the United States, particularly regarding the development of critical technologies (e.g., microelectronics, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing among others). Throughout this course, students will be encouraged to consider how the government balances the benefits of foreign investment and participation, including promotion of economic growth, productivity, competitiveness, and job promotion, while protecting national security.

LAW 1882 v00 Generative AI and the Future of Free Speech & Copyright Law

In this course, students will gain an understanding of the technical basics of generative AI models and the copyright, First Amendment, and intermediary liability legal questions that will shape these models’ development and use. Through course readings—including case law excerpts, law review articles, technical briefings, and policy white papers—class discussion, and experimentation with generative AI tools, students will develop familiarity with the capabilities and limitations of these tools and an understanding of how questions around generative AI relate to broader law and policy debates about freedom of expression in the digital age.

LAW 726 v01 Global Competition Law and Policy

This seminar will examine the development of competition laws around the world, differences in substantive standards among the major enforcement jurisdictions; the role of historical, political, and economic forces that affect those differences; and the possible consequences of those differences. We will start with a basic understanding of competition principles common to key jurisdictions including the U.S., Canada, the EC, the UK, and Japan, and will compare and contrast these with the principles applied in developing and transition economies, such as China, Mexico, India, and South Africa. Particular emphasis will be on current issues and trends including the role of antitrust in a digital economy, multi-jurisdictional merger control, and regulation of dominant firm conduct. We will also consider the role of competition policy in economic and political development generally.

LAW 068 v01 Global Revolutions, Civic Activism, and Civil Society

J.D. Course (cross-listed) | 1 credit hour

Around the world, people are mobilizing to defend democracy, protect human rights, and promote sustainable development. We’ll study the international legal framework for civic activism, examining laws governing protests, social justice movements, and and nonprofit organizations. We’ll also explore the impact of national security, authoritarianism, and digital technology on civic space.

We'll take a global tour, comparing approaches in the US, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. We'll discuss current events, play the role of UN Ambassadors, and help countries draft laws.

This class will provide skills and contacts to help you pursue a career in international human rights law. Past classes have spoken with UN officials, a lawyer for a group allegedly engaged in terrorism, and frontline human rights defenders.

Eligible students are eligible to apply for internships at ICNL , which works on the legal framework for civil society and democracy in 100 countries.

By the end of the semester, you should have the ability to:

• Analyze international law governing the freedoms of association, assembly, and expression;
• Evaluate the extent to which national legislation complies with international law;
• Craft arguments to bring national legislation closer to international law and good practice;
• Communicate effectively with diplomats, government officials, and civic activists;
• Analyze ethical aspects that arise in crafting laws that affect the freedoms of association, assembly, and expression; and
• Assess the impact of law on nonprofit organizations, social movements, and protests.

LAW 1646 v00 Global Tech Law: Comparative Perspectives on Regulating New Technologies

From AI to robots to social media, countries around the world are racing to regulate new technologies. Regulation is the principal mechanism to bring technology within an enforceable ethics framework. Will international competition create a race to the bottom to promote innovation at the expense of consumer protection? How can nations nurture their own Silicon Valleys consistent with their ethical values? We will examine how the same technology--from internet platforms, to algorithms, to drones, to self-driving cars, to smart cities, to sharing platforms --is regulated in various jurisdictions across the world. As countries across the world race to become the world's leader in artificial intelligence, how are they modifying their laws for a world of automated decision-making? What can countries or states or cities learn from each other? Just as there are technological network layers, there are regulatory layers: What is the proper regulatory layer for any particular technology or activity—the nation, the region, or the globe, or even city or state? In an era of unprecedented technological change, how we choose to regulate technology is more important than ever.

LAW 565 v00 Globalization, Work, and Inequality Seminar

A backlash against globalization has emerged in advanced economies as a result of job loss, wage stagnation, precarious work and economic insecurity for the middle class. The liberal globalization of the last three decades is under attack for the unequal distribution of its gains and its failure to provide better opportunities for ordinary working people. Reimagining the global economy will require placing work front and center. This seminar will explore the changing nature of the workplace due to global competition and technological change. It will examine important policy debates about how best to create jobs, improve working conditions, and promote economic growth and well-being. We will analyze how a variety of factors, such as new modes of production and technologies, increasing participation of women in the economy, widespread migration flows, increasing global trade and capital mobility, and the rise of informal economies challenge the assumptions underlying traditional labor and employment regulation in both developed and developing countries. We will consider an array of innovative attempts – national, international, transnational, public, private and mixed -- to improve workplace conditions and assure employment opportunity consistent with economic growth and stability. We will also inquire about the moral and political commitments associated with various approaches. There are no prerequisites. All students are welcome.

LAW 2037 v00 Health Information Technology and the Law

Health care decision-making and innovation are increasingly driven and made possibly by vast stores of data. The importance of data has created an inevitable push-pull dynamic between concerns for confidentiality and demands for medical progress and cost containment. Data is both a privacy risk and a tremendous asset. This course will explore the legal and ethical issues at the intersection of health information, including where data comes from, how it is and should be protected, how it can be used, and risks to its integrity and security. In doing so, this course will cover a range of topics including health information privacy, future use of data assets, and conflicts of interest.

LAW 1403 v00 Hot Topics in Antitrust

Antitrust is dynamic. In regulating business strategy, competition law is only as effective as its understanding of each industry’s idiosyncrasies. Novel business practices reflect changing technologies, market conditions, and strategies. Antitrust lawyers do not simply master doctrine. Fluent in the basic principles of antitrust law and economics, they understand industry conditions and the enforcement agencies’ agendas. Above all, they stay abreast of cutting-edge developments in the law.

This seminar bestows that understanding. We will discuss today’s most hotly debated antitrust questions, explore how foreign jurisdictions’ competition laws and enforcement ideals deviate from U.S. practice, and delve into the industry-specific issues that arise in fields ranging from healthcare to wireless technology.

Major points of focus include the evolving relationship between antitrust law and intellectual-property rights. We shall discuss post-Actavis issues in the pay-for-delay space, including no-authorized-generic promises by pioneer-drug manufacturers and whether the continuation of infringement litigation immunizes a reverse payment. Outside of the life sciences, urgent questions involve antitrust limits on IP aggregation by patent-assertion entities and practicing firms. Further, when does a “privateering” agreement between a practicing entity and a PAE implicate competition law? Does the owner of a standard-essential patent violate antitrust law in seeking to enjoin a technology user despite its prior assurance to license on reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms? We shall also address antitrust limits on patent licensing and refusals to deal. Agency guidelines overseas, such as in China, and enforcement actions in Asia more broadly hint at the direction of international antitrust in this area.

In the larger field of antitrust and technology, some commentators argue that big data and privacy may implicate competition policy. In 2016, Germany’s Federal Cartel Office accused Facebook of abusing its dominance based on privacy and big-data theories. Do those allegations hold water? A recurring problem in antitrust, which has emerged anew in the pharmaceutical industry, is predatory innovation. A separate development goes to the nature of actionable conspiracies where the lines between vertical and horizontal agreements become blurred. The Apple e-Books saga, which came to an end in March 2016 when the Supreme Court denied cert., has important repercussions for the law in this space. We shall also address the ongoing debate about the reach of Section 5 of the FTC Act, which allows the FTC to reach beyond the Sherman Act to condemn unfair methods of competition. The FTC’s controversial 2015 statement of enforcement principles on Section 5 features here, and we shall ask whether it makes sense that the Justice Department and FTC can subject firms to distinct liability standards. We shall touch on pending legislation, the SMARTER Act, which touches upon those issues. A critical antitrust issue that remains unresolved is the scope of Noerr-Pennington immunity. Finally, we will discuss contemporary issues in healthcare-merger oversight.

LAW 3118 v00 Information Operations in the Cyber Age: Law and Policy

LL.M Seminar | 2 credit hours

Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, the spread of misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the threat of deep fakes have all increased government – and public – attention on the national security threats posed by both State and non-State actors use of information and disinformation. Whether referred to as propaganda, psychological operations, influence operations, or information warfare, States have used information to further their national security interests for many years.

While these activities are not new, cyber capabilities and modern communications technologies have increased both their reach and effectiveness. The use of data to micro-target audiences via social media, leveraging hacked and leaked information, the dissemination of non and misattributed messages to a mass audience, and the potential use of deep fakes all challenge current policy approaches and existing legal norms. This class will examine the U.S. domestic legal and policy issues, as well as the International legal issues, arising from the use of information and disinformation as an instrument of national power.

Learning Objectives

The learning objectives for the course are for students to:

• Become familiar with how States use information as an instrument of national power, to include past use of propaganda and modern use of disinformation.
• Appreciate how cyber capabilities have transformed the use of information by States, and the increased threats to national security posed by these activities.
• Gain an understanding of the domestic and international law governing State informational activities, including the limitations faced by the US Government imposed by the Constitution and US federal law.
• Understand the role of, and rules applicable to, private actors in monitoring and controlling online communication.
• Understand how to analyze the different information activities and the applicable legal regimes.

LAW 342 v03 Information Privacy Law

This course provides an introduction to information privacy law both on the books and on the ground. Topics covered include the common law, constitutional, and statutory foundations of U.S. information privacy law; philosophical bases for privacy protection; first amendment constraints on privacy law; information privacy compliance, enforcement, and regulatory practice; the European approach to privacy and data protection; privacy constraints on law enforcement activities; cybersecurity; and cross-border data flows. Special attention will be paid to issues raised by the information economy.

Learning goals for this course: Critical mastery of the existing doctrinal, statutory, regulatory, and policy landscapes and the complex interrelationships among them; critical mastery of the privacy compliance considerations that confront both private- and public-sector organizations; introduction to European information privacy and data protection law and the relationship between privacy and global information flows.

LAW 1294 v00 Information Technology and Modern Litigation

This course builds upon the reality that what a lawyer must know about the influence information technology has had on litigation cuts across the traditional boundaries between law school courses and will deal universally with the impact information technology has had on the management and trial of criminal, civil and administrative cases.

The course will deal with all the topics usually encompassed in so-called e-discovery, such as the meet and confer responsibility, format of production, claw back of privileged information, Rule 502 of the Federal Rules of Evidence, and preservation and sanctions. There will be a particular emphasis on the science of technology assisted review and its relationship to the reasonableness search and the implicit certification a lawyer makes under Rule 26(g) the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure by producing electronically stored information in response to a demand for it.

Throughout the course there will be practical exercises such as mock meet and confer or drafting and responding to a letter demanding the preservation of electronically stored information. The course will attempt to equip students with the practical ability to handle a case involving electronically stored information from its conception to trial.

Finally, the course will deal with the often ignored implications of electronically stored information for criminal cases. The manner in which law enforcement gathers information will be examined with a heavy emphasis on the constitutional implications of the collection of large amounts of data by law enforcement.

LAW 197 v00 Innovation, Technology, and International Financial Regulation

This course explores international finance and regulation as phenomena embedded in the concept of money.  As such, it provides an overview of the theory of money, and then explores key financial and regulatory developments tied to it, including banking and banking regulation.  A significant portion of the class will be spent exploring how these phenomena apply to digital assets, including native cryptocurrencies (e.g. Bitcoin), stablecoins and central bank digital currencies.  The course also addresses the intersection of financial regulation and international monetary law by surveying the 2008 financial crisis, the European debt crisis, recent attempts to internationalize the renminbi, and the future of the dollar as an international currency.

LAW 233 v01 Intellectual Property and Medicines

This course examines the special legal and policy issues arising from the use of intellectual property rights in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields. The course will cover: (1) U.S. case law impacting intellectual property, patents, trademarks and copyrights in drugs and biologics; (2) the interplay of the regulatory approval process for therapeutic products with intellectual property rights; (3) the Hatch-Waxman Act and its impact on how patent rights for pharmaceuticals are procured and enforced ; and (4) major legislative developments affecting the use of intellectual property rights in the drug, biotechnology and medical device fields, such as the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009 and the America Invents Act of 2011. Other topics may be included depending on current judicial or legislative developments. A background in biologics or pharmaceuticals is not required, although completion of a basic patent law or a food and drug law course is recommended.

Students will have the option of taking this course for either two or three credits. The three credit option will require a paper that satisfies the upperclass legal writing requirement in compliance with Law Center regulations. The two credit option will require completion of a final paper or of several shorter legal writing samples on student-selected or assigned topics.

LAW 1471 v00 Intellectual Property and Startup Law

This course explores key concepts of intellectual property, corporate, and securities law as applied to the startup business environment. We will examine the basic principles of patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret law. We will discuss the stages of the startup business cycle and evaluate the intellectual property, corporate, and securities issues relevant to each stage. This course explores the best practices and common mistakes of startups while pursuing intellectual property protection. Finally, the course focuses on client communication skills, including the clear articulation of complex legal problems to a startup client.

LAW 226 v00 Intellectual Property in World Trade

The knowledge, technological inventions, creative works and accumulated experience and expertise of the professional workforce increasingly drives the global economy. Unlike physical capital, this intellectual capital cannot readily be confined to the territorial setting of its origin. The development of cohesive norms to protect intellectual properties on a global basis has thus proven to be an enormous challenge. This course considers this effort by addressing the core international agreements governing intellectual property; norms and norm-making in the international intellectual property rights system; dispute settlement and the enforcement of rights; and tensions arising between intellectual property rights and distinct legal and cultural values.

LAW 2079 v00 International and Comparative Antitrust Law

More than a hundred countries have enacted competition laws and modeled their laws either on the U.S. or on the EU system. This course will focus on the U.S. and the EU antitrust regimes by comparing and contrasting their principles and procedures. Some other jurisdictions at the center of the international antitrust arena, such as China and Brazil, will also be discussed. This course will start with an overview of the institutional design and of the substantive standards applied by the FTC/DOJ in the U.S. and by the European Commission in the EU, and will then delve into various areas of antitrust law, with particular emphasis on cartels, horizontal and vertical restraints, abuse of dominance, and mergers. This course will also examine process and procedures in the U.S. and the EU, and consider practices that facilitate international cooperation in antitrust investigations.

Learning objectives:

Students attending this course (i) will receive an overview of the international dimension of the various areas of antitrust law (horizontal agreements; monopolization/abuse of dominance; mergers); (ii) will learn to compare and contrast antitrust principles and procedures of the two systems (EU and U.S.) that most have influenced antitrust laws and institutions around the world; (iii) will familiarize with new actors and current challenges of the international antitrust arena. As a result, students will learn how to navigate multi-jurisdictional antitrust matters.

LAW 780 v01 International and U.S. Customs Law

Whenever merchandise crosses an international border, it is subject to customs laws and procedures.  And with the grow of international trade and commerce over the years, customs laws and procedures have become increasingly more internationalized, important, and complex.  Therefore, knowledge of customs laws and procedures is important to the practice of international trade law.

This course will provide a basic introduction to the rules and principles relating to both international and U.S. customs laws and procedures.  This will include an examination and review of those rules and principles relating to tariff classification, customs valuation, rules of origin, border enforcement of intellectual property rights and regional trading arrangements.

International efforts to facilitate trade and to harmonize and simplify customs laws and procedures will be examined and reviewed together with international organizations dealing with international customs laws and procedures (such as the World Trade Organization and the World Customs Organization).

Customs authorities are the guardians of national borders.  The role of customs authorities in combating terrorism and criminal activity and in securing and safeguarding national borders will also be examined and reviewed.

There are no prerequisite courses required for this course. 

LAW 820 v01 International Protection of Intellectual Property Through the WTO

LL.M Course | 2 credit hours

This course deals with international protection of intellectual property through the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the WTO agreements which cover intellectual property: the TRIPS Agreement, The Paris Convention and the Berne Convention. The course will also cover the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the Dispute Settlement Understanding, which are essential in enforcing these agreements.

The course examines in detail the relevant U.S. law and how the extraterritorial application of these laws effects international enforcement of intellectual property. These laws are Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 which prohibits the importation of articles into the United States which infringe U.S. patents, trademarks, or copyrights, and Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 which allows retaliation against foreign countries which impose unjustifiable or unreasonable restrictions against U.S. commerce.

The main WTO cases in intellectual property will be read and analyzed. These will include the cases on Sections 337 and 301, which have limited the United States’ ability to unilaterally affect intellectual property law. Other cases will include the U.S. – Cuba Havana Club case, the Indian Pharmaceutical case, the Internet Gaming case, the U.S. Musical Copyright case, the European Geographical Indication (GI) case, the Canada Pharmaceutical patent case, and the China Intellectual Property Violation case. The course will study the Doha Agreement, which allows the compulsory licensing of pharmaceutical patents to fight pandemic diseases particularly HIV/AIDS. Finally, the course will review any significant changes in trade law or existing trade agreements, particularly as relates to intellectual property, that may occur under the Trump administration

LAW 708 v00 International Trade, Intellectual Property Rights, & Public Health

This course will cover the interface between the intellectual property rights, international trade and public health, focusing in particular on the WTO TRIPS Agreement and subsequent decisions, including on the Covid-19 vaccines waiver. It will provide an introduction to the provisions of WTO agreements relevant to public health (other than TRIPS), and to the law and economics relating to IPRs and public health; it will cover the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement relevant to public health, and discuss the relevant disputes settled in the WTO. It will examine the background, content and implications of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health and of the subsequent TRIPS amendment implementing compulsory licensing for exports. It will devote a session to Covid-19 and infectious disease pandemics. It will also discuss the relevance of bilateral or regional free trade area agreements to the subject.

The course would study relevant national/regional implementing legislation, for example on compulsory licenses, and discuss use of the WTO export compulsory license provisions. In addition to the final paper, students will be graded on class participation, individual presentations and group exercises. 

Finally, the course will also cover recent work on trade, intellectual property and public health in other intergovernmental organizations, in particular in the World Health Organization, including on-going negotiations of the pandemic treaty. 

LAW 1626 v00 Internet Law

Everything we do, we do at least some aspect of it online. From commerce to speech, internet companies intermediate our daily activities. In the process, internet companies are changing how we live. Is the internet a free speech zone protected by the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, or does it heed hate speech or political speech regulations from abroad? Can copyright law survive the worldwide copying machine of the internet? Is privacy dead when corporations know where you are and what you are doing nearly 24/7? Focusing on U.S. case law and statutes, this course examines the evolving law regulating internet enterprises. 

LAW 3130 v00 Investigating Transnational Criminal Organizations & National Security Threats in Cyberspace

As a rule, investigating and prosecuting cybercrime is fraught with challenges. Ephemeral electronic evidence, international evidence-gathering obstacles, and anonymizing technologies can frustrate conventional law enforcement investigative techniques. Recently, distinctions between traditional cybercrimes and crimes committed by foreign actors with national security objectives have eroded, creating new investigative challenges: cybercriminals and national security cyber actors now both steal information for personal financial gain; nation-states have reportedly enlisted criminal organizations to act as their proxies to conduct cyber attacks against United States companies; and the tradecraft used by some nation-state actors includes tools and tactics commonly used by cybercriminals, such as botnets and ransomware. The intersection between conventional cybercrimes and national security crimes with a cyber nexus raises novel legal and policy questions involving the extraterritoriality of criminal statutes, the application of international data privacy regulations, and the boundaries of international legal cooperation. Furthermore, the burgeoning role of private actors in data breach response and cyber threat intelligence gathering are altering how cyber offenses are investigated.

This course will take a practical look at how U.S. federal law enforcement pursues investigations and prosecutions of sophisticated cyber threat actors using investigative and prosecutorial criminal tools that at times are augmented by national security authorities. It will furnish a background in criminal statutes that are the bedrock of electronic evidence gathering (e.g., the Wiretap Act, 18 U.S.C. § 2510 et seq.; the Stored Communications Act, 18 U.S.C. § 2701 et seq.; and the Pen Register/Trap and Trace Act, 18 U.S.C. §  3121 et seq.); the substantive laws used to indict cyber actors (e.g., the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1030); the constitutional questions raised by surveillance techniques used to gather domestic evidence against international actors; and national security issues that prosecutors confront when handling hybrid criminal cases (e.g., discovery issues associated with the use of national security authorities). Students in this class will learn how a federal case against transnational cybercriminals and national security cyber actors is built and the legal landmines that can surface while gathering evidence in "cyberspace."

No technical background is required to take this course, but you will be taught the basics of Internet technology to better understand how technology affects the application of certain criminal laws.

LAW 1714 v00 Labor Law and the Changing US Workforce Seminar

This is a 2- credit seminar examining modern day labor law interpretation and enforcement, with a particular focus on how the National Labor Relations Act, an eight decade old statute, is being applied to the 21st century workforce. This course will examine the application of National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to the private sector workforce under Obama, Trump and Biden administrations. This will involve a study of the uniquely described “gig” workforce, joint employer status, independent contractors, graduate students, contingent and immigrant workers and others.  The course will explore the impact of working under modern business models, technological advancement, electronic communication and the effect of social media. We will examine the effectiveness of protections afforded to employees exercising their rights to address terms and conditions of employment, through their unions, and in non unionized workplaces by means of employee collective action. We will study how the Boards of several recent administrations applied the NLRA in this modern age.  We will also examine how a change in administration has affected the way the NLRA is interpreted and enforced.

The course is organized into general topic areas; in each two- or three-week unit we will focus on a particular issue, such as:

•  statutory framework of the NLRA and its rights and limits
• concerted activity for mutual aid and protection .
• the cyber workplace: new technologies & challenges.
• the “gig” economy, students, immigrants, contingent workers.
• identifying who is classified as an employee and employer.

There are no prerequisites although labor law is recommended.

By the end of the semester, students should be able to do the following:

• Demonstrate a general understanding of the impact that modern business models, technological advancement, electronic communication and changing administrations has on how laws are interpreted and applied to the modern workforce.
• Recognize how the NLRB and other agencies charged with providing worker protections have changed over time and understand what has driven those changes.
• Critically assess legal and historical scholarship on the NLRB and courts’ role in interpreting and enforcing the labor laws.
• Critically assess the structure and intent of key elements of the NLRA and its effectiveness in the modern workplace.
• Respond constructively to classmates’ questions, comments, and ideas.

LAW 1400 v00 Law and Business of Television

An in-depth study of television industry legal concepts, contracts, business structures and economic models, focusing on the role of the attorney in the development and production of television programs; the relationships among attorneys, agents and entertainment executives that govern television; the legal issues innate in the of development and production of television programs; and topics involving the distribution of television product in ancillary markets (such as digital media and the role of so-called “backend” profit accounting). Class will focus both on academic and theoretical underpinnings of legal and business concepts as well as practical practitioner/clinical points-of-view (including negotiations).

LAW 199 v03 Law and Regulation of Drugs, Biologics and Devices

This course explores the legal, regulatory and policy issues that shape the research, development, and commercialization of drugs, biologics, and medical devices in the United States. We will consider the history and role of federal regulation of medical technologies; legal and ethical issues in the development and testing of new therapies; managing incentives for innovation, including patent, regulatory and data exclusivity; tort liability and its function in the regulation of the life sciences industry; and other issues. We will explore these issues using real-world examples, including the government and industry response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

LAW 1469 v00 Merger Antitrust Law

This is a course on identifying and resolving antitrust problems that arise in mergers and acquisitions. Using case studies of contemporary transactions ranging from simple negotiated acquisitions to hard-fought contested takeovers, we will examine anticipating antitrust problems and identifying possible defenses and solutions at the early stage of a deal when information is typically scare, performing more detailed analyses when more information becomes available, organizing the prosecution/defense of a transaction, navigating the DOJ/FTC merger review process, anticipating and structuring consent decree settlements, litigating merger antitrust cases, and negotiating provisions in merger agreements to allocate antitrust risk between the parties. The case studies will include such recent high-profile transactions as Hertz/Avis Budget/Dollar Thrifty, Halliburton/Baker Hughes, Staples/Office Depot, American Airlines/USAir, Comcast/NBCUniversal, Anheuser-Busch InBev/Grupo Modelo, Anthem/Cigna, and Nielsen/Arbitron. The course will be sufficiently self-contained for students interested in business combinations who have not taken an antitrust course. There will be several short, graded assignments throughout the course and a five-hour, open book, take-home examination at the end of the course.

By the end of the course, a diligent student should be able to do the following:

• Perform a preliminary merger analysis, spotting at a high-level both potential substantive issues and possible remedies, in common transaction scenarios involving public companies given only publicly available facts.
• Describe the merger review process from the filing of an HSR premerger notification report through a preliminary investigation, second request investigation, and final arguments to the heads of the investigating agency. If the agency concludes that the deal has antitrust problems, be able to describe the process for negotiating consent decree relief.
• Understand the major theories of antitrust harm that apply to mergers and acquisitions and the major types of defenses available to the merging parties and be able to apply them to an arbitrary transaction.
• Structure a merger antitrust challenge (as the investigating staff) and a merger antitrust defense (as defense counsel) before the decision-making officials at the DOJ and FTC.
• Anticipate and structure a consent decree remedy minimally satisfactory to the DOJ and FTC in light of their expressed concerns about a transaction.
• Describe the basic considerations and timing implications of litigating a merger antitrust case, the standards for granting preliminary and permanent injunctive relief, what the government and the merging parties each must show to prevail, and the allocation of the burden of proof (both persuasion and going forward) between the two sides, and the strategic and tactical implications of these factors to the prosecution and defense of a merger antitrust case in court.
• Describe the legal and strategic significance of the antitrust-relation provisions in an Agreement and Plan of Merger (e.g., reps and warranties on antitrust-related consents and approvals, merger control and litigation conditions precedents, general efforts covenants, conduct of business covenants, merger control filing covenants, investigation and litigation cooperation covenants, shift-shifting covenants (including covenants to divest businesses or assets if necessary to avoid an agency challenge or settle a litigation), antitrust reverse termination fees, purchase price adjustments for divestitures, damages for breach of antitrust-related covenants, ticking fees, “take or pay” provisions, termination provisions).

LAW 3156 v00 National Security Cyber Law & Policy: Encouraging Responsible State Conduct in Cyberspace

The seminar will address the pernicious problem of malicious use of the Internet by States and the efforts both internationally and domestically to use law and policy to define responsible state behavior in cyberspace. Students will learn about the framework on Responsible State Use of ICTs developed in two United Nations cyber working group processes and will discuss U.S. and other countries’ domestic efforts to deter malicious state activity below the use of force, including the use of diplomatic, law enforcement, military, and economic tools.

Students will discuss the applicability to state cyber operations of international rules and principles, including sovereignty, non-intervention, and the prohibition on the use of force, and will consider the thresholds under the law of state responsibility for potential response options, including the differences among unfriendly acts, retorsions, and countermeasures. The class will also explore the concept of due diligence. In an interconnected world, a state’s failure to act—whether to secure its own systems or to take steps to address malicious activity that is emanating from its territory—can also be destabilizing. The class will consider several contexts—hacking by non-state malicious actors, disinformation on social media, and poor private sector cybersecurity—and discuss whether there is a requirement or expectation for states to ensure that information and communications technology infrastructure in their territory is not used to inflict significant harm on another state.

LAW 972 v03 National Security Law

This introductory, survey course will explore national security law as developed from the U.S. Constitution, relevant federal statutes, case law, and historical experience, as well as from principles and influences of international law and foreign relations.  It will cover key components of, and debates over, the Federal Government’s exercise of national security authorities, including: decisions to use force and how to employ it; detention and interrogation of combatants; collection, protection, and sharing of intelligence; military and civilian prosecutions for national security-related criminal charges, including terrorism, espionage, export control, and state-sponsored cybercrimes; civil litigation involving national security interests and concerns; protection of homeland security; and economic aspects of national security policy. Themes of the course will include: (1) the separation of powers among the three branches of the Federal Government, and appropriate roles for these branches in the conduct of national security activities; (2) the interplay between international law and domestic law; (3) textual, historical, and functional modes of legal argument as applied to national security issues; and (4) the evolution of modern warfare and its implications for relevant legal regimes. 

Course Goals/Student Learning Outcomes:

This course will provide students with exposure to the broad reach of modern national security law in the United States, and the many as-yet unresolved and knotty legal, policy, practical, and moral issues that arise as the Government strives to protect national security, while preserving the generally free and open society that most U.S. persons expect.  Students will examine with a critical eye the justifications offered for, and scope of, security-based governmental actions, while considering practical alternatives and results.

The student learning outcomes will be the following:

• Analyze current and emerging issues in national security law, and understand the policy arguments underlying the balance of ensuring security and protecting individual rights
• Assess the justifications offered for, and scope of, security-based governmental actions
• Examine the effects that national security measures have on individual rights of U.S. citizens and non-citizens, and on U.S. institutions, norms, and governance.

LAW 1151 v00 National Security Lawyering Seminar

This course will examine the substantive, ethical, moral, procedural, and practical challenges of practicing national security law in the government. Government national security and foreign affairs lawyers have significant influence on operational and policy decision-making, but generally encounter fewer external checks and less oversight than lawyers in other areas. Because of threshold doctrines such as standing and political question, courts address national security legal questions relatively rarely. There are few timely, formal checks in the area of international law, which develops over time and by consensus and often lacks a direct enforcement mechanism. In addition, much of the subject matter about which national security lawyers provide advice is classified, which can limit the scrutiny of legal analysis by Congress, the press, and the public. Therefore, national security lawyers, who provide advice on what are often extremely high stakes and difficult legal issues, shoulder a great deal of responsibility to carry out their roles ethically and effectively.

The course will use case studies and hypotheticals to explore these important challenges. Students will discuss a variety of issues, including: the players and process of national security legal decision-making; flexibility, constraint, and accountability for the national security lawyer; the challenges in providing balanced advice; whether and when it is appropriate to “push the envelope” on legal advice; the impact of secrecy on legal advice and decision-making; the importance of transparency about national security legal advice and why it is so difficult; prosecution, litigation, and national security; the appropriate role of lawyers and the law in the national security policymaking process; lawyering when the law is not developed; and the challenges and responsibilities of lawyering during war and other national security crises.

Students will be graded on several short reaction papers and one longer final paper. Class discussion will also be considered in grading.

LAW 3148 v00 Negotiating Durable International Business Contracts

As firms from developed countries expand overseas, there is a growing demand for lawyers able to negotiate two types of contracts of increasing importance worldwide: contracts governing international joint-ventures and contracts governing investment by firms in countries other than their own, in particular in developing countries.

The purpose of this experiential course is to make it possible for LL.M. students to acquire the practical knowledge and to hone the skills needed to serve effectively in teams negotiating such contracts.

To this end, the course will be structured around three simulated negotiations of increasing difficulty:

• A simulated negotiation focused on the international licensing of a medical technology, because the transfer of technology is an increasingly important dimension of international joint-ventures and of foreign investments.
• A simulated negotiation focused on the formation of an international joint-venture to produce and commercialize green hydrogen based upon a new technology.
• A simulated negotiation focused on an investment by a firm from a developed country, into an oil-rich developing country, to make it possible to transform gas currently flared, a major source of pollution, into non-polluting products of significant commercial value.

For each simulated negotiation, the class will be divided into two teams that will negotiate with each other. The composition of the teams will differ for each simulated negotiation. During the simulated negotiations, each student will serve at least once as spokesperson for her/his team, engaging the other team on specific issues. After each simulated negotiation, the students who were not spokespersons will draft a memorandum of understanding summarizing what the parties agreed upon.

By the end of the course, the students:

• Will have gained an understanding of: a) the main issues that arise in the negotiation of each type of contract mentioned above (international joint venture; foreign direct investment), and b) the usual contractual ways to address such issues.
• Will have honed three main types of skills: a) analysis skills required to design contracts that help both parties in a negotiation reach key strategic objectives; b) interpersonal skills required to constructively engage the other side during a negotiation; and c) writing skills needed to prepare memorandums of understanding (MoUs) that will be a solid basis for the drafting of durable contracts.

LAW 1429 v00 Patent Appeals at the Federal Circuit

J.D. Seminar | 3 credit hours

This seminar will teach you the mechanics, strategy, and process of filing, briefing, and arguing a patent appeal before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, from the initial notice of appeal through requests for rehearing. We will also provide an in-depth look at the Court, common issues that arise during appeals, and best practices for crafting effective briefs and presenting oral argument. In lieu of an exam, each student will write  a shortened   appellate brief and present   oral argument before  a   panel of appellate judges and/or practitioners, for an invaluable hands-on opportunity to practice the skills and theories we discuss. As part of the process, we will  also  meet with you one-on-one to provide feedback on your draft briefs, which will total between 6,500 and 7,500 words and are intended to fulfill the upper-level writing requirement.

LAW 332 v04 Patent Law

The patent law is a regime of private regulation, initiated by individual inventors and resulting in proprietary interests in an increasingly ambitious range of human endeavor. This course provides a thorough review of the requisites of patentability, including eligible subject matter, utility, novelty, nonobviousness and disclosure. It then turns to patent enforcement issues, including claim interpretation, the doctrine of equivalents and remedies. Most inventors seek to obtain proprietary rights in multiple jurisdictions, so the course includes considerable coverage of comparative and international patent law. A traditional technological background is neither required nor recommended as a prerequisite to enroll in this course.

LAW 332 v05 Patent Law

This course is designed for those who intend to specialize in the intellectual property field. It includes an analysis of trade secret law, inventorship and ownership of inventions, subject matter eligible for patenting, requirements for valid and enforceable patents, patent claim construction and direct and indirect patent infringement. The Advanced Patent Law Seminar is recommended to complete the student’s overview of patent law.

LAW 333 v02 Patent Licensing

Patent licenses achieve different business objectives in a range of settings. This seminar first covers patent licensing and related agreements in establishing a company’s intellectual property from start-up through later growth phases. We then probe the role of patent licensing to transfer technology in and out of a company or university and in relations with others in the marketplace. We examine the elements of a patent license in detail. Limits on patent licensing and practice imposed by supply chain considerations, antitrust law, misuse, and connections with settlements are analyzed. Finally, we look at legal principles and strategies that impact patent licensing in several sectors of a knowledge-based economy. These sectors include biotechnology, software, standards setting, and patent assertion entities in the secondary IP market. We look at patent licensing in current open innovation and IP-enabled business models too. Guest speakers will also be drawn upon for specific topics. Students will complete an in-class negotiation and license drafting assignment. A cumulative final take-home exam will be given.

LAW 387 v01 Patent Prosecution Practice and Strategy

This skills and writing course will focus on the practical and strategic aspects of patent preparation and prosecution before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and the effects of prosecution decisions on patent enforceability. Claim drafting and responding to Office Actions with an eye towards enforcement will be a primary focus, and both will be addressed with short practical writing assignments. Coverage of the appeal process will include preparing a final written Appeal Brief (in compliance with 37 CFR § 41.37) and making oral arguments before a mock panel of Administrative Law Judges. Among other topics, the strategic use of the post issuance reissue, reexamination and post-grant review procedures, especially in anticipation of litigation, will also be addressed. Given the range of competencies covered and type of work assigned, this course is recommended for students who intend to practice patent or IP law.

LAW 1227 v00 Payment Systems: Law, Technology, and Policy

Payments are the most ubiquitous type of transaction: every movement of money is a payment. This course introduces students to the technologies used to move money in domestic and international transactions and the law governing such transactions.  The course provides students with an in-depth look at the major consumer and business payment systems: cash, checks, debit cards, credit cards, wire transfers, automated clearinghouse transactions, cryptocurrencies (focused on Bitcoin and Ether), and peer-to-peer systems like PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle. For each of the payment systems, the course explores how federal, state, and private law and technology determine (1) risk allocation for fraud and error, (2) speed and finality of payment, (3) privacy of payments (including anti-money laundering regulations), (4) the effect of making payment on contractual and tort obligations, and (5) the cost and cost-allocation of effectuating payment.  Particular attention will be given to the key policy debates regarding payments. 

LAW 1360 v00 Policing in the 21st Century: Law Enforcement, Technology and Surveillance

J.D. Seminar | 2 credit hours

Government agencies have broad powers to act for the public good. This includes the ability to investigate individuals and organizations and to conduct surveillance about their activities, a capacity strengthened by recent technological advances. But the ability to perform these functions is limited by various constitutional protections, including the First Amendment, Fourth Amendment, and various statutory laws.

This course will explore the intersection of contemporary surveillance practices with the need to safeguard civil liberties. The course will place special emphasis on the ways in which surveillance is used to control and manage populations of people, the intersection between mass incarceration and surveillance, and the communities that experience the greatest degree of scrutiny. Throughout the course, we will investigate how race, faith, national origin, immigration status, penal status, class and other categories fundamentally shape who is being watched and why.

The course will begin with an exploration of privacy law and the limits that apply to surveillance practices, both electronic and non-electronic. We will examine free speech and freedom of expression under the First Amendment, search and seizure under the Fourth Amendment, and relevant statutory and regulatory laws. We will then explore an array of surveillance and policing practices.

We will also discuss how lawmakers, advocates and local communities are pushing back against overreaching policies, and situate these calls for reform amidst broader social and political movements, including Black Lives Matter. Our texts will include a variety of sources ranging from case law, legal scholarship, government manuals, and coalition letters to podcasts, TED Talks, and investigative journalism.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Introduce some of the major issues in state surveillance, law enforcement, and privacy, and critically examine different approaches to these issues;

2. Test our approaches against current and rapidly developing surveillance practices, both electronic and nonelectronic;

3. Explore the intersection between mass incarceration and surveillance, and the war on crime and the war on terror;

4. Understand how surveillance practices are used to profile and monitor particular communities, including on account of race, faith, national origin, immigration status, penal status, class and other categories;

5. Examine different methods for challenging surveillance; 6. Anticipate the durability of these methods going forward.

LAW 361 v10 Professional Responsibility: The American Legal Profession in the 21st Century: Technology, Markets, and Democracy

This class considers lawyers’ professional responsibilities through the lens of legal practice in the 21st Century. During the last decade, economic forces and the emergence of new technologies have roiled the legal services sector. At the same time, the pandemic has exposed an ever-deepening crisis in access to civil justice, experienced by a large portion of Americans. Meanwhile in the political sphere, lawyers have been enlisted in the service of anti-democratic forces that threaten the rule of law.  The course will be devoted to discussing what these trends mean for the regulation of lawyers and law as a profession. This course satisfies the professional responsibility requirement, but is not intended to prepare you for the MPRE.

LAW 2054 v00 Regulation of Commodities and Derivatives Markets

This course will focus on US federal and state laws and regulations affecting commodities ( e.g. , energy, GHG emissions, agriculture, metals, forex, cryptocurrency) and the related derivatives ( i.e. , swaps, futures, and options) markets. Topics include: (1) overview of the origins of derivatives and commodity trading generally; (2) the concepts of hedging and speculation; (3) the evolution of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (CEA); (4) the current jurisdiction of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the post-Dodd-Frank world; (5) application of commodity trading and derivatives statutes, regulations and Congressional proposals for new products, such as bitcoin, blockchain and other FinTech innovations; (6) analysis of energy and emissions-based derivatives as well as ESG and climate change mitigation policies; (7) discussion of recent developments in exchange trading, such as De-Fi and event contract trading; (8) registration and regulation of market participants, such as brokers, hedge fund operators, investment advisers, swap dealers, cryptocurrency intermediaries; (9) administrative and injunctive enforcement powers involving violations of the CEA; (10) current developments in self-regulatory oversight; (11) documentation of derivatives (e.g., ISDA) and commodity transactions; and (12) foreign market access to commodity and derivatives trading and developments in the EU and Asia.

Students who complete this course will have a solid understanding of the CEA and CFTC’s rules and regulations under the CEA as well as federal relevant cases. In addition to learning the black-letter law, the students will learn how derivatives and commodities markets work in the US and overseas and how securities, energy, emissions, agricultural and financial markets interact with these markets. Through a series of in-class exercises culminating with the final paper students will develop their research, analytical and writing skills.

LAW 940 v00 Securities Law and the Internet

The Internet has become more important than ever to today’s investors. Similar to the change ATM machines brought to retail banking, the Internet has now given Investors the ability to trade without human interaction. Over the last several decades this change has dramatically reduced transaction costs (commission and time), but securities regulators must constantly play catch up. Consequently, in the area of securities, investments, finance and commerce, the Internet can often seem akin to the Wild West, with the pioneers and entrepreneurs struggling within an uncharted territory of the securities laws. This course focuses on four important areas of concern for the securities lawyer: offerings conducted over the Internet, including via more opaque SPAC vehicles, and the impact of the 2012 JOBS Act; trading facilities and market centers operating over the Internet and the increasingly dark market; giving investment advice over the Internet and the importance of social media; and SEC Enforcement issues and the Internet. This course covers the nuts and bolts of the securities laws in each of the areas, and then applies existing statutes, rules and regulations to ongoing Internet activities. Finally, we will explore the growing debate over the current and potential increased regulation of cryptocurrencies and other digital assets and how various regulators fall into the existing regulatory framework.

LAW 1746 v01 Social Media Law

This course offers an understanding of social media law in the face of disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence, extended reality, and blockchain.  For the first time in history, anyone with an internet connection can speak and be heard across the globe in seconds, by audiences of one to one million.  Traditionally in-person activities are going digital, as the Super Bowl held a virtual halftime show with Saweetie, and South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol generated huge campaign buzz with his avatar AI Yoon.  User-generated content is also changing, as generative AI companies like Midjourney and ChatGPT can turn you into Frida Kahlo or Shakespeare with just a written prompt.  This is only the beginning—haptics will allow users to physically feel their online interactions, while companies like Meta and Google are experimenting with AI that interprets brain waves. In this course, we will examine these developments through a legal lens, discussing issues like Section 230, the First Amendment, antitrust, and privacy laws.  Students will also leave the course conversant in the economic and policy considerations that frame regulatory discussions in the space, including platform business models, the creator economy, and national security concerns. As social media and the internet increasingly swallow all aspects of public life, lawyers of all stripes will need to tackle the new challenges that arise. This course is an all-important first step.

LAW 1746 v00 Social Media Law Seminar

Never before have so many individuals had such a tremendous opportunity to access information, to engage with others, and to express their views on a global scale. Simultaneously, 24/7 online access means that actors can more easily manipulate networks, foment hatred, reach audiences poised to engage in violence, and spread false information. Platforms seemingly protected by the First Amendment, moreover, can be used to undermine and destabilize democratic systems and to radicalize and recruit adherents to violent causes. The risks to national security could be profound.

Does the government have the right to remove content from these sites? Can it require the same of private actors? What should the role of the platforms themselves be in light of the enormous political, social, and economic implications of restricting—or failing to restrict—online speech and association? What options are there for dealing with false, misleading, or manipulative information? What are the risks posed by the different courses of action? How should we think about traditional areas of the law, such as antitrust, when agreement among social media providers results in effective de-platforming of certain individuals and views? What are the privacy implications of micro-targeting and social media evolution in the advertising and marketing arena? And what happens when effective targeting is moved to a political realm?

The issue is far from static: technology is catapulting social media forward at warp speed. 5G and 6G networks will make it possible to deploy online experiences previously cabined to science fiction. A number of apps such as Snapchat, have integrated real time digital overlay features, as augmented reality (AR) blends the digital and 3-Dimensional world. Apple has deployed Quick Look AR that allows customers to “see” products in AR, interact with others, and buy the products directly. Users already can build virtual worlds, in games such as Minecraft, Roblox, Fortnight, and Second Life. Niantic is now taking it to the next level, developing what it calls full-world AR, leveraging Pokemon GO to crowdsource data to generate 3D space. Google glasses and Facebook Smart Glasses transform AR to a feature of daily 3D interaction. These devices allow companies to collect engagement metrics and to use them to further target users.

The move to virtual reality will be even more profound. Patents have been filed for collecting biopotential signals, tracking muscle and eye movements to re-create individuals’ expressions and actions in an online environment. Others allow users to feel digital images in a 3D world, integrating the experience. The recording of what is done in the VR allows users to share the experience with others, even as hardware attached to other users will be able to mimic the experiences of the original user. How should we think about brain computing and online actions in light of criminal law?

In short, how should we think about social media in light of the current constitutional, statutory, and regulatory environment?

This course begins with a deep dive into technology and the business of social media before turning to First Amendment doctrine and contemporary social media cases. It then looks at issues related to misinformation and disinformation and electoral manipulation, with a particular emphasis on Russian and Chinese practices in regard to social media.

The course mixes traditional lecture background with Socratic exchange and intense debates. Students taking it for 2 credits (either p/f or for credit) will draft 8 1-page, weekly response essays for the readings. Students taking it for 3 credits will have the opportunity to develop a longer paper with the aim of developing a law review article that could be submitted for publication. Those students will also have the chance to present their work to the class for feedback.

Learning outcomes :

As a result of taking the course, students will be able to:

• articulate the opportunities and risks presented by social media;
• ascertain ways in which online platforms challenge our traditional understanding of the First Amendment;
• analyze how criminal law provisions apply to the online environment;
• identify the privacy concerns at stake in new and emerging technologies and discuss how they fit within prominent paradigms, such as the DGPR and CalECPA;
• discuss the application of antitrust measures to deplatforming and verification regimes;
• advance a legal position, identify the strongest counter-arguments, and respond; and
• advocate ways in which the doctrine should evolve to take account of the rapidly-changing world in which we live.

LAW 406 v00 Space Law Seminar

This seminar addresses the international and domestic laws governing outer space. Class discussion will include issues such as: liability for damage caused by space objects, use of outer space resources, rescue of astronauts and return of objects launched into outer space, environmental issues in outer space, and other more specific topics such as NASA and the International Space Station, commercial space operations, U.S. Government agencies involved in outer space, and the role of the United Nations in outer space.

LAW 4001 v00 State Cyber Operations and Responses

This course will examine the applicable international and domestic law to State actions in cyberspace, including affirmative State actions such as intelligence collection, information warfare, and cyber effects operations; the responses by victim States and entities; and responses by private actors in the United States. The course will specifically delve into the international legal regimes pertaining to State sovereignty and the United Nations Charter; draft Articles of State responsibility and the doctrine of prohibited intervention; responsive actions under the doctrines of countermeasures, retorsion, and reprisal; and the application of the Jus-In-Bello. Additionally, the course will review current U.S. domestic law governing both actions by the U.S. government in cyberspace, whether in offense or defense, as well as limitations on response options by private entities. These legal and policy regimes will be explored through historic case studies and hypotheticals with a focus on analysis of those areas where there are competing views and interpretations. Students will assess the various legal and policy regimes through the lens of multiple actors, both States and non-States, with constantly evolving and advancing technology.

LAW 1630 v00 Strategic Responses to Data Breach: "We've Been Hacked!"

This hands-on course will explore the fast-paced, high-stakes field of data breach response. Data breaches wreak havoc at organizations of all shapes and sizes in both the public and private sectors. From hospitals and financial institutions to military installations and civilian government agencies, entities face sophisticated adversaries and a diverse range of threats. Few organizations are prepared to manage and respond to an incident. This lack of preparation and experience can turn an already high-pressure event into a full-scale crisis.

Legal experts who can provide clients with sound advice and pragmatic guidance are in high demand but there remains a dearth of lawyers with the relevant training and experience to navigate the barrage of issues that surface following an incident. This course examines the full range of challenges and questions that counsel may face, from legal compliance to risk mitigation and reputational damage.

The course will introduce the subject, focusing on the types of breaches organizations may experience and some basic technical issues. The overview is followed by a deep dive into the myriad legal issues that arise. Most notably, we’ll explore how different governments regulate breach response activities and the challenging patchwork of requirements. Other issues include: mitigating the risk of liability and potential litigation; coordinating with law enforcement; working with human resources; and examining contractual and other obligations of third parties. The course then turns to a dizzying array of policy and strategic issues: public relations and communications; government affairs; managing the investigation; coordinating with technical teams; assessing risk to potentially impacted individuals; and effective breach notification. Real world scenarios and actual data breaches will be used and referenced throughout the course to illustrate different points. By the end of the course students should be able to enter the job market prepared to develop and execute a comprehensive data breach response strategy.

• Understand the legal and regulatory framework that governs data breach response in the United States and other jurisdictions.
• Appreciate the importance of establishing and following clear policies for addressing a data breach.
• Be prepared to pivot back and forth between the legal and practical functions necessary to address a serious incident.
• Be able to manage a data breach response team composed of a range of stakeholders with potentially inconsistent priorities.
• Tailor response strategies to different types of data breaches from a lost laptop or an insider threat to the exfiltration of sensitive data by organized crime.
• Learn how to identify, assess, and mitigate the risk of harm to potentially impacted individuals as well as to the organization itself.
• Become comfortable with making high-stakes decisions in short time frames and with incomplete information.

LAW 1348 v00 Strategically Managing Intellectual Property: A Study of IP in Business Transactions

The class will address the need for companies and individual creators to strategically manage their intellectual property assets. Students will study approaches to managing patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets through the spectrum of activities including creation and ownership of intellectual property; its acquisition, sale and license; due diligence and disclosure issues; protection and enforcement of rights; and litigation. The class will cover case law and real world business dynamics and provide students with insights into the role and responsibilities of in-house counsel and outside lawyers in this process. As part of the course, there will be an assignment of a corporate case study project to teams of at least two students. It will involve communication with legal representatives from the companies in the study project who have agreed to be available to the students.

Students will be evaluated based on class attendance and individual class participation; team participation and completion of team written and oral presentations related to the corporate case studies; and written assignments including a final individual paper.

By the conclusion of the course, students will have the ability to apply intellectual property law effectively in business situations and also gain experience with some of the skills necessary in counseling business executives, inventors and others about their intellectual property assets.

LAW 1706 v00 Surveillance and Civil Rights (Fieldwork Practicum)

J.D. Practicum | 6 credit hours

If you have ever taken advantage of basic government services, your personal information is part of a massive trove of data that local, state and federal agencies share with one another through a variety of overlapping networks, databases and bureaucratic collaboratives. Large corporations also build and sell their own datasets to government agencies, along with powerful technologies -- like face recognition and automated license plate readers -- which operate on that data.

This surveillance infrastructure has been built over the course of the last 30 years, for the most part without any oversight or accountability, let alone transparency to the public. At the same time as we seem to be arriving at a moment of socio-political consensus about the need to fundamentally rethink our most brutal systems of social control, we are also on the verge of the total suffusion of these other invisible systems of coercion in our lives.

In this fieldwork practicum, students will be placed at one of several non-profit organizations working to expose and mitigate the impact of mass surveillance on historically marginalized communities. Potential hosts include national, regional and local organizations that focus on surveillance as an aspect of mass deportation and mass incarceration. Projects may include legal and policy research, litigation support, report writing, legislative drafting and analysis, public records requests, and oral advocacy with state and federal policy makers.

Weekly seminars will alternate between case rounds, where students workshop questions and problems drawn from their field work, and discussions based on assigned readings. Assigned readings will focus on (1) substantive legal and policy questions related to surveillance and civil rights, and (2) ethical and political questions related to the practice of law in contexts of social injustice.

Through seminar and fieldwork, students can expect to engage deeply with questions such as:

• Where does the authorization for large scale surveillance by federal immigration authorities come from? Do the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Department of Homeland Security authorizing statutes, or other federal and state surveillance statutes  and case law, alone or taken together, actually provide legal grounding for the large scale, warrantless surveillance of immigrant communities?
• What are the civil rights implications of DHS’s new mandatory DNA collection policy?
• What are the Fourth Amendment protections for geolocation information post-Carpenter?
• How does information sharing across law enforcement agencies nationwide actually happen and what policy interventions can communities impacted by over policing advocate for?
• What is the extent of the federal government’s dependence on corporate surveillance and what are the political implications of that dependence?
• What are some strategies for forcing corporate surveillance companies to disclose information about their products, practices, and contracts?
• What does it mean to lawyer ethically in a context of radical inequality and political corruption?

And students will develop the following skills:

• Creative techniques for researching  surveillance technologies and the opaque procurement practices through which they are adopted;
• Persuasive writing for policymakers and a general audience;
• The ability to understand the administrative rules governing the deployment of complex federal technology systems;
• Legislative analysis and drafting;
• How to develop research strategies that can support community-led organizing and advocacy.

LAW 976 v00 Taxation of Intellectual Property

This course covers the tax treatment applicable to the development, purchases, sales, transfers, licensing, and valuation of intellectual property (IP), such as patents, trade secrets, trademarks, copyrights, and computer software. It will begin with a brief introduction to the field of intellectual property for those unfamiliar with this area of law, along with the policies behind U.S. and foreign taxation of intellectual property.  Specific tax areas then covered will include some or all of the following: the different tax treatment afforded to the development, acquisitions, and transfer of IP; cross-border IP transaction issues; transfer pricing considerations; and considerations relating to other non-federal areas of taxation.

Students should come away from the course with a substantial working knowledge of how IP is integrated into basic and advanced tax transactions, what are the hot areas for IP tax planning, and how to spot issues relating to IP assets in multinational organizational structures. 

LAW 1656 v00 Technology and Election Integrity Seminar

This course will examine the security requirements for voting systems (particularly those used for civil elections in the United States), how various technology designs and implementations meet or fail to meet these requirements, and how such systems can be improved. The course will focus on the implications of various vote-casting technologies ("voting machines") as well as the "backend" election management systems and processes that define ballots, register voters, provision precinct equipment, and count and report vote tallies. While it will not be our main focus, we will also examine the interaction between modern social media and foreign and domestic influence operations aimed at affecting election outcomes.

We will devote particular attention to understanding how the legal framework and historical threat models for elections relate to specific technical requirements, how technical failures can affect election outcomes, and the limitations of various remedies when such failures occur. We will look at a range of formal and informal proposed designs for election systems, specific systems that have been or are currently in active use, and various studies that have been made of these systems and designs. The course will focus on technical security issues, but will also touch on usability, threat modeling, and legal and governance issues. 

Our primary reference will be the 2018 National Academies study "Securing the Vote" as well as readings drawn from the technical, legal, and policy literature. 

Student papers will focus on some issue at the intersection of technology and voting, depending on the specific background and interests of the student. 

LAW 3170 v00 Technology and Society Impact Lab (Project-Based Practicum)

LL.M. Practicum | 3 credit hours

In this interdisciplinary, inter-school, interdepartmental, inter-campus, innovative course, students from across Georgetown work together in teams on high-impact projects aimed at bending the path of technological progress toward human flourishing, justice, and equality, and away from suffering, injustice, and bias. Students in the course will consult with and serve partners such as nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and individuals, selected to maximize both pedagogical value and societal and individual impact. Possibilities include organizations such as Upturn or the Center on Privacy and Technology; government agencies such as State Attorneys General; and individuals such as criminal defendants. Students in the course will develop, lead, organize, and execute hands-on projects with close guidance from the Professors and fellows.

The beneficiaries of the course will be: (1) the students, who will develop leadership, organization, and cross-disciplinary collaboration skills, subject matter expertise, and a humanistic orientation toward technology and society that will guide them throughout their careers; (2) the partners, who will benefit from the work the class produces; and (3) broader communities who will benefit from the impact we have on technology policy and law debates.

The course is open to students from across Georgetown University. It is open for enrollment by professor permission only. Prospective students interested in learning more or those ready to apply for a seat should email Jon Brescia at [email protected] . Several seats are reserved for students in the CCT Department and in the MLT degree program of the Law Center. Graduate students (Masters or Doctoral) are the intended audience. This is intended to be a graduate- and professional-level course and will not ordinarily be open to undergraduate students. In extraordinary circumstances, Seniors and Juniors of the Georgetown University College of Arts & Sciences can apply for enrollment, subject to professor permission. Only undergraduates with direct relevant experience and faculty recommendations will be considered.

This is a three-credit course. Two credits will be awarded for the two-hour-thirty-minute weekly seminar and one credit will be awarded for approximately 5 hours of supervised project work per week, for a minimum of 11 weeks. Both the seminar and the project work will be graded.

SEMINAR: Students will meet for two hours, thirty minutes each week in a seminar format to discuss their project work and to develop a broader framework for thinking about issues at the intersection of law, technology, and policy. Because this is not a traditional law school course, not all of the seminar materials will be legal in nature. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CLASS WILL MEET ACROSS TOWN ON MAIN CAMPUS! LAW STUDENTS SHOULD FACTOR IN THE COMMUTE ACROSS TOWN WHEN DECIDING TO APPLY FOR THIS COURSE . The course will meet in Car Barn 172.

PROJECT WORK: This will be an advanced and intensive course. Students will work closely in teams to conduct the research requested by our project partners, as shaped and elaborated by the professors. All students will produce a work-product portfolio. The portfolio will ask the student teams to reflect upon and write clearly about all of the following: (a) a concise summary of their findings; (b) a description of the history of prior work by others relating to the question explored; (c) a reflection on the impact of the findings for the work of their partner organization; (d) a reflection on the impact of the findings for the field in general; (e) a list of potential future follow-up studies, setting an agenda for future work by these same students or future students in the course.

LAW 1862 v00 Technology Law and Policy Colloquium: Content and Platforms

This course is a small, intense colloquium featuring outside speakers presenting scholarly works-in-progress. 

The focus of this year’s colloquium will be legal and policy issues relating to, and stemming from, the intersection and interaction of laws regulating content (i.e., copyright, trademark, and rights of publicity), and the laws regulating content distribution platforms (like Amazon and Netflix), including social media platforms (like Twitter, Facebook, and Tik-Tok). Topics may include, among other things: competition, content moderation, fake news, artificial intelligence, revenge porn, attention markets, big data, privacy, anonymity and harassment, influencers, dark patterns, deep fakes, bots, memes, and online fandom.

Students are expected to (i) carefully read the speakers’ papers; (ii) prepare short (2-3 page) weekly response memoranda that will be provided to the speakers in advance of the colloquium session, and (iii) attend, and actively engage in, weekly, in-person sessions, including the preparation and asking of at least two questions per class meeting.

LAW 1698 v00 Technology Law and Policy Colloquium: Data, Algorithms, and Platforms

At this colloquium, outside speakers (typically faculty members or researchers from other institutions) will present their current works-in-progress. The focus of this year’s colloquium will be the legal and policy issues surrounding the shift to a networked environment organized around data, algorithms, and platforms. The research presented will explore a variety of current topics, such as: information privacy and data protection; competition in the platform economy; algorithmic fairness and transparency; the viral spread of fake news, hate speech, and revenge porn; online content moderation; the Internet of Things; sensor networks; automation and AI; and administrative frameworks for information economy governance. Students are responsible for reading the speakers’ papers, preparing short (2-3 page) weekly response memoranda that will be provided to the speakers in advance of the colloquium session, and attending each session prepared to ask at least one question. Students taking the seminar for WR credit additionally will write a 6000-word research paper.

Learning goals for this course: Close reading and critical interrogation of scholarly analysis and policy proposals regarding cutting-edge legal topics; refinement of analytical and writing skills.

LAW 1786 v00 Technology Law and Policy Colloquium: Digital Sovereignty

Countries are increasingly building borders in cyberspace. From the European Union's intense regulatory push to control internet companies, to Russia's desire to build a sovereign, alternative internet, to China's crackdown on its internet companies, to efforts across the Global South to change the terms of technological engagement, this seminar will hear from scholars and policy-makers working on contemporary efforts to regulate the global internet.

LAW 1824 v00 Technology Platform Governance in Global Perspective Seminar

This course will explore the political economy, governance, and legal regulation of global technology platform giants. After providing an introduction to the structure and operation of technology platforms, it will consider case studies from different parts of the globe that spotlight a range of current legal and policy problems, including, among others: content governance (including both content removal and content provision); privacy and data protection; internet access and digital inclusion; competition, consumer protection, and worker protection issues created by and within platform ecosystems; and platform entanglements with geopolitical and state security concerns.

LAW 3062 v00 The Essentials of FinTech Law

Nowhere have the recent changes wrought by technological innovation been more visible than in the financial industry.  Algorithmic robots (algo bots) can scan the equivalent of thousands of pages of information and make trading decisions based on that material in fractions of a second. People who might not be able to afford a human financial advisor can get financial advice from robots by enrolling in a “robo-advisory” service to help manage their investments. Virtual currencies such as Bitcoin and initial token offerings (ICOs) have the potential to revolutionize the financial markets. Financial institutions are taking steps to use blockchains and distributed ledger technologies to clear and settle trades in financial instruments and other transactions in a manner that upends traditional processes in this area. Data about human behavior is being collected and used in ways that had not been imagined only ten or so years ago, from uncovering financial market trends via social media sentiment analysis to discerning the success of commodities businesses by scrutinizing satellite images.   

"FinTech” is short for “financial technology,” and the term is broadly used to refer to technologies applied to financial services and within financial institutions.  This course explores some of the complex, cutting-edge legal issues that are arising at the intersection of technological innovation, business, finance, and the law.  The course will introduce several of the primary FinTech innovations and explore with students if, and how, the relevant laws and regulations apply to these new business models. This course provides a guided tour of the major legal and policy issues in banking, financial market regulation, insurance, business-entity law, and data privacy/protection that have resulted from FinTech innovations.  Accordingly, much of the course involves looking at how the existing laws and regulations governing securities, derivatives (including futures and swaps), payment systems, and banking activities apply to innovative financial products and services.   

LAW 1868 v00 The Four Pillars of Fashion Law

By introducing you to current issues in the global fashion industry, thereby allowing to you  anticipate and address them, this course will prepare you to think and act as a trusted counselor to brands and designers. You will learn aspects of the law that arise throughout the life of a garment, starting with the designer’s original idea and continuing all the way to the consumer’s closet. During this course, we will analyze and discuss the changing nature of the fashion system and the opportunities it presents, focusing on the four pillars of Fashion Law: (1) intellectual property, (2) business and finance, (3) international trade and government regulation, and (4) consumer culture and civil rights.

LAW 1517 v00 The GDPR: Background, Development, and Consequences

This course provides an intensive introduction to the General Data Protection Regulation - the EU’s influential comprehensive data protection law. The class will review foundational Articles of the Regulation, background materials, and related EU law developments. The course explores the development of privacy law in the modern democratic state, assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the Regulation including challenges for implementation and compliance, and examines the relationship to other emerging EU privacy laws. 

The aim of this class is to provide:

• A general understanding of the historical and political circumstances that gave rise to the adoption of the GDPR
• A general understanding of the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation
• A general understanding of current developments related to the GDPR, including the status of the EU-US Data Protection Framework
• A focused understanding of key provisions in the GDPR, including collective actions, data protection impact assessments, algorithmic transparency, the role of supervisory authorities, and the creation of the European Data Protection Board
• An introduction to related legal frameworks, including the Council of Europe Convention 108 (The "Privacy Convention"), the OECD Privacy Guidelines, and the OECD AI Guidelines
• A brief introduction to regulatory theory, “ratcheting up,” and the “California/Brussels effect”
• An examination of emerging issues including Artificial Intelligence and the EU AI Act

LAW 3065 v00 The Law and Ethics of Automation, Artificial Intelligence, and Robotics

Automated systems and artificial intelligence (AI) soon will be like electricity—an ever-present technology that enables many aspects of modern society to function smoothly while operating largely in the background.  Internet-connected “smart” refrigerators and kitchen shelves in “smart” homes will order food items automatically, without human direction, when existing supplies are running low.  Factories are increasingly becoming completely automated, operated by robots that can work 24-hours a day in the dark.  AI even can handle tasks that are currently performed by doctors, attorneys, and human resources executives.  For example, computer algorithms can diagnose illnesses in patients and review documents and contracts for legal and regulatory issues.  AI systems can select the job applicants that firms call in for interviews, and then use facial recognition technology to analyze video-recordings of the interviews to determine which applicants were enthusiastic, bored, or dishonest.  Automated systems already control much of the trading on stock and futures exchanges.  Regular people who want investment advice and guidance can use their smartphones to enroll in AI-powered robo-advisory services that adjust investment strategies according to individual risk preferences.  Algorithms used by online retailers decide what products to show people based on analysis of both the shopping habits of specific individuals and the behavior patterns of like-minded shoppers.  Taxis of the future may very well be self-driving cars that are robot business entities that own themselves.        

These radical changes in society will have significant implications for the legal system.  Advances in AI will necessitate changes to laws and regulations, and even to how lawyers practice law.  In this course, students will examine legal and ethical issues related to automated systems, AI, and robotics, which will involve analysis of topics in agency law, business entity law, contract law, and more.       

LAW 1526 v00 The Law of Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous vehicles are roiling industries as diverse as retail, food delivery, trucking, and personal transportation. Although there is a rising consensus that autonomous, networked cars could save tens of thousands of lives, there is a similar consensus that they also will create tens of thousands of accidents that human drivers would not. Although the technology for autonomous vehicles is already on the roads, the law, ethics, and policy governing these machines is late evolving. This course will examine alternatives for regulating autonomous vehicles, including topics such as which parties should bear responsibility for the actions of autonomous vehicles, how theories of responsibility will change over time, as well as the appropriate modes and agencies of regulation. Paper required.

LAW 1875 v00 The Law of Open Source Software

In this course, students will explore the relationship between open source software (OSS) and  the law. OSS refers to a type of software whose source code is made publicly available, allowing anyone to view, use, modify, and distribute the software freely. Open source software makes up our digital infrastructure that we all use today across various industries, from web development and operating systems to AI and machine learning. Open source software is increasingly used to develop popular AI applications like ChatGPT, Stable Diffusion and Midjourney.

This accessibility and openness encourage collaboration, innovation, and transparency, but also bring to the fore different harms that interact with the law. Indeed, many scholars, regulators, and entrepreneurs are concerned about how the open source nature and rapid adoption of such collaborative models interacts with harms such as discrimination, misinformation, bias and more. As the legal profession grapples with the increased role of OSS, students should be familiar with questions of legal compliance, intellectual property, contract and liability issues, data privacy and security, and ethical considerations as they relate to OSS.

This is a student-initiated seminar, which is student-led and supervised by a faculty member. This seminar is organized by Esther Tetruashvily and Ashwin Ramaswami and supervised by Professor Paul Ohm.

LAW 1019 v00 The Law of Public Utilities: Bringing Competition to Historically Monopolistic Industries

J.D. Seminar | 2-3 credit hours

Our major infrastructural industries—electricity, gas, telecommunications, transportation and water—were historically controlled by monopolies. Since the 1980s, efforts to introduce competition into these industries have met obstacles. Battles before legislative bodies, regulatory agencies and courts, at the state and federal levels, have produced a distinct body of law. That body of law—the law of introducing competition into historically monopolistic industries—is the subject of this course.

From the principles learned in the course, students have written papers on such diverse topics as renewable energy, internet, movie production, chicken slaughtering, student loans, pharmaceutical research, Uber, Flint's water crisis, utility corporate form, law school admissions, farms seeds and insecticide, Youtube, private space travel, rare minerals used in solar and wind facilities, Facebook, cloud storage, electric storage, and telemedicine at the VA. Some of these papers have made their way into professional journals or law journals.

Regardless of the industry or era, the regulation of infrastructural monopolies and their competitors has  five common elements: its mission (to align business performance with the public interest); its legal principles (ranging from the state law on exclusive monopoly franchise to federal constitutional protection of shareholder investment); policy flexibility (accommodating multiple public purposes, from service reliability to environmental accountability to protection of vulnerable citizens); reliance on multiple professional disciplines (law, economics, finance, accounting, management, engineering and politics); and formal administrative procedures , such as adjudication and rulemaking.

Today, political challenges are causing policymakers to stretch regulation's core legal principles. Four examples of these challenges are: climate change (e.g., To what extent should we make utilities and their customers responsible for "greening" energy production and consumption?); universal service (e.g., Should we bring broadband to every home, and at whose cost?); privacy (How do regulators induce personal changes in energy consumption while protecting the related data from public exposure?); and protection of our infrastructure from hackers, terrorists and natural catastrophes .

Complicating these political challenges are two sources of constant tension: ideology (e.g., private vs. public ownership, government intervention vs. "free market"); and state-federal relations (e.g., Which aspects of utility service are "national," requiring uniformity; and which are "local," warranting state experimentation?).

This field has many jobs, as new issues emerge and as baby boomers retire. Lawyers play varied roles. They advise clients who are suppliers or customers of regulated services, represent parties before regulatory tribunals, advise those tribunals or their legislative overseers, and challenge or defend those tribunals on judicial review.

LAW 433 v00 Trademark and Unfair Competition Law

This course will introduce students to the federal Lanham Act and related common law doctrines designed to protect against consumer confusion and appropriation of commercial goodwill. In addition to the technical requirements for trademark eligibility, registration, and infringement, we will consider the constitutional and economic underpinnings of trademark protection and evaluate the long-term trend toward its “propertization.”  The course also will include material on the trademark treatment of Internet domain names, metatags, and links.

Learning Objectives:

Critical mastery of the existing statutory, doctrinal, and policy landscapes; critical mastery of strategic considerations in trademark and brand licensing and litigation, in technology ventures that implicate trademarks, and in trademark and unfair competition policymaking.

LAW 433 v01 Trademark and Unfair Competition Law

This course will introduce students to the federal Lanham Act and related common law doctrines designed to protect against consumer confusion and appropriation of commercial goodwill. In addition to the technical requirements for trademark eligibility, registration, and infringement, we will consider the constitutional and economic underpinnings of trademark protection and evaluate current trends toward the "propertization" of trademark law. We will also review and assess the reasons that trademarks can lose protectable status (e.g., becoming generic) and examine best practices in selecting, adopting and enforcing rights in trademarks. In addition to the final take-home exam, students will be required to write a mid-semester paper that will account for 25% of their final grade.

By the end of the semester, you should be able to:

• Differentiate between trademark, copyright, patent and trade dress laws;
• Identify what designations can function as trademarks and understand the requirements for trademark protection;
• Assess the degree of protectability of trademarks depending on their distinctiveness;
• Understand the requirement of “use in commerce” for trademark protection, and evaluate whether particular usages of trademarks meet that requirement;
• Grasp the process of obtaining federal registrations for trademarks;
• Analyze whether uses of junior trademarks infringe the rights of owners of senior trademarks ( i.e. , whether there is a “likelihood of confusion”);
• Evaluate whether a trademark is famous, and whether uses of other trademarks constitute dilution of famous marks by either blurring or tarnishment;
• Determine whether a trademark owner has lost its rights in the mark, either through abandonment or “genericide”;
• Identify and make arguments concerning defenses to trademark infringement and dilution (e.g., “fair use”); and,
• Articulate the interplay and conflicts between trademark law and the First Amendment.

LAW 962 v00 U.S. Export Controls and Economic Sanctions

Understanding and dealing with U.S. export control and sanction laws have become increasingly important skills for lawyers advising clients who compete in the global economy, including manufacturers, service enterprises, financial institutions, and companies licensing their technology abroad. This course surveys the federal laws and implementing regulations governing the export and re-export of goods, services, technology and software from the United States or by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction, the extraterritorial reach of re-export controls, prosecution strategies, restrictions on dealings with or in sanctioned countries, prohibitions against dealing with blacklisted parties, and other sanctions that apply to non-U.S. companies and individuals. We also will examine the policies underlying these rules, which are designed to address ever-changing and developing threats to the United States, including Russian aggression in the Ukraine, the nuclear threat posed by Iran, civil war in Syria, missile development in North Korea, and conventional military tensions between the United States and China.

The course is designed to impart the practical skill sets and strategies you will need to use and understand the complex regulatory regimes underpinning U.S. export controls and sanctions, and to communicate effectively with the relevant government actors.  The applicable laws include statutes such as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, Trading with the Enemy Act, Arms Export Control Act, the Export Control Reform Act, and regulations issued by federal agencies such as the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Treasury, and State.  Our study of these rules will include review of case law, agency guidance and prior government enforcement actions.

The course also will focus on the enforcement environment, including the trend of ever-increasing fines, the use of extradition, and imprisonment. We will discuss defense strategies and the potential for global settlements with the Departments of Justice, State, Treasury, and Commerce.

Finally, the course will emphasize developing the working knowledge necessary for hands-on practice and problem-solving in this field. In addition, the course will provide skills sets to assess proposed legislation and regulations in depth, as well as advocacy skills related to legislation and rulemaking.

LAW 962 v03 U.S. Export Controls and Economic Sanctions

Understanding and dealing with U.S. export control and sanction laws and regulations have become increasingly important skills for lawyers advising clients who compete in the global economy, including manufacturers, service enterprises, financial institutions, and companies licensing their technology abroad. This course provides an in-depth survey of the federal laws and implementing regulations governing the export and re-export of goods, services, technology and software from the United States or by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction, the extraterritorial reach of re-export controls, restrictions on dealings with or in sanctioned countries, prohibitions against dealing with blacklisted parties, and other sanctions. 

The course is designed to impart the hands-on, practical skill sets needed by those who wish to practice in the increasingly in-demand area of export controls and sanctions compliance, including the skills needed to use and understand the various complex laws and regulations systems that implement U.S. export controls and sanctions, such as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Trading with the Enemy Act, the Arms Export Control Act, and the Export Control Reform Act, as well as regulations issued by various federal agencies, including the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Treasury, and State. 

This course also will provide the skill sets necessary to communicate effectively with licensing agencies, how to approach foundational determinations of agency jurisdiction and classification, and how these issues affect direct investment in the United States as regulated by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

Time permitting, the course also will focus on the civil and criminal enforcement environment, including the trends of ever-increasing fines and global settlements with the Departments of Justice, State, Treasury, and Commerce. 

LAW 1477 v00 Video Games in the 21st Century: Creativity and Innovation in Action

This course is devoted to current legal and policy issues specifically relevant to the video game industry, a business sector that generated nearly $50 billion in revenue in the United States, and over $180 billion worldwide, in the last year alone. In class, we will look at video games as both software and audiovisual works and examine how intellectual property, contracts, and the Internet help shape and drive their creation and distribution. Current issues in First Amendment jurisprudence, consumer protection, privacy, and competition in the online marketplace will be discussed. A wide range of novel issues associated with new developments in media and technology, (i.e. esports, gametech, location-based gaming, and artificial intelligence) will be highlighted. This class will show how video games, which combine innovation with creativity, and are considered subjects of both commerce and art, continue to contribute to American life and culture.

Class participation is critical and counts as 25% of your grade.

What application materials are required?  Information is available here .

Is tuition assistance available?  Yes, please review the information available here .  If you are interested in merit aid, please apply as early as possible.

I have another question about the application process or materials. Where can I find the answer?   Frequently asked questions have been compiled and answered here by the Office of Graduate Admissions. If you do not see the answer to your question, please reach out to them at  [email protected] .  

Class Registration

What are the minimum and maximum number of credits I can enroll in? Part-time students can enroll in up to seven credits. Part time students can enroll in as few as one credit and maintain their active student status. Full time students must enroll in at least eight credits, and they can take up to 13 per semester. If you are an international student, your visa may have additional requirements, so please consult with your visa advisor before dropping below 10 credits per semester.

I saw a class in the curriculum guide but there is not a professor, date, or time listed. Is the class being offered?  The curriculum guide contains all the classes that have been offered during the past three years, not only the courses scheduled for this year. To ensure you are looking at the classes being offered in a particular semester, please use the filter to limit your search to one semester only.

Capstone Requirement

How can I meet the Capstone requirement?  Classes marked as practicum in the curriculum guide count for this requirement, as does the course Federal Advocacy in Technology Law and Policy. You can also use an approved externship for this requirement or a substantial paper from a seminar class, which would also require approval.

I want to use an externship to meet the Capstone requirement. What are the requirements ? LLM students may extern at companies, government agencies, non-profits, or law firms. To receive Tech LLM capstone credit, there needs to be a connection to technology law and policy in the day-to-day work you'll be doing. Once you have finalized an externship opportunity please get the Academic Program Director’s approval to use it as your capstone.

I want to do an independent study in an area of interest where there isn’t an available class, and I found a faculty member to supervise.  What else do you need from me?  Please confirm with the Academic Program Director that the independent study will be eligible for Capstone credit. 

Transfers to the Tech LLM Program

I am a two-year LLM student at Georgetown Law.  Can I apply to transfer to the Tech LLM?   Students enrolled in Georgetown's Two-Year LL.M. with Certificate in Legal English for Foreign-Trained Lawyers program can apply at the end of their first year at Georgetown to transfer into the Tech LLM program for their second year. Space in the program is limited and admission cannot be guaranteed. The application is available here and is due on June 1. Applications are considered during the summer and are not reviewed on a rolling basis. Decisions will be communicated in July.

I am a one-year LLM student and was admitted to another LLM program. Can I apply to transfer to the Tech LLM?   Applications to transfer to the Tech LLM from another LLM program are considered only if space in the cohort is available. Please reach out to [email protected] for information on whether applications are currently open.

Georgetown Law

Technology law & policy.

Georgetown Law is the nation’s largest law school and its expertise in technology law is unmatched.

More than ever, lawyers and policymakers need a deep understanding of technology and the legal frameworks around it. Law firms are building specialized practices to meet increased legal demands around data security, privacy, artificial intelligence, fintech, and emerging technologies. Elected officials and government agencies require well-grounded counsel to update tech law and regulations. The business and public interest worlds alike demand advocates who can address new legal, ethical and societal challenges as they arise alongside rapid advances in technology.

Note on Admissions and Application for Technology Law & Policy LL.M and the Master of Law and Technology (M.L.T.)

Application materials and answers to tuition related questions can be found by going to the Graduate Admissions page. The M.L.T. application form is the same as the LL.M program and is available here ( application form ).

Technology Law & Policy LL.M.

Georgetown Law launched the Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Technology Law & Policy for law school graduates seeking to deepen their expertise at the intersection of policy and technology. The first cohort began classes in Fall 2020.

Master of Law and Technology (M.L.T.)

Georgetown Law launched a new masters degree program for non-lawyers who need to better understand the technology law landscape. The first cohort began classes in Fall 2020.

Groundbreaking research institutions

• The Institute for Technology Law and Policy
• The Center on Privacy & Technology
• The Institute for International Economic Law
• The Center on National Security & the Law

J.D. Program in Information and Technology Law at Cornell Tech Campus

At the Cornell Tech campus, you’ll explore the diverse legal issues raised by information and technology, such as privacy and cybersecurity as well as the constitutional and regulatory implications of new technology and big data. And, you’ll be taught by leading experts, which have included current and former law firm partners, the CEO of a legal tech company executives, in-house privacy counsel, law faculty from Cornell Law School, and many others drawn from the New York City legal and technology communities. You may also take courses offered through the Johnson School offered at the Cornell Tech campus, subject to the usual restrictions on the number of credits that may be taken outside the Law School, and any prerequisites or instructor permission that may be required by the course.

In addition, you are eligible for and encouraged to seek out part-time externships. Our course programming concentrates most classes on three days a week so that you can engage in externship opportunities at technology companies, with judges, or in legal aid organizations.

Please note: Some law courses offered at Cornell Tech are streamed to Myron Taylor.

• Law of Financial Technology
• Internet Law, Privacy, and Security
• Cyber Enforcement, Regulation, and Policy Analysis
• Consumer Data Privacy
• Trade Secrets Law and Practice
• Intellectual Property
• Law of Robots
• Digital Health Law
• Practical Lawyering
• Internet Transactions

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Stanford Program in Law, Science & Technology

The Stanford Program in Law, Science & Technology (LST) combines the resources of Stanford Law School—including renowned faculty experts, alumni practicing on the cutting edge of technology law, technologically savvy and enthusiastic students, and a location in the heart of Silicon Valley—to address the many questions arising from the increasingly prominent role that science and technology play in both national and global arenas. The program acts to help students, legal professionals, businesspeople, government officials, and the public at large to identify those questions and find innovative answers to them.

The program seeks to:

• Give every Stanford Law student the opportunity to address these issues through innovative coursework, in preparation for practice at the highest level of law’s intersections with science and technology.
• Raise professional understanding and public awareness of technical and ethical challenges.
• Promote informed public policies on science and technology in national and global arenas.
• Contribute to the international exchange of ideas in the field of Law, Science, and Technology.

To learn more about law, science, and technology-related events taking place at the law school, at Stanford University, and in the Silicon Valley, subscribe to the Law, Science & Technology e-mail list.

Programs and Centers

Stanford Center for the Digital Economy

Center for Internet and Society

Center for Law and the Biosciences

Transatlantic Technology Law Forum

Stanford Center for Responsible Quantum Technology

The Juelsgaard Intellectual Property and Innovation Clinic provides an opportunity for students to advocate on behalf of clients for the development and application of intellectual property law and regulatory policies that maximize the underlying goals of those laws and regulations: promoting innovation, creativity and generativity. Students represent important stakeholders such as national and regional non-profit organizations; associations of innovators, entrepreneurs, technology users and consumers; groups of technologists or legal academics; and occasionally individual inventors, start-ups, journalists, or researchers.

The Stanford Non-Practicing Entity (NPE) Litigation Dataset (the Dataset) is the first ever publicly available database to track comprehensively how practicing entities, non-practicing entities (NPEs), and patent assertion entities (PAEs) claim patent ownership rights in litigation. NPEs do not make products or offer services while PAEs—often referred to as “patent trolls” — employ patents primarily to obtain license fees, rather than support the transfer or commercialization of technology. Critics have come to believe that steadily increasing PAE enforcement activity, including litigation, is harming innovation and serving as a tax on producers and consumers. Stanford Law student researchers tracked every lawsuit filed in U.S. district courts from 2000 to 2015 and identified each patent plaintiff as either a practicing entity or as one of eleven types of NPEs. The full Dataset of 55,000 lawsuits becomes publicly available in late 2017 and will continue to be updated with recent and future cases. The currently available compilation represents a 20% random sample of over 10,800 lawsuits filed from 2000 to 2015.

Student Organizations and Journal

Stanford law and technology association (slata), biolaw and health policy society, stanford intellectual property association (sipa), stanford technology law review, stanford artificial intelligence & law society (sails), joint degrees.

Law and Bioengineering Law and Computer Science Law and Electrical Engineering Law and Management Science and Engineering

Advanced Degrees for International Students

LLM in Law, Science & Technology

Policy Practicums

Creating a national research cloud (law 807z), innovating privacy protection: tools and strategies for california cities (807s), administering by algorithm: artificial intelligence in the regulatory state, the future of algorithms: navigating legal, social and policy challenges, hydropower: climate solution and conservation challenge.

Mark A. Lemley

• William H. Neukom Professor of Law
• Director, Program in Law, Science & Technology

Henry T. Greely

• Deane F. and Kate Edelman Johnson Professor of Law
• Director, Center for Law and the Biosciences
• Professor, by courtesy, Genetics
• Chair, Steering Committee of the Center for Biomedical Ethics
• Director, Stanford Program in Neuroscience and Society

Daniel E. Ho

• William Benjamin Scott and Luna M. Scott Professor of Law
• Professor of Political Science
• Professor of Computer Science (by courtesy)
• Senior Fellow, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI)
• Senior Fellow, Stanford Institute for Economic and Policy Research
• Director of the Regulation, Evaluation, and Governance Lab (RegLab)

Phillip R. Malone

• Professor of Law and Director, Juelsgaard Intellectual Property and Innovation Clinic

David Freeman Engstrom

• LSVF Professor in Law
• Co-Director, Deborah L. Rhode Center on the Legal Profession

• Barbara van Schewick
• M. Elizabeth Magill Professor of Law
• Director, Center for Internet and Society
• Professor, by courtesy, Electrical Engineering

Joseph A. Grundfest

• W. A. Franke Professor of Law and Business, Emeritus
• Senior Faculty, Rock Center for Corporate Governance

A. Douglas Melamed

• Visiting Fellow

Lisa Larrimore Ouellette

• Deane F. Johnson Professor of Law
• Senior Fellow, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR)

Paul Goldstein

• Stella W. and Ira S. Lillick Professor of Law

Julian Nyarko

• Professor of Law
• Associate Director and Senior Fellow, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI)
• Faculty Fellow, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR)

Evelyn Douek

• Assistant Professor of Law

Gregory M. Dickinson

• Non-Residential Fellow, Stanford Program in Law, Science & Technology

Nikola Hajdin

Sarah Polcz

• Fellow, Center for Law and the Biosciences

• Shelly Simana

Program/Project Directors

Elaine Adolfo

• Associate Director, Center for Internet and Society

• Executive Director, Stanford Center for the Digital Economy
• Co-Chair, Greenberg Traurig LLP's Global Intellectual Property & Technology Practice

• Mauritz Kop
• Executive Director, Stanford Center for Responsible Quantum Technology
• Fellow, Transatlantic Technology Law Forum

• Associate Director of the Stanford Center for Legal Informatics (CodeX)
• Associate Director of the Stanford Program in Law, Science, and Technology
• CodeX Fellow

Ryan Singel

• Open Internet Fellow, Center for Internet and Society

Roland Vogl

• Executive Director of CodeX - the Stanford Center for Legal Informatics
• Executive Director of the Stanford Program in Law, Science and Technology

Affiliated and Visiting Faculty

Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar

• Visiting Scholar

Michael Genesereth

• Associate Professor of Computer Science
• Associate Professor, by courtesy, of Law
• Research Director, CodeX

Siegfried Fina

• Visiting Associate Professor of Law and Co-Director, Transatlantic Technology Law Forum

Law and the Biosciences Workshop

• April 30, 2024 @ 4:30pm
• Location: @ SLS: Room 285

Lessons from Practice: Nikita Appaswami

• May 2, 2024 @ 12:45pm
• Location: @ SLS: Room 230
• May 7, 2024 @ 4:30pm
• May 14, 2024 @ 4:30pm

2nd Annual Stanford Responsible Quantum Technology Conference

• May 20, 2024
• Location: @ Stanford: Paul Brest Hall
• May 21, 2024 @ 4:30pm

Why They Blow the Whistle

• May 30, 2024 @ 12:50pm

FCC reinstates net neutrality, but it’s not as easy as it once was

Washington post.

Some net-neutrality proponents say such a solution would not suffice. Barbara van Schewick, a law professor at Stanford University, said that the creation of these fast lanes would still slow down the rest of the internet due to fixed bandwidth. “It’s not as if you’re just getting something extra,” she…

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By Suzan Slijpen, Mauritz Kop & I. Glenn Cohen 1.    Introduction: A Fragmented AI in Healthcare Regulatory Landscape In the past few years, we have witnessed a surge in artificial intelligence-related research and diagnostics in the medical field. It is possible that in some fields of medicine in the…

You’re Invited: CodeX Meeting on April 4: Truth Systems; Standard Draft

Getting Beyond the Sandbox: A Playbook for Developing Generative AI Solutions for Enterprise Applications

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Harmful 5G Fast Lanes Are Coming. The FCC Needs to Stop Them

A call for responsible quantum technology.

• Urs Gasser ,
• Eline de Jong ,
• Suzan Slijpen ,
• Mauritz Kop ,
• I. Glenn Cohen

Innovation Law and COVID-19: Promoting Incentives and Access for New Healthcare Technologies

• Lisa Larrimore Ouellette ,
• Rachel E. Sachs ,
• W. Nicholson Price II ,

Research Security, Technology Theft, and Intellectual Property Rights: A Responsible Quantum Technology Perspective

Genetic property governance, quantum elspi: a novel field of research, quantum technology impact assessment, lst affiliates program.

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As technology continues to transform our economy and culture, businesses need a new breed of lawyers who understand the legal and commercial aspects of new technology as well as the challenges of bringing new products and new companies to market.

Open to practicing attorneys and recent law graduates from the U.S. and around the world, Cornell Tech’s one-year Master of Laws (LLM) in Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship degree will provide you with the specialized skills you need to support and lead tech companies in the increasingly complex and dynamic digital economy.

Want to learn more?

LLM at Cornell Tech

Learn in teams at the intersection of technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Cornell Tech’s Master of Laws in Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship is the first degree of its kind in the world. It is a year-long immersion in innovation, creativity and new business development that will have you learning side-by-side with designers, engineers and business students. Working together in teams, you’ll create new products for existing businesses in the Product Studio and develop your own new business in the Startup Studio or work inside businesses or organizations in PiTech Studio or BigCo Studio . You will dive into studying law and building the transactional skills that emerging technology companies need in practitioner-led courses designed specifically for this program. You will also have ample opportunity to network with the vibrant community of investors, business leaders and entrepreneurial faculty members that only a city like New York and a university like Cornell can provide.

Cornell Tech prepared me to work and communicate smoothly with engineers and business people, which is one of the most important skills a lawyer should adopt when dealing with tech clients.

Bensu Aydin

The cornell tech llm three-semester option for international students.

The two-semester Cornell Tech LLM will not by itself qualify most foreign-trained lawyers to sit for the New York State bar examination.* Students who require additional training to qualify to sit for the New York State bar examination may apply for the Cornell Tech LLM three-semester option.** After completing Fall and Spring terms at Cornell Tech three-semester students will spend an additional Fall term at Cornell Law School in Ithaca, New York. There students will have access to classes which meet the subject matter requirements set forth by the New York Board of Law Examiners.

*Requirements vary according to educational background, and bar examination requirements change often. We cannot counsel individual applicants regarding these requirements prior to their admittance into the program. We recommend students who earned their law degree outside of the US review the New York State rules at https://www.nybarexam.org/foreign/foreignlegaleducation.htm .

**The three-semester option requires an additional tuition payment. For the 2021-22 academic year 2-term tuition is $70,188 and 3-term tuition is $105,300.

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Associate Dean and Professor of Practice

Matthew D’Amore is a Professor of Practice at Cornell Tech and in the Law School at Cornell University. He currently serves as an Associate Dean at Cornell Tech and Director of the Law, Technology & Entrepreneurship Program at Cornell Law School & Cornell Tech.

Research focus:  Intellectual property, licensing, and the impact of advancing technology on the practice of law.

James Grimmelmann

Tessler Family Professor of Digital and Information Law

James Grimmelmann is a Professor at Cornell Tech and in the Law School at Cornell University.

Research focus:  How laws regulating software affect freedom, wealth, and power

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Career Outcomes

Cornell Tech offers best-in-class career management services to set you up for success after graduation. Recent LLM graduates work for firms and companies such as Allen & Overy, Buhler Duggal & Henry, ClassPass, Datalogue, and FastCase.

Diversity & Inclusion

Cornell Tech was founded to advance technology as a means to a better quality of life for all communities in New York City, across the nation, and around the world. Our best work results in ethical, inclusive, accessible technology for all users, especially the underserved and underrepresented. Vital to that mission is building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community of students, faculty, and staff. We seek to build things with — not just for — real people and believe in the power of participation and representation.

Real World Outcomes

In Studio, you’ll create real products and technology solutions for organizations like Uber and the Robin Hood Foundation. You’ll also develop your own startup concept, and maybe even take the concept to market.

This program enables young lawyers to hit the ground running and provide value to their employers and to their clients, literally from day one.

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Partner, Dentons

Who should apply?

The Master of Laws in Law, Technology and Entrepreneurship is for practicing attorneys or recent law graduates who want to further hone their legal and leadership skills in the heart of New York City’s ever-evolving technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Whether your law degree is from the U.S. or law school outside the U.S., if you have a law degree and are seeking to enhance your technology law knowledge and practice, we welcome your application.

International students: Please note that the Cornell Tech LLM is not STEM-designated.

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Cornell  University Financial Aid can provide more information about funding options for your program.

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Research subject Law and Information Technology

Law and Information Technology examines the relationship and interaction between law and ICT (Information and Communication Technologies). The areas of interest include the interpretation and development of regulations in the digital society, as well as the methods for legally customised system design and management.

Legal informatics spans several traditional areas of law, including law of contract, commercial law, copyright and administrative law. The subject is usually divided into a matrix-oriented part and a methodology-oriented part. The first part - usually referred to as IT law - covers legal issues that arise in connection with the use of IT. This includes everything from the use of computers and the Internet in handling information, to telecommunications and various forms of media. IT law also covers issues such as information security, processing of personal data, trade secrets, publicity and confidentiality, etc. 

The method-oriented part of legal informatics in turn deals with regulations and methodological issues that arise in the development of digitised systems and applications. The importance of a legal approach to digitisation has become increasingly important in the context of society's growing use of digital systems and artificial intelligence (AI), both in the automation of legal proceedings and in the use of various forms of apps. The rapid developments in this field are constantly raising new questions about how laws, rules and ethical guidelines can and should be applied, making legal informatics an extremely dynamic area of research.

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Researchers

Cecilia Magnusson Sjöberg

Katarina Fast Lappalainen

Universitetslektor

Kacper Filip Szkalej

Liane Rose Colonna

Ass. lektor, docent

Christine Storr

Univ. adjunkt

This project addresses fundamental ethical and legal challenges that AI technologies bring to learning and teaching in higher education. It will provide knowledge about how to conceptually and empirically approach these challenges, but most importantly: How to deal with ethical issues in practice.

The goal of thid cross-disciplinary collaboration is to design and implement a novel data management and analytics framework for medical data sources. The focus is on explainable machine learning methods as well as on legal and ethical aspects of the predictive models.

PhD project that aims to examine legal information retrieval, the concept of legal information within the framework of the doctrine of legal sources and the information-seeking behavior of lawyers.

PhD Research Project about the right to compensation and liability for damages caused by processing of personal data.

Research project that investigates the link between new technologies and optimal operation of buildings. The aim is to create better conditions for the optimal operation of smart buildings.

Path2Integrity is a European project – funded by the European Commission – that raises awareness about research integrity and educates on how to argue in favour of responsible research and reliable research results.

What are the regulatory challenges when designing new systems for waste management? The topic will be explored in this research project. Our aim is to expand the understanding of interactions between environmental sustainability, local regulations and digital innovation.

PhD Project that is a part of the Maria Skłodowska-Curie Action project visuAAL - Privacy-Aware and Acceptable Video-Based Technologies and Services for Active and Assisted Living.

EU framework for AI usage will soon be established

During Sweden's current presidency of the Council of the European Union, the upcoming AI-act is one of the issues on the table. And it is a regulation that is highly important, according to several researchers at the Department of Law, Stockholm University.

VisuAAL-projects at SU Law examine legal aspects of AAL technologies

Video-based technology can be of great help in the care of older adults, but at the same time raises several questions of a legal nature. At SU Law, two PhD students are currently studying these issues within the framework of an EU major research program.

Law in the Era of Artificial Intelligence

The Swedish Law and Informatics Research Institute (IRI) has newly launched the publication of the Nordic Yearbook of Law and Informatics 2020–2021: Law in the Era of Artificial Intelligence.

Departments and centres

Centres and other units.

The Swedish Law and Informatics Research Institute (IRI) explores the interaction between Law and Information Technology. The topic is a meeting place for traditional legal studies, information science and information technology. Through this subject, the legal system acquires new working tools for the handling of source material, legal proceedings become automated and legal activities take on a new guise. Law and Information Technology focuses on both methodological issues and regulative issues.

The activities started in 1968 and are to a large extent project oriented. Apart from research, IRI is engaged in educational activities and Law and Information Technology (“Rättsinformatik”) has since the early 1980s been a compulsory component in the legal education at Stockholm University.

The Swedish Law and Informatics Research Institute

Departments

By offering a wide range of academic programmes in law bringing together researchers, teachers and students from different horizons, the Department of Law at Stockholm University creates strong and stimulating educational and research environments of the highest class.

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The Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT) is an evidence-based research and training Centre based at Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya.

Our Mission is to study, create, and share knowledge on the development of intellectual property and information technology, especially as they contribute to African Law and Human Rights.

Our team is multidisciplinary, drawn from law, political science, computer science and development while using diverse methodological approaches to inform debates on ICT applications and regulation.

Artificial Intelligence

HOW DOES AI WORK – WIPO COMPETITION

Our IP team took part in the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) “How does AI work?” competition in November 2020 where participants were asked to send in short videos explaining AI in a fun, engaging, and easily accessible way. We are pleased to announce that we were selected as one of the winners and our video is displayed on the  WIPO AI Exhibition page .

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: VOLUME IV, ISSUE II (2024)

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All the TechPolicies around Africa.

A record of registered marks in Kenya.

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For ARIPO and Kenya Patents.

CYRILLA Collaborative

Database on Tech Policies in Africa.

Dr. Melissa Omino:

Dr. Melissa Omino is an intellectual property (IP) expert with a research focus on the development and negotiation of IP provisions in international trade agreements by and with Global South countries. A cum laude graduate with practical legal experience both in academia and practice , Dr. Omino holds a Doctorate in Law (focusing on Intellectual Property and Trade Law). Her range of expertise also includes the legal frameworks within the sphere of Artificial Intelligence, Data Protection, and Digital Rights.

She also focuses her energies in mentoring and nurturing researchers as part of her role as Director at the Center for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT). Dr. Omino is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, Commissioner of Oaths, and Notary Public .

She is also a co-host of the Friendly Troll Podcast where she disseminates research to a wider audience in the Global South in accessible language.

Kendi Murithi:

Kendi holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Strathmore University in Finance and Business Administration, a CPA 5, and an MBA in Finance from USIU-Africa (2020). She joined the team in 2014 overseeing all the administrative and finance functions of the Centre. Beyond CIPIT, she enjoys conversations on wealth creation, financial freedom and entrepreneurship.

Chebet Koros:

Chebet  is an experienced advocate of the High Court of Kenya, who has specialized in intellectual property law. One of her focal areas is intellectual property education with an emphasis on commercialisation of intellectual property assets. At CIPIT, she leads research on the intersection of intellectual property law and innovation with the aim of informing policy change in Kenya, regionally and globally.

Nelly C. Rotich:

Nelly is a Doctor of Laws Candidate at the University of Pretoria. She holds a Master of Law (Pretoria) and a Bachelor of Laws (Kabarak). Nelly is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a Certified Professional Mediator. Her research interest and areas of practice are digital trade, digital rights, and data protection and governance. Nelly currently heads the Data Policy and Governance and Cyber Law and Policy Departments.

Valerie Lyaka Kutima:

I have a Master of Laws from the University of Pretoria, Centre for Human Rights and a Bachelor of Laws from University of Nairobi. I am and Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a Certified Professional Mediator. I have an interest in the adoption of Artificial Intelligence in Justice Systems. My focus is on Algorithmic Bias and its Implication in the Judicial Decision-Making Process.

Prof Luis G. Franceschi:

Prof Luis G. Franceschi, LLB, LL.M, LL.D is Founding Dean of Strathmore University Law School, which is today regarded as one of the most reputable and innovative law schools in Africa. As a thinker, educator and writer, he loves positive and disruptive innovation. He is currently engaged on the Courts of the Future initiative, where he has brought together academia, practitioners, governments and judicial officers to transform the way justice systems operate in Africa. He is the recipient of the 2018 Utumishi Bora National Award in Research & Writing, the 2016 Australian Award and Visiting Fellowship at Griffith Law School (Brisbane) and he has been appointed as Visiting Fellow of Mansfield College during his visit to Oxford.   His area of expertise focuses on the convergence between Constitutional law and Public International Law “the constitutional regulation of the foreign affairs power”. He is also a legal advisor to several national and international government agencies, commissions and programmes, including international and regional courts, the United Nations and the World Bank. He sits on several boards: Transparency International (Kenya), the International Justice Commission (The Hague), the African Prisons Project (London), the Africa Legal Network (ALN) Academy (Mauritius), the International Association of Law Schools (New York), among others.   His latest publications include “The Rule of Law, Human Rights and Judicial Control of Power”, Springer; “Judicial Independence and Accountability in Light of judiciary Code of Conduct and Ethics of Kenya” ICJ Kenya; “The Cost of the Constitution in Kenya: A Cost Analysis of the New Governance Framework Introduced by the 2010 Constitution of Kenya”, Harvard Africa Policy Review; “The Constitution of Kenya; A Commentary” (a 900-page article by article commentary of the Constitution), SUP (second edition); and “The African Human Rights Judicial System; Streamlining Structures and Domestications Mechanisms Viewed from the Foreign Affairs Power Perspective”. He is also a weekly columnist with the Daily Nation Newspaper (Kenya). He has also conducted executive leadership courses for CEOs in more than 25 countries. He is a Kenyan citizen and resides in Nairobi.

Angela Wasunna:

Angela Wasunna is Vice President, Emerging Markets Policy at Pfizer. In her role, she is responsible for leading the development and implementation of a coordinated approach to advance business-focused policy issues related to drug pricing, intellectual property, health systems, healthcare financing and regulatory reform in Emerging Markets. Previously Angela was Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property Policy in Pfizer’s Legal Division. Angela received her law degree from the University of Nairobi Kenya, and advanced law degrees from McGill University, Canada and Harvard Law School. She is admitted to practice law in the State of New York and is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya. Before moving to Pfizer, Angela was Associate for International Programs at the Hastings Center for Bioethics, New York. At the Hastings Center, she managed projects on intellectual property rights, market mechanisms in health systems, and public health policy. Angela has also served as consultant to several agencies including the World Health Organization, the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank and the Department for International Development, UK (DFID). Angela has published several peer-reviewed articles in academic journals, and lectured internationally. She is co-author of the book: Medicine and the Market: Equity v Choice, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006.

Prof. Githu Muigai:

Professor Githu Muigai hold an LLB and a PhD from the University of Nairobi, an LLM from the Colombia University Law School and Diploma in law from the Kenya School of Law. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb). He was called to the Bar in 1985. He specializes in public procurement law, corporate finance, civil and commercial litigation. In addition to the practice of Law, he is the immediate former Attorney General of the Republic of Kenya.

Florence Ogonjo:

Florence is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, with three years’ experience post admission. Her interests are in the intersection of human rights with technology. She is a social impact enthusiast and a member of Vitabu Vyetu Foundation.

Alberto J. Cerda Silva:

Alberto J. Cerda Silva is tenured assistant professor in law and technology at the University of Chile Law School. As a former Fulbright Commission scholar, he holds a doctoral degree from Georgetown University with a dissertation on human rights, copyright, and internet regulation in Latin America. Currently, he is program officer at the Ford Foundation’s International Technology and Society Program, from where he supports organizations advancing internet policies from a social justice and human rights viewpoint worldwide. E-mail: [email protected]

NANJALA NYABOLA:

Nanjala Nyabola is an independent writer and researcher based in Nairobi, Kenya. Her work focuses on the intersection between technology, media, and society. She holds an MSc in African Studies and an MSc in Forced Migration, both from the University of Oxford, as well as a JD from Harvard Law School. She has held numerous research associate positions including with the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) and other institutions, and has worked as a research lead for several projects on human rights broadly and digital rights specifically around the world. She is a Fellow at the Stanford Digital Civil Society Programme, and the Centre for International Governance Innovation. Nanjala has published in several academic journals including the African Security Review and The Women's Studies Quarterly, and contributed to numerous edited collections. Nanjala also writes commentary for publications like The Nation (US), Al Jazeera, The Boston Review and others. She is the author of Digital Democracy, Analogue Politics: How the Internet Era is Transforming Politics in Kenya (Zed Books, 2018) and Travelling While Black: Essays Inspired by a Life on the Move (Hurst Books, 2020).

ELVIS OGAH:

Award-winning Research Analyst and Corporate Strategist with over 10 years’ experience working in the Digital Identification sub-sector. Proficient in researching, analyzing, interpreting, and presenting data related to markets, operation, and economies. Extensively adept in helping organizations design paths to growth and profitability amidst competition and constant change. Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and two Master’s degree respectively in International Affairs and Political Economy. Certified in Project Management and Data Analytics. Received a Diploma in ICT from ISP Computer Institute. Obtained an International Certificate in SME Banking and Financial Analytics from the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII). Participant in the 2020 Digital Identity and National Security Fellowship from the Center for African Affairs and Conflict Research (CAACOR). Policy Ambassador at the Nigerian Global Affairs Council (NIGAC). Currently a Doctoral Student at the University of Abuja, Nigeria.

DR. JOHN OTIENO OREDO:

Dr. John Otieno Oredo, PhD is an educator with over twenty years teaching experience in secondary and university levels. John is a lecturer in the Department of Information Science at the University of Nairobi and previously served as a Research Associate at Kenya Education Network (KENET). He holds a PhD degree in Business Administration - Strategic Information Systems (University of Nairobi); MSc. in Information Technology (Strathmore University); and a Bachelor of Education (Moi University). John is a researcher who has published on educational technology and information systems. His current research revolves around Public Automation, Machine Learning, Data Science, Adoption of Emerging Digital Technologies, Data Analytics, ICTs in Education and Technology Related Stress. He has facilitated workshops on educational technology and academic integrity for University staff and Library Professionals. John is trained in scientific communication and publishing (UON); Research writing (INASP), Item Writing (KNEC), E-Learning course design (ETSU) and supporting faculty in developing online course proficiencies (EDUCAUSE), Advanced Research Design (PASGR) and Critical Discourse Analysis (Stellenbosch University). He is an active member of several professional bodies: ISACA; Full member of Kenya Institute of Management (KIM) and a columnist for its MANAGEMENT magazine; Computer Society of Kenya (CSK), Association for Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE); Project Management Institute (PMI) and Association for Information Systems (AIS) where he serves as the Eastern Africa Chapter President. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Big Data Engineer and Artificial Intelligence Analyst. John also has an Executive Education in Supply Chain Management from Kuhne Logistics University (Germany). He spends his free time tinkering with open-source productivity and research tools.

FELIX ATANDI ACHIRA:

Felix Atandi is a cybersecurity consultant, data governance expert and an applied researcher in privacy-preserving technologies. He is the Security Solutions Architect at CyberTembo, a cybersecurity company in East Africa and has been a Subject Matter Expert with over 10 years of experience in the field. His research interests span theoretical and applied cryptography and their application to everyday problems throughout computer science regarding Security by Default and Design. He has a BSc. In Computer Science from Kabarak University and an MSc. Computer Forensics and Cyber Security; ‘Threat Intelligence using Honeypots’ from the University of Greenwich, London. Throughout his career, Felix has developed a skill set directly relevant to cybersecurity including an intersection of digital forensics, cyber policy & governance, information security regulatory compliance, development of strategic cybersecurity frameworks as well as industry best practices and methodologies. His research interest covers the design, analysis and implementation of efficient privacy-preserving cryptographic techniques and their applications. Specifically, with a strong focus on topics covering Homomorphic Encryption, Secure Multiparty Computations, Differential Privacy and Post-Quantum Cryptography. His research is inherently ground-up and driven by the co-production of knowledge with diverse groups of people, in order to understand the wider security implications of information technology.

FAITH O. AMATIKA:

Faith is a Kenyan lawyer, an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya of over twelve (12) years standing. She holds a Bachelor of Laws degree (LL.B) from Moi University and a Master of Laws degree (LL.M) in Intellectual Property Law from Ankara University, Turkey. She currently works at the Kenya Copyright Board as a Senior Legal Counsel where she doubles up as the country focal point in the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) project on the use of IP in the software sector. Faith has great passion for emerging technologies for instance artificial intelligence, blockchain technologies, internet of things etc. She likes interrogating the interplay between these technologies and the law. She is also interested in intellectual property and intangible asset valuation and helping SMEs and start-ups make the most of their intangible assets.

GITINYWA LOUIS:

Gitinywa Louis is an attorney and litigator, specializing in Constitutional law and International Human Rights law, where he has a particular interest on issues related to digital rights for instance: Freedom of expression online, Data privacy, Internet governance and Fintech. Before joining the private practice he also served as public Prosecutor for the Rwanda National Public Prosecution Authority since 2011 up to March 2016where he has been involved in many cases related to prosecution of economic crimes, and others criminal cases before domestic courts in Rwanda. He is also a regular contributor to Global Voices where he has published different articles on issues related to freedom of expression online, the massive use of surveillance technologies and their impacts on data privacy in Rwanda. He is called to Rwanda Bar Association and holds a Masters of Law (UDSM) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Constitutional law (CEU-Budapest).

OSCAR OKWERO:

Oscar is a recognized and results-oriented Cyber Security Leader and researcher with over 7 years’ experience in Cyber security and Technology risk management. Oscar begun his career at The Copy Cat Ltd as a Management trainee then later as a Pre-sales Systems Security Engineer where he led the go to market in Security technologies. He then Co-founded an IoT based technology company, Sine solutions Ltd that carried out location-based adverts in public service vehicles in Nairobi and had a partnership with IBM research Africa, The government of Kenya and major advertising agencies. He later worked as a Systems analyst at the Christ Is the answer ministries (CITAM). Oscar is a Chevening Scholarships alumni of (2018-2019) through which he pursued an MSc IT Cyber Security at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Where he researched on the application of Artificial intelligence on Cloud data loss prevention and developed a model to demonstrate the research, a project that earned him an entry into the University of Glasgow School of computing Science Hall of fame. Oscar is also a US-Aid Scholar at the Strathmore University for a Bachelor of business Information & Technology (2009-2013) and holds a diploma in Computer studies from the Technical University of Kenya. Oscar is also a member of the John Smith centre for public policy at the University of Glasgow as well as a general member of the Chatham house. Oscar Okwero is currently a Cyber security researcher with particular interest in Cyber threat intelligence and general application security in the cloud. His other interests are in Technology Law, Artificial intelligence & Machine learning as pertains to Cyber Security.

Wakesho Kililo:

Wakesho Kililo is the Africa Coordinator, Digital Rights, Greater Internet Freedom (GIF) Project at Internews. Previously, Wakesho worked with the Kenyan Section of the International Commission of International Jurists where she managed the International Justice Program, implementing programs geared at pursuing accountability for victims of autrocities. She also worked on electoral governance Issues at Act change Transform in their Democracy Governance and Human Rights Program, Transparency International Kenya, and Article 19 Eastern Africa. She serves as a member of the Law Society of Kenya Public Interest Litigation and Legal Aid committee. Wakesho was named Civil Society Lawyer of The Year 1st Runners Up in 2019 and Top 35 under 35 Youth Advocate of the year 2020. She is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya and has a post graduate diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law.

Phionah Achieng Uhuru:

Phionah holds an LLB (Moi University), a Postgraduate Diploma in Law (Kenya School of Law), and an LLM in Intellectual Property and Competition Law (Munich Intellectual Property Law Center). She is a member of the Kenyan Bar with a special interest in research and policy development, particularly in the areas of Intellectual Property Law, Competition Law, and Information Privacy. She is currently focusing on research in the areas of pharmaceutical patents and health data privacy.

Oarabile Mudongo:

Oarabile is a Policy Researcher and a Technologist whose focus is Public Interest Technology at the intersection of digital governance, policy, and regulation. He also assists AUDA-NEPAD in driving strategic approaches to Africa's scientific capacity for regionally oriented regulation and management of the innovation ecosystem and emerging technologies as a Member of the writing team for the AU-AI Continental Strategy for the AU High Level Panel on Emerging Technologies (APET).

He currently serves on the MIT Sloan Management Review's Responsible AI Expert Panel, which assesses how companies design and approach Responsible AI practices, policies, and standards. Oarabile is also a recipient of the Media Democracy Fund and Ford Foundation's Public Interest Technology Exchange Fellowship. He is currently a Policy Specialist working in the Africa AI Observatory project, where he specializes on mapping AI country policy practices, strategies, and data governance legislation.

Lilian Olivia Orero:

Lilian Olivia Orero is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and Award-winning writer based in Nairobi, Kenya. She is a Researcher with Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. She has participated in a research sprint examining the challenges of navigating digital identity amid crises. She is a Fellow of the Kenya School of Internet Governance, Future Africa and East Africa Emerging Public Interest Advocates Programme. She serves as Civil Society Regional Reference Group Member with UN Women Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Program advocating for ending violence against women and girls. Olivia has published with London School of Economics and Political Science, Manchester Journal of International Economic Law and Youth Law Journal. She has published a blog titled “Balancing the protection of fundamental rights in the fight against disinformation” with the African Union-European Union Digital for Development Hub. She has also published on gendered topics such as domestic violence, sexual consent, rape, abortion and digital gender divide. She holds Advanced Human Rights Certificates on the right to privacy from Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, Post-Graduate Diploma in Law from Kenya School of Law and Bachelor of Laws Degree from Moi University.

Joshua Kitili:

Joshua Kitili is an Advocate of the High Court and also holds an LLM (University of Strathclyde) in Information Technology & Telecommunications law. His interests are in privacy, data protection and Information Technology law in general.

Natasha Karanja:

Natasha holds an LLB from the University of Kent and an LLM in International Commercial and Economic Law from SOAS University of London. She is  enthusiastic about the centre's mission of creating and sharing knowledge of the development of intellectual property and information technology within the African setting. This falls in line with her passion of engaging with conscious policy making that has a lasting impact on the well being of the  African populace.

Doreen Abiero:

Doreen is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and holds an LLB degree from the University of Nairobi. Her interests revolve around the areas of environmental law, health law, intellectual property law, artificial intelligence, data protection and digital rights in general. She is particularly interested in how these diverse fields intersect for the provision of innovative and holistic solutions to societal issues and for the benefit of posterity. She aims to further enhance these interests under the artificial intelligence and data governance centres at CIPIT.

Josephine Kaaniru:

Josephine Kaaniru is a legal researcher enthusiastic about technology policy, with an emphasis on  AI policy, digital rights and data governance. She also works on inclusion projects for people with disabilities, taking into account how technology may help close gaps that people with disabilities face. She is committed to making sure that technological advancements solve problems rather than infringe upon human rights.

Calvin Mulindwa:

Calvin Mulindwa is a graduate of Strathmore University with a background in Law. Currently serving as a Research Assistant at the Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law, he focuses on the intricate realms of Data Governance and Intellectual Property.

Catriona Onyango:

Catriona is a CPA Finalist and a holder of a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (Accounting Option) from the University of Nairobi.

Kevin Muchwat:

Kevin Muchwat is a Bachelor of Science degree holder in Physics from South Eastern Kenya University and possesses extensive experience in developing desktop, mobile, and web applications as a full-stack developer. He served as a technical consultant for IFRC, contributing to the design and implementation of Volunteer Management Systems for national societies across Africa. Kevin's expertise lies in the efficiency and performance of server applications and their scalability, which is fueled by his immense passion for the field.

Chemutai Doreen:

Chemutai is a data-driven Marketer, with a strong passion for leveraging valuable insights to deliver tangible strategies that can effectively drive meaningful results. Her ultimate objective is to help brands make informed decisions and reach their desired goals.

Dr. Rutenberg:

Isaac Rutenberg is a practicing IP lawyer, PhD scientist, and extensively published legal scholar who is passionate about inclusive, responsive and responsible legal frameworks and innovation ecosystems. He has 15+ years of experience as outside IP counsel for small and large companies, universities, and research organizations. Isaac is the founder of the Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT) at the Strathmore Law School, Strathmore University, where he is also an Associate Professor of ICT Policy and Innovation. He is also an Associate Member at the Center for Law, Technology, and Society at the University of Ottawa. Isaac holds a JD (degree in law), a PhD in Chemistry, a bachelor of science in Chemistry, and a bachelor of science in Mathematics/Computer Science. He is admitted to practice law in the state of California, patent law in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and patent/trademark law in the Kenya Industrial Property Institute.

UC CECH » Academic Schools » School of Information Technology » Graduate Programs » Ph.D. Information Technology

Ph.D. Information Technology

The Information Technology doctoral program prepares students with skills to advance applied research in evidence-based, human-centered and secure IT practice. In addition, the program prepares doctoral students whose research will advance knowledge in evidence-based practices needed to educate future IT professionals at the K12, undergraduate, and graduate levels.

Curriculum Overview

The curriculum requires a total of 90 credit hours post Baccalaureate that are distributed among four areas:

1. Core area (33 semester credit hours) that includes:

• 15 hours of Information Technology Foundations
• 12 hours in an Area of Specialization
• 6 hours of research preparation

2. Methodology (12 semester credit hours)

3. Electives (15 semester credit hours) distributed among analytical, quantificational, computational, social, and experiential themes.

4. Dissertation (30 semester credit hours)

Doctoral Program

Our Ph.D. in Information Technology is offered as an onsite degree:

• Ph.D. in Information Technology

For questions related to the PhD program, please contact us by submitting a ticket with the "Contact Us" button below. 

LLM in Information Technology Law

• Academic staff
• Student profiles
• How to apply

The LLM in Information Technology Law by online learning focuses on the regulatory framework that governs information technology within international, European and domestic settings.

Interested in finding out more about the LLM in Information Technology Law? Join us for our Postgraduate Online Learning Open Days taking place on the 22 and 23 May 2024. 

The programme is highly topical, exploring different strategies for regulating information technologies, considering how current strategies have emerged and changed since the early days of the Internet. New developments in technology are a key focus, as these force us to constantly review the very concept of ‘information technology’, how it shapes society and what appropriate regulatory responses look like.

Information technology regulation operates across jurisdictions, and a cross-fertilisation of regulatory responses occurs at the interface between domestic, regional and international law. Our aim is to enable you to understand this cross-fertilisation, to be able to contextualise it and place yourself within it. Given the fast-paced nature of IT law, we aim to give you the skills so that you are able to understand current and historic regulatory approaches, to better engage with emerging and future issues too.

In a constantly evolving programme dynamic, you will encounter a range of topics which will change over time but could include:

• regulatory approaches to information technology
• cloud computing
• information rights
• online privacy
• communications law.

By the end of your studies you should emerge with an understanding of information technology law not just in its legal but also its social, ethical, cultural and commercial contexts.

The University of Edinburgh's academic staff are not only globally recognised experts in their own fields, but equally empathic mentors.

This is an exciting time to study the law and regulation of information technology. Recent years have seen an enormous expansion in e-commerce, and the development of new and increasingly participatory services on the internet, such as social media platforms.

The pace and scale of technological development in recent years has been incredible. Robots, artificial intelligence, virtual realities and neurotechnology are no longer science fiction and, in many parts of the world, technology is completely embedded into everyday life.

The programme is relevant to anyone who has an interest in studying the law of information technology.

Students join us from all round the world bringing invaluable perspectives to the online learning community – not least their professional experience, and knowledge of technologies and business methods. We welcome applications from a variety of professionals including:

• lawyers who want to specialise in IT
• information professionals
• computer scientists
• IT professionals
• professionals working in technology and telecommunications companies
• researchers considering a PhD in this area.

You will benefit from the unique opportunity to engage in an active online learning community, guided by academic lawyers from Edinburgh Law School.

Learning and teaching on the programme is highly interactive, informed by academics’ current research interests. Staff regularly work on different (often multidisciplinary) research projects, publications and speak at international conferences and events. This research culture helps them to keep pace with important changes in IT law, which in turn feeds into the teaching you receive.

As you would expect, the programme will enable you to develop the essential legal skills of analysing texts and statutes, drawing conclusions from current developments, reading cases and being able to consider. Furthermore, as IT lawyers, in addition to legal concerns, we increasingly need to consider the societal, technical and ethical dimensions of computing. Thus, we also need to understand how technology works, the risks it poses to society and how technology itself could even be made differently to address these problems. Accordingly, the programme draws on a range of perspectives and areas of expertise from staff to provide you with the tools needed to understand legal and wider aspects of living in the digital society.

If you have any questions about the LLM in Information Technology Law by online learning please don't hesitate to contact us.

[email protected]

The LLM in Information Technology Law offers an extensive collection of information technology law courses for you to choose from and the option to engage with a range of different subject areas, including commercial law and medical law.

The programme consists of 180 credits, comprising taught courses worth 120 credits (60 credits per semester) and a 10,000 word dissertation worth 60 credits. Full programme details for the 2023-24 academic year are available on the University Degree Programme Tables website.

View the LLM in Information Technology Law Degree Programme Table for 2023-24

Courses shown below are scheduled to run in the 2023-24 academic year. 

You must select between 80 and 120 credits from the following courses:

Information Technology Law (20 credits)

This course introduces students to key issues in the fast-paced area of technology law. We will consider a wide variety of hard regulatory questions posed by impacts of emerging information technologies. These systems are often changing, adapting, and shifting, meaning regulation in this domain does too. This creates a policy and legal landscape that is often in a state of flux but also gives us a wide range of case studies, examples, and legal frameworks to consider in this course.

EU Data Protection Law (20 credits)

This course will examine the EU data protection regime as set out in the General Data Protection Regulation ((EU) 2016/679) on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data (GDPR). It will provide you with an overview of the terminology and underlying principles of data protection and address specific areas and requirements for data controllers and processors that are subject to the new EU regime.

Electronic Commerce Law (20 credits)

This course aims to provide an in-depth look at the legal issues surrounding electronic commerce and European regulation. Throughout the course we will review (a) fundamental issues surrounding eCommerce business, particularly contractual concerns around identification of jurisdiction, the formal validity of electronic transactions, security and authentication, contract formation and electronic payment systems, and online consumer protection issues; (b) digital convergence and content regulation, the impact of online advertising on privacy and governance of search engines; (c) contemporary issues such as cryptocurrencies and the impact of the Digital Services Act.

International and European Law of the Media (20 credits)

This course will examine the impact of International and European law on, firstly, the structure of media markets and, secondly, the content of media services. The course will start with a discussion of the nature of the media, the media 'value chain', and the relationship between media freedom, freedom of expression and other human rights. It will examine the various international organisations competent in the media field and the regulatory strategies that are being adopted to deal with media convergence and globalisation. In relation to structural matters, consideration will be given to consolidation of media ownership and state funding of the media, in particular public service broadcasting. In relation to content controls, the course will examine attempts to create a more equitable flow of media content and concerns over 'media imperialism', the regulatory problems posed by pornography and hate speech and the balance to be struck between freedom of the media and privacy. Students will attain a good understanding of the interplay between domestic and international law in this field, as well as the role of soft law and self or private regulation. They will be encouraged to think about the future role of law and regulation in a rapidly changing media environment.

Regulation of autonomous systems: the law of robotics (20 credits)

The course introduces students to the legal and wider regulatory issues raised by the increasing use of automated and autonomous devices in all fields of life. As we increasingly allow machines to make decisions for us, this raises significant problems for our legal concepts of liability, responsibility and legal personhood. Since robots rely on sensors to perform their tasks, they also raise issues of data protection and privacy. The course discusses amongst other applications the regulatory issues of care/companion robots in a medical setting, self-driving cars and the automated city; and military applications such as drones. The course covers both embodied artificial intelligent systems ("robots") and non-embodied devices ("autonomous agents"). Legal ramifications of these technologies are studied also with a view on their political, economic and ethical implications. To address the legal issues raised by robot mobility, special attention will be given to efforts to create an international legal regime or at least to harmonise existing national approaches. In this context, students will be particularly encouraged to contribute their experience with their home jurisdiction to the debate. In addition to gaining a deeper understanding of the specific legal issues that are created by a number of particularly important applications of robotics and autonomous agent technology, students will also acquire a generic understanding of the types of problems that are raised by autonomous technologies for the theory of regulation. They will gain an understanding of the limits of regulation by law and the ability to evaluate comparatively other modes of regulation for a given problem.

Information: Control and Power (20 credits) 

This course will investigate, through a range of legal disciplines and perspectives, the growing focus placed on, and value attached to, information by society, governments, businesses and individuals; concerns as to its control and misuse; and the impact of this on all stakeholder, particularly in the light of the opportunities and challenges of evolving - and converging - technologies. The course will consider legal regimes relating to:

A wide-ranging international approach will be adopted, with contributions sought from students in respect of their own jurisdictions.

• privacy, freedom of information and data protection;
• the extent to which present regulatory, co-regulatory and self-regulatory systems conform to expectations in respect of information privacy and access to information;
• the extent to which basic data, information and content is or should be protected by intellectual property or other information rights, particularly in the light of new means of creating, obtaining, recording, sharing and exploiting that information;
• human rights law and policy, with particular reference to (online) privacy;
• electronic surveillance, access to information and the conflict between freedom of expression and reputation and image rights.

You can choose to study between 0 and 40 credits from the following courses:

• European Competition and Innovation (20 credits)
• Fundamentals in Bioethics (20 credits)
• Shaping and Regulating Modern Healthcare (10 credits)
• Clinical Negligence and the Law (10 credits)
• Mental Health Law (20 credits)
• Confidentiality and Data Protection in Biomedicine (20 credits)

Please note that Shaping Modern Healthcare and Regulating Health and Social Care Professionals are co-requisite and must both be taken in the semester that they run.

You may study 0 and 20 credits from the following courses:

• Contract Law in Europe (20 credits)
• Law and Ethics at the Start and End of Life (20 credits)
• Corporate Compliance: Case Studies in Law & Ethics (20 credits)
• Comparative & International Corporate Governance (20 credits)
• International Law, Human Rights & Corporate Accountability (20 credits)
• Dispute Resolution Methods (20 credits)
• The Fundamentals of Law and Medical Ethics (20 credits)
• International Commercial Arbitration (20 credits)
• Banking and Financial Law: Case Studies (20 credits)
• Public Health Ethics (20 credits)
• Introduction to Intellectual Property Law (20 credits)
• Ethics of Health Technologies (20 credits)

Please note that a course from this group can only be taken with the approval of your Programme Director.

Having successfully completed 120 credit points of courses within the LLM, you will be ready to move onto a single piece of independent and in-depth research. The 10,000 word dissertation allows you to focus on a preferred topic from within the options available in the programme.

Your dissertation title will be agreed with your supervisor during your final semester of taught study. Dissertation topics must fall within the scope of your programme and will relate to specific courses that you have taken at Edinburgh. Supervision continues throughout the research and writing of the dissertation.

Your dissertation must demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the relevant literature and an ability to engage in critical analysis. More credit will be given for originality and evidence of independent thinking, whether in terms of the material used or the manner in which it is presented.

The dissertation is written in the summer months (April to August) after the taught courses are successfully completed.

Courses are offered once in an academic year. Each semester you will choose the course(s) you wish to study in that particular semester. Courses are then allocated. Details of the courses available will be provided in advance.  Courses are then allocated.

The allocation process is intended to support student choices as much as possible, while taking account of optimum class sizes for specific courses.

Class sizes

Class sizes have typically ranged from 15 to 25 students in the past. If more students request a course than can be allocated, students who need to take the course in order to fulfil core programme requirements will have priority and others may be asked to defer that course choice to a later year of study.

Terms and conditions

Please note the University reserves the right to make variations to the contents of programmes, including the range of courses offered, and the available choice of courses in any given year may change.

Find out more about the University's terms and conditions

Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances or lack of demand for particular courses, we may not be able to run all courses as advertised come the start of the academic year.

Staff teaching on the core courses for the LLM in Information Technology Law for 2023-24 are experts in their field and are actively involved in cutting-edge research in various legal fields including media law, regulation of new technologies and IT law.

Mr Nicolas Jondet - Programme Director 2023-24

Nicolas Jondet is a teaching fellow in Information Technology law. He holds law degrees from the University of Edinburgh (LLM) and the Paris-Saclay University (Honors) as well as a degree in legal translation from ISIT Paris (Honors). Nicolas is a legal academic with a keen interest in the legal regulation of technology and innovation, including various aspects of IP law and IT law.  His main research is focussed on digital copyright, drawing upon international, European and comparative legal materials. Current research projects include the applicability of blockchain technology to copyright protected works and the interaction between data mining and copyright.  Nicolas teaches across a range of IT and IP law subjects, including, at present, courses relating to data protection, privacy and surveillance.

Find out more

Burkhard is Professor of Computational Legal Theory and Director of the SCRIPT Centre for IT and IP law. His main field of interest is the interaction between law, science and computer technology, especially computer linguistics. How can law, understood as a system, communicate with systems external to it, be it the law of other countries (comparative law and its methodology) or science (evidence, proof and trial process). He is currently working mainly on issues such as privacy compliant software architecture and more generally the scope and limits of representing legal concepts directly in the internet infrastructure.

Burkhard will be on sabbatical in semester 2 of the 2022-23 academic year.

Rachael Craufurd Smith is a Reader in EC Law specialising in media, the regulation of culture and European Union law. In 2003/4 she was a Jean Monnet Fellow at the European University Institute, Florence. She is a qualified solicitor and has worked both in the International and Policy and Planning Departments of the BBC, focusing on the impact of European Community Law on the public broadcasting sector. Rachael also worked as a trainee in the Internal Market DG of the European Commission and was a Fellow for a number of years at Trinity, Corpus Christi and St. John's Colleges and a University Lecturer at the University of Oxford.

Paolo Cavaliere joined the Law School from September 2014 as a lecturer in Digital Media and IT Law. Prior to joining the School, Paolo has been a researcher at the Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policies of the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies of the University of Oxford where he has also helped to coordinate the Monroe Price Media Law Moot Court Competition. His main interests in research include the discipline of pluralism and diversity in the media, e-democracy and the relationship between new media and politics, regulation of audiovisual industries and digital media. He has written about different aspects of Media law, including “mediacracy” and the democratic deficit of the EU; media pluralism in the European sphere; digital technologies and the political debate in the public sphere.

Lachlan is a Lecturer in Technology Law at the University of Edinburgh. He is also a visiting researcher at the Horizon Digital Economy Research Institute, where he was a Research Fellow in Information Technology Law from 2016-2018.

Lachlan's primarily works at the boundaries of computer science (human-computer interaction), information technology law (mainly privacy and information security), and computer ethics. He focusses extensively on the technical, socio-legal, sociological, and ethical implications of living with interactive computing (e.g. Ubicomp/Internet of Things, robotics, smart homes & cities, social media etc.).

Judith Rauhofer is a Lecturer in IT Law and an Associate Director of the Centre for Studies of Intellectual Property and Technology Law (SCRIPT). Her research interests include the commercial and fundamental rights aspects of online privacy and electronic surveillance, data protection, information security and all areas of e-commerce and internet law and policy. Judith is particularly interested in exploring the tensions between privacy as an individual right and as a common good.

The staff teaching on this programme are subject to change for 2024-25. Staff listed as on sabbatical will not be available to teach for the duration of their sabbatical.

Find out what it's like to study for an LLM in Information Technology Law by online learning from our current and former students.

Lukasz, Poland

Lukasz studied the LLM in Information Technology by online learning part-time over two years graduating in 2023.

"For starters, the LLM aligned with my prior work. I have a PhD in Computer Science, done in the field of privacy. Unquestionably, this field often intersects with social and political dimensions. As a result, I've consistently found myself engaged with technology policy in one capacity or another.

I studied some advanced topics in Data Protection Law, European Competition Law, Information Technology Law. But also, Space Law and Policy, which provided a very interesting background and context of international law. And even international humanitarian law, with which I was very familiar due to my prior work at the International Committee of the Red Cross. Some of the content during courses sometimes slightly overlapped, like issues data protection. But perhaps so is the current Zeitgeist and the needs of our times.

I highly endorse this program, although I add a word of caution. The coursework can be exceptionally time-intensive, frequently involving hundreds of pages to digest each week. The reading material varies in significance, with some necessitating in-depth study and others lending themselves to a more cursory review. Engaging with this program demands strong motivation and a capacity for independent work.

My main motivation was to gain a deeper understanding of the legal aspects of technologies (i.e. data protection), enabling me to navigate the increasingly intricate landscape with confidence. These studies have greatly enhanced my knowledge, skills, and abilities. I can now speak with even greater confidence in the fields of technology policy and law. The LLM has broadened my skillset, capabilities, and future opportunities for engagement."

Jelena studied the online LLM in Information Technology Law, graduating in 2021.

"Hello World! My name is Jelena, and I come from Belgium though I am originally Serbian. I come from an engineering background and studied computer science, majoring in telecommunications. Throughout my professional career as a network engineer, I was exposed to the fascinating but challenging world of privacy and data protection, which made me aspire to privacy engineering.

After acquiring several industry certifications, I felt the need for more knowledge to effectively bridge the gap between the engineering and legal fields (becoming fluent in both l33t and legalese).

An LLM sounded like a good idea, however not many universities offer LLM programs to non-legal professionals let alone by online learning as I wanted to continue working full time. The University of Edinburgh came top of my list as it has postgraduate legal studies which are research driven and intentionally designed for people with diverse backgrounds. This has been one of the things I came to value the most - assessing a problem from different angles and reaching a multifaceted solution with the help of my diversely-skilled classmates from all over the world. Another thing I valued was definitely learning from renowned professors, who are not only globally recognised experts in their own fields but equally empathetic mentors.

Towards the end of my second semester, I was appointed EMEAR Privacy Officer for one of the world's leading IT companies, a great new opportunity which would not have been possible without my LLM journey.

Studying, working, parenting and partnering were all achievable during global pandemic, because I felt so passionate about topics we engaged with and because I received fantastic support from the University, my fellow students and my family. In strict confidence, I went through an identity crisis more than once during my studies, questioning my purpose and what I wanted to do next. This was, however, a good thing as I felt more alive than ever.

Technological responses to societal problems and the prevalent role technology plays in our collective future demands more scrutiny from digital rights perspective. Society needs more people with diverse educational backgrounds who understand the intricacies of this relationship, the impact of the digital divide and who are able to design human rights into the fabric of technological development challenging the power asymmetries. If this sounds like something you are passionate about, the University of Edinburgh is your new home. Welcome to the family!

Tina studied for an LLM in Information Technology by online learning at Edinburgh Law School, graduating in 2019. She also won the best dissertation by an online learning student. In this video she talks about her experience of studying for an LLM online at Edinburgh Law School.

Eni, an IT professional, studied for an LLM in Information Technology Law online at Edinburgh Law School, graduating in 2019. In this video Eni talks about her experience of studying the LLM online at Edinburgh Law School.

Meltini studied for an LLM in Information Technology Law at Edinburgh Law School, graduating in 2017. Here she talks about studying online while living in Greece and enhancing her experience for her career in information technology law.

David Foster talks about his experience of studying for an LLM in Information Technology Law by online distance learning at Edinburgh Law School, the University of Edinburgh.

The LLM in Information Technology Law by online learning has start dates in September and January of each academic year. We recommend that you apply as early as possible; this is particularly important for applicants who may need to allow sufficient time to take an English language test.

We require a minimum UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent. Your degree does not have to be in the subject of law, but it must be from a recognised higher education institution. We will also consider your other qualifications and professional experience as part of your application.

Entry to this programme is competitive. Meeting minimum requirements for consideration does not guarantee an offer of study.

International qualifications

You can check whether your degree qualification is equivalent to the minimum standard before applying.

Check your degree

Students from China

This degree is Band A.

Find out more about our postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

Postgraduate study in the field of law requires a thorough, complex and demanding knowledge of English, so we ask that the communication skills of all students are at the same minimum standard.

You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic and IELTS Academic Online : total 7.0 (at least 7.0 in the writing component and 6.5 in each other module)
• TOEFL-iBT (including Special Home Edition): total 100 (at least 25 in writing and 23 in each other module)
• CAE and CPE: total 185 (at least 185 in writing and 176 in each other module)
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with a pass in all four components
• PTE Academic: 70 overall with at least 70 in the writing component and 62 in each other component
• Oxford ELLT (Global and Digital): 9 overall with at least 9 in the writing component and 8 in each other component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the degree begins.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, that was taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country as defined by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). The UK Government's website provides a list of majority English speaking countries.

View the UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, or equivalent, that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries.

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about the University's English language requirements

Your application may not be successful if you do not currently satisfy any of these requirements; alternatively, you may be offered a place conditional on your reaching the satisfactory standard by the time you start the degree.

English language support

The University runs a series of programmes for English Language Education, including a pre-sessional English Language Programme intended to strengthen your English Language skills before you start your programme of study.

Find out more about English language support offered by the University

We aim to review applications and make selection decisions throughout the cycle and we monitor application numbers carefully to ensure we are able to accommodate all those who receive offers. It may therefore be necessary to close a programme earlier than the published deadline and if this is the case we will place a four-week warning notice on the relevant programme page.

2024-25 application deadlines

September 2024 entry

Applications for September 2024 will close on the 30 June. Applications for September 2025 will open in October 2024. 

Please note that if you receive a conditional offer of a place on one of our programmes for September 2024, the deadline for meeting the conditions of your offer is 31 July 2024.

January 2025 entry

The deadline for applications for entry in January 2025 is 03 November 2024.

Please note that if you receive a conditional offer of a place on one of our programmes for January 2025, the deadline for meeting the conditions of your offer is 27 November 2024.

Applications are made online via the University Application Service, EUCLID.

Please follow the instructions carefully and make sure that you have included the following documentation with your application:

• Degree certificates showing award of degree.
• Previous academic transcripts for all past degree programmes (please upload the full transcript showing results from all years of study). Where academic paperwork is not in English, certified translations must be provided (these must have been produced by a certified translator); Find out more about certified translations
• Details of professional qualifications and any appropriate professional registrations.
• A reference in support or your application. The reference should be academic and dated no earlier than one year from the start of study on the LLM programme. We may accept a non-academic reference from applicants who have been out of higher education for five years or more.
• Evidence of English language proficiency, if required.
• Personal statement - you will be asked to complete a personal statement (maximum 3500 characters - approximately 500 words) as part of your application. 
• Relevant knowledge / skills - this may include details of any skills or voluntary work that you have undertaken that you feel are pertinent to the programme (maximum 3500 characters - approximately 500 words).

Your personal statement should show that you have thought carefully about why you are interested in this programme of study; what you can bring to the programme and what impact you feel it will have on your future career. Therefore, please ensure that you address the following questions in your statement:

• What are your motivations for wanting to study this programme?
• What skills, qualities and experiences have prepared you to undertake this programme?
• What value do you think you can add to the learning community as part of an internationally diverse group?
• What impact do you hope to make in your future career, and how will this programme contribute to your aspirations?

If you are currently studying for your degree or you are not in a possession of an English test result you may still apply to the programme. Please note that it is your responsibility to submit the necessary documents.

Students at this University must not undertake any other concurrent credit bearing studies in this (or in any other) institution, unless the College has granted permission. The College must be satisfied that any additional credit-bearing studies will not restrict the student’s ability to complete their existing programme of study. Students will not be permitted to undertake concurrent degree programmes in any circumstances.

If you are studying at this or another institution just prior to the start of your postgraduate studies you must have finished these studies before the start of the programme to which you have an offer.

After your application has been submitted you will be able to track its progress through the University's applicant hub.

Application processing times will vary however the admissions team will endeavour to process your application within four to six weeks of submission. Please note that missing documentation will delay the application process.

You will be informed as soon as possible of the decision taken. Three outcomes are possible:

• You may be offered a place unconditionally
• You may be offered a conditional place, which means that you must fulfil certain conditions that will be specified in the offer letter. Where a conditional offer is made, it is your responsibility to inform the College Postgraduate Office when you have fulfilled the requirements set out.
• Your application may be unsuccessful. If your application has not been successful, you can request feedback from us or refer to our guidance for unsuccessful applicants, which explains some of the common reasons we why we reach this decision. View the University's guidance for unsuccessful applicants

You can find full and detailed application guidance on the University's website.

Find out more about applying to the University of Edinburgh

Applicants receiving an unconditional offer of admission to the LLM in Information Technology Law will be asked to pay a deposit of £1000 to secure their place on the programme

The deposit fee will be deducted from the first tuition fee instalment you have to pay and so enables you to spread the financial cost of the LLM.

September 2024 applicants

The deposit must be paid within 28 days of the date that the unconditional offer was made or by 09 August 2024, whichever is sooner.  

January 2025 applicants

The deposit must be paid within 28 days of the date that the unconditional offer was made or by 04 December 2024, whichever is sooner.  

Find out more about our deposit policy

The University’s terms and conditions form part of your contract with the University, and you should read them, and our data protection policy, carefully before applying.

University of Edinburgh admissions terms and conditions

If you have any questions about applying to the LLM in Information Technology Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

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The College of Law and School of Information joint graduate pathway in law and information technology, J.D./M.S.I.T. , permits the completion of both degrees concurrently. Current law students must meet with and submit all documents for admission to the College of Law joint graduate pathway coordinator before July 1 following their first year of law school. The College of Law joint graduate pathway coordinator will then submit their completed packet to the College of Law and the School of Information for approval. Any student who has completed M.S.I.T. coursework prior to matriculating to the College of Law, or who wishes to apply for the joint graduate pathway after beginning their second year of law school, must obtain prior written approval from the College of Law before applying for the joint graduate pathway.

Applicants to the M.S.I.T. program must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, an upper division (junior and senior) grade point average of 3.0 or better, and prior information technology coursework or work experience. Applicants should contact the School of Information to obtain specific information on the necessary GRE requirement. The School of Information will waive the GRE requirement for current College of Law students.

Information Technology and Law Program Information

Cybersecurity Guide

From scholar to expert: Cybersecurity PhD options

In this guide

• Industry demand
• 2024 rankings
• Preparation
• Considerations
• School listings

The cybersecurity landscape is not just growing—it’s evolving at a breakneck pace. And what better way to stay ahead of the curve than by pursuing a PhD in cybersecurity?

This advanced degree is no longer confined to the realm of computer science. Today, it branches into diverse fields like law, policy, management, and strategy, reflecting the multifaceted nature of modern cyber threats.

If you’re looking to become a thought leader in this dynamic industry, a PhD in cybersecurity offers an unparalleled opportunity to deepen your expertise and broaden your horizons.

This guide is designed to give prospective cybersecurity PhD students a general overview of available cybersecurity PhD programs. It will also outline some of the factors to consider when trying to find the right PhD program fit, such as course requirements and tuition costs. 

Industry demand for PhDs in cybersecurity

Like other cutting-edge technology fields, until recently, cybersecurity PhD programs were often training grounds for niche positions and specialized research, often for government agencies (like the CIA, NSA, and FBI),  or closely adjacent research organizations or institutions. 

Today, however, as the cybersecurity field grows to become more pervasive and consumer-oriented, there are opportunities for cybersecurity PhDs to work at public-facing companies like startups and name-brand financial, software, infrastructure, and digital service firms.

One trend that is emerging in the cybersecurity field is that cybersecurity experts need to be well-versed in a variety of growing threats. If recent headlines about cybersecurity breaches are any indication, there are a number of new attack vectors and opportunities for cybercrime and related issues. Historically, committing cybercrime took resources and a level of sophistication that required specialized training or skill.

But now, because of the pervasiveness of the internet, committing cybercrime is becoming more commonplace. So training in a cybersecurity PhD program allows students to become an experts in one part of a growing and multi-layered field.

In fact, this trend of needing well-trained, but adaptable cybersecurity professionals is reflected by the move by cybersecurity graduate schools to offer specialized master’s degrees , and many companies and professional organizations offer certifications in cybersecurity that focus on particular issues related to cybersecurity technology, cybersecurity law , digital forensics , policy, or related topics.

That said, traditional research-oriented cybersecurity positions continue to be in demand in academia and elsewhere — a trend that will likely continue. 

One interesting facet of the cybersecurity field is trying to predict what future cybersecurity threats might look like and then develop tools and systems to protect against those threats.

As new technologies and services are developed and as more of the global population begins using Internet services for everything from healthcare to banking — new ways of protecting those services will be required. Often, it’s up to academic researchers to think ahead and examine various threats and opportunities to insulate against those threats.

Another key trend coming out of academic circles is that cybersecurity students are becoming increasingly multidisciplinary.

As cybersecurity hacks impact more parts of people’s everyday lives, so too do the academic programs that are designed to prepare the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. This emerging trend creates an enormous amount of opportunity for students who have a variety of interests and who are looking to create a non-traditional career path.

The best cybersecurity PhD programs for 2024

Capella university, georgia institute of technology, northeastern university, marymount university, school of technology and innovation, nova southeastern university, college of computing & engineering, purdue university, stevens institute of technology, worcester polytechnic institute, university of illinois at urbana-champaign, mississippi state university, new york institute of technology.

These rankings were compiled from data accessed in November 2023 from the Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and College Navigator (both services National Center for Education Statistics). Tuition data was pulled from individual university websites and is current as of November 2023.

What is required to get a PhD in cybersecurity?

Good news first: Obtaining a PhD in a field related to cybersecurity will likely create tremendous employment opportunities and lead to interesting and dynamic career options.

Bad news: Getting a PhD requires a lot of investment of time and energy, and comes with a big opportunity cost (meaning you have to invest four to five years, or longer, or pursue other opportunities to obtain a doctoral degree. 

Here’s a quick breakdown of what is required to get a PhD in cybersecurity. Of course, specific degree requirements will vary by program. One growing trend in the field is that students can now obtain degrees in a variety of formats, including traditional on-campus programs, online degree programs , and hybrid graduate degree programs that combine both on-campus learning with online learning. 

Related resources

• Online PhD in cybersecurity – A guide to finding the right program
• Cybersecurity degree programs
• Podcast episodes and expert interviews

Preparing for a cybersecurity doctorate program

Cybersecurity is a relatively new formalized technology field, nonetheless, there are several ways that students or prospective PhD candidates can get involved or explore the field before and during a graduate school program. A few examples of ways to start networking and finding opportunities include: 

Join cybersecurity organizations with professional networks

Specialized professional organizations are a good place to find the latest in career advice and guidance. Often they publish newsletters or other kinds of information that provide insights into the emerging trends and issues facing cybersecurity professionals. A couple of examples include:

The Center for Internet Security  (CIS) is a non-profit dedicated to training cybersecurity professionals and fostering a sense of collaboration. The organization also publishes information and analysis of the latest cybersecurity threats and issues facing the professional community.

The SANS Institute runs several different kinds of courses for students (including certification programs) as well as ongoing professional cybersecurity education and training for people working in the field. The organization has several options including webinars, online training, and live in-person seminars. Additionally, SANS also publishes newsletters and maintains forums for cybersecurity professionals to interact and share information.

Leverage your social network

Places like LinkedIn and Twitter are good places to start to find news and information about what is happening in the field, who the main leaders and influencers are, and what kinds of jobs and opportunities are available.

Starting a professional network early is also a great opportunity. Often professionals and members of the industry are willing to provide guidance and help to students who are genuinely interested in the field and looking for career opportunities. 

Cybersecurity competitions 

Cybersecurity competitions are a great way to get hands-on experience working on real cybersecurity problems and issues. As a PhD student or prospective student, cybersecurity competitions that are sponsored by industry groups are a great way to meet other cybersecurity professionals while getting working on projects that will help flesh out a resume or become talking points in later job interviews.

The US Cyber Challenge , for example, is a series of competitions and hackathon-style events hosted by the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate and the Center for Internet Security to prepare the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

Internships

Internships also continue to be a tried and true way to gain professional experience. Internships in technical fields like cybersecurity can also pay well. Like the industry itself, cybersecurity internships are available across a wide range of industries and can range from academic research-oriented to more corporate kinds of work. 

Things to consider when choosing a cybersecurity PhD program

There are many considerations to evaluate when considering any kind of graduate degree, but proper planning is essential to be able to obtain a doctoral degree. It’s also important to note that these are just guidelines and that each graduate program will have specific requirements, so be sure to double-check.

What you will need before applying to a cybersecurity PhD program:

• All undergraduate and graduate transcripts
• A statement of intent, which is like a cover letter outlining interest
• Letters of reference
• Application fee
• Online application
• A resume or CV outlining professional and academic accomplishments

What does a cybersecurity PhD program cost?

Obtaining a PhD is a massive investment, both in terms of time and money. Cybersecurity PhD students are weighing the cost of becoming an expert in the field with the payoff of having interesting and potentially lucrative career opportunities on the other side.

Degree requirements are usually satisfied in 60-75 hours, so the cost of a doctoral degree can be well into the six-figure range. Here’s a more specific breakdown:

Tuition rates

The Cybersecurity Guide research team looked at 26 programs that offer a cybersecurity-related PhD degree. Here’s a breakdown of tuition rates (all figures are based on out-of-state tuition).

$17,580 is the most affordable PhD program option and it is available at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

$86,833 is the average cost of a cybersecurity PhD and is based on tuition rates from all 26 schools.

$197,820 is the most expensive cybersecurity PhD program and is available at Indiana University Bloomington.

The good news is that by the time students get to the PhD level there are a lot of funding options — including some graduate programs that are completely funded by the university or academic departments themselves.

Additionally, funding in the form of research grants and other kinds of scholarships is available for students interested in pursuing cybersecurity studies. 

One example is the CyberCorps: Scholarships for Service program. Administered by the National Science Foundation, PhD students studying cybersecurity are eligible for a $34,000 a year scholarship, along with a professional stipend of $6,000 to attend conferences in exchange for agreeing to work for a government agency in the cybersecurity space after the PhD program. 

Frequently asked questions about cybersecurity PhD programs

Most traditional and online cybersecurity graduate programs require a minimum number of credits that need to be completed to obtain a degree. On average, it takes 71 credits to graduate with a PhD in cybersecurity — far longer (almost double) than traditional master’s degree programs. In addition to coursework, most PhD students also have research and teaching responsibilities that can be simultaneously demanding and great career preparation.

At the core of a cybersecurity doctoral program is a data science doctoral program, you’ll be expected to learn many skills and also how to apply them across domains and disciplines. Core curriculums will vary from program to program, but almost all will have a core foundation of statistics.  

All PhD candidates will have to take a series of exams that act as checkpoints during the lengthy PhD process. The actual exam process and timing can vary depending on the university and the program, but the basic idea is that cybersecurity PhD candidates generally have to sit for a qualifying exam, which comes earlier in the program (usually the winter or spring of the second year of study), a preliminary exam, which a candidate takes to show they are ready to start the dissertation or research portion of the PhD program, and a final exam where PhD students present and defend their research and complete their degree requirements. 

A cybersecurity PhD dissertation is the capstone of a doctoral program. The dissertation is the name of a formal paper that presents the findings of original research that the PhD candidate conducted during the program under the guidance of faculty advisors. Some example cybersecurity research topics that could potentially be turned into dissertation ideas include: * Policies and best practices around passwords * Ways to defend against the rise of bots * Policies around encryption and privacy * Corporate responsibility for employee security * Internet advertising targeting and privacy * The new frontier of social engineering attacks * Operation security (OpSec) strategy and policy * Network infrastructure and defense * Cybersecurity law and policy * The vulnerabilities of biometrics * The role of ethical hacking * Cybersecurity forensics and enforcement

A complete listing of cybersecurity PhD programs

The following is a list of cybersecurity PhD programs. The listing is intended to work as a high-level index that provides enough basic information to make quick side-by-side comparisons easy. 

You should find basic data about what each school requires (such as a GRE score or prior academic work) as well as the number of credits required, estimated costs, and a link to the program.

Arizona State University

• Aim: Equip students with in-depth expertise in cybersecurity.
• Study Modules: Delve into advanced computer science subjects and specific cybersecurity courses.
• Research Component: Students undertake groundbreaking research in the cybersecurity domain.

Carnegie Mellon University

• CNBC Collaboration: A joint effort between Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh to train students in understanding the brain's role in cognition.
• Training Program: Students take four main neuroscience courses and participate in seminars and ethics training.
• Course Integration: Whether students have a B.S. or M.S. degree, they can combine the CNBC and ECE Ph.D. courses without extra workload.

Colorado School of Mines

• Research Focus: Cybersecurity: Studying online security and privacy.
• Cost and Financial Aid: Provides details on program costs and available financial support.
• Current Mines Community: Offers specific information for those already affiliated with Mines.

Indiana University Bloomington

• Focus Areas: Options include Animal Informatics, Bioinformatics, Computer Design, and more.
• Information Sessions: The university holds events to guide potential students about admissions and study options.
• Minor Requirement: All Ph.D. students must complete a minor, which can be from within the Luddy School of Informatics or from another approved school at IU Bloomington.

Iowa State University

• Details: The program is open to both domestic and international students.
• Time to Complete: Ph.D.: About 5.2 years
• Goals: Students should gain deep knowledge, follow ethics, share their findings, and do advanced research if they're writing a thesis.
• Learning Goals: Master core areas of Computer Science, achieve in-depth knowledge in a chosen subfield, obtain expertise to perform original research, and demonstrate the ability to communicate technical concepts and research results.
• Duration: Median time to earn the doctorate is 5.8 years.
• Application Information: The program is open to both domestic and international students.
• Program's Aim: The Ph.D. program is tailored to produce scholars proficient in leading research initiatives, undertaking rigorous industrial research, or imparting high-level computer science education.
• Entry Routes: The program welcomes both students holding a B.S. degree for direct admission and those with an M.S. degree.
• Dissertation's Role: It stands as the pivotal component of the Ph.D. journey. Collaboration between the student, their dissertation director, and the guiding committee is essential.

Naval Postgraduate School

• Program Essence: The Computer Science Ph.D. is a top-tier academic program in the U.S.
• Admission Criteria: Open to military officers from the U.S. and abroad, U.S. governmental employees, and staff of foreign governments.
• Curriculum: Designed to deepen knowledge in computing, with a focus on the needs of the U.S. Department of Defense.
• Emphasis on Research: The college showcases its strength in research through sections dedicated to Research Areas, affiliated Institutes & Centers, ongoing Research Projects, and specialized Labs & Groups.
• Holistic Student Growth: The college promotes a comprehensive student experience, spotlighting Clubs & Organizations, campus Facilities, and tech Systems.
• Guidance for Future Students: Provides tailored insights for students considering joining at various academic levels, from Undergraduate to PhD.
• Broad Learning: The program covers many areas, from software and policy to psychology and ethics, reflecting the wide scope of cybersecurity.
• Course Design: Students learn foundational security topics first and then dive into specialized areas, like cyber forensics.
• Successful Alumni: Past students now work in places like NASA, Amazon, and Google.
• Feature: Students can apply to up to three different campuses and/or majors using a single application and fee payment.
• Preparing for a Globalized World: Courses such as Global Supply Chain Management equip students for international careers.
• Tech-Forward Curriculum: Purdue's commitment to advanced technology is evident.

Rochester Institute of Technology

• Cyberinfrastructure Focus: The program dives deep into how hardware, data, and networks work together to create secure and efficient digital tools.
• Broad Applications: The program uses computing to solve problems in fields like science, arts, and business.
• Success Rate: All RIT graduates from this program have found relevant roles, especially in the Internet and Software sectors.

Sam Houston State University

• Program's Objective: The course aims to nurture students to be technically adept and also to take on leadership roles in the digital and cyber forensic domain across various industries.
• Assessments: Students undergo comprehensive tests to evaluate their understanding.
• Research Paper (Dissertation): Once students reach the doctoral candidacy phase, they must produce and defend a significant research paper or dissertation.
• Funding: All Ph.D. students get financial help, so they can start their research right away.
• Teachers: The program has top experts, including those who've made big discoveries in computer science.
• Research Areas: Students can study the latest topics like AI, computer vision, and online security.

The University of Tennessee

• Study Areas: Options include Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Computer Vision, and more.
• Tests: You'll have to pass a few exams, including one when you start, one before your final project, and then present your final project.
• Courses: Some specific courses are needed, and your main professor will help decide which ones.
• Big Exam: Before moving forward, you'll take a detailed exam about your research topic.
• Final Step: You'll present and defend your research project to experts.
• Overview: This program is for those with a degree in Computer Science or similar fields. It has special focus areas like Cybersecurity and Machine Learning.

University of Arizona

• Study Plan: Students start with learning research basics and then dive into modern tech topics.
• Support for Students: All PhD students get funding that covers their studies, a stipend, and health insurance. Money for travel to conferences is also available.
• After Graduation: Alumni work at top universities and big companies like Google and Microsoft.

University of California-Davis

• About the Program: Students engage in deep research, ending with a dissertation.
• Jobs After Graduation: Roles in companies or academic positions.
• Vibrant Community: Beyond academics, students join a supportive community, enriching their Ph.D. experience.

University of Colorado - Colorado Springs

• Recognition: UCCS is recognized by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security for excellence in Information Assurance Education.
• Course Approval: The NSA has approved UCCS's courses as meeting national security training standards.
• Overview: This program focuses on vital areas like cyber security, physical security, and homeland security.

University of Idaho

• Partnership with NSA and DHS: The university is part of a program to boost cyber defense education.
• Recognition: The University of Idaho is among the institutions recognized as Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense.
• Objective: To minimize vulnerabilities in the national information infrastructure.
• Overview: This program is meticulously crafted to deliver premier legal education to its students.
• Courses: Encompasses a balanced mix of traditional legal doctrines, theoretical viewpoints, and hands-on practical experiences.
• Aim: The primary objective is to equip students with top-notch legal education.

University of Missouri-Columbia

• Seminars: PhD students should attend 20 seminars. If they were previously Master's students, their past attendance counts.
• Timeline Requirements: Comprehensive Exam must be completed within five years of starting the program.
• Dissertation and Publication: At least one journal paper must be submitted, accepted, or published.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

• Faculty: The faculty members are renowned for their impactful research contributions on a global scale.
• Curriculum: The curriculum is versatile, catering to individuals aiming for academia as well as those targeting roles in the corporate, commerce, or public sectors.
• Program: A blend of theoretical and hands-on research is emphasized, offering a well-rounded educational experience.

Virginia Tech

• Seminars and Ethics: Students attend special seminars and complete training on scholarly ethics and diversity.
• Guidance: Each student gets a faculty advisor. A group of faculty members, called a committee, also guides them.
• Major Exams: Students go through four main stages: a qualifying process, a preliminary proposal, a research presentation, and a final defense.
• Strong Research: WPI's PhD program is recognized for its excellent research contributions.
• Practical Focus: The program teaches students to tackle real tech challenges.
• Modern Labs: Students use the latest labs like the Human-Robot Interaction Lab.

Dakota State University

• Program Goal: Train students to handle and prevent cyber threats.
• Awards: The university has received top cybersecurity awards.
• What You'll Learn: Research skills, cyber defense techniques, and ethical decision-making.

New Jersey City University, College of Professional Studies

• About: Focuses on best practices in areas like national security, cyber defense, and crisis communication.
• Recognitions: The program has been honored by the National Security Agency since 2009 and was recognized for excellence in intelligence studies.
• Jobs: Graduates are prepared for top roles in sectors like government and education.
• Program Content: The course dives deep into modern cybersecurity topics, from new tech and artificial intelligence to specialized research areas.
• Location Benefits: The university is near many cybersecurity companies and government agencies, giving students unique opportunities.
• For Working People: It's crafted for professionals, allowing them to experience various cybersecurity roles, from tech firms to government.
• Completion Time: Students have up to ten years from starting to finish their dissertation.
• Program: Trains students for roles in academia, government, and business.
• Multidisciplinary Approach: The program combines both technical and managerial aspects of cybersecurity, offering a comprehensive understanding of the field.

The University of Rhode Island

• Research Focus: The Ph.D. program is centered around a big research project in Computer Science.
• Qualifying Exams: Students take exams on core topics, but some might get exemptions if they're already skilled in certain areas.
• Equal Opportunity: The University of Rhode Island is committed to the principles of affirmative action and is an equal opportunity employer.

University of North Texas

• Team Effort: The program is a collaboration between various UNT departments for a well-rounded view of cybersecurity.
• Goals: The course aims to develop critical thinkers who are passionate about the role of information in our lives and can work across different fields.
• Skills Gained: Students will learn about research, teaching methods, decision-making, leadership, and analyzing data.

New York University Tandon School of Engineering

• Scholarships: Many students get scholarships that pay for tuition and give a monthly allowance.
• Research Interest: Research areas include cybersecurity, computer games, web search, graphics, and more.
• Experience: Students can also research in NYU's campuses in Shanghai or Abu Dhabi.
• One Degree for All: Every student gets the same Ph.D., regardless of their specific area of study.
• Research Focus: The program emphasizes deep research and prepares students for advanced roles.
• Major Project: Students work on a big research project, adding new knowledge to the computing world.
• Program: Prepares students for leadership roles in different sectors.
• Opportunities: Qualified students might get opportunities as Research or Teaching Assistants.
• Overview: Focuses on advanced research and modern technologies.

Augusta University

• Goal: The program prepares students for research roles and to make new discoveries in tech.
• Benefits: A Ph.D. opens up leadership opportunities in tech sectors.
• Overview: It focuses on new discoveries in areas like security, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality.

University of Texas at San Antonio

• Financial Support: Full-time students can get funding, which covers tuition and offers roles like teaching assistants.
• Job Prospects: UTSA trains students for jobs that are in high demand, using data from official sources.
• Overview: The program focuses on in-depth research and teaching.

University of Central Florida

• Mix of Subjects: Students can take courses from different areas, giving them a broad view of security topics.
• Many Job Options: Graduates can work in government, big companies, or teach in universities.
• Hands-on Learning: The program offers research, study projects, and internships for real-world experience.

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Media, Intellectual Property & Technology Law

Specialise your studies in the Master of Laws.

New media is becoming an increasingly dominant form of mass communication, challenging established frameworks with disruptive technology. Individuals from various backgrounds must now understand how the law affects and regulates their activities in this environment. Media laws influence how people communicate and how both old and new media operate. To cope with the regulatory impact of this increased reliance on the digital sphere, established legal doctrines such as defamation and privacy are being used in new ways. 

Meanwhile, intellectual property laws incentivise new creations, create value in the form of property with legally enforceable rights, and limit how others may access and use those creations. Fast-emerging developments such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain and bio-technologies raise questions about the legal rights and responsibilities that accompany the usage of new technologies. 

This  Master of Laws  specialisation develops a depth of knowledge through a strong theoretical and practical understanding of the different laws and regulatory issues that can arise in the context of new and old media, intellectual property and technology law.

Knowledge and experience you’ll gain from this specialisation

Solid command of the language and principles of media and communications law, intellectual property law, and/or technology law.

Improved understanding of how media law, intellectual property law and technology law impact upon everyday life and regulate commercial activities, and the restrictions and opportunities created by these laws.

Ability to understand the ever-changing Australian and international institutional contexts in which media and communications law, intellectual property law, and/or technology law are created and applied.

Ability to command at least one specialised subfield of media and communications law, intellectual property law, and/or technology law.

Possible career outcomes

Lawyers working across media law and regulation of the media industry, intellectual property law and the capture of the commercial value of innovation, and/or the law relating to the regulation of technology (if you also hold a LLB/JD).

Journalists and other media professionals working across the legal and government sectors.

Scientists, engineers and other STEM professionals who have the knowledge and strategies for protecting their innovative developments.

Business professionals who work in the media, intellectual property and/or technology field.

Who should study this specialisation?

Those with professional experience in:

legal practice 

media, advertising, communication and marketing industry 

STEM-related disciplines 

university innovation and innovation management 

owning and operating businesses of all sizes.

Related UNSW centres

The Allens Hub for Technology, Law & Innovation

Michael Crouch Innovation Centre

International opportunities

Overseas elective available as part of your specialisation:

Law and Technology: Comparative Perspectives – Zurich

UNSW Master of Laws

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National Law School of India University

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The Ph.D (Law) programme offers candidates an opportunity to contribute to the academic field in their chosen areas of study. ​As a part of the programme, candidates are also provided an opportunity to teach or participate in ongoing research at NLSIU, in areas related to their dissertation, allowing for deeper integration with the NLSIU community and providing diverse feedback opportunities.

Related Videos

Watch videos on the programme here .

Eligibility for Ph.D. (Law)

The following candidates shall be eligible to apply for the Ph.D. (Law) programme:

a) Candidates having a 5-year/ 10-semester/ 15-trimester bachelor’s degree programme in Law through regular mode from a recognized University having secured a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed (70% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST/OBC- NCL/Persons with Disability.)

b) Candidates having a 3-year/ 6-semester/ 9-trimester bachelor’s degree programme in Law (LL.B.) through regular mode from a recognized University having secured a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed (70% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST/OBC-NCL Persons with Disability); and

c) Candidates having a Masters in Law degree (LL.M.) through regular mode from a recognized University having secured an aggregate of at least 55% marks or its equivalent grade (50% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST/OBC-NCL)/ Persons with Disability);

d) Candidates having passed the Solicitors Examination conducted by the Bombay Incorporated Law Society and having a completed a bachelor’s in Law (LL.B./LL.B. (Hons.)) degree from a recognized University through regular mode; or

(e) Candidates having a Master of Business Laws (MBL) degree from the National Law School of India University with minimum CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) of 4.00 and having completed a bachelor’s degree from a recognized University through regular mode.

Provided that candidates in their final year of study in the respective degrees in (a), (b) and (c) shall be eligible to apply, subject to the candidate securing the minimum marks or equivalent grade prior to July 2024.

International Students

Candidates can apply for the NLSAT – International Examination for “international student” category, if they fulfil the following conditions:

• They should be a citizen of a country other than India; AND
• They should have completed a minimum of ten years of their education in a school/college/university outside India.

For more details, click here.

Admission Process

Admission to the programme will be through an all-India written admissions test, the National Law School Admissions Test (NLSAT-PhD). Candidates shall submit the application form duly filled up along with a research proposal of about 6-8 pages. The application form is available here.

The research proposal should contain: i. Tentative Title ii. Statement of the problem and the background information on the subject. iii. A brief outline of the research design including a set of research questions, a brief review of the relevant literature on the issue identified for research, a research hypothesis (where applicable) and the proposed methodology. Students who demonstrate a firm grasp of these foundational issues will be awarded higher marks.

The NLSAT-PhD shall have the following scheme: a) Research Aptitude: 50 marks b) Essays/Answers on relevant topics pertaining to law/ other disciplines: 50 marks

Candidates securing not less than 50% marks on the aggregate in the written test will qualify for evaluation of their Research Proposal and making an oral presentation before a Panel of Experts on the date specified by the University.

Selection Process

Candidates will be selected based on the marks obtained by the candidate in the NLSAT- PhD, the research proposal, and the oral presentation. The weightage of each score component shall be as follows:

a) NLSAT-PhD: 50% b) Research Proposal: 35% c) Oral Presentation: 15%

Important Dates

• The National Law School Admissions Test-PhD (NLSAT-PhD) will be held on March 17, 2024 (Sunday), from 10.00 am to 12.30 pm in specified centres across the country. The duration of the test shall be 150 minutes.
• Application deadline has been extended to 11:59 pm IST, on February 28, 2024. View official notification. An application fee of Rs. 3000/- (Rupees Three Thousand Only) shall be payable at the time of submission of the application.
• The dates for the oral presentation shall be announced after the completion of the NLSAT-PhD. They are likely to be held in April – May 2024.
• Classes for coursework component of the Ph.D. programme shall commence in the University in July 2024.

The maximum number of Ph. D seats for the Academic Year 2024-25 are 8 (Eight). This includes 4 in Ph.D (Law) and 4 in Ph.D (Interdisciplinary). The University reserves the right not to fill all the seats where sufficient candidates do not satisfy the admission requirements.

PhD Regulations

Regulations governing the PhD programme are available here.  Candidates should familiarize themselves with the requirements of the programme, before applying.

The admission notification for AY 2024-25 is available here.

For Indian Nationals

For international students.

The total amount payable at the time of admission by foreign students for AY 2024-25 is Rs. 2,55,000/- as provided below:

Registration Fee – one time 90,000/- Course Work Fee – one time 90,000/- Annual Fee 75,000/- Total fee – per annum 2,55,000/-

* Fees mentioned above are provisional and subject to ratification by the University Governing Bodies.

Sample questions for NLSAT 2024 will be released to candidates who have registered through the admissions portal prior to the admissions test.

The University’s PhD programme in the previous year was offered in terms of the Ph.D. Degree Programme Regulations, 2021. The Regulations have been revised since the Academic Year 2023-24. 

The FAQs below reflect the Ph.D. Degree Programme Regulations 2023.  

NLSIU currently offers two Ph.D programmes:

– The Ph.D. (Law) programme allows a candidate to contribute academically in the field of law; – The Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary) involves research across disciplines to arrive at a more comprehensive perspective and solution for a particular problem.

Yes, they may apply for the Ph.D (Law) programme.

a) Candidates having a 5-year/ 10-semester/ 15-trimester bachelor’s degree programme in Law through regular mode from a recognized University having secured a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed (70% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST/OBC- NCL/Persons with Disability.)

b) Candidates having a 3-year/ 6-semester/ 9-trimester bachelor’s degree programme in Law (LL.B.) through regular mode from a recognized University having secured a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed (70% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST/OBC-NCL Persons with Disability); and

Provided that candidates in their final year of study in the respective degrees in (a), (b) and (c) shall be eligible to apply, subject to the candidate securing the minimum marks or equivalent grade prior to the date of the commencement of Ph.D.

No, there is no age limit to apply for the programmes.

Candidates will have to appear for the admission test NLSAT – Ph.D, conducted by the University. To apply, visit admissions.nls.ac.in

Note: While submitting the application for the admission test, candidates should also submit a research proposal of about 6-8 pages. The research proposal should contain: i. Tentative Title ii. Statement of the problem and the background information on the subject. iii. A brief outline of the research design including a set of research questions, a brief review of the relevant literature on the issue identified for research, a research hypothesis (where applicable) and the proposed methodology. Students who demonstrate a firm grasp of these foundational issues will be awarded higher marks.

No. Candidates may apply for either Ph.D (Law) or the Ph.D (Interdisciplinary) programme.

To apply for the Ph.D programmes, visit admissions.nls.ac.in

The University shall conduct a written test (NLSAT-Ph.D) along the following scheme:

a) Research Aptitude – 50 marks b) Essays on relevant topics pertaining to law/ other disciplines – 50 marks 

The list of selected candidates as above shall be displayed on the NLSIU website.

Candidates are required to be present at the NLSIU campus for the duration of their coursework spread over three trimesters. Course work is compulsory for all the Ph.D. candidates.

The first component of the course work must be completed during the first trimester upon their admission. The remaining two trimesters of the course work needs to be completed within the first two academic years.  

a) The candidate will have to complete a minimum of three (3) years’ research in their chosen subject, including the mandatory course work as provided in these Regulations.

b) Maximum period: The maximum duration of the Ph.D. programme shall be six (6) years* from the date of admission in the Ph.D. programme, subject to the fulfilment of the requirements per the Regulations.

*- Provided that candidates who are Persons with Disabilities (having more than 40% disability) may be allowed a relaxation of upto two (2) years; however, the total period for completion of a Ph.D. programme in such cases should not exceed eight (8) years from the date of admission in the Ph.D. programme; – Provided further that female Ph.D. candidates may be provided Maternity Leave/ Child Care Leave for up to 240 days in the entire duration of the Ph.D. programme; however, the total period for completion of a Ph.D. programme in such cases should not exceed six (6) years and eight (8) months from the date of admission in the Ph.D. programme.

c) Failure to complete the course within the maximum period set out in point (b) above will automatically result in cancellation of registration.

There are a total of six courses that a doctoral candidate has to complete. Three of these are compulsory taught courses. Each taught course will extend for around 10 weeks and will be held on campus.

The first compulsory taught course is to be completed in the initial trimester on admission to the programme. The second compulsory taught course can be completed in the initial or any subsequent trimester (depending on when the course is offered). These two taught courses have to be completed prior to the first presentation before the Research Advisory Committee. In addition, there are also two course requirements relating to review of literature and fine-tuning of the proposal which need to be completed under the guidance of the Supervisor prior to the first presentation before the Research Advisory Committee.

The third compulsory taught course has to be completed prior to the second presentation before the Research Advisory Committee. In addition, candidates also will also need to complete the course requirement relating to teaching/research assistantships as will be decided by the Supervisor/relevant University body of the University.

There is a Research Advisory Committee for each Ph.D. scholar consisting of a Supervisor and two members (one from within NLSIU and one external member).

Please refer to the fee tab on the respective programme pages for fee details. 

Yes, the University will release sample questions at a later date.

We do not offer rolling admissions to the PhD programme. New students are admitted once a year, to begin studying at the start of the Academic Year in July.

Yes, but only in the next academic year. Candidates will have to appear for the NLSAT after applying for the programme in any given year.  

Yes. The University will notify a ‘Campus Open Day’ for you to visit us and familiarize yourself with the campus before applying for any programme through the NLSAT. Follow our website for further updates.

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PhD Law: Eligibility, Admission 2024, Fees, Entrance Exam, Syllabus, Jobs, Salary

Ph.D in Law is a doctoral-level programme in legal studies that span three to six-year duration. The curriculum focuses on providing knowledge of the constitutional law of India, legal theory, international law, and various other specialisation and types of law . Candidates with an LLM degree are eligible to apply for these programmes, provided they meet other eligibility as well.

Highlights - PhD in Law

Phd in law eligibility criteria, doctorate degree in law admission procedure, doctorate of law entrance exams, phd in law cutoff, doctorate in law degree skills, phd in law syllabus, phd law fees, phd law degree scope, career options after phd law, top recruiters, benefits of studying phd law degree, phd law salary, list of top ph.d. in law colleges in india with fees, top private ph.d. in law colleges in india with fees, top government ph.d. in law colleges in india with fees.

Ph.D is always the preferable choice of candidates interested in pursuing a career as an academician or researcher. UGC-NET, UGC-CSIR NET (including JRF), and GATE are some of the popular PhD Law entrance examinations. Several universities in India offer Ph.D. in Law courses, among them; JNU, JMI, and Delhi University are well regarded.

There is no fixed PhD Law eligibility criteria and it varies across institutions. Generally, a master's degree with minimum marks, along with the passing marks in the entrance exam is required. The minimum marks and entrance exams are not static and universities or colleges hold the right to modify them. The PhD Law eligibility criteria are provided below.

Candidates must have an LLM or equivalent degree with a minimum of 50 per cent marks from a recognised university.

All candidates should complete the pre-PhD course first.

Final-year students can also apply for the course, provided they submit all the documents at the time of admission.

For reserved category candidates, the minimum required marks are 45 per cent.

The admission process for each course can be found on the official website of the provider colleges. Public colleges have a more rigid PhD in Law admission process as compared to private colleges. Below, we have listed the PhD Law application procedure as followed by most universities.

Candidates must pass the required national-level or university-specific entrance exam; UGC-NET, UGC-CSIR NET, GATE, GLAET , or other university-level exam.

They can apply for the course through the official websites of their respective colleges.

Candidates who clear the cutoff of respective colleges will be invited to the next rounds.

For most colleges, personal interviews and group discussions are part of the next round.

The final selection of candidates will be based on their overall performance and total seat intake.

Selected candidates need to pay the course fees and submit the required documents to confirm the selection.

Ph.D. is the highest level degree one can pursue in any specialisation and interested candidates need to go through various exams to gain admission to well-reputed institutions. Below, we have listed important PhD Law entrance exams that facilitate admission to the best colleges in India.

UGC-NET: UGC-NET stands for University Grants Commission–National Eligibility Test and it is facilities twice a year in June and December. It is conducted by the National Testing Agency and provides candidates with the position of Assistant professor in universities across the country as well as with a Junior Research Fellowship.

UGC NET Eligibility Criteria

UGC NET Preparation Tips

UGC NET Syllabus

UGC NET Exam Pattern

UGC-CSIR NET: UGC-CSIR NET stands for University Grants Commission-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research National Eligibility Test and it is conducted by the National Testing Agency. It facilitates admission to Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) programmes across various universities in India. Candidates clearing this exam are eligible to become an assistant professor in any Indian university.

CSIR UGC NET Eligibility Criteria

CSIR NET Exam Pattern

CSIR NET Syllabus

CSIR NET Cut-off

The PhD in Law cutoff is published by providers colleges annually and it depends on various factors. These factors include the difficulty level of the exam, total seat intake, and number of applicants. Also, in public colleges, reservation plays an important role in determining the PhD Law cutoff.

Generally, the cutoff of the reserved category is less compared to general category candidates. Colleges release their PhD Law cutoff for respective entrance exams on their official website, some days after the exam.

A doctorate of law course equips students with various skills such as advanced research, analytical and critical thinking. Expertise in a specific legal area and staying ahead of current legal developments are essential for success in the field. The following listed PhD Law skills are beneficial for candidates during their curriculum, although not mandatory.

Critical Thinking

Legal Research

Academic Writing

Strong Communication

Presentation Skills

The PhD Law curriculum is of three to six years duration and divided into six to twelve semesters respectively. The first semester provides techniques and tools for legal research followed by the necessary skills for conducting research in the second semester. Below, we have compiled the PhD Law subjects taught at GGSIPU Delhi .

The governing body of the institution determines the course fees and includes tuition fees, admission fees, security deposit, and other service charges. The PhD Law fees vary across institutions and public colleges generally have low fees compared to private colleges. The average PhD Law fees range from Rs. 16,800 to Rs. 6.25 lakhs, depending on the choice of college.

A PhD in Law offers diverse career paths, including academia, legal research, policy analysis, and consulting. It provides expertise in specialised areas of law and opens doors to roles in universities, think tanks, government agencies, and international organisations. Graduates can also explore international opportunities if they have specialised in international law .

After graduating with a doctoral law degree, candidates can find employment in both the public and private sectors offering high-paying job roles. Below are some of the most pursued PhD in Law job roles.

Judges : Judges preside over legal proceedings, and interpret and apply the law. They impart decisions or verdicts based on the evidence presented in court.

Legal Advisors : Legal advisors are individuals with high expertise in law and related subjects. They are hired by the government, large companies, and other organisations for legal advice.

Academicians : Academicians are professionals whose primary work involves teaching and research activities. They are specialists in any one subject and are hired by colleges and universities.

Researchers : Researchers are individuals who conduct research and investigate topics of their interest or specialty. They work for any private organisation, government department, or university or conduct their own research.

Lawyers : Lawyers are professionals with high legal knowledge and they can also be called attorneys, solicitors, counsellors, or barristers. They represent their clients in legal proceedings before courts.

Many recruiters in India, both private and public, hire professionals with legal expertise for various roles. Graduating from top law schools will provide students with worthy job roles and a high salary package, allowing them to pursue careers in India as well as abroad.

Hester Bioscience Ltd

Khaitan & Co

Canara Bank

All India Judicial Service

A PhD in Law allows students to explore a specific legal area and opens doors to a career in academia, allowing them to teach, publish research, and contribute to the advancement of legal knowledge. Students will develop strong research skills, critical thinking, and analytical abilities that are valuable in various professional areas.

This legal doctorate degree offers a global perspective on legal issues, especially if students’ research involves international or comparative law . It also equips students with diverse career paths in legal consulting, government advisory roles, think tanks, NGOs, and international organisations.

Various legal PhD Law job roles are available in the current job market, as all organisations sought after professionals with legal knowledge. Below, we have provided the average PhD in Law salary for respective job roles.

Source: Payscale

Hundreds of law schools and universities offer legal PhD, each having its own eligibility and application process. Below, we have compiled the list of top PhD Law colleges in India, as per the NIRF ranking.

Among top providers, several private institutions have established themselves on the list. These institutions offer excellent academic and placement records, along with other facilities. More information on these institutions is provided in the table below.

Government colleges or universities that offer PhD in Law are available in most states in India. In the following table, we have highlighted the best government PhD Law colleges in India, along with their total course fees.

A PhD in law involves in-depth research, academic writing, and the development of expertise in the legal area. This coursework generally involves project, thesis, exams, and collaboration with faculty members. However, it is essential to check the curriculum and requirements first with the institution before applying.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

The Ph.D. in Law programme spans a duration of three to six years.

The curriculum emphasises constitutional law, legal theory, international law, and various specialisations and types of law.

Candidates with an LLM degree or an equivalent master's degree with a minimum of 50 per cent marks are eligible.

UGC-NET, UGC-CSIR NET (including JRF), and GATE are some of the popular entrance exams for Ph.D. in Law.

Candidates must pass a national-level or university-specific entrance exam, followed by personal interviews and group discussions in some cases. The final selection is based on overall performance and total seat intake.

Graduates can pursue careers as Judges, Legal Advisors, Academicians, Researchers, and Lawyers.

The average salary varies depending on the job profile, ranging from Rs. 6.07 LPA for Legal Advisors to Rs. 12.12 LPA for Judges.

Yes, final-year students are eligible to apply for the Ph.D. in Law programme, provided they submit all required documents at the time of admission.

Yes, in public colleges, reservation plays a role in determining the cutoff, with generally lower cutoffs for reserved categories compared to the general category.

Top recruiters include Hester Bioscience Ltd, SEBI, JAG, Reliance, Khaitan & Co, Canara Bank, Tata Group, and All India Judicial Service.

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The field of biomedical engineering opens up a universe of expert chances. An Individual in the biomedical engineering career path work in the field of engineering as well as medicine, in order to find out solutions to common problems of the two fields. The biomedical engineering job opportunities are to collaborate with doctors and researchers to develop medical systems, equipment, or devices that can solve clinical problems. Here we will be discussing jobs after biomedical engineering, how to get a job in biomedical engineering, biomedical engineering scope, and salary. 

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Remote sensing scientists use remote sensing technology to support scientists in fields such as community planning, flight planning or the management of natural resources. Analysing data collected from aircraft, satellites or ground-based platforms using statistical analysis software, image analysis software or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a significant part of their work. Do you want to learn how to become remote sensing technician? There's no need to be concerned; we've devised a simple remote sensing technician career path for you. Scroll through the pages and read.

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Budget analysis, in a nutshell, entails thoroughly analyzing the details of a financial budget. The budget analysis aims to better understand and manage revenue. Budget analysts assist in the achievement of financial targets, the preservation of profitability, and the pursuit of long-term growth for a business. Budget analysts generally have a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, economics, or a closely related field. Knowledge of Financial Management is of prime importance in this career.

Underwriter

An underwriter is a person who assesses and evaluates the risk of insurance in his or her field like mortgage, loan, health policy, investment, and so on and so forth. The underwriter career path does involve risks as analysing the risks means finding out if there is a way for the insurance underwriter jobs to recover the money from its clients. If the risk turns out to be too much for the company then in the future it is an underwriter who will be held accountable for it. Therefore, one must carry out his or her job with a lot of attention and diligence.

Finance Executive

Product manager.

A Product Manager is a professional responsible for product planning and marketing. He or she manages the product throughout the Product Life Cycle, gathering and prioritising the product. A product manager job description includes defining the product vision and working closely with team members of other departments to deliver winning products.  

Operations Manager

Individuals in the operations manager jobs are responsible for ensuring the efficiency of each department to acquire its optimal goal. They plan the use of resources and distribution of materials. The operations manager's job description includes managing budgets, negotiating contracts, and performing administrative tasks.

Stock Analyst

Individuals who opt for a career as a stock analyst examine the company's investments makes decisions and keep track of financial securities. The nature of such investments will differ from one business to the next. Individuals in the stock analyst career use data mining to forecast a company's profits and revenues, advise clients on whether to buy or sell, participate in seminars, and discussing financial matters with executives and evaluate annual reports.

A Researcher is a professional who is responsible for collecting data and information by reviewing the literature and conducting experiments and surveys. He or she uses various methodological processes to provide accurate data and information that is utilised by academicians and other industry professionals. Here, we will discuss what is a researcher, the researcher's salary, types of researchers.

Welding Engineer

Welding Engineer Job Description: A Welding Engineer work involves managing welding projects and supervising welding teams. He or she is responsible for reviewing welding procedures, processes and documentation. A career as Welding Engineer involves conducting failure analyses and causes on welding issues. 

Transportation Planner

A career as Transportation Planner requires technical application of science and technology in engineering, particularly the concepts, equipment and technologies involved in the production of products and services. In fields like land use, infrastructure review, ecological standards and street design, he or she considers issues of health, environment and performance. A Transportation Planner assigns resources for implementing and designing programmes. He or she is responsible for assessing needs, preparing plans and forecasts and compliance with regulations.

Environmental Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as an environmental engineer are construction professionals who utilise the skills and knowledge of biology, soil science, chemistry and the concept of engineering to design and develop projects that serve as solutions to various environmental problems. 

Safety Manager

A Safety Manager is a professional responsible for employee’s safety at work. He or she plans, implements and oversees the company’s employee safety. A Safety Manager ensures compliance and adherence to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) guidelines.

Conservation Architect

A Conservation Architect is a professional responsible for conserving and restoring buildings or monuments having a historic value. He or she applies techniques to document and stabilise the object’s state without any further damage. A Conservation Architect restores the monuments and heritage buildings to bring them back to their original state.

Structural Engineer

A Structural Engineer designs buildings, bridges, and other related structures. He or she analyzes the structures and makes sure the structures are strong enough to be used by the people. A career as a Structural Engineer requires working in the construction process. It comes under the civil engineering discipline. A Structure Engineer creates structural models with the help of computer-aided design software. 

Highway Engineer

Highway Engineer Job Description:  A Highway Engineer is a civil engineer who specialises in planning and building thousands of miles of roads that support connectivity and allow transportation across the country. He or she ensures that traffic management schemes are effectively planned concerning economic sustainability and successful implementation.

Field Surveyor

Are you searching for a Field Surveyor Job Description? A Field Surveyor is a professional responsible for conducting field surveys for various places or geographical conditions. He or she collects the required data and information as per the instructions given by senior officials. 

Orthotist and Prosthetist

Orthotists and Prosthetists are professionals who provide aid to patients with disabilities. They fix them to artificial limbs (prosthetics) and help them to regain stability. There are times when people lose their limbs in an accident. In some other occasions, they are born without a limb or orthopaedic impairment. Orthotists and prosthetists play a crucial role in their lives with fixing them to assistive devices and provide mobility.

Pathologist

A career in pathology in India is filled with several responsibilities as it is a medical branch and affects human lives. The demand for pathologists has been increasing over the past few years as people are getting more aware of different diseases. Not only that, but an increase in population and lifestyle changes have also contributed to the increase in a pathologist’s demand. The pathology careers provide an extremely huge number of opportunities and if you want to be a part of the medical field you can consider being a pathologist. If you want to know more about a career in pathology in India then continue reading this article.

Veterinary Doctor

Speech therapist, gynaecologist.

Gynaecology can be defined as the study of the female body. The job outlook for gynaecology is excellent since there is evergreen demand for one because of their responsibility of dealing with not only women’s health but also fertility and pregnancy issues. Although most women prefer to have a women obstetrician gynaecologist as their doctor, men also explore a career as a gynaecologist and there are ample amounts of male doctors in the field who are gynaecologists and aid women during delivery and childbirth. 

Audiologist

The audiologist career involves audiology professionals who are responsible to treat hearing loss and proactively preventing the relevant damage. Individuals who opt for a career as an audiologist use various testing strategies with the aim to determine if someone has a normal sensitivity to sounds or not. After the identification of hearing loss, a hearing doctor is required to determine which sections of the hearing are affected, to what extent they are affected, and where the wound causing the hearing loss is found. As soon as the hearing loss is identified, the patients are provided with recommendations for interventions and rehabilitation such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and appropriate medical referrals. While audiology is a branch of science that studies and researches hearing, balance, and related disorders.

An oncologist is a specialised doctor responsible for providing medical care to patients diagnosed with cancer. He or she uses several therapies to control the cancer and its effect on the human body such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and biopsy. An oncologist designs a treatment plan based on a pathology report after diagnosing the type of cancer and where it is spreading inside the body.

Are you searching for an ‘Anatomist job description’? An Anatomist is a research professional who applies the laws of biological science to determine the ability of bodies of various living organisms including animals and humans to regenerate the damaged or destroyed organs. If you want to know what does an anatomist do, then read the entire article, where we will answer all your questions.

For an individual who opts for a career as an actor, the primary responsibility is to completely speak to the character he or she is playing and to persuade the crowd that the character is genuine by connecting with them and bringing them into the story. This applies to significant roles and littler parts, as all roles join to make an effective creation. Here in this article, we will discuss how to become an actor in India, actor exams, actor salary in India, and actor jobs. 

Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats create and direct original routines for themselves, in addition to developing interpretations of existing routines. The work of circus acrobats can be seen in a variety of performance settings, including circus, reality shows, sports events like the Olympics, movies and commercials. Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats must be prepared to face rejections and intermittent periods of work. The creativity of acrobats may extend to other aspects of the performance. For example, acrobats in the circus may work with gym trainers, celebrities or collaborate with other professionals to enhance such performance elements as costume and or maybe at the teaching end of the career.

Video Game Designer

Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.

Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.

Radio Jockey

Radio Jockey is an exciting, promising career and a great challenge for music lovers. If you are really interested in a career as radio jockey, then it is very important for an RJ to have an automatic, fun, and friendly personality. If you want to get a job done in this field, a strong command of the language and a good voice are always good things. Apart from this, in order to be a good radio jockey, you will also listen to good radio jockeys so that you can understand their style and later make your own by practicing.

A career as radio jockey has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. If you want to know more about a career as radio jockey, and how to become a radio jockey then continue reading the article.

Choreographer

The word “choreography" actually comes from Greek words that mean “dance writing." Individuals who opt for a career as a choreographer create and direct original dances, in addition to developing interpretations of existing dances. A Choreographer dances and utilises his or her creativity in other aspects of dance performance. For example, he or she may work with the music director to select music or collaborate with other famous choreographers to enhance such performance elements as lighting, costume and set design.

Social Media Manager

A career as social media manager involves implementing the company’s or brand’s marketing plan across all social media channels. Social media managers help in building or improving a brand’s or a company’s website traffic, build brand awareness, create and implement marketing and brand strategy. Social media managers are key to important social communication as well.

Photographer

Photography is considered both a science and an art, an artistic means of expression in which the camera replaces the pen. In a career as a photographer, an individual is hired to capture the moments of public and private events, such as press conferences or weddings, or may also work inside a studio, where people go to get their picture clicked. Photography is divided into many streams each generating numerous career opportunities in photography. With the boom in advertising, media, and the fashion industry, photography has emerged as a lucrative and thrilling career option for many Indian youths.

An individual who is pursuing a career as a producer is responsible for managing the business aspects of production. They are involved in each aspect of production from its inception to deception. Famous movie producers review the script, recommend changes and visualise the story. 

They are responsible for overseeing the finance involved in the project and distributing the film for broadcasting on various platforms. A career as a producer is quite fulfilling as well as exhaustive in terms of playing different roles in order for a production to be successful. Famous movie producers are responsible for hiring creative and technical personnel on contract basis.

Copy Writer

In a career as a copywriter, one has to consult with the client and understand the brief well. A career as a copywriter has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. Several new mediums of advertising are opening therefore making it a lucrative career choice. Students can pursue various copywriter courses such as Journalism , Advertising , Marketing Management . Here, we have discussed how to become a freelance copywriter, copywriter career path, how to become a copywriter in India, and copywriting career outlook. 

In a career as a vlogger, one generally works for himself or herself. However, once an individual has gained viewership there are several brands and companies that approach them for paid collaboration. It is one of those fields where an individual can earn well while following his or her passion. 

Ever since internet costs got reduced the viewership for these types of content has increased on a large scale. Therefore, a career as a vlogger has a lot to offer. If you want to know more about the Vlogger eligibility, roles and responsibilities then continue reading the article. 

For publishing books, newspapers, magazines and digital material, editorial and commercial strategies are set by publishers. Individuals in publishing career paths make choices about the markets their businesses will reach and the type of content that their audience will be served. Individuals in book publisher careers collaborate with editorial staff, designers, authors, and freelance contributors who develop and manage the creation of content.

Careers in journalism are filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. One cannot afford to miss out on the details. As it is the small details that provide insights into a story. Depending on those insights a journalist goes about writing a news article. A journalism career can be stressful at times but if you are someone who is passionate about it then it is the right choice for you. If you want to know more about the media field and journalist career then continue reading this article.

Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.

Individuals who opt for a career as a reporter may often be at work on national holidays and festivities. He or she pitches various story ideas and covers news stories in risky situations. Students can pursue a BMC (Bachelor of Mass Communication) , B.M.M. (Bachelor of Mass Media) , or  MAJMC (MA in Journalism and Mass Communication) to become a reporter. While we sit at home reporters travel to locations to collect information that carries a news value.  

Corporate Executive

Are you searching for a Corporate Executive job description? A Corporate Executive role comes with administrative duties. He or she provides support to the leadership of the organisation. A Corporate Executive fulfils the business purpose and ensures its financial stability. In this article, we are going to discuss how to become corporate executive.

Multimedia Specialist

A multimedia specialist is a media professional who creates, audio, videos, graphic image files, computer animations for multimedia applications. He or she is responsible for planning, producing, and maintaining websites and applications. 

Quality Controller

A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product. 

A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.

Production Manager

A QA Lead is in charge of the QA Team. The role of QA Lead comes with the responsibility of assessing services and products in order to determine that he or she meets the quality standards. He or she develops, implements and manages test plans. 

Process Development Engineer

The Process Development Engineers design, implement, manufacture, mine, and other production systems using technical knowledge and expertise in the industry. They use computer modeling software to test technologies and machinery. An individual who is opting career as Process Development Engineer is responsible for developing cost-effective and efficient processes. They also monitor the production process and ensure it functions smoothly and efficiently.

AWS Solution Architect

An AWS Solution Architect is someone who specializes in developing and implementing cloud computing systems. He or she has a good understanding of the various aspects of cloud computing and can confidently deploy and manage their systems. He or she troubleshoots the issues and evaluates the risk from the third party. 

Azure Administrator

An Azure Administrator is a professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and maintaining Azure Solutions. He or she manages cloud infrastructure service instances and various cloud servers as well as sets up public and private cloud systems. 

Computer Programmer

Careers in computer programming primarily refer to the systematic act of writing code and moreover include wider computer science areas. The word 'programmer' or 'coder' has entered into practice with the growing number of newly self-taught tech enthusiasts. Computer programming careers involve the use of designs created by software developers and engineers and transforming them into commands that can be implemented by computers. These commands result in regular usage of social media sites, word-processing applications and browsers.

Information Security Manager

Individuals in the information security manager career path involves in overseeing and controlling all aspects of computer security. The IT security manager job description includes planning and carrying out security measures to protect the business data and information from corruption, theft, unauthorised access, and deliberate attack 

ITSM Manager

Automation test engineer.

An Automation Test Engineer job involves executing automated test scripts. He or she identifies the project’s problems and troubleshoots them. The role involves documenting the defect using management tools. He or she works with the application team in order to resolve any issues arising during the testing process. 

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