LLM in Intellectual Property

The Master of Laws in Intellectual Property offers concentrations in U.S. intellectual property law and policy and in international and comparative intellectual property law and policy. This program enables graduate students from U.S. and foreign law schools to engage with the full range of legal and policy problems and conflicts that arise from domestic and international regulation of copyrights, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets. The program has been specifically tailored to enable LLM students to take maximum advantage of the unique organizations and resources in Washington, DC and also through a summer program in Geneva Switzerland.

LLM Admissions

Hold a Juris Doctor (JD) from a US law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) or a first degree in law from a foreign law school with equivalent standards.
Submit a completed application form along with supporting documents before the application deadline.
International applicants must meet the English Language Proficiency Requirement

More information about applying is available on the Office of Graduate Admissions website.

LLM Degree Requirements

Students must successfully complete 24 credit hours from the designated list of classes with a grade point average of 2.0 (C) or better.
In the first semester, non-common law trained students must successfully complete American Legal Institutions (LAW-580-001; 2 credits) and Legal Research and Writing (580-002; 2 credits).
Before the end of the first semester of study, students must select one of the following graduation tracks:
- Research Track: students must successfully complete two research papers of at least 3,500 words each that demonstrate a high degree of skill in legal scholarship and writing.
- Practical Skills Track: students must successfully complete an externship for credit, and one research paper that demonstrates a high degree of skill in legal scholarship and writing.
The 24 credits needed for the LLM degree can be completed part-time, or full-time (two or three regular semesters). Students on an F-1 or J-1 visa must be enrolled in at least 8 credits during the fall and the spring, except for the last semester when students can take a reduced course load for 1-7 credits. To take a reduced course load, the Reduced Course Load Authorization Form must be filled out.
Students may enroll in a maximum of 15 credits per semester (fall and spring), however, it is recommended that students take no more than 13 credits per semester. WCL allows up to 7 credits in the summer.
LLM students may complete their degree requirements entirely by traditional classroom study or by classroom study combined with no more than six semester hours of approved externship and/or independent study credits.
Absent extraordinary circumstances, students must complete the LLM degree within sixty months of matriculating in a given LLM program.

Required Courses

LAW-795PW Advanced Legal Writing (Intellectual Property)
At least twelve credits must be taken from the approved intellectual property and information law courses, including at least one Foundational IP course:

LAW - 609 Trademark Law (3 hrs.)
LAW - 623 Copyright (3 hrs.)
LAW - 646 International and Comparative Trademark Law (3 hrs.)
LAW - 670 Intellectual Property Law (3 hrs.)
LAW - 688 Patent Law (3 hrs.)
LAW - 810A Communications Law and Information Policy (2 hrs.)
LAW - 779 Trade Secrets (2 hrs)
LAW - 963 International and Comparative Patent Law (2 hrs.)

Areas of Concentration

To satisfy the requirements for an area of concentration, students must successfully complete 12 credits of approved coursework in one of the following areas:

Trademark Law
Copyright Law
Patent Law
Cyberlaw