Fall 2007 and Later: Patent Law Track Curriculum

Matriculation Fall 2007 and Later —89 credits required to graduate

The Patent Law Track is designed for students who intend to practice in the specialized field of patent law. Approximately twenty percent of the 89 credit hours required for graduation must be in patent law courses. The remaining eighty percent of the credit hours are in courses outside patent law; however, many Patent Track students will pursue related courses in copyright and trademark law.

Chart of Patent Law Track Course Requirements in PDF form

 

Patent Law Track Course Requirements

Required General Law Courses

Course Name Required Time Semester
Traditionally
Offered
Intro to LRWA 1st Yr. Fall
Contracts I 1st Yr. Fall
Torts 1st Yr. Fall
Economic Foundations 1st Yr. Fall
Property FT: 1st Yr./PT: 2nd Yr. Fall
Trial-Level Writing 1st Yr. Spring
Contracts II 1st Yr. Spring
Civil Procedure 1st Yr. Spring
The Founders' Constitution 1st Yr. Spring
Criminal Law

FT: 1st Yr./PT: 2nd Yr.

Spring
Appellate Writing 2nd Yr. Fall
Constitutional Law I 2nd Yr. Fall
Legal Drafting 2nd Yr. Spring
Professional Responsibility      Before Graduation Fall/Spring

Required Patent Law Classes

Course Name Suggested Time Semester
Traditionally
Offered
Patent Law I 2nd Yr.  Fall
Patent Law II 2nd Yr. Spring
Legal & Economic Theory of IP 2nd Yr. Spring
Patent Know-How & Licensing 3rd Yr. Fall
Trade Secrets 3rd Yr. Spring
Patent Litigation & Dispute
Resolution Seminar
3rd Yr. Spring
Patent Prosecution or
Patent Writing Theory and Practice
3rd Yr.    Spring
Fall

Other Track Requirements

Course Name

Suggested Time

Semester
Traditionally
Offered
Administrative Law             FT: 2nd Yr./PT: 3rd Yr.   Spring


General Electives should be taken to reach the remaining credit hours needed to graduate.

 



Sample Schedules for the Patent Law Track

The following schedules are illustrative of the general order in which students should take Patent Law Track courses in order to complete the requirements of the program. Some courses might not be offered during the semesters indicated below, so be sure to check with the Records Office for a current schedule of classes.


Scheduling considerations for all students:

  • After the first year, students in the full-time division must maintain a credit load of 10-17 hours per semester, and students in the part-time division must maintain a credit load of 8-12 hours per semester. (See Academic Regulation 3-6.5.)
  • In order to earn a JD, a student must be in residence for a minimum of six semesters. A student is in residence for a semester when he/she earns at least 10 hours of academic credit in a fall or spring semester. (See Academic Regulation 3-5.)
  • All students must complete 89 credit hours to graduate, 80 of which must be "in-class" credit hours and no more than 12 credit hours may be graded "CR". (See Academic Regulation 3-3.1.)

Sample Schedules for Patent Law Track in PDF form

 

FULL-TIME DIVISION PART-TIME DIVISION
First Year - Fall First Year - Fall
Intro to LWRA Intro to LWRA
Contracts I Contracts I
Torts Torts
Economic Foundations Economic Foundations
Property
First Year - Spring First Year - Fall
Trial Level Writing Trial Level Writing
Contracts II Contracts II
Civil Procedure Civil Procedure
The Founders' Constitution The Founders' Constitution
Criminal Law
Second Year - Fall Second Year - Fall
Appellate Writing Appellate Writing
Constitutional Law I Constitutional Law I
Patent Law I Patent Law I
Electives Property
Second Year - Spring Second Year - Spring
Legal Drafting Legal Drafting
Patent Law II Patent Law II
Legal and Economic Theory of IP Legal and Economic Theory of IP
Administrative Law Criminal Law
Electives Electives
Third Year - Fall Third Year - Fall
Patent Know-How & Licensing Patent-Know How & Licensing
Patent Writing Theory & Practice* Patent Writing Theory & Practice*
Professional Responsibility Electives
Electives
Third Year - Spring Third Year - Spring
Trade Secrets Trade Secrets
Patent Litigation & Dispute
  Resolution Seminar
Patent Litigation & Dispute
  Resolution Seminar
Patent Prosecution* Patent Prosecution*
Electives Administrative Law
Fourth Year - Fall
Professional Responsibility
Electives
Fourth Year - Spring
Electives


*  To fulfill the requirements of the Patent Law Track, students may elect to take either Patent Prosecution or Patent Writing Theory and Practice. Both courses have been placed in the sample schedule to show a convenient time to register for the course.