LLM in Intellectual Property

Scalia Law – A Leader in Intellectual Property Education

The Master of Laws (LLM) Degree in Intellectual Property is designed for attorneys who intend to practice in the fields of patent, copyright and trademark law, or technology. The curriculum of the LLM in Intellectual Property program includes courses covering every aspect of intellectual property law, from basic courses in patent, copyright, trademark and technology, to enforcement, litigation and dispute resolution, to practical experience drafting patents. Additionally, students may choose to pursue their LLM in Intellectual Property with a patent or a technology focus.

Students in the LLM program will be selected from:

  • Recent law school graduates who did not have the opportunity to take IP courses during their law school careers;
  • Recent law school graduates who took IP courses but want to fill in gaps or broaden their IP training;
  • Attorneys working in the IP field who want to accelerate the progress of their careers, perhaps into the growing technology field;
  • Attorneys not working in the IP field who want to break into that field or otherwise enhance their professional careers;
  • Government officials, attorneys, patent agents and corporate officers in countries other than the United States who want to learn about the United States’ intellectual property system.

We live in a time of unprecedented technological creation, invention and discovery. As a result, recent years have seen a flurry of Congressional action related to intellectual property legislation, as well as computer, communications and biomedical technology regulation and legislation. At Scalia Law, students have the opportunity to specialize in the regulation and legislation surrounding developing technologies through the LLM in Intellectual Property.

An Accomplished Intellectual Property Faculty

Scalia Law provides an unmatched opportunity to study patent, technology, and related intellectual property issues through its LLM in Intellectual Property: Patent or Technology. Scalia Law is home to one of the nation’s most knowledgeable and prestigious faculty in the area of intellectual property. The LLM-level courses are taught by an experienced faculty, including full-time professors and adjunct professors who have practiced in the intellectual property field. Our distinguished adjunct faculty boasts a sitting Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; the Solicitor of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO); a former Register of Copyrights; a former Examiner-in-Chief and Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences Administrative Judge; a former WIPO Director of Industrial Property Law; former chief counsels of the principal subcommittees on intellectual property in the United States Senate and House of Representatives; and prominent practitioners from most of the leading intellectual property law firms in the Washington, D.C. area. Explore the strength and depth of the intellectual property faculty in the Faculty Highlights section.

Supremely Located Near Washington, D.C.

Our location just minutes from the heart of the nation’s capital is key to the successful study of intellectual property policy and law. The United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and many of the most influential firms in the area of intellectual property are all located in Washington, D.C. This key location gives Scalia Law students access to the most relevant developments intellectual property law, policy, and practice. To learn more about how our location is essential to a valuable education on the topic of intellectual property, visit our Scalia Law Advantage page.

Center for Intellectual Property x Innovation Policy

The Center for Intellectual Property x Innovation Policy (C-IP2) at Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University is dedicated to the scholarly analysis of intellectual property rights and the technological, commercial, and creative innovation they facilitate.  C-IP2 explores how strong property rights in innovation and creativity can foster successful and flourishing individual lives and national economies.

Through a wide array of academic and public policy programming, C-IP2 brings together scholars, industry leaders, inventors, creators, and policymakers to examine foundational questions and current controversies concerning patents, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights.  Ultimately, C-IP2 seeks to promote a healthy academic discussion, grounded in rigorous scholarship, and a well-informed public policy debate about the importance of intellectual property.

Scalia Law students enjoy easy access to C-IP2’s resources and programs.  In fact, many C-IP2 programs take place right on the Scalia Law campus or in nearby Washington, D.C. Recent C-IP2 activities include a Second Annual Fall Conference, titled “Common Ground: How Intellectual Property Unites Creators and Innovators,” featuring a keynote by Professor Richard A. Epstein; a works-in-progress research symposium on “The History of Patented Innovation and Creativity”; the Inaugural Summer Institute in Patent Law; a research symposium on “Patent Rights and Remedies”; and a Capitol Hill briefing on “The Essential Role of IP in Bringing R&D to Market”. 

In addition to providing ground-breaking programs, C-IP2 also provides fellowships and grants to experienced scholars and practitioners with the goal of furthering collaborative research and publication in various areas of intellectual property law.  These include the Leonardo da Vinci Research Grant Program, the Thomas Edison Innovation Fellowship, and the Mark Twain Copyright Fellowship.

Visit the C-IP2 website for further information.

Comprehensive Course Offerings

Scalia Law’s unparalleled faculty teaches a rich and diverse curriculum in the area of intellectual property, providing ample opportunity for students to receive specialized instruction in the areas of patent and technology. To earn an LLM in Intellectual Property, students must complete 24 - 26 credit hours of coursework. Students may study full-time and complete the program in one academic year, or part-time for up to three years. These hours will be made up of required courses, restricted electives, and a thesis, seminar or writing course to fulfill the LLM writing requirement. Students may elect to complete our standard LLM in Intellectual Property or a specialized LLM in Intellectual Property: Patent or Intellectual Property: Technology. View the Curriculum section for full information on course offerings in the areas of intellectual property, as well as the program of study for the LLM program.

Career Resources

In addition to high-quality academic offerings, Scalia Law provides excellent services to LLM students. The director of the LLM program works with each LLM student individually to formulate a job-search strategy. The number of students in the Scalia Law LLM program is limited to ensure that each student receives individualized attention, especially in the area of career services and professional development. Scalia Law’s location just outside of Washington, D.C. gives ample opportunity to meet and network with professionals in the field of patent, technology, trademark, and copyright. In recent semesters, sessions related to intellectual property, communications, or technology law have included:

  • Pathways to the Federal Government: PAID Internship Program information Session
  • Demystifying Federal Government Hiring
  • Security Clearance Denied: The Most Common Pitfalls for Security Clearance Applications
  • Public Services Career Fair Table Talk and Interview Skills Session
  • Interested in the Internet, Broadcasting, or Communications Law?
  • Career Paths in IP: In-house, Government, Academia and Private Practice
  • Careers in Intellectual Property Law

The LLM program director works closely with the Career & Academic Services Office (CAS) to provide appropriate services to LLM students.

Although the School of Law cannot guarantee employment during law school or upon graduation, we make every effort to help our students and graduates find suitable employment opportunities. Year after year, many judges, law firms, government agencies, and other employers seek our students and graduates.

A Great Value

Besides the preeminent faculty, stellar location, and high degree of service it offers its students, Scalia Law is also the most affordable option for LLM study in the northern Virginia/D.C. area.  Visit Financing Your Education for full information on funding your LLM at Scalia Law.