Global Law & Technology LLM

A candidate must satisfactorily have completed 24 credits in the Suffolk University Law School (SULS) LL.M. curriculum and have been a student at SULS for at least one academic year.

A candidate's complete LL.M. Law School record must show a cumulative weighted average of at least 2.00 in order to receive the degree of Master of Laws.

Degrees are awarded by the Trustees of Suffolk University on the recommendation of the Law Faculty. Recommendations may be withheld by the Faculty for good cause.

A. Part time LL.M. students must enroll in a minimum of 4 (and a maximum of -8) credits per semester. Full-time LL.M students must enroll in a minimum of 9 (and a maximum of 14) credits per semester. With the approval of the Director up to 6 credits earned in summer school may be applied to reduce these semester requirements.

B. A Part time LL.M. student may not register for less than 4 credits per semester without the prior approval of the Director. A Full-time LL.M. student may not register for more than 14 credits in a semester without the prior approval of the Director and the Associate Deans.

C. LL.M. students who wish to transfer between the Part-time and Full-time Divisions must obtain the written approval of the Director and Associate Deans. Approval must be obtained prior to registration for the semester the transfer will take effect.

D. Full-time LL.M. students are required to complete one Externship or Internship as approved by the Assistant Dean of Graduate Law Programs.

E. Transfer Credits and Waivers of Certain Requirements

1.  No more than 6 credits may be accepted as Transfer Credits from another similarly accredited LL.M. Program or Summer School towards the Master of Laws in Global Law and Technology at Suffolk University Law School. Such Transfer Credits must have been earned after the completion of a basic law degree, within a reasonable period of time before acceptance into the LL.M., and not already counted towards another program or degree. The award of Transfer Credits shall be at the discretion of the Director and the Associate Deans.

2. Full-time LL.M students may petition for a waiver from the required Externship or Internship in Section II. General Requirements and Rules, Subsection D. The granting of waivers shall be at the discretion of the Assistant Dean of Graduate Law Programs and an Associate Dean.

F. Admission to the LL.M. Program does not entail admission to the J.D. degree program. Advanced Standing for the J.D. degree program is a separate decision to be made by the Dean of Admissions and the Associate Deans of the Law School.

G. The LL.M. degree alone will not normally suffice for eligibility to sit for the Massachusetts bar exam. Bar exam requirements vary from state to state. It shall be the responsibility of each student to determine for themselves their eligibility to sit for a bar exam or gain admission to practice law in any jurisdiction.

A. All International LL.M. students must satisfactorily complete a Required Course, "Introduction to U.S. Law, Legal Reasoning and Writing."

B. Students must complete a substantial piece of written work for the LL.M., which must be certified as satisfactory by the Faculty member teaching the course or supervising the directed study for which it was written.The requirements for the Legal Writing Requirement, as prescribed by Regulation II. H of the Rules and Regulations for the J.D. program shall apply.

Alternatively, LL.M. students may complete a Thesis for 2 credits, which must be of publishable quality. The Thesis must be directly supervised by a Faculty Member, approved by the Associate Deans and certified by the Director. The Thesis will be defended in an oral examination open to all Faculty.

A. No more than 5 credits from any ungraded activities may be counted toward the LL.M. degree. Ungraded activities include an LL.M. Internship, Directed Study, Research Assistant, and participation on the Journal of High Technology Law.

A. LL.M. students must choose between the alternative grading system (see V B, below) or the numerical scale of 0.00 to 4.00 for every class in which they are registered, and for every semester of the program. Faculty may request a half-step grade increase for a student's class participation provided such participation was not already accounted for in the original grade submitted. Faculty must submit to the Assistant Dean of Academic Services a list of students receiving grade increases at the time of, or prior to, submission of grades.

Reports of grades are made as follows:

B. As an alternative to the numerical grading system described above in V.A., LLM students may elect to have a grade in a course or courses for which a numerical grade is ordinarily assigned, recorded in accordance with the following alternative grading system:

A student's election of the alternative grading system must be made prior to the examination period for the relevant semester by timely submission of the LL.M. Student Grade Election form to the Assistant Dean of Academic Services. When an LLM student elects the alternative grading system the Assistant Dean of Academic Services will translate the assigned grade as follows:

C. Grades

1. LL.M. students' grades will not be factored into the recommended curve for the purposes of grading in the J.D. program. LL.M. students will not be given a class rank. Cumulative and yearly grade point averages (GPAs) will be computed and recorded by a 0.00 to 4.00 system.
2. A student's official transcript will also show the letter grades awarded for all courses taken and will translate those letter grades into yearly and final cumulative GPAs, unless a student has chosen the alternative grading system in all courses.
3. All ungraded activities shall be graded on a Pass/Fail basis, which shall result in Credit or No Credit.
4. The instructor in any non-anonymously graded course may elect to grade the course on an Honors/ Pass/Low Pass/Fail basis. The instructor must notify the students at the first meeting of the course if the instructor is going to elect the Honors/Pass/Low Pass/Fail basis of grading.
5. Activities graded on a Pass/Fail; Honors/Pass/Low Pass/Fail; Credit/No Credit basis or under the alternative grading system (see VI, B.) will not be calculated into a student's cumulative grade point average, except as noted in IV. G. below. For all purposes under these Regulations, the grades of Honors, Pass, Low Pass, and Credit shall be satisfactory grades.
6. A student shall not be granted credit for a grade of No Credit or Fail. Grades of No Credit and Fail shall be equivalent to a grade of an F. In this instance the numerical equivalent of an F will be calculated into the student's GPA.

Attendance and assignments for courses in the LL.M. Program shall be governed by Regulation II. B of the Rules and Regulations for the J.D. Program.

D. Elective Add/Drop Period

During the first week of classes a student who has registered for an elective LLM course or courses may add or drop the course or courses. Course changes are not allowed before the first day of classes or after the close of the designated add/drop period, except with the permission of the Associate Deans. Failure to withdraw within the add/drop period may result in a grade of No Credit (F).

E. Extensions Beyond End of Semester

Any paper or other project required for a final grade in a course must be submitted no later than the end of the examination period for the semester in which the course is taken. If, for compelling reasons, the instructor allows an extension of time to complete the paper or project, the extension may be for a period no longer than 90 days from the end of the examination period. No further extension may be granted. During any extension, the course grade will be recorded temporarily as "Incomplete." However, if by the end of the examination period or extension the paper or project has not been submitted, a grade of No credit (F) will be recorded.

F. Examinations

Regulations III. D. (Examination Numbers), E. (Failure to Take Examinations), and H. (Privacy) of the Rules and Regulations for the J.D. Program shall apply.

A. A single "F" grade under either the numerical or alternative grading system (see V. B. Alternative Grading System) shall result in an LL.M. student coming before the LL.M Academic Standing Committee for a review of the student's performance. Two grades of less than "C" under the numerical grading system shall result in a student coming before the LL.M. Academic Standing Committee for a review of the student's performance.

A cumulative grade point average of below 2.00 at the end of a semester shall result in an LL.M. student coming before the LL.M. Academic Standing Committee for a review of the student's performance.

B. The Committee may impose one or more conditions for continued study upon the student, including but not limited to repeating a course, reexamination in accordance with Regulation II.F. of the JD Rules and Regulations governing reexamination, an assistance program prescribed by the Committee, limitations on employment or extracurricular activities, or taking a semester or year's leave of absence prior to continuing.

The Committee may dismiss an LL.M. student when in the Committee's judgment imposing conditions for continued study are not reasonably likely to lead to the student's successful completion of the program or if the student fails to satisfy previously imposed conditions.

C. The LL.M. Academic Standing Committee shall be appointed by the Dean and consist of an Associate Dean and 3 members of the resident faculty. The Director will serve on the Committee as an ex officio member.

Any violation of academic integrity shall be viewed as a serious infraction of the Rules and Regulations of the Law School. Violations of academic integrity shall include, but are not limited to, dishonesty in the examination process, harassment and plagiarism in written work, as defined in the Regulation II. F. of the Rules and Regulations for the J.D. Program.

A. Leave of Absence

If a student is currently unable to continue the study of law, an Associate Dean may grant the student a leave of absence for up to one year. The student must request a leave of absence by writing a letter to the Associate Dean specifying the reason for the requested leave and the anticipated return date. A student granted a leave of absence is entitled to return to the Law School's LL.M. program at the end of the term of the leave without reapplying for admission. A leave of absence will be granted to a student during the first semester of study in the LL.M. program only under extraordinary circumstances.

B. Withdrawals

A student who wishes to withdraw from the Law School's LL.M. Program must file a written request to do so and obtain permission from an Associate Dean. No student may withdraw after the examination period begins or while consideration of his or her academic standing is pending. A student who withdraws from the Law School's LL.M. Program must reapply for admission to the LL.M. program if he or she wishes to return.

Regulation X of the Rules and Regulations for the J.D. Program shall apply.

Regulations XI of the Rules and Regulations for the J.D. Program shall apply.

The Law Faculty reserves the right to change the schedule of classes, the program of instruction, the requirements for credits or degrees, and any rule or regulation established for the government of the student body in the school. Any such change may be made applicable to students already enrolled in the Law School.

Admission to our Master of Laws Programs is based on overall academic performance with particular emphasis on law school academic achievement, work experience, seriousness of purpose, letters of recommendation, resume, and the student's personal statement.

Interviews are not required although a student may request an interview with the Chair of the Graduate Law Admissions Committee, or the Chair may request a meeting to clarify some part of the application process.

The Graduate Law Admissions Committee operates on a rolling admissions basis. A candidate is notified as soon as a decision is made. For fall admission, review of applications begins in November and continues throughout the spring. For spring admission, review of applications begins in March and continues throughout the fall. It is to the applicant's advantage to complete the process early.

Admission Requirements

For graduates of US Law Schools

For graduates of US law schools, a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association is required. The applicant must have demonstrated academic excellence in earning the first law degree.

For graduates of non-US Law Schools

Applicants seeking admission to the LL.M. degree program must have earned a law degree with high academic standing from a duly-accredited foreign university. Applicants also must demonstrate that they possess the requisite English language skills to undertake and complete their course of study. Applicants should be aware that no remedial language assistance is available for graduate students. Applicants who received their law degree from an institution in which English is not the language of instruction must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Although the Law School considers each application in its entirety, applicants with the highest likelihood of admission to the Law School will have attained a score of at least 80 (internet based) or a score of 6.5 on IELTS. Some otherwise qualified applicants may need and benefit from additional English language instruction before being admitted to the LL.M. degree program. On a case by case basis, applicants may be admitted conditionally, subject to satisfactory completion of a course of English language study and subsequent reevaluation of their English language proficiency.

Information concerning the TOEFL may be obtained by writing to TOEFL Educational Testing Service, Box 6155, Princeton, NJ 08541-6155, USA (609) 921-9000. Please use the Suffolk University Law School code number, 3771-03, when asking the Educational Testing Service to send us TOEFL score reports. Information about IELTS may be found on their site.

Applicants from foreign undergraduate and graduate programs may register with the World Education Services (WES) for transcript certification. All undergraduate and graduate transcripts must be sent to WES who will provide the Law School with an evaluation of the applicant's academic record. Applicants may obtain information from World Education Services by contacting them at WES, Bowling Green Station, P.O. Box 5087, New York, NY, 10274-5087 or PMB 006, 80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004, USA (212) 966-6311 (telephone), (212)739-6100 (fax).

Applicants may also use the Law School Admission Council's LL.M. Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Applicants who utilize CAS may also submit their electronic LL.M. application directly through LSAC. However, applicants are not required to do so. They may submit their applications directly to Suffolk Law School.

Important Notice for Mexican Applicants

Graduates of the LLM in Global Law and Technology are eligible to receive the “titulo” from Universidad Panamericana, Guadalajara, upon petition and satisfaction of an oral exam. Graduates of other law schools in Mexico should inquire of their own International Offices about this alternative way of becoming an "abogado".

Degree Requirements

Full Time (Residency duration 1 to 1½ years)

Students enrolled in the Full Time LLM program must register for at least 9 credits per semester.

Students must remain in good academic standing.

Part Time (Residency duration 1 to 3 years)

Students enrolled in the Part-Time LLM program must register for at least 4 credits per semester. Students must remain in good academic standing. All students must satisfactorily complete 24 credits to earn the LLM Degree.

Application Deadlines

May 15: Fall semester applications due.

October 1: Spring semester applications due.

Application Procedures

• Applications for the LLM program must be received in the LLM Admissions Office by May 15 for fall admission or October 1 for spring admission.
• Applications should be mailed to: Graduate and International Programs, Suite 240A, Suffolk University Law School, 120 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02108-4977.
• A $60 non-refundable application fee must accompany each application.
• Checks or money orders should be made payable to Suffolk University.
• Applicants may charge the application fee to Visa or MasterCard credit card.

The LLM curriculum is primarily elective in nature. Students should, however, complete at least 3 courses from the list of Core Courses below, along with the required introductory seminars, Emerging Issues in Law, Information Technology and Transnational Business and Introduction to US Law, Legal Reasoning and Writing (for international students only). The Legal English Institute is recommended for LLM students whose primary language is not English.

Students may also choose to specialize in one or more of the four designated areas, Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law, Biotechnology and Health Law, International Law and Business, and US Law and Legal Methods. To earn the US Law and Legal Methods specialization, students must complete 12 credits from the JD curriculum. Students earn the other three specializations by completing 5 courses listed for the specialization and filing the appropriate specialization form with the Law Registrar prior to graduation. LLM students who complete a specialization will receive a Certificate in addition to their Diploma at graduation.

Twenty four (24) credits are required to complete the LLM degree in Global Law and Technology. LLM students may elect to take up to 6 of the required 24 credits from the JD curriculum. Approval from the Director of the LLM Program to enroll in a JD curriculum course must be obtained in advance.

The 24 credit requirement may be reduced for LLM students who receive Advanced Standing for prior course work. Courses eligible for Advanced Standing are listed below. A maximum of 6 Advanced Standing credits may be granted.

You may also choose to take part in the LLM internship program, a unique opportunity to acquire practical experience for credit in the United States or abroad.

All LLM students must satisfy the LLM Legal Writing Requirement prior to graduation by completing a substantial legal research and writing paper in connection with a course, a Directed Study or membership on the Journal of High Technology. Students must file the LLM Legal Writing Requirement form, signed by the supervising faculty member, with the Law Registrar before graduation.

1. Required Introductory Seminars 
• Emerging Issues in Law, Information Technology and Transnational Business (2 Credits)
• Introduction to U.S. Law, Legal Reasoning and Writing (International Students only, 2 Credits)
2. Core Courses (*Advanced Standing may be awarded for these courses if already satisfactorily passed)
• Advanced Copyrights* (2 Credits)
• Antitrust (3 Credits)
• Biotech Patent Law* (2 Credits)
• Biomedical Law and Public Policy* (2 Credits)
• Comparative Law (2 Credits)
• Copyright Law (3 Credits)
• Corporate Issues in Health Care (2 Credits)
• Counseling High Technology Enterprises* (2 Credits)
• Cyberspace and Technology Seminar* (2 Credits)
• Drafting Patent Claims* (2 Credits)
• e-Commerce* (2 Credits)
• e-Health Care, Privacy, and Technology (2 Credits)
• European Union Law (3 Credits)
• Food and Drug Law* (2 Credits)
• Global Science and Technology Management* (2 Credits)
• Health Care Law, Technology, and Privacy (2 Credits)
• International Intellectual Property* (2 Credits)
• International Banking and Finance* (3 Credits)
• International Business Transactions (3 Credits)
• International Human Rights Survey (3 Credits)
• International Law (3 Credits)
• International Litigation in U.S. Courts* (2 Credits)
• International Legal Practice* (2 Credits)
• Intellectual Property Law (3 Credits)
• International Tax Law (3 Credits)
• International Trade Law (3 Credits)
• Internet Law* (2 Credits)
• Indigenous Peoples Law (3 Credits)
• Patent Law (3 Credits)
• Patent Litigation Seminar* (2 Credits)
• Private Placements and Venture Practicum* (2 Credits)
• Software Law* (2 Credits)
• Trade Secret Protection* (2 Credits)
3. Courses Eligible for Advanced Standing
   Up to 6 credits may be awarded for Advanced Standing at the discretion of the Director. Applicants must complete a Form available from the Registrar or the Director of the LL.M. The applicant has the burden of demonstrating that the course for which Advanced Standing is sought is substantially similar to the course offered as part of the Core Curriculum above, was taken within a reasonable time before admission to the LL.M., and was satisfactorily completed. 
• Advanced Copyrights (2 Credits)
• Biotech Patent Law (2 Credits)
• Biomedical Law and Public Policy (2 Credits)
• Certificate in International Legal Practice (5 Credits)
• Corporate Issues in Health Care (2 Credits)
• Counseling Technology Leading Emerging Enterprise (2 Credits)
• Cyberspace and Technology Seminar (2 Credits)
• Drafting Patent Claims (2 Credits)
• e-Commerce and the Law (2 Credits)
• Food and Drug Law (2 Credits)
• Global Science and Technology Management (2 Credits)
• Health Care Law, Technology, and Privacy (2 Credits)
• International Intellectual Property (2 Credits)
• International Internship (3 Credits)
• International Banking and Finance (3 Credits)
• International Litigation in U.S. Courts (2 Credits)
• International Legal Practice (2 Credits)
• International Tax Law (3 Credits)
• International Trade Law (3 Credits)
• Internet Law (2 Credits)
• Litigation Technology Disputes (2 Credits)
• Patent Litigation Seminar (2 Credits)
• Private Placements and Venture Practicum (2 Credits)
• Software Law (2 Credits)
• Telecommunications Law (2 Credits)
• Trade Secret Protection (2 Credits)
4. Specializations

Five courses from a category are required for Certification in the Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law, Biotechnology and Health Law, and International Law and Business Specializations. Twelve approved credits from the JD curriculum are required to earn the U.S. Law and Legal Methods Specialization.

1. Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law Specialization 
   • 21st Century Lawyer
   • Advanced Legal Writing: IP (3 Credits)
   • Antitrust (3 Credits)
   • Biomedical Law and Public Policy (2 Credits)
   • Biotech Business and the Law (3 Credits)
   • Coding and the Law
   • Copyright Law (3 Credits)
   • Directed Study (2-3 Credits)
   • Design Law
   • e-Discovery Law (2 Credits)
   • Emerging Issues in Law, Information Technology, and Transnational Business (2 Credits)
   • Entertainment Law (2 Credits)
   • Intellectual Property Law (3 Credits)
   • International Business Law Transactions (3 Credits)
   • International Intellectual Property (2 Credits)
   • International Trade Law (3 Credits)
   • Internship, Domestic (2-3 Credits)
   • Internship, International (3-5 Credits)
   • Journal of High Technology Law (2 Credits)
   • Lawyering in an Age of Smart Machines
   • Legal Technology: Small Firms
   • Patent Law (3 Credits)
   • Patent Litigation Seminar (2 Credits)
   • Patent Prosecution: Drafting (2 Credits)
   • Patent Prosecution II: PTO Practice (2 Credits)
   • Private Placements and Venture Practicum (2 Credits)
   • Sports Law (2 Credits)
   • Trademark Law (3 Credits)
   • Trademark Practice: PTO (2 Credits)
   • Trade Secrets Protection (2 Credits)
   • Transactional Skills: IP (3 credits)

    

2. Biotechnology and Health Law Specialization 
   • Biomedical Law and Public Policy (2 Credits)
   • Biotech Business and the Law (3 Credits)
   • Cannabis Law (2 Credits)
   • Children and Disability Law (3 Credits)
   • Compliance Practicum Seminar (2 Credits)
   • Corporate Issues in Health Care (2 Credits)
   • Directed Study (2-3 Credits)
   • FDA and Pharma Law (3 Credits)
   • Food Law: Regulatory Compliance in the Food Industry (2 Credits)
   • Health Law (3 Credits)
   • Internship, Domestic (3 Credits)
   • Internship, International (3-5 Credits)
   • Medical Malpractice (2 Credits)
   • Mental Health Issues in Civil and Criminal Law (3 Credits)
   • Medicare and the Medicaid Law and Policy (2 Credits)
   • Patent Law (3 Credits)
   • Patent Litigation (2 Credits)
   • Patent Prosecution II: PTO Practice (2 Credits)
   • Privacy/ Data Security (3 Credits)
   • Private Placements and Venture Practicum (2 Credits)

    

3. International Law and Business Specialization 
   • Admiralty (2 Credits)
   • Antitrust (3 Credits)
   • Arbitration of Domestic and International Disputes (3 Credits)
   • Comparative Constitutional Law (3 Credits)
   • Conflict of Laws (3 Credits)
   • Directed Study (2-3 Credits)
   • Emerging Issues in Law, Information Technology, and Transnational Business (2 Credits)
   • Federal Indian Law and the Rights of Indigenous People in the U.S. (2 Credits)
   • Human Rights Law Survey (3 Credits)
   • Human Rights in Europe (2 Credits)
   • Immigration: Business (2 Credits)
   • Immigration Law (3 Credits)
   • Intellectual Property (3 Credits)
   • International and Comparative Legal Research (2 Credits)
   • International Business Transactions (3 Credits)
   • International Criminal Activity (3 Credits)
   • International Environmental Law (3 Credits)
   • International Investment Law (3 Credits)
   • International Intellectual Property (2 Credits)
   • International Law (3 Credits)
   • International Tax Law (3 Credits)
   • International Trade Law (3 Credits)
   • Internship, Domestic (2-3 Credits)
   • Internship, International (3-5 Credits)
   • Law 2374 U.S. Law and Legal Reasoning (open only to International students, 2 Credits)
   • Laws of War (3 Credits)
   • Military Law (2 Credits)
   • Private Placements and Venture Capital Practicum (2 Credits)

    

4. U.S. Law and Legal Methods Specialization 

• Students must take 12 approved credits from the JD curriculum
• Only available to international students
• All course selections must be approved in advance by the program director

Suffolk University Law School's newest honor board, the Journal of High Technology Law (JHTL), is an ideal venue for students to publish pieces on topics ranging from intellectual property matters to communications and media, computer law, and Internet issues. The journal is published entirely online and includes articles written by students, professors, alumni, and other professionals in the high technology area. The website is a legal information resource providing extensive links to information available online in the various high technology fields.

Currently enrolled LLM students have the exclusive opportunity to join the JHTL through a cooperative agreement. LLM students must be nominated by Bridgett Sandusky, assistant dean of graduate law programs, after which they must submit a previously written essay, article, or paper for review and approval by the editor-in-chief and the editorial board of the JHTL. In order to obtain a special LLM staff member distinction, the LLM student must submit a proposal for a new article, paper, or essay to be approved by the editor-in-chief and editorial board.

Membership on the JHTL permits an LLM student to earn two academic credits for a semester's worth of work (writing a publishable note). LLM students may have an article published in the online JHTL, allowing them a chance to publish academic articles before graduation.

A special LLM member of the JHTL is entitled to all the privileges of membership on a Law School honor board. Requirements also include four hours per week of office duties. This time may be used to work on the required article or note if there are no other JHTL duties.

An information session will take place sometime in the early fall for new LLM students. To learn more about the cooperation agreement or to find out how to submit an article, please contact the JHTL office at 617-305-1695 or Assistant Sandusky at 617-573-8171.