Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

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What a legal education should be

Our groundbreaking curriculum and experiential learning opportunities allow you to personalize your legal education. Here, you will shape your own experiences and graduate with practice-ready skills.

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Why get a Juris Doctor? 

The Juris Doctor (J.D.) is the first professional degree in law and is required to sit for the bar examination and become a licensed attorney. In this program, you’ll work with experienced faculty and enjoy access to a global network of influential practitioners at the forefront of their fields. Sitting at the intersection of theory and practice, UNH Franklin Pierce’s J.D. program will hone your problem-solving, decision-making and communication skills and includes live-client clinics and a legal residency (externship) that provide substantive real-word, hands-on experience. J.D. candidates can specialize by earning a certificate in sports and entertainment law, property law, or health law and policy.  Applicants to the J.D. program must have earned a bachelor’s degree before beginning law school. 

Why study law at UNH? 

Take advantage of UNH Franklin Pierce's expertise in intellectual property and innovation law. The J.D. program immerses students in business law, criminal law, patent law, and public interest and social justice with experiential learning opportunities that allow you to personalize your legal education. Students engage in practical learning through Franklin Pierce’s Intellectual Property and Transaction Clinic or the International Technology Transfer Institute. The program can be completed in person or through a hybrid learning model that is available part-time and mostly online—the first and only ABA-approved hybrid JD program with a focus on Intellectual Property, Technology, and Information Law. 

Potential career areas 

  • Business Law 
  • Criminal Law 
  • Intellectual Property: Patent Law 
  • Intellectual Property: Trademarks and Copyright 
  • Litigation 
  • Public Interest and Social Justice 
  • Sports and Entertainment Law 

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Curriculum & Requirements

Our juris doctor program is rooted in practice-oriented instruction, featuring courses taught by renowned faculty – many of whom have extensive practice experience – as well as five live-client clinics and a far-reaching legal residency (externship) program that provide substantive real-world, hands-on experience. Qualified students can also take part in the Daniel Webster Scholar program, the only program in the country allowing students to graduate client-ready without the need to take the traditional two-day bar exam.

JD students can choose from a robust selection of courses and opt for a curricular track focused on:

  • Business Law
  • Criminal Law
  • Intellectual Property: Patent Law
  • Intellectual Property: Trademarks and Copyright
  • Sports and Entertainment Law
  • Litigation
  • Public Interest and Social Justice

Offerings also include dual degrees in partnership with UNH, including JD/MBA, JD/MSW, and JD/MPP, as well as several joint degrees, including JD/LLM in Intellectual Property, and JD/LLM in Commerce and Technology.

In addition, our curriculum allows JD or joint degree candidates to specialize further by earning a JD certificate in a specific area of study:

  • JD or dual degree candidates with an interest in sports and entertainment can pursue a JD certificate in sports law, entertainment law or sports and entertainment law from the Sports and Entertainment Law Institute.
  • JD and joint degree candidates specializing in intellectual property may opt for a Franklin Pierce Intellectual Property Law JD certificate.
  • Students interested in shaping innovative health care policies and research may earn a JD certificate of health law and policy.

Sample Course Sequence

Residential Degree Candidates

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
LGP 909 Civil Procedure 4
LGP 960 Torts 3
LSK 919 Legal Analysis and Writing 1 2
LSK 900 Legal Research and Information Literacy 2
LGP 920 Contracts 4
LGP 900 The Legal Profession 1
 Credits16
Spring
LGP 918 Constitutional Law I 3
LCR 905 Criminal Law 3
LSK 920 Legal Analysis and Writing 2 3
LPI 912
or LIP 944
Fundamentals of Law Practice
or Fundamentals of Intellectual Property
3
LGP 952 Property 4
 Credits16
Second Year
Fall
Remaining Required Courses in Second or Third Year
LGP 951 Professional Responsibility 3
LGP 921 Constitutional Law II 3
Upper Level Writing Requirement 2 or 3
Experiential Learning Requirement 6
 Credits14-15
 Total Credits46-47

Hybrid Degree Candidates

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
LIP 944 Fundamentals of Intellectual Property 1
LSK 919 Legal Analysis and Writing 1 2
LGP 952 Property 4
LSK 900 Legal Research and Information Literacy 2
 Credits9
Spring
LSK 920 Legal Analysis and Writing 2 3
LGP 920 Contracts 3
LIP 954 Patent Law 3
 Credits9
Summer
LIP 912 Copyright Law 3
LGP 909 Civil Procedure 4
LGP 900 The Legal Profession 1
 Credits8
Second Year
Fall
LGP 916 Constitutional Law 4
LGP 960 Torts 3
LIP 977 Trademarks and Deceptive Practices 3
 Credits10
Spring
LGP 903 Administrative Process 3
LIP 918 Trade Secrets Law 2
LBS 904 Antitrust Law 3
 Credits8
Summer
Remaining Required Courses in Second or Third Year
LCR 906 Criminal Procedure I: The Law of Criminal Investigation 3
LGP 951 Professional Responsibility 3
LGP 924 Evidence 3
Bar Electives 6
Upper Level Writing Requirement 2 or 3
Experiential Learning Requirement 6
 Credits23-24
 Total Credits67-68

Required Courses for Juris Doctor Candidates

LCR 905Criminal Law3
LGP 900The Legal Profession1
LGP 909Civil Procedure4
LGP 918Constitutional Law I3
LGP 920Contracts4
LGP 952Property4
LGP 960Torts3
LSK 900Legal Research and Information Literacy2
LSK 919Legal Analysis and Writing 12
LSK 920Legal Analysis and Writing 23
Perspectives Course
LPI 912Fundamentals of Law Practice (residential only)3
or LIP 944 Fundamentals of Intellectual Property
Upper Level Required Courses 1
LGP 921Constitutional Law II3
LGP 951Professional Responsibility3
Upper Level Writing Requirement2-3
Upper Level Experiential Learning Requirement6
Total Credits46-47
1

Upper Level Required Courses—hybrid JD only. Hybrid JD courses must be completed as set forth on the Hybrid JD Curriculum Map established by the Curriculum Committee and posted on the UNH Law website; Curriculum Map may be updated with a minimum of one semester notice to students.

  • Legal analysis and reasoning: Graduates will be able to identify, comprehend, and apply the relevant substantive and procedural laws to solve a legal issue, informed by an understanding of the diversity of viewpoints on and contexts for any issue.
  • Written and oral communication: Graduates will be able to present material effectively in these formats for both objective analytical and advocacy purposes across a range of settings, including in the courtroom.
  • Professionalism: Graduates will be able to act in an ethical, respectful, and self-aware manner with all other stakeholders, including clients, employers, and the court.
  • Legal research: Graduates will be able to navigate and assess relevant legal authorities using appropriate tools.
  • Public service: Graduates will be able to contribute productively to strengthening the justice system, with a sensitivity toward the needs of people facing societal barriers.
  • Problem solving: Graduates will be able to engage in focused and pragmatic collaboration toward goals.
  • Client counseling and management: Graduates will be able to provide trustworthy and responsive action upon clients’ matters.
  • Factual investigation and analysis: Graduates will be able to implement a strategic plan for information-gathering, which includes the ability to iterate on the plan as needed, and evaluate the results of the information obtained.

Concentrations

 

Courses include:

  • Antitrust Law
  • Bankruptcy
  • Business Associations I
  • Business Entities Taxation
  • Consumer & Commercial Law Class
  • Contract Design
  • Employment Law
  • Estate Planning
  • In-House Counsel
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Negotiable Instruments
  • Personal Income Taxation
  • Real Estate Transactions
  • Secured Transactions
  • Securities Regulation: Public & Private
  • Securities Markets
  • Wills Trusts & Estates

Courses include:

  • Criminal Law
  • Criminal Practice Class
  • Criminal Procedure I: The Law of Criminal Investigation
  • Criminal Procedure II: The Law of Criminal Adjudication
  • CyberCrime
  • Intellectual Property Crimes
  • International Criminal Law Seminar
  • Intro to Human Trafficking

Beginning in the second semester of their first year, students with an interest in IP may choose from among a wide variety of courses. Each year, more than 30 IP-related courses are consistently offered. By successfully completing a specified number of IP courses, J.D. students can earn a certificate in intellectual property law; those who graduate with a total of 97 credits may earn both a J.D. and a Master of Laws in Intellectual Property in just 3 years.

This curricular advice is intended to help students interested in pursuing an IP specialty to choose among available courses. Students interested in an IP-related career should begin by electing Fundamentals of IP in their second or third semester.

Courses Include:

  • Advanced Patent Litigation
  • Fundamentals of Intellectual Property
  • Intellectual Property & Transaction Class
  • Intellectual Property Crimes
  • Intellectual Property Management
  • Inter Partes in the USPTO
  • IP Enforcement at the International Trade Commission
  • Law & Biotechnology
  • Mining Patent Information in the Digital Age
  • Patent Application Preparation & Prosecution
  • Patent Law
  • Patent Office Litigation
  • Patent Practice & Procedure I
  • Patent Practice & Procedure II
  • Technology Licensing
  • Valuation & the Law

Patent Law Specialty

Among the possible types of IP careers, patent law is unique. The value of patents is primarily determined by the scope of claims granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). Practitioners who wish to prosecute patents must qualify for and pass the patent bar. Opportunities to negotiate and draft licenses, sue infringers, advise on ways to protect trade secrets, and file appeals from PTO decisions do not require patent bar eligibility or admission, but the latter may increase opportunities for those types of work.

Patent practice opportunities are also tied to particular technical backgrounds. Students aspiring to a career in patent law should investigate employment prospects for lawyers in their specialties.

Essential Courses

  • Fundamentals of Intellectual Property
  • Patent Application Preparation & Prosecution
  • Patent Law
  • Patent Practice I
  • Patent Practice II

Recommended

  • Antitrust
  • IP and International Trade
  • Technology Licensing

Essential Courses

  • Fundamentals of Intellectual Property
  • Patent Application Preparation & Prosecution
  • Patent Law
  • Patent Practice I
  • Patent Practice II

Recommended

  • Antitrust
  • IP and International Trade
  • Technology Licensing

Useful

  • Advanced Patent Law Seminar
  • Advanced Patent Litigation
  • Copyright
  • Federal Courts
  • IP Enforcement at the ITC
  • IP Management
  • Law and Biotech
  • Trademarks

Practical Skills

  • IP and Transaction Clinic
  • Mining Patent Information
  • Negotiations Workshop
  • Patent Practice I
  • Technology Licensing

Related Upper-Level Writing Courses

  • Patent Application Preparation & Prosecution
  • Patent Practice II

Beginning in the second semester of their first year, students with an interest in IP may choose from among a wide variety of courses. Each year, more than 30 IP-related courses are consistently offered. By successfully completing a specified number of IP courses, J.D. students can earn a certificate in intellectual property law; those who graduate with a total of 97 credits may earn both a J.D. and a Master of Laws in Intellectual Property in just 3 years.

This curricular advice is intended to help students interested in pursuing an IP specialty to choose among available courses. Students interested in an IP-related career should begin by electing Fundamentals of IP in their second or third semester.

Courses include:

  • Copyright & Trademark Litigation Strategies
  • Copyright Law
  • Copyright Licensing
  • Current Issues in Copyright Practice Master Class
  • E-Commerce & the Law
  • Federal Trademark & Copyright Registration Practice
  • Fundamentals of Intellectual Property
  • Intellectual Property & International Trade
  • Intellectual Property & Transaction Class
  • Intellectual Property Crimes
  • Intellectual Property Management
  • Inter Partes in the USPTO
  • IP Enforcement at the International Trade Commission
  • Law & Biotechnology
  • Online Brand Management
  • Technology Licensing
  • Technology Transfer Tax
  • Trademarks & Deceptive Practices
  • Valuation & the Law

Trademark Law Specialty

Trademark law offers a variety of career opportunities. Trademark lawyers acquire federal and state registrations and maintain common law trademark rights. They also litigate to prevent the use of confusingly similar marks, draft licenses, pursue cybersquatters and counterfeiters, police competitors' uses, register and protect domain names, advise clients, and educate the media on the correct use of marks.

A student who hopes to pursue a career in trademark law should begin with Fundamentals of IP and Trademarks and Deceptive Practices. Students should consider not only those regularly-offered courses listed below, but relevant IPSI and master classes; students who aspire to a career in trademark law are encouraged to participate in either the IP and Transaction Clinic or a legal residency that will provide opportunities for hands-on training.

Essential Courses

  • Fundamentals of Intellectual Property

  • Trademarks & Deceptive Practices

Recommended

  • Advanced Topics in Trademarks

  • Antitrust

  • Copyright

  • Federal Courts

  • Federal Trademark & Copyright Registration Practice

  • Inter Partes Practice before the USPTO

Related

  • Advanced Topics in IP
  • Cybercrime
  • Entertainment Law
  • Intellectual Property Management
  • IP & International Trade
  • IP Issues in Sports & Entertainment Law
  • Technology Licensing

Practical Skills

  • IP and Transaction Clinic
  • Technology Licensing

Related Upper-Level Writing Courses

  • Advanced Topics in Trademarks

  • Remedies

Copyright Law Specialty

Copyrights protect works ranging from books, music, and motion pictures to computer software from unauthorized copying, adaptation, distribution, and public performance. Copyright law potentially affects many individuals and businesses, as well as nonprofit organizations, such as schools. Students who aspire to a career in copyright law are encouraged to participate in either the IP and Transaction Clinic or a legal residency that will provide opportunities for hands-on training.

Essential Courses

  • Copyright

  • Fundamentals of Intellectual Property

Recommended

  • Cybercrime

  • Federal Courts

  • Federal Trademark & Copyright Registration Practice

  • IP & International Trade

  • Technology Licensing

  • Trademarks & Deceptive Practices

Related

  •  Advanced Topics in IP

  • Antitrust

  • Entertainment Law

  • Intellectual Property Management

  • Internet Law

  • IP Issues in Sports & Entertainment Law

Practical Skills

  • IP and Transaction Clinic

  • Technology Licensing

Courses include:

  • Amateur Sports Law: Legal Issues in Youth, College & Rec Sports
  • Entertainment Law
  • Intl & Comparative Sports Law
  • IP Issues in Sports & Entertainment Law
  • Music Law
  • Pro Sports Law: Unique Relationships, Leagues, Team & Players

Courses include:

  • Advanced Legal Research
  • Advanced Trial Advocacy
  • Appellate Advocacy
  • Defamation Law & Litigation
  • Evidence
  • Expert Witness & Scientific Evidence
  • Federal Courts
  • Judicial Opinion Drafting
  • Legal Residency Class
  • Negotiations Workshop
  • Trial Advocacy
  • Writing for Practice

Courses include:

  • Administrative Process
  • Children & the Law
  • Consumer Law & Bankruptcy
  • Dispute Resolution
  • Employment Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Family Law
  • First Amendment Law
  • Gender & the Law
  • Health Law
  • Immigration Law
  • Law & Mental Health
  • Lobbying & the Legislative Process
  • Public International Law

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