High Tech Law Institute
The High Tech Law Institute (HTLI) oversees the High Tech Law Certificate (HTLC) and the International High Tech Law Certificate (IHTLC). The institute also coordinates special programs, including conferences and guest speakers, relating to IP and other high tech law fields. Details on the certificate programs follow.
The HTLC represents an emphasis on, and commitment to, the study of law in a range of fields affecting the technology sector, including IP law, technology law, certain areas of corporate law and, as applicable, international law. SCU HTLC holders currently work in prominent law firms and in technology companies practicing all aspects of high tech law. Their practices include patent prosecution, intellectual property litigation, corporate transactions, technology licensing, and trademark counseling and prosecution.
To receive the HTLC, students must complete a specified number of units in core and approved elective high tech law courses, meet established grade point average requirements, and submit an original piece of writing on a technology law topic. To receive IHTLC, students must also participate in one SCU-sponsored Summer Abroad program offering a high tech curriculum track.
Subscription to the High Tech Law blog mailing list is recommended for all SCU J.D. students interested in obtaining an HTLC. It is the official source of announcements regarding certificate requirements, high tech courses, events, and important deadlines. Students who wish to subscribe to the email list should go to law.scu.edu/blog/hightech to subscribe. Students who prefer to receive updates at a non-SCU email address should update their profile with their preferred email address.
High Tech Law Certificate
The HTLC indicates a specialty in high tech law studies, and is available only to matriculated SCU J.D. students. Courses taken at other universities or institutions do not count toward the HTLC, except under specific circumstances. Students who successfully complete each of the following requirements will qualify for an HTLC.
1. Core course requirements
Students must successfully complete a minimum of 15 units from the approved list of HTLC courses (law.scu.edu/hightech/high-tech-law-courses.cfm) see including the following track-specific course requirements.
a. Intellectual Property Law. Core courses include both Patents (233) and Copyright Law (385), in addition to one of the following:
- 227. Trademarks and Unfair Competition
- 478. Trade Secret Law and Policy
b. Corporate Transactions. Core courses include Patents (233) and Copyright Law (385), and the corporate transactions course, Securities Regulation (258), in addition to one course on the list of approved HTLC courses that is listed as a “corporate transactions” course.
The remaining elective units for both tracks must be selected from the approved list of HTLC courses (see law.scu.edu/hightech/high-tech-law-courses.cfm); however, no more than one class from the “Tax” group will count toward the HTLC.
2. Minimum GPA and mandatory grades
Students must achieve a minimum grade of a B- for any course counting toward the HTLC. In addition, the overall GPA in courses counting toward the HTLC must be a B or higher. All work must be taken for a grade.
3. Writing requirement
Students must complete a substantive research paper that identifies and analyzes a relevant issue or cutting-edge problem related to high tech law. The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate the student’s ability to identify, thoroughly analyze, and write about a relevant substantive legal issue or problem. The topic should be sufficiently broad in scope, contain a thorough analysis and/or critique of the subject chosen, and propose a practical and/or theoretical resolution of the issue. Students may meet the requirements in one of two ways.
a. Complete an original piece of writing on a current topic approved by and under the supervision of a full-time high tech faculty member. Students may have adjunct faculty supervisors only with prior approval of the designated HTLI representative. Students may use a comment or article written for the Santa Clara Computer & High Technology Law Journal or the Santa Clara Law Review; but the paper must independently be reviewed and signed off by a full-time high tech faculty member. Submission or acceptance of a comment or article to or by an SCU journal does not automatically satisfy the writing requirement for the HTLC.
b. Receive a grade of B- or higher for a substantive paper that has been or will be used as a method of evaluation in an HTLC-approved course. Students who seek to satisfy the writing requirement in this manner must obtain the approval and signature of the course professor on the HTLC application form. In special circumstances, papers written for courses that are not HTLC approved may be considered provided that the overall content of the paper is grounded in high tech law, meets all other substantive requirements, and is approved by both the course professor and the designated HTLI representative.
All papers submitted for the HTLC must be a minimum of 20 pages in length and must consist of substantive legal analysis. Papers that will not qualify include outlines, agreements, memoranda, and letters. A brief or motion may qualify only if it (a) is entirely original to the student (i.e., no sections were written or significantly edited by any other person), (b) was drafted specifically for a course at the SCU School of Law or for a national or regional moot court or trial competition, and (c) otherwise satisfies the requirements for the HTLC paper. Edits made under the direction or suggestion of an SCU professor during the paper review process are acceptable and do not conflict with the originality requirement. Direct questions regarding qualification of papers to the designated HTLI representative.
All papers submitted for the HTLC must conform to the following formatting. Any paper not in compliance, even if signed off by faculty, will be returned to the student, and issuance of the HTLC will be delayed until the formatting requirements are satisfied.
- Single-sided print on white paper
- Standard 1-inch margins
- Standard 10- to 12-point font
- Table of contents
- Footnotes (preferred)
- Title page containing:
1. Title of the paper
2. Full legal name of author
3. Date of submission
4. Course name (if applicable)
5. Name of approving professor
Prior to graduation, students must submit to the High Tech Law Institute one clean (unmarked) hard copy and one electronic (Word) copy of the approved paper, an original library release form (completed and signed), and an original certificate of originality (completed and signed).
Heafey Law Library maintains a collection of the writing projects. To review HTLC research papers from previous years, visit the library and request reserve materials.
4. Transfer units
All academic work must be taken at the SCU School of Law, unless prior approval is granted by the designated HTLI representative. Approved credit from other institutions may be applied toward the HTLC only if the student earned a grade of B- or higher, and those credits applied from other institutions will be transferred only as credit for purposes of calculating the HTLC GPA. Requests for approval must be submitted in writing to the designated HTLI representative prior to the deadline for application submission (see law.scu.edu/hightech/high-tech-law-certificate.cfm).
International High Tech Law Certificate
The IHTLC is administered jointly by the CGLP and the High Tech Law Institute. The IHTLC is available only to matriculated SCU J.D. students. Courses taken at other universities or institutions do not count toward the IHTLC, except under specific circumstances.
1. Core course requirements
Students must successfully complete a minimum of 16 units total, divided equally between the following two categories.
a. High Tech Law. Core courses (8 units) include both of the following, in addition to one course selected from this approved list of IHTLC courses: law.scu.edu/hightech/high-tech-law-courses.cfm (List A)
- 223. Patents
- 385. Copyright Law
b. International Law. Core courses (8 units) include at least one of the following, in addition to courses selected from this approved list of IHTLC courses: law.scu.edu/international/international-law-certificate.cfm#ILC%20Courses (List B)
- 215. International Law
- 216. International Business Transactions
- 217. Regulation of International Business Transactions
The remaining elective units must be selected from either List A or List B of approved IHTLC courses and/or from the list of approved HTLC courses. Courses that appear on multiple lists may be counted only once toward the IHTLC; i.e., toward either the 8 units of “High Tech Law” or the 8 units of “International Law.”
2. Summer Abroad requirement
Students must complete one of the Summer Abroad programs (see above) administered by the SCU School of Law and approved for the IHTLC (see law.scu.edu/hightech/approved-summer-overseas-programs-with-high-tech-tracks.cfm). Students must also attend the high tech track courses offered as part of the program. If a student attends one of the approved summer overseas programs but does not complete the high tech track within that program, then such program will not count toward the IHTLC.
Program units obtained and courses attended do not count toward the 16 units of substantive course work required for the HTLCs, with the exception of International and Comparative IP Law: Europe (935), taught as part of the Munich, Germany, summer program. Direct questions regarding Summer Abroad programs to CGLP.
3. Minimum GPA and mandatory grades
Students must achieve a minimum grade of a B- for any course counting toward the IHTLC. In addition, the overall GPA in courses and the Summer Abroad counting toward the IHTLC must be a B or higher. All work must be taken for a grade.
4. Writing requirement
The writing requirement substantially is the same as that for the HTLC (see above), except that the topic must be relevant to an issue or problem related to international high tech law.
5. Transfer units
All academic work must be taken at SCU School of Law, including at a School of Law-administered Summer Abroad high tech law session, unless prior approval is granted by both programs. Approved credit from other institutions may be applied toward the IHTLC only if the student earned a grade of B- or higher, and those credits applied from other institutions will be transferred only as credit for purposes of calculating the IHTLC GPA.
Certificate applications
To be eligible for the HTLC or IHTLC, students must submit an Application for Award of High Tech Law Certificate or an Application for Award of International High Tech Law Certificate, depending on the certificate for which the student is applying. Application forms are available in the office of the High Tech Law Institute or online at: law.scu.edu/hightech.
The institute will not accept applications until a student’s last semester, when the academic requirements for the HTLC or IHTLC are essentially completed. Typically, applications are due two months prior to the end of the fall or spring semester, as applicable. Students graduating in July must comply with the deadlines applicable to spring graduates, unless special arrangements are made with the HTLI.
It is expected that the applications will be incomplete when submitted, pending receipt and confirmation of final grades. The paper requirement, along with all approvals and other requirements, must be satisfied and submitted prior to graduation.
For application deadlines see law.scu.edu/hightech.
Applications submitted to the office of the High Tech Law Institute after the stated deadlines will be accepted only upon written petition to and approval from the HTLI designated representative. Students who submit late applications will not be listed as qualifying for the certificate on graduation materials. Students are solely responsible for meeting these deadlines. Students may only obtain one certificate.
For more information
- School of Law, High Tech Law Institute: law.scu.edu/hightech
- hightechlaw@scu.edu or 408-551-1868
- Academic Director: Professor Eric Goldman
- Assistant Director: Cynthia Tippett
- Program Manager: Kyra Moore