International High Tech Law Certificate
I. Overview
The International High Tech Law Certificate (IHTLC) is one of four specialty certificates offered to matriculated Santa Clara University School of Law J.D. students. Other specialties include the High Tech Law Certificate, the International Law Certificate, and the Public Interest and Social Justice Law Certificate.
The IHTLC recognizes the ever-increasing global nature of the legal community, particularly in the area of high technology and intellectual property law. The IHTLC represents an emphasis on, and commitment to, study in a range of fields affecting the sector, including intellectual property technology law, and certain areas of corporate law - with the added dimension of international law.
To receive an IHTLC, 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 an international high technology law topic. To receive an IHTLC, students also must participate in one summer overseas program offered by Santa Clara University School of Law.
II. Requirements for International High Tech Law Certificate
The International High Tech Law Certificate is a specialty in international law and high tech law available only to matriculated Santa Clara University J.D. students. The IHTLC is administered jointly by the Center for Global Law and Policy and the High Tech Law Institute. Courses taken at other universities or institutions do not count toward the IHTLC, except as stated below. Students who successfully complete each of the stated requirements will qualify for an IHTLC.
A. Core Course Requirements
1. Students who began their J.D. studies in or after Fall 2003
Successfully complete a minimum of 16 units from the two lists of Approved International High Tech Law Certificate Courses. Of these 16 units, 8 units must be designated as "High Tech Law" courses ("List A") and 8 units must be designated as "International Law" courses ("List B").
Of the 8 units of High Tech Law courses, students must successfully complete both of the following core courses:
Law 233 Patents
Law 385 Copyright
Of the 8 units of International Law courses, students must successfully complete at least one (1) of the following courses:
Law 215 International Law
Law 216 International Business Transactions
Law 217 Regulation of International Business Transactions
*For students who began their J.D. studies prior to Fall 2003 please contact the High Tech Law Institute at hightechlaw@scu.edu or call 408-551-1868.
B. Elective Units
The remaining required units must be taken from either List A or List B of Approved International High Tech Law Certificate Courses. Note that some courses appear on both lists. These courses may only be counted once (i.e., as either a High Tech Law elective or an International Law elective) and units may not be split. For example, if a 4 unit course is on both List A and List B, all 4 units of that course must be allocated to either the High Tech Law electives or International Law electives.
C. Minimum GPA/Mandatory Grades
Achieve a minimum grade of a B- for any course counting toward the IHTLC. In addition, the overall GPA in courses and the Summer Overseas Program counting toward the IHTLC must be a B or higher. All work must be taken for a grade. For example, because the Civil and High Tech Law Internship Program cannot be taken for a grade, it does not count towards the IHTLC.
D. Writing Requirement
Complete a substantive research paper that analyzes a relevant issue or cutting-edge problem related to international 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 paper topic should be sufficiently broad in scope, contain analysis and/or critique of the subject chosen and propose a practical or theoretical resolution (or some combination thereof) to the issue.
Students must submit to the Office of the High Tech Law Institute prior to graduation:
- one clean (unmarked) copy of the approved paper;
- one electronic copy in Microsoft Word format;
- an original, completed, signed Library Release Form; and
- an original, completed, signed Certificate of Originality.
Heafey Law Library will maintain a collection of these projects. To review International High Tech Law Certificate papers placed on reserve from previous years, please visit the Law Library and request reserve materials at call # KF2979.A1 A25.
The writing requirement can be satisfied in one of two ways:
1. 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 Director of the Center for Global Law and Policy. Students may use a comment or article written for the Santa Clara Computer & High Tech Law Journal or Santa Clara Law Review; however, the paper must independently be reviewed and signed-off by a full-time high tech or international law faculty member. Submission or acceptance of a comment or article by an SCU journal does NOT automatically satisfy the writing requirement for the IHTLC.
2. Receive the grade of B- or higher on an original substantive paper that has been or will be submitted in one course from the list of Approved International High Tech Law Certificate Courses for which a written paper has been or will be used as a method of evaluation, and which paper satisfies the paper requirements stated below. Students who seek to satisfy the writing requirement in this manner must obtain the approval and signature of the professor who taught the course on the IHTLC application form. Papers written for classes that are not on the list of Approved International High Tech Law Certificate Courses may be considered for approval in special circumstances; provided, however, that the overall content of the paper is grounded in international high technology law, meets all other substantive requirements, and is approved by both the professor who taught the course and the Director of the Center for Global Law and Policy.
Additional Guidelines for Submission of the IHTLC paper
All papers submitted for the IHTLC must be a minimum of 20 pages in length, and must consist of substantive legal analysis. Papers that do not qualify for the IHTLC include: outlines; agreements; memoranda; and letters. A brief or motion may count toward this requirement only if: (i) it is entirely original to the student (i.e., no sections were written or significantly edited by any other person); and (ii) it was drafted specifically for a course at SCU School of Law, or a national or regional moot court or trial competition; and (iii) it otherwise satisfies the requirements for the IHTLC paper. Edits made under the direction or suggestion of an SCU professor during the review process of the paper are acceptable and do not conflict with this originality requirement. If you have any questions regarding whether a paper will qualify for the IHTLC, contact the Director of the High Tech Law Institute.
Following is the required format for the paper:
- Title page listing the following information:
- Title of the paper
- Full legal name of author
- Date of submission
- Course Name (if applicable)
- Name of professor who approves the paper
- Table of Contents
- Footnotes preferred
- Font size of 10-12 pt. font
- Standard 1-inch margins
- Single-sided print on white paper only
Submitted papers that do not comply with this format, even if signed off by a faculty member, will be returned to the student, and the issuance of an IHTLC will be delayed until the formatting requirements are fully satisfied.
E. Summer Overseas Requirement
All students desiring an International High Tech Law Certificate must complete one of the Summer Overseas Programs. Units obtained and courses attended will not count toward the 16 units of substantive course work required for either the HTLC or the IHTLC; except course #935 International and Comparative IP Law: Europe, which is taught as part of the Munich, Germany summer overseas program. In some cases courses offered as part of the Oxford and Sydney programs may qualify. Summer overseas programs administrated by any school other that Santa Clara University School of Law will not satisfy this requirement. Specific questions regarding the Summer Overseas programs should be directed to the Center for Global Law and Policy.
F. Transfer Units
All academic work must be taken at Santa Clara University School of Law, including at a Santa Clara University School of Law Summer Overseas session, unless prior approval is granted by the Director of the Center for Global Law and Policy. Approved credit from other institutions may be applied toward the IHTLC only if the grade of B- or higher was earned, and those credits applied from other institutions will be transferred only as credit for purposes of calculating the IHTLC GPA.
G. Certificate Announcements
Subscription to the High Tech Law blog mailing list is recommended for all SCU J.D. students interested in obtaining an IHTLC. It is the official source of announcements regarding certificate requirements, high tech courses, events, and important deadlines. To add yourself to this email list go to the following url:
http://law.scu.edu/blog/hightech/
At this site, click on Receive Email Updates under "About This Blog" on the right hand side. If you prefer to receive updates at an email address other than you SCU email, please update your profile with your prefered email address. Students only interested in the ILC or PISJLC need not subscribe to the High Tech Law blog mailing list.
H. Applying for a Certificate
Applications will not be accepted until the student's last semester, when the requirements for the certificates 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 alternate arrangements have been made with the Director of the High Tech Law Institute.
Students must submit an Application for Award of International High Tech Law Certificate. Please note that the application depends upon the time at which you begin your studies at Santa Clara University School of Law. If you began your studies at Santa Clara before Fall 2003, please use the following form:
Application for Award of International High Tech Law Certificate Pre-Fall 2003
If you began your studies at Santa Clara in or after Fall 2003, please use the following form:
Application for Award of International High Tech Law Certificate In or After Fall 2003
Application forms also are available in the office of the High Tech Law Institute. It is expected that the applications will be incomplete when submitted, pending receipt and confirmation of final grades. The paper requirement must be satisfied, and all approvals and other requirements satisfied and turned in to the High Tech Law Office prior to graduation.
The application deadline for J.D. students graduating in May 2008 is February 22, 2008.
The application deadline for J.D. students graduating December 2008 is November 14, 2008.
Applications for the IHTLC submitted to the office of the High Tech Law Institute after the stated deadlines will only be accepted upon written petition to and approval of the Director of the High Tech Law Institute or the Director of the Institute of International and Comparative Law. Students who submit their applications after the applicable deadline will not be listed as qualifying for a Certificate on graduation materials.
Students are solely responsible for meeting these deadlines.
Students may only obtain one Certificate. Thus, students must elect whether to obtain a High Tech Law Certificate, an International High Tech Law Certificate, an International Law Certificate, or a Public Interest and Social Justice Law Certificate.
It is the responsibility of the student to see that all requirements are satisfied and all approval signatures are obtained to receive the IHTLC. Additionally, there is no "candidacy" for this Certificate. Therefore, it is not acceptable to indicate candidacy for a Certificate on a resume. However, students may indicate that they are pursuing a Certificate or intending to complete the requirements for a Certificate.
Contact Information
High Tech Law Institute
Loyola Hall, Rm. 107
phone: 408-551-1868
fax: 408-554-2333
hightechlaw@scu.edu
Center for Global Law & Policy
Loyola Hall, Rm. 106
phone: 408-551-3000 ext. 6445
fax: 408-554-5047
cglp@scu.edu