College of Law

Joan W. Howarth, DEAN

HISTORY AND AFFILIATION WITH MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Michigan State University College of Law represents the functional academic integration and collaboration between a private law school and a Big Ten university.

Founded in 1891, the Michigan State University College of Law remains one of the oldest continuously operating independent law schools in the United States. The law school affiliated with Michigan State University  in 1995  to extend its academic excellence and offer more interdisciplinary programs to its students and to provide Michigan State University with a law school fully accredited by the American Bar Association. The law school has been a member of the Association of American Law Schools since 1946. In 1997, the law school moved from Detroit to its state-of-the-art law building in the heart of Michigan State University 's East Lansing campus.

Through the affiliation, the programs and identities of the two institutions are aligned, and the Michigan State University  College of Law faculty and students are able to participate fully in Michigan State University  academic life. The name change and full academic participation were approved by the law school’s Board of Trustees on April 14, 2004 and by the Michigan State University Board of Trustees on April 16, 2004 . The law school now fully participates in the same manner as MSU's constituent colleges, although it remains financially independent and receives no state or Michigan State University funding.

Mission

The mission of the Michigan State University College of Law is to provide a rigorous educational program, preparing a diverse community of students to become leaders in private legal practice, business and industry, government service, and legal education. The Law College draws upon a century of service, an association with a major research institution, a commitment to broad educational access, scholarly excellence, and service to society.

The Law College teaches core legal skills, supplemented with academic concentrations, specialized programs, and scholarly research. The college stresses ethics, good lawyering, professionalism, and service. Consistent with these values, it instructs students in the arts of client representation and trial advocacy, and the tenets of legal principles, private rights, and public policy.

The Law College strives continuously to strengthen academic quality in all of its programs and activities. The college is committed to offering opportunities for professional growth, innovation, research, and scholarship to its faculty. The faculty embraces its mandate to provide excellence in instruction with significant contributions to legal research, public service, and community outreach. The staff contributes service, support, and creativity.

The Law College aspires to preserve its educational heritage while seeking sound innovation through a flexible and creative program of academic growth, development, and opportunity. The College fosters an environment of trust, collegiality, and inclusion for faculty, students, and staff.

Legal Education

The Michigan State University College of Law legal education program leading to a Juris Doctor (J.D.) is designed to offer integrated learning, combining theory with practice. The Law College wants its graduates to be ready to practice law in real-world settings. This goal is accomplished in and out of the classroom. The classroom provides skill-based learning — especially writing and advocacy skills — and legal theory. Out of the classroom, experiential learning opportunities such as internships, externships, and clinical experiences provide opportunities to apply classroom lessons.

A distinction of an Michigan State University  Law education is the substantive collaboration with other disciplines and programs at Michigan State University . College areas of focus and certificate programs allow students to build expertise in a specific area of law, and include opportunities to take graduate-level courses throughout Michigan State University . This interdisciplinary approach to legal education results in a greater understanding of how law is practiced in society and how it affects other disciplines. For those who wish to take Integrated learning a step further, dual-degree programs allow students to earn both a law degree and another graduate degree in four years. Of particular note is the dual-degree program with the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, which enables students to earn the J.D. and the Canadian Bachelor's of Laws (LL.B.) in four years. This program provides a deeper understanding of international law and practice in cross-border situations.

Michigan State University  Law offers other degree opportunities:  The Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree is designed for students who have earned their J.D., LL.B. or comparable law degree.   The Master of Jurisprudence (M.J.) degree is designed for individuals who do not have a law degree, such as doctoral students in other disciplines, policymakers, government officials, business executives, intellectual property agents, journalists, media professionals, scientists and computer programmers.

Juris Doctor

Of the 88 credit hours needed to graduate with a Juris Doctor (JD) degree, 40 credit hours are required courses, and consist of the following:

In addition to the required courses, students must complete at least one course that includes instruction in professional skills and a paper that satisfies an upper-level writing requirement. Both of these requirements may be completed anytime after the student has successfully completed 29 credit hours. Students have 48 credit hours of elective courses to gain a more generalized legal education, which may be used to fulfill the requirements for a certificate or concentration program. Complete information about concentrations can be found by visiting www.law.msu.edu. The following concentrations are available:

The American Bar Association (ABA) sets requirements for the study of law at all of the law schools it has accredited. The residency requirement states that students must attend classes a prescribed number of days and weeks. Full-time students at the Michigan State University College of Law complete their J.D. degree in three years. A student may accelerate by completing some course work in the summer. The recommended maximum time for completion of requirements for full- and part-time students is five and six years respectively.

The Michigan State University College of Law full-time program is designed for students who can devote most of their time to the study of law. By definition, a full-time student does not hold employment that requires the student to work more than 20 hours a week or who have other commitments which preclude them from focusing exclusively on their legal studies. Classes are held at varying times between 8 a.m. and 9:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, and a normal course load is 14 to 16 hours per semester. Based on the current curriculum, students can complete their law degree in three years, or six full semesters, exclusive of summer school.

The Michigan State University College of Law part-time program is designed for students who work more than 20 hours each week. Most part-time students take classes between the hours of 5:45 and 9:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The part-time program offers two basic formats. The first is a four-year option, or eight semesters, exclusive of summer school, with a normal course load of 10 to 12 credit hours per semester. The second is a more flexible schedule, with classes taken two or three days each week. Part-time students who choose the second option take six to nine credit hours each semester and five to six additional credits every summer for four summers. The same full-time faculty members teach both full-time and part-time required courses.

Both full- and part-time students may enroll in a seven-week summer session.

The LL.M. and M.J. programs are open to both domestic and international students. Participants may enroll on either a full-time or part-time basis and may begin their studies in either the fall or spring semester. Unless approved by the program director, LL.M. candidates who do not have a basic or an advanced law degree in common law jurisdiction and M.J. candidates who do not possess knowledge of common law jurisdiction will not be able to begin their studies in the spring semester.

The LL.M. program provides a rigorous academic program to advance the legal training of those who already hold a J.D., LL.B. or an equivalent law degree. The M.J. program provides an equivalent academic program, without the opportunity for licensure to practice law, for students who do not have a law degree.
Strong writing and verbal skills as well as a solid conceptual understanding of basic legal or intellectual property theory are expected of all participants.

Admission

Admission the LL.M. or M.J. program is based on the:

1. applicant’s academic record;
2. applicant’s professional accomplishments; and
3. recommendations from persons with knowledge of the applicant’s capability to participate in a rigorous graduate-level academic program.

Applicant’s must submit all of the following items:

1. an application including a personal statement and a course plan or research proposal of no more than three single-spaced pages in length.
2. an application fee of $100.
3. three letters of recommendation including at least one from a dean or faculty member familiar with the applicant’s previous legal training or academic ability.

International applicants must provide evidence of sufficient financial support to fulfill the program, including tuition, books, medical insurance and living expenses during the program, and proof of medical insurance.

Unless the program director grants a waiver, all applicants who do not have a law degree must submit an official transcript of the applicant’s Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score. International applicants whose native language is not English must also submit documentation showing a TOEFL score of 250 or above for the computer-based test or 600 or above for the paper-based test. The Law College may request applicants to participate in a telephone interview.

Directed Study Option for Part-time Students

Although all students in the LL.M. and M.J. program are strongly encouraged to take the LL.M. and M.J. seminar, part-time students may elect not to attend the seminar. Students who elect not to take the LL.M. and M.J. seminar must complete a two-credit directed study to fulfill the thesis requirement and two additional credit hours of courses chosen from the LL.M. and M.J. curriculum. These credits are in addition to the 14 credit hours required to fulfill the elective course requirement.

LL.M. and M.J. in Intellectual Property and Communications Law

Both degree programs offer advanced course work in a full range of intellectual property and communications law. To offer further specialization and better prepare for career advancement, students select from the general category of Intellectual Property Law or one of the following five specialized tracks: (1) Communications Law, (2) Copyright/Trademark Law, (3) Entertainment and Sports Law, (4) International Intellectual Property Law, and (5) Patent Law.

The LL.M. and M.J. program strongly encourages students to design their own courses of study with the assistance of their faculty advisors. The LL.M. and M.J. curriculum includes a wide variety of courses and seminars.

Academic Requirements

1. Candidates for the LL.M. and M.J. program must successfully complete 24 credit hours of course work, which is distributed as follows:
   a.     Six credit hours of basic courses in two of the primary areas of intellectual property and communications law (Communications, 
           Law, Copyright Law, Patent Law and Trademark and Unfair Competition Law) are required. This requirement may be fully or 
           partially waived if the student obtained a grade of B (3.0) or above in an equivalent course (or courses) in law school within five 
           years of initial enrollment at the Law College.
   b.     Fourteen additional credit hours of elective courses chosen from the LL.M. and M.J. curriculum are required. To fulfill this 
           requirement, students who have obtained a one-course (or two-course) waiver of the basic course requirement must complete 
           17 (or 20) credit hours of courses chosen from the LL.M. and M.J. curriculum.
   c.     Four credit hours of the LL.M. and M.J. seminar and thesis complete the program. The LL.M./M.J. seminar is a year-long course 
           offered in two semesters.  The seminar features eminent scholars and distinguished practitioners as guest speakers. Students 
           are required to write response papers, make presentations and complete an LL.M. or M.J. thesis. The thesis must be at least 30 
           pages in length and satisfy the standards of the Upper-level Writing Requirement.

All candidates must achieve a grade of PASS or above in all courses taken for credit toward the LL.M. and M.J. degrees.

Subject to waiver by the Associate Dean, full-time students must complete the requirements for the LL.M. and M.J. program within two academic years, and part-time students must complete the requirements within five academic years.

LL.M. in the American Legal System

For many attorneys around the world, the successful practice of law requires an understanding of the American legal system. The LL.M. program in the American Legal System is for international lawyers who want to advance their careers with knowledge of the laws and regulations of the United States. In addition to receiving an in-depth understanding of the U.S. legal system, students in the program may focus their work in one of three areas: (1) Business and Commercial Law, (2) Public Law, and (3) International and Comparative Law.

1. Candidates for the LL.M. in the American Legal System must successfully complete 24 credits distributed as follows:
   a.     Twenty credits of regularly scheduled courses, seminars or independent study project over the course of two academic terms. Of 
           these 20 credits, 2 credits will be devoted to the two-credit writing requirement.
2. Unless the program director grants a waiver, LL.M. candidates who do not have a basic or an advanced law degree in a common law jurisdiction and M.J. candidates must complete four credit hours of the following, which will count toward the elective course requirement.
   a.     a two-credit course in American Jurisprudence, which will familiarize the student with the structure of the American legal system 
           and with the requisite research techniques to support continued study; and
   b.    a two-credit course in Legal Research and Writing taught in the fall semester. This course will provide a special focus on the 
          research and writing needs of international scholars and non-lawyers