How to earn a top-ranked U.S. legal education in global innovation

What LL.M. programs are offered by UNH Franklin Pierce?

At UNH Franklin Pierce, three LL.M. programs are provided: 

• Intellectual Property (on-campus or online)
• International Criminal Law and Justice (online) 
• Commerce and Technology (on-campus)

More than half of the faculty have IP expertise. The three main areas taught in IP are Trademarks, Patent Law and Copyright Law. The Law School is known for its excellent IP program. Plus, students have access to the largest academic IP-library in the Western Hemisphere.

In Commerce and Technology, the focus is clearly on digital and privacy law. The courses are offered in three selective areas. Students can choose between Intellectual Property, Transactions/Information Age Commercial Law and International Perspective and Regulation/Tax.

The International Criminal Law and Justice program is the only fully online transnational crime program available at a U.S. law school. This program focuses on domestic crimes with international applications and entails courses in the following areas: Comparative Criminal Justice Systems, Drugs & Weapons Trafficking, International Criminal Courts and Special Tribunals and Piracy and Terrorism.

UNH Franklin Pierce offers one of the largest number of IP and Tech-Law classes at a law school in the U.S.

How high are the tuition fees and costs of living at UNH Franklin Pierce? And does the law school offer any scholarships?

The tuition fees for the upcoming  academic year are $41,000 for a residential LL.M. For the online program, the total fees are $31,440. The tuition for an online program is based on 24 credit hours at the rate of $1,310 per credit hour.

An apartment in New Hampshire is around $800- $900 per month. For visa purposes, students will need to be able to demonstrate funds of approximately $21,000 to support their cost of living for a year. 
UNH Franklin Pierce offers a number of generous, partial-tuitione scholarships based on both financial need and merit. Each student’s award is based on factors such as  academic record, professional experience, financial need, quality of the application, etc. Online scholarships cover up to 20% of tuition fees.

The provided scholarships are:

• Presidential Scholarship: Outstanding academic credentials (Award ranges from $7500 - $15000)
• Dean’s scholarship: Excellent academic credentials (Award ranges from $5000 - $10,000)
• Professional Experience Award: Recognition of years of professional experience (Award ranges from $500 - $5000)
• Emerging Professional Award: Early career students (Award ranges from $500 - $5000)
• Franklin Pierce Center Scholarship: Based on educational background, experience, etc. (Award ranges from $500 - $3000)
• Alumni Referral Scholarship: Awarded to graduate law students who were referred to the law school by an alum of the school. (Award is $5000)

Does the UNH Franklin Pierce support LL.M. students for the bar exam?

Yes, the law school’s Academic Success Program offers LL.M. students customized support. This includes services such as customized bar exam preparatory workshops, an opportunity to take a preliminary bar exam, one-on-one custom sessions with the Academic Success faculty and the option to enroll in an “Extended Bar Review” online course in the spring semester.

What does the Career Services Office at UNH Franklin Pierce provide?

The Career Services Office (CSO) at UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law offers LL.M. students the same level of support it provides JD students. First,  students receive assistance with preparing the application materials, f.ex. looking over Resumes and Cover letters. There may be some different requirements for applying to jobs in the U.S. and CSO is prepared to guide students through this process.

Secondly, CSO can help students with Interviewing Resources. This entails offers like Interview guides and Mock interview programs.

CSO provides extensive guidance on building networking skills and how to go about this in the most effective way. Students then have the opportunity to practice these skills at job fairs, workshops, special events, and destination immersion courses 

CSO provides students access to UNH Franklin Pierce Alumni and has a list of LL.M.-alumni who are willing to be contacted by current students. This information is available to students on an internal portal that they can access once enrolled as a student.

CSO also maintains a list of former employers who have hired UNH Franklin Pierce graduates to give current students an overview of the companies and firms that hired LL.M. students in the past. CSO is always working to build new employment pipelines for LL.M. students, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Even if students are not applying for jobs in the U.S., the office at UNH Franklin Pierce supports LL.M. students who are looking to return to their home countries. 
 

Are students taking on real casework under the supervision of licensed attorneys, and what are the specialized fields UNH Franklin Pierce Clinics focus on?

UNH Franklin Pierce provides an Intellectual Property and Transaction Clinic. 
In those clinics,  LL.M. students work side by side with JD on real cases under the supervision of licensed attorneys. Students in this clinic even receive a limited license to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Through hands-on learning, law students get practical skills that will be valuable  after graduation. 
Thus, students have the opportunity to get insights into fascinating cases and clients, such as real “rock stars” or eleven-year-old litigators – both clients of the IP clinic. 

The law school also offers an International Technology Transfer Institute. This clinic blends intellectual property and international development and emphasizes international capacity building and development. Students in this clinic have the opportunity to work with organizations such as the World Health Organization, World Intellectual Property Organzation, the U.S. Department of Commerce and more. The ultimate goal of the clinic is to support countries to transition their economies to innovation, intellectual property, and technolgy.

What defines the student life in New Hampshire?

UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law is located in Concord, New Hampshire. New Hampshire is ranked as the #4 state to live in the U.S. For people who love the outdoors, New Hampshire is a great place to study and live.

Concord is close to international airports, major cities – such as Boston and New York, the mountains and the Atlantic coast. The campus is walking distance to the city center, and there are also plenty of attractions and local events every year.
 

How can students make connections at UNH Franklin Pierce?

UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law offers various special events throughout the year. Some of these events are hosted by student organizations and some are sponsored by the Law School itself. By attending these events, students can, on the one hand, meet, industry representatives and, on the other hand, connect with fellow students and members of the faculty. These events and lectures are a great way to extend the learning outside the classroom as well. The professors try to support the students in their pursuit of an LL.M. and beyond.

Every U.S. Law School has a number of student organizations. During the orientation time at UNH Franklin Pierce, foreign students have the opportunity to connect with the different groups at a fair. Examples of some student organizations are the Student Bar Association, the Creative Legal Society, the Patent Law Forum, and the Sports & Entertainment Society. LL.M. and JD students join these groups together, and most students at UNH Franklin Pierce are involved in multiple organizations and events.

There are also plenty of other opportunities to connect with fellow students and the law community through cultural engagement in New Hampshire. The school offers an open seminar for building international communities, where students and faculty learn about one another’s countries and cultures. In addition, UNH Franklin Pierce hosts several cultural events throughout the year to help international students learn about and participate in American culture.

What are the general admission requirements for applying?

Students can either apply through the website www.lsac.org or www.law.unh.edu/graduate-application. The deadlines for residential programs (only fall start) is the first of June. For online classes there are two deadlines: for fall start it is the first of August and for spring start it is December 15th.

Applicants need to  submit two letters of recommendation, a resume (CV), a personal statement or essay, a language certificate (TOEFL = 80/ IELTS = 6.5). The official transcripts must be mailed directly from the credential authentication services, such as LSAC, or WES. This process can take several weeks, so applicants should plan their timeline accordingly.

For students who graduated in the last five years, one letter of recommendation should be from a professor. The personal statement or essay should answer personal/ motivational questions, such as:

• Why UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law?
• Why do you want to pursue your LL.M.?
• What are your career goals?

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