JD/LLM in Intellectual Property & Technology Law

This dual degree connects core legal training with focused study in intellectual property and technology law, preparing graduates for careers involving patents, trademarks, copyrights, privacy, licensing, and emerging technologies.

Program Overview

The JD/LLM in Intellectual Property & Technology Law allows students to build a strong legal foundation while developing advanced knowledge in the laws that protect creativity, invention, and digital innovation. Students explore introductory and upper-level IP topics and examine the policy forces that influence how technology is regulated in the US and internationally.

Courses are taught by scholars and practitioners who bring experience in patent litigation, trademark practice, technology licensing, privacy counseling, and related fields. With small, discussion-based classes, students receive close guidance as they refine the analytical and strategic skills needed for modern IP and technology practice.

Who Should Consider a JD/LLM in Intellectual Property & Technology Law?

This program is designed for students interested in:

Patent law and innovation policy
Trademark practice and brand protection
Copyright, digital media, and creative industries
Trade secrets and technology commercialization
Data privacy, cybersecurity, and information governance
IP litigation and dispute strategy
Regulatory and policy issues affecting emerging technologies
Advising startups, research institutions, and global companies

Why WashU Law?

WashU Law offers a strong IP and Technology Law community shaped by faculty with deep expertise and industry experience. Students learn in small classes, receive individualized mentoring, and connect with scholars, practitioners, and innovators.

St. Louis provides access to a growing tech sector, research institutions, and entrepreneurial ventures, along with externships and clinics that support careers in litigation, transactional work, and technology policy.

FAQs

Your questions answered.

Students must have graduated from an accredited US law school, possess an undergraduate law degree from a foreign institution of higher education, or have equivalent government experience or training in intellectual property law. Students holding an LLB from a non-US law school are required to take a two-semester course: Introduction to US Law and Legal Methods.

Interested candidates must submit:
1. An application; and
2. Official academic transcripts (in English) from all undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools attended, whether or not a degree was awarded, with class rank.

Need-based and credit-based loans, as well as a limited number of merit-based scholarships, are available for full-time students who meet federal requirements. We will continue to accept applications and admit students up until the first week of classes each semester on a space contingency basis.