Rule XVIII: UNH Law JD Certificates

(amended by faculty 9/3/2015; 5/2019; 9/2023)

To encourage and recognize intensive or specialized study in certain fields, the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law (UNH Law) awards JD certificates to qualifying JD graduates who complete coursework in specified law concentrations.

A. Policies Applicable to all JD Certificates

The School of Law will award JD certificates to members of each JD graduating class as established in, and pursuant to the requirements of, this rule.

Each JD certificate program established in Part 2 of this rule shall have a JD Certificate Advisor who shall be a member of the faculty responsible for administering the certificate, advising students seeking the certificate, and approving waivers of the certificate’s requirements.

The Registrar shall maintain an application form for the use of students wishing to receive a JD certificate. The form should include space for a student to list the qualifying courses the student has completed or expects to complete and grades the student has received. The form should also include space for the JD Certificate Advisor to approve waivers of certificate requirements and the Director of Legal Residencies or supervising Clinical Professor to approve credit toward those requirements.

A student who expects to qualify for, and wishes to receive, a JD certificate must submit a completed JD certificate application form to the Registrar by the third Friday of the student's final term of enrollment. The list of qualifying courses that is in effect when the student submits the application form shall govern, subject to waivers approved by the JD Certificate Advisor. A student who intends to pursue a JD certificate is also encouraged to discuss these plans with their advisor as early as possible.

For any JD certificate, with the approval of the Director of Legal Residencies or supervising Clinical Professor, up to 3 credits of the coursework requirements may be satisfied by a for-credit legal residency or law-school clinic that aids in the development of skills and experiences relevant to the topic of the certificate.

All JD certificates require at least 15 credits of qualifying courses. For JD candidates, qualifying courses, other than legal residencies, may not be taken on an S/U basis, and all graded qualifying courses must be completed with grades of B minus or better.

 B. JD Certificates

  1. Franklin Pierce Certificate in Intellectual Property Law
    UNH Law awards the Franklin Pierce Certificate in Intellectual Property through the Franklin Pierce Center for Intellectual Property. 

    JD Certificate Advisor. The JD Certificate Advisor for the Franklin Pierce Certificate in Intellectual Property Law shall be the Faculty Director of the Franklin Pierce Center for Intellectual Property or another faculty member appointed by the Dean.

    Academic Requirements. A student wishing to receive the Franklin Pierce Certificate in Intellectual Property must complete 15 credits of qualifying courses relating to intellectual-property law: 
    Required courses - at least three courese from the following list:
    LIP 912Copyright Law3
    LIP 944Fundamentals of Intellectual Property3
    LIP 954Patent Law3
    LIP 977Trademarks and Deceptive Practices3
    Elective Courses:
    LCL 908Advanced Intellectual Property and Transaction Clinic2
    LIP 973Advanced Patent Law Seminar2
    LIP 919Advanced Patent Litigation2
    LIP 924Cannabis & Intellectual Property1-3
    LIP 950Copyright Licensing2
    LIP #917Federal Trademark and Copyright Registration Practice2
    LRS 902Giles Sutherland Rich, Patent Law Competition1-2
    LIP 928Intellectual Property Management2
    LCL 935Intellectual Property and Transaction Class2
    LCL 936Intellectual Property and Transaction Clinic2
    LIP 979Intellectual Property Enforcement at the International Trade Commission1
    LIP 963International Trademark Registration2
    LIP 987Internet Law2
    LIP 997Mining Patent Information in the Digital Age2
    LIP 961Patent Practice and Procedure I3
    LIP 962Patent Practice and Procedure II3
    LGP 939Privacy Law2
    LRS 909Saul Lefkowitz Trademarks Competition1-2
    LIP 951Technology Licensing2
    LIP 918Trade Secrets Law2
    LIP 923Trademark Searching1-3
    LIP #922Video Gaming & Intellectual Property1
    In addition to the courses listed above, the Certificate Advisor may approve additional elective courses and waivers of the required courses as appropriate.
  2. JD Certificate in Sports Law 

UNH Law awards the JD Certificate in Sports Law through the Sports and Entertainment Law Institute.

JD Certificate Advisor. The JD Certificate Advisor for the JD Certificate in Sports Law shall be the Director of the Sports and Entertainment Law Institute or another faculty member appointed by the Dean.

Academic Requirements. A student wishing to receive the JD Certificate in Sports Law must complete 15 credits of qualifying courses relating to sports and the law:

Required courses - at least three courses from the following list:
LIP 914Amateur Sports Law:Legal Issues in Youth, College and Rec Sport2
LIP 983Intellectual Property Issues in Sports and Entertainment Law2
LSW #905Intro to US Sports Betting Law and Regulation3
LIP #932Name, Image & Likeness in Sports1-3
LGP 956Pro Sports Law: Unique Relationship, Leagues, Team and Players2
LGP 958Sports Law2
Elective Courses:
LBS 904Antitrust Law3
LGP #919Contract Design3
LIP 912Copyright Law3
LIP 950Copyright Licensing2
LPI 914Dispute Resolution2 or 3
LIP 980E-Commerce and The Law2
LGP 922Employment Law3
LGP 926Family Law3
LGP 929First Amendment Law3
LIP 944Fundamentals of Intellectual Property3
LGP 931Health Law2
LGP 933Immigration Law3
LBS 946In-House Counsel2
LIP 928Intellectual Property Management1-2
LIP 987Internet Law2
LBS 932Personal Income Taxation3
LIP 977Trademarks and Deceptive Practices3
LIP #922Video Gaming & Intellectual Property1
LBS 942Wills Trusts and Estates3
In addition to the courses listed above, the Certificate Advisor may approve additional elective courses and waivers of the required courses as appropriate.
In addition to these academic requirements, the faculty of the Institute recommend participation in workshops and events that will be offered periodically by the Institute and a substantial writing project related to sports or entertainment law, either as part of a course or through an independent-study project, IDEA note, or Law Review note.
  1. JD Certificate in Entertainment Law​

UNH Law awards the JD Certificate in Entertainment Law through the Sports and Entertainment Law Institute.

JD Certificate Advisor. The JD Certificate Advisor for the JD Certificate in Entertainment Law shall be the Director of the Sport and Entertainment Law Institute or another faculty member appointed by the Dean.

Academic Requirements. A student wishing to receive the JD Certificate in Entertainment Law must complete 15 credits of qualifying courses relating to entertainment and the law:

Required Courses:
LIP 915Entertainment Law2
LIP 983Intellectual Property Issues in Sports and Entertainment Law2
Elective Courses:
LBS 904Antitrust Law3
LGP #919Contract Design3
LIP 912Copyright Law3
LIP 950Copyright Licensing2
LPI 914Dispute Resolution2 or 3
LIP 980E-Commerce and The Law2
LGP 922Employment Law3
LGP 929First Amendment Law3
LIP 944Fundamentals of Intellectual Property1-3
LGP 933Immigration Law3
LBS 946In-House Counsel2
LIP 928Intellectual Property Management2
LIP 987Internet Law2
LGP 939Privacy Law2
LIP 977Trademarks and Deceptive Practices3
LIP #922Video Gaming & Intellectual Property1
In addition to the courses listed above, the Certificate Advisor may approve additional elective courses and waivers of the required courses as appropriate.
In addition to these academic requirements, the faculty of the Institute recommend participation in workshops and events that will be offered periodically by the Institute and a substantial writing project related to entertainment law, either as part of a course or through an independent-study project, IDEA note, or Law Review note.
  1. JD Certificate in Health Law and Policy

UNH Law awards the JD Certificate in Health Law and Policy through the Health Law and Policy Program.

The JD Certificate in Health Law and Policy offers students the health-law essentials necessary to practice in the field of health law, and also allows students the ability to emerge with focused strengths in a health-law area of interest during the selection of optional course credits, legal residencies, capstones or other independent projects.

JD Certificate Advisor. The JD Certificate Advisor for the Certificate in Health Law and Policy shall be the UNH Director of Health Law and Policy Programs or another faculty member appointed by the Dean.

Academic Requirements. A student wishing to receive the JD Certificate in Health Law and Policy must complete 15 credits of qualifying courses relating to health law and policy:

Required Courses:
LGP 971BioInnovation Research Collaboration and the Law2-3
LGP 904Current Issues in Health Law and Policy2
LGP 931Health Law2-3
LGP 930Health Law and Industry Regulation3
Elective Courses:
LBS 904Antitrust Law3
LBS 907Business Associations I3
LGP #919Contract Design3
LGP 964Drug Law3
LGP 922Employment Law3
LBS 946In-House Counsel2
LGP 933Immigration Law3
LGP 963Law and Mental Health2
LIP 954Patent Law3
LBS 932Personal Income Taxation3
LGP 939Privacy Law2
LGP 906Statutory Interpretation2
LIP 977Trademarks and Deceptive Practices3
LIP #905Valuation and Intellectual Property1
In addition to the courses listed above, the Certificate Advisor may approve additional elective courses and waivers of the required courses as appropriate.
  1. JD Certificate in Criminal Law

UNH Law awards the JD Certificate in Criminal Law through the Criminal Law Program.

The JD Certificate in Criminal Law coursework sufficient to achieve competency in the field of criminal law for students interested in working as a criminal prosecutor, public defender, or criminal defense attorney in private practice. The certificate helps demonstrate that a student is ready to practice criminal law and develop the potential for excellence as a lawyer in the criminal legal system. 

JD Certificate Advisor. The JD Certificate Advisor for the Certificate in Criminal Law shall be faculty member appointed by the Dean.

Academic Requirements. A student wishing to receive the JD Certificate in Criminal Law must complete 15 credits of qualifying courses relating criminal law:

Required Courses:
LCR 906Criminal Procedure: The Law of Criminal Investigation3
LCR 907Criminal Procedure: The Law of Criminal Adjudication3
LGP 924Evidence3
LSK 928Trial Advocacy3
Elective Courses:
LSK 903Advanced Trial Advocacy3
LCL 924Advanced Criminal Practice Clinic3-6
LSK 943Appellate Advocacy2
LGP 989Civil Rights Litigation2
LGP 925Expert Witness and Scientific Evidence3
LGP 926Family Law3
LGP 933Immigration Law3
LGP 963Law and Mental Health2
In addition to the courses listed above, the Certificate Advisor may approve additional elective courses and waivers of the required courses as appropriate.
As part of the graduation requirement to take at least 6 experiential-course credits that applies to all students, a candidate for the criminal law certificate must choose either to take the criminal practice clinic or a legal residency with a prosecutor’s office, a public defender agency or a private criminal defense firm practicing primarily criminal defense work. This is not an additional credit requirement. It is only a requirement to fulfill the existing 6 experiential-course credit requirement in a particular way.
  1.  JD Certificate in Transactional Business Law​

UNH Law awards the JD Certificate in Transactional Business Law through the Business Law Program. 

JD Certificate Advisor. The JD Certificate Advisor for the Certificate in Transactional Business Law shall be a faculty member appointed by the Dean.

Academic Requirements. A student wishing to receive the JD Certificate in Transactional Business Law must complete 15 credits of qualifying courses relating to business law:

Required Courses:
LBS 907Business Associations I3
Core elective courses: Students must complete two or more core elective courses.
LBS 904Antitrust Law3
LBS 906Bankruptcy2
LBS 912Transactional Legal Practice - Simulating the Startup2 or 3
LBS 932Personal Income Taxation3
LBS 934Real Estate Transactions2
LBS 943Securities Regulation: Public and Private Securities Markets3
Additional Elective Courses:
LBS 933Multistate Tax, Business Taxes, and the Constitution2 or 3
LBS 934Real Estate Transactions2
LBS 942Wills Trusts and Estates3
LBS 946In-House Counsel2
LGP 922Employment Law3
LGP 939Privacy Law2
LGP 972Valuation and the Law1-2
LIP 980E-Commerce and The Law2
One course from (a) LIP 944, Fundamentals of Intellectual Property; (b) LIP 912, Copyright Law; (c) LIP 954, Patent Law; or (d) LIP 977, Trademarks and Deceptive Practices
In addition to the courses listed above, the Certificate Advisor may approve additional elective courses and waivers of the required courses as appropriate.