Rule XVIII: UNH Law JD Certificates

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

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 residential 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 residential 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.

For each JD certificate, the applicable JD Certificate Advisor shall maintain a list of qualifying courses satisfying the certificate’s requirements, including a list of core courses, and may approve waivers of those requirements for good cause. The Registrar shall maintain these lists on the School of Law’s website. The JD Certificate Advisor is also encouraged to provide sample pathways to complete a certificate or to refer students to related curricular pathways.

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 end of the student's fifth semester. 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 his or her 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 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– 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. It is available only to UNH Law residential JD graduates.
   
   JD Certificate Advisor. The JD Certificate Advisor for the Franklin Pierce Certificate in Intellectual Property Law shall be the 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, including core and elective courses as required by the JD Certificate Advisor. 
2. JD Certificates in Sports and Entertainment Law 

UNH Law awards the JD Certificate in Sports Law and the JD Certificate in Entertainment Law through the Sports and Entertainment Law Institute. It is available only to UNH Law residential JD graduates.

JD Certificate Advisor. The JD Certificate Advisor for the JD Certificates in Sports and Entertainment 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, including core and elective courses as required by the JD Certificate Advisor.

A student wishing to receive the JD Certificate in Entertainment Law must complete 15 credits of qualifying courses relating to entertainment and the law, including core and elective courses as required by the JD Certificate Advisor.

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 Health Law and Policy

UNH Law awards the JD Certificate in Health Law and Policy through the Health Law and Policy Program. It is available only to UNH Law residential JD graduates.

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, including core and elective courses as required by the JD Certificate Advisor.