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Law Tracks, Specialty Programs, Clinics, & Exchange
Program
Law Tracks & Sequences
| Specialty Programs | Clinics
& Externships | Exchange Program
 George
Mason law students enjoy a unique opportunity to specialize
and focus their legal studies in a particular area of law
through our specialty track programs. Our specialty tracks
offer students the kind of sophisticated understanding of
particular practice areas usually gained only after years
of practice or through advanced legal study.
For students who wish to develop some expertise in a particular
substantive area, but who also seek greater flexibility
in terms of taking electives in a broad range of other areas,
we offer specialized sequence programs. The sequence programs
offer greater flexibility in students' choices of electives.
There is no thesis requirement in any of the sequence programs.
Students also have the opportunity to take coursework in
a specialized technology law program. In addition, George
Mason's curriculum offers 20 courses in intellectual property
law and over two dozen courses in the area of law &
economics. Finally, law students may also take clinical
courses and externships and participate in an exchange program
in Hamburg, Germany.
Law Tracks & Sequences
Corporate and Securities Law
- Law Track: This track
is designed to give students specialized preparation for
practice in law firms and in-house corporate counsel offices
in fields related to corporate finance and financial markets.
Approximately one-third of the 84 credits required for
graduation must be in corporate and securities law courses.
- Law Sequence:
George Mason law students may, in the alternative, choose
to pursue the Corporate and Securities Law Sequence. This
sequence is designed for students who wish to gain a solid
foundation in corporate and securities law, but who also
wish to have more flexibility in their course of study.
Intellectual Property Law
- Law Track: This track is
designed for students who intend to practice in the fields
of patent, copyright, and trademark law. Approximately
one-third of the 84 credit hours required for graduation
must be in intellectual property law courses.
- Law Sequence: George
Mason law students may choose, in the alternative, to
pursue the Intellectual Property Law Sequence. This sequence
is designed for students who want to gain a solid foundation
in intellectual property law but desire more flexibility
in their course of study.
International Business Law
- Law Track: This track is
designed to give students specialized preparation for
practice in the rapidly changing global business community.
Approximately one-third of the 84 credits required for
graduation must be in international business law courses.
- Law Sequence:
George Mason law students may, in the alternative, choose
to pursue the International Business Law Sequence. This
sequence is designed for students who wish to gain a solid
foundation in international business law, but who also
wish to have more flexibility in their course of study.
Litigation Law
- Law Track: This track is
designed to prepare students academically and practically
for litigation practice or other careers relating to dispute
resolution. The specialized track courses focus on the
processes of dispute resolution and lawyers’ roles
from an analytical perspective, as well as on practical
advocacy skills.
- Law Sequence: George
Mason law students may, in the alternative, choose to
pursue the Litigation Law Sequence This sequence is designed
for students who wish to gain a solid foundation in litigation
law, but who also wish to have more flexibility in their
course of study.
Regulatory Law
- Law Track: This track is
prepares students for practice in and before the numerous
agencies that regulate business and other activities.
Approximately one-third of the 84 credits required for
graduation must be in regulatory law courses.
- Law Sequence: George
Mason law students may, in the alternative, choose to
pursue the Regulatory Law Sequence. This sequence is designed
for students who wish to gain a solid foundation in regulatory
law, but who also wish to have more flexibility in their
course of study.
Miscellaneous Sequences
Below is a list of 4 sequences that do not have corresponding
tracks. The course requirements are also listed.
- Criminal Law Sequence
| Courses |
Credit Hours |
| Criminal Procedure |
3 |
| Evidence |
3 |
| Advanced Criminal Procedure |
2 |
| Federal Criminal Law and Sentencing |
2 |
| Litigation and Dispute Resolution
|
3 |
| Clinical Externship or Trial Advocacy |
2 or 3 |
- Personal Law Sequence
| Courses |
Credit Hours |
Perspectives on the Individual,
Family and Social Institutions |
2 |
| Domestic Relations |
3 |
| Income Tax |
4 |
| Welfare Law and Policy Seminar |
2 |
| Trusts and Estates |
3 |
| Small Business Planning |
2 |
In addition to the courses listed, Business Association
(4) is highly recommended.
- Legal Economic Theory Sequence
| Courses |
Credit Hours |
Public Choice and Public
Law or
Theory of Organizations |
3 or 2 |
Litigation and Dispute Resolution
Theory
or Proof |
3 or 2 |
Legal and Economic Theory of
Intellectual Property |
2 |
Jurisprudence Seminar or
Readings in Legal Thought Seminar |
2 |
Comparative Law or
International Business Economics and Law |
3 or 2 |
Perspectives on Regulatory Law or
Legislation |
2 |
Perspectives on the Individual, Family,
and Social Institutions or
Domestic Relations |
2 or 3 |
- Tax Law Sequence
| Courses |
Credit Hours |
| Income Tax |
4 |
| Corporate Tax |
3 |
| Partnership Tax |
3 |
| Estate and Gift Tax |
3 |
One of the following electives: Employee Benefits; International
Taxations; State and Local Taxation; Tax Procedure; or
Tax Policy.
Specialty Law Programs
- Intellectual Property:
George Mason's IP curriculum includes 20 courses in patent,
copyright, trademark, and trade secret law. The curriculum
includes traditional IP courses such as Patent Law and
Copyright Law as well as more advanced IP courses such
as Chemical and Biotechnology Patent Practice.
- Law & Economics:
George Mason University School of Law is one of the nation's
leading centers for the study of law and economics. Over
two dozen courses are offered in the areas of economic
theory, antitrust law, quantitative analysis as well as
corporate and business organization.
- Technology Law Program:
combines coursework in the fields of technology law, intellectual
property law, and business law. It will provide J.D. students
with the skills necessary to succeed in today's rapidly-changing
legal environment. Distinguished professors and practitioners
offer courses on subjects such as telecommunications policy,
cybercrime, intellectual property protection, and venture
capital formation.
Legal Clinics & Externships
Students may gain a great deal of practical experience
during law school by participating in one or more of our
clinical programs listed below:
Clinic for Legal Assistance to Servicemembers
The Clinic for Legal Assistance to Servicemembers (CLAS)
held its first session during the winter term, 2004.
Its
mission is to provide free civil legal services to active-duty
members of the armed forces and their families for whom
hiring counsel would create an undue hardship. The clinic
has established relationships with all military services
and the American Bar Association. There is no similar
clinic existing among American law schools. Matters CLAS
students have considered include rights of parents
of a soldier wounded in Baghdad combat, and the estate
of a reservist mobilized for duty in Afghanistan. Joseph
C. Zengerle is executive director of CLAS, drawing
on his background as a Washington lawyer, a teacher of
homeland security law at GMU, and executive director
of
the Legal Aid Society in Washington. Contact the clinic
at (703) 993-8214 or CLAS@gmu.edu.
Domestic Relations Legal Clinic
The Domestic Relations Legal Clinic is supervised by
Judge Stanley P. Klein of the Fairfax County Circuit Court
and offers students a unique opportunity to assist pro
se litigants in obtaining uncontested divorces. Student
lawyers are assigned a mentor who is a well-known domestic
relations lawyer and work in the mentor’s office
12 hours per week on all manner of domestic relations
issues and cases. The student lawyers are given their
own case load of clients who seek help from the clinic.
The students meet with clients, draft pleadings, review
documentation and appear in court for ore tenus
hearings before a Fairfax County Circuit Court judge.
Some students may even have the opportunity to argue motions
for support or minor property determinations. To be eligible
to enroll in the clinic, students must have completed
Domestic Relations and have a 3rd Year Practice
Certificate. This clinic is limited to the first 10 students
who apply.
Legal Clinic
Through enrollment in a three-credit Legal Clinic, students
have the opportunity to work in the Fairfax County Circuit
Court Judges' Chambers, the Office of the Public Defender,
the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney or in a private
attorney's office. The
Honorable Stanley P. Klein of the Fairfax County Circuit
Court supervises the Legal Clinic.
Law and Mental Illness Clinic
The Law and Mental Illness Clinic allows students to
gain experience in the judicial, legislative, academic
and advocacy aspects of laws concerning the treatment
of individuals with severe mental illness. The classroom
component of the course studies the history and development
of laws affecting the mentally ill, while also preparing
the students for representation of petitioners during
civil commitment hearings. Students may also represent
clients and will locate and interview witnesses, appear
at commitment hearings, perform direct and cross-examinations
and present legal argument.
Immigration Legal Clinic
The Board of Immigration Appeals, within the Department
of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review,
is the highest administrative tribunal for the interpretation
and application of immigration and nationality law in
the United States. The Board is seeking law students from
George Mason School of Law to serve as interns for academic
credits. Students are supervised by an Appellate Immigration
Judge and will work on a variety of projects, primarily
including legal research and writing issues in immigration
law.
Public Interest Clinic
This clinic exposes students to a broad area of public
interest law and public policy issues, including the development
of the public interest law movement, the shaping of public
policy through litigation and regulation, and advocacy
strategies. The clinic approaches these issues primarily
from a pro-free enterprise, limited government, and economic
freedom perspective. Students have an opportunity to participate
in "hands on" legal activities in conjunction
with the Washington Legal Foundation Economic Freedom
Law Clinic. Professor Paul D. Kamenar directs the
Public Interest Clinic.
For more information about the clinic, contact
Professor Kamenar at (703) 993-8025 or pkamenar@gmu.edu.
Telehealth Clinic
Visiting
a doctor's office isn't the only way to receive
health information or treatment options. Today,
anyone with access to a telephone or the Internet
can be connected immediately with the latest in
medical research. Each year, the Center for
Telemedicine Law, a 501(c)(3) organization offers
the Telehealth Clinic to
2nd and 3rd year law students who are interested
in examining the
public policy and legal issues
of using advanced communications technologies in
the practice of medicine. Students
have an opportunity to participate in legal and
public policy research projects for
the Center for Telemedicine Law, including
legal research to support publications, position
papers, conferences and
to work with legal counsel and
health care experts at the law firm of Gardner,
Carton, and Douglas, LLP.
For more information
about the popular Telehealth Clinic,
contact Jackie Eder-Van
Hook, Executive Director, Center For Telemedicine
Law at 202-230-5090 or Jackie@ctl.org. Applicants
are requested to submit a cover letter referencing
their interest in health care, in general, and telehealth,
specifically, a resume, and writing sample.
Externships
George Mason's proximity to Washington, D.C. offers a
wide range of supervised externship possibilities to our
law students. The supervised externship program is designed
to allow students who have completed one-third of their
legal education to perform work outside of law school,
for academic credit, under the supervision of an attorney.
Our students have undertaken externships in such varied
places as the Executive Office of the President, the U.S.
Court of Federal Claims, the National Center for Missing
and Exploited Children, the Alexandria Commonwealth Attorney's
Office, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the
U.S. Department of Justice. For more information, see
Career Development:
Supervised Externship Program.
Exchange Program: Studying Law
and Economics in Hamburg, Germany
Through a newly established exchange program with the
University of Hamburg's Erasmus Programme in Law and Economics,
George Mason law students interested in the economic effects
of legal rules are invited to study for one, two, or three
terms at the University of Hamburg in Germany. Likewise,
program students from the University of Hamburg may study
law from the perspective of economic analysis at George
Mason. This program is for students with a solid background
in law and economics interested in the interdisciplinary
study of both areas. For more information, see Law
& Economics Program.
copyright © 2004
last updated:
Jun 15, 2005
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