JD/LLM in LIT Rules and Regulations

Suffolk Law JD/LLM in Legal Innovation & Technology Dual Degree Rules & Regulations

I. Degree Requirements

A candidate must have satisfactorily completed all requirements for the Juris Doctor (JD) degree at Suffolk University Law School, and:

12 LLM-designated credits:

• 6 credits of approved graduate-level coursework from Suffolk’s Sawyer Business School; and a 6-credit LLM Capstone Project, completed under the direction of the LLM in LIT Faculty Director.

12 JD LIT Concentration credits:

• 9 credits of LIT core courses and 3 credits of approved LIT electives, which count toward both the JD and LLM degree.

II. Eligibility & Admissions

1. Students applying to this program must meet all admission requirements for both the JD and the LLM in LIT programs.

2. New applicants for the JD/LLM in LIT should apply to the Law School through LSAC. Our application checklist has more details.

3. Current Suffolk JD students who are interested in this dual degree program should apply to the LLM in LIT portion of the JD/LLM in LIT dual degree through the Office of Academic Services, using the JD/LLM in LIT Application Form.

4. For current Suffolk JD students to be eligible for the dual degree, students must have a minimum cumulative JD GPA of 3.0 or higher and may apply after completing their first semester of law school.

III. General Requirements and Rules

1. Students pursuing the JD/LLM in LIT dual degree will generally complete both degrees in:
   • 3.5 years (full-time), or 4.5 years (part-time), with options for earlier completion if summer coursework is utilized.

2. Students must be enrolled in good standing in the JD program and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher to remain eligible for the dual degree.

3. JD/LLM in LIT students are not required to complete a separate LLM externship. Instead, they must complete the 6-credit Capstone Project. The Capstone may include practice-based work, research and development, regulatory reform proposals, externship-based analysis, or participation in interdisciplinary or clinical initiatives, as approved by the Faculty Director.

4. Graduate Business School Courses eligible for the LLM in LIT must be selected from an approved list, and registration is subject to course availability and inter- departmental approval.

5. The LLM portion of the dual degree does not entitle the student to admission into other Suffolk University degree programs.

6. All students are responsible for determining bar exam eligibility in any jurisdiction, including any restrictions with respect to the number of allowed distance education credits for an applicant seeking bar admission in a particular state or jurisdiction. The JD/LLM in LIT does not itself confer any new or different bar eligibility beyond the JD. It is the responsibility of each student to determine for themselves their eligibility to sit for a bar exam or gain admission to practice law in any jurisdiction.

IV. Grading & Examinations

1. Grades for JD courses will follow standard JD grading rules and policies.

2. Graduate Business School courses will be graded under the applicable grading system of the Business School; the Capstone Project will be graded on a Pass/Fail standard by the Academic Director of the JD/LLM in LIT program.

3. All final papers or projects in any JD/LLM in LIT course must be submitted by the end of the examination period unless a written extension is granted by the Faculty Director (maximum of 90 days).

4. All additional Grading and Examination provisions of the Rules and Regulations for the JD Program shall apply.

V. Academic Standards

A candidate for the JD/LLM in LIT must maintain a GPA of 3.00 or higher, determined as of the close of each academic year. If a candidate’s JD GPA falls below 3.00 as of the close of any academic year, the individual is dismissed from the LLM in LIT, but that circumstance does not have any adverse effect, by itself, on the individual’s academic standing in the JD program.

VI. Academic Integrity

Any violation of academic integrity in the context of the JD/LLM in LIT program shall be viewed as a serious infraction of the Rules and Regulations of the Law School. Violations of academic integrity shall include, but are not limited to, dishonesty in the examination process, harassment and plagiarism in written work, as defined in Regulation II. F. of the Rules and Regulations for the JD Program.

VII. Leaves of Absence & Withdrawals

Leaves of Absences and Withdrawal from the JD/LLM in LIT program shall be governed by Regulation V of the Rules and Regulations for the JD Program.

VIII. Student Conduct and Discipline

Suffolk Law’s student conduct policies apply in full to JD/LLM in LIT students, including disciplinary processes and sanctions as outlined in Regulation XI of the Rules and Regulations for the JD Program.

IX. Changes to Rules

The Law School reserves the right to change the schedule of classes, the program of instruction, the requirements for credits or degrees, and any rule or regulation established for the government of the student body in the school. Any such change may be made applicable to students already enrolled in the Law School. Every attempt will be made to ensure that students can fulfill their programs of study in a timely manner.

Some or all instruction for all or part of Academic Year may be delivered remotely. Tuition and mandatory fees have been set regardless of the method of instruction and will not be refunded in the event instruction occurs remotely for any part of the Academic Year.

Suffolk University assumes no liability for the delay or failure in providing educational or other services or facilities due to causes beyond its reasonable control. Causes include, but are not limited to power failure, fire, strikes by University employees or others, damage by natural elements, public health crises, and acts of public authorities. The University will, however, exert reasonable efforts, when it judges them to be appropriate, to provide comparable services, facilities, or performance; but its inability or failure to do so shall not subject the University to liability.