Loyola Law School » Academics » Concentrations » Entertainment Law » Concentration Requirements

Concentration Requirements

Core Requirements:

In addition to being in good academic standing, all participants in the Entertainment/Media Concentration are required to take, and pass the following courses, which should be taken in 2L (or as soon as possible in the Evening Program)(note that, because students electing this Concentration will take these advanced introductory courses, it is strongly recommended that they do not take the "Introduction to Intellectual Property" 1L elective, but rather direct those units to another elective, such as International Law): 

  1. Entertainment Law (three units)
  2. Copyright Law (three units)
  3. Trademark Law (three units)

We already have a very thorough advanced curriculum in nearly all of the various branches of the entertainment, media and related industries.  Each of these courses gives the student an understanding of the structure, important business relationships and legal issues in the applicable industry branch.  Many of them also include at least a component of experiential training. 

After successfully completing the core required courses, students considering a Concentration in Entertainment/Media will be required to take certain additional required related classes.  These will depend on whether the student intends to receive the Transactional or the Advocacy sub-Concentration.

Transactional Sub-Concentration: Additional Required Classes

Required Classes:  Students seeking this sub-Concentration are required to take the following additional courses:

We  strongly encourage students pursuing the "transactional" sub-concentration to take at least one of the additional required advocacy sub-concentration courses (particularly either Trial Advocacy or Appellate Advocacy), or at least one of the "Litigating the ________ Case" electives.

Entertainment-Focused Business Planning Class: Note that Business Associations is a "bar" course that most students already take. We are working with the Director of the Corporate Law Concentration to develop one or more sections of Business Planning or their in-process M&A practicum that would focus on an entertainment/media/IP asset-based company. Unless and until that specialized section of Business Planning is developed, the non-specialized class will cover the important skill set both for the student's first legal job and his or her eventual entertainment/media transactional job.

Experiential Component--Internship: In addition, all Entertainment/Media/Soft IP Transactional Concentration students will be required to complete an internship in the related industries through the existing Entertainment Law Practicum program, or in a related non-profit, through Loyola's regular externship program. Please see the Entertainment Law Practicum webpages FAQs for further information about the Practicum. There are currently a few nonprofit externships sometimes available in the entertainment/media fields, namely in the Guilds (unions) and trade associations.

Negotiation Competition Team: We are exploring the possibility of one or more negotiation competition teams, to participate in an Entertainment Negotiation competition. Students in this sub-Concentration should be strongly advised to try out for such a team where possible and if and when it becomes available.

Advocacy Sub-Concentration: Additional Required Classes

Additional Required Courses: In place of the courses set forth in Section A, students seeking this sub-Concentration are required to take either Litigating the Media Law Case or Litigating the Copyright Law Case (2 units), plus at least two of the following additional courses:

These requirements may change to reflect changes in the Civil Litigation Concentration courses. We would strongly encourage a student pursuing the "advocacy" sub-concentration take at least one of the "transactional" required courses in addition to Business Associations.

Experiential Component--Advocacy Competition Team: In addition, all Entertainment/Media Advocacy Concentration students will be required to participate in at least one moot court or other advocacy competition team. In some years, we have had an entertainment law moot court team. To the extent that is available and practicable, it would be recommended, but not required, that the student participate in that team.

Additional Electives: Both Sub-Concentrations

Whether working in business transactions or as an advocate, the attorney must understand his or her client's business. Hence, in addition to the above, a student seeking this concentration is required to take at least two more advanced classes from our extensive related curriculum. Courses offered in the 2010-2011 academic year, and in most recent academic years, include the following:

These electives are subject to change in any particular academic year, and may not be offered. Additional courses may also be approved by the Director, in conjunction with the Dean's office.