Innovation Moves Fast. Lead It Responsibly.
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Online Law of Emerging Technologies Certificate

Sometimes technology moves faster than the law. Blockchain, quantum computing, extended reality, neurotech, digital health tools are all reshaping industries before regulatory frameworks can fully define them. That creates a problem for the professionals leading these initiatives: you're building products, advising leadership, and making strategic decisions in legal territory that isn't clearly defined yet.

This certificate teaches you how to operate in that gap. You'll learn to assess IP strategies for emerging technologies, understand how existing legal frameworks (imperfectly) apply to new innovations, analyze ethical-legal tensions in frontier R&D, and make strategic decisions when regulatory guidance is still evolving. You'll build the legal fluency to lead innovation responsibly.

Program Details

  • 3 courses
  • Complete in as few as 6 months
  • 100% online & asynchronous
  • Stackable to the MSL
  • No LSAT required
  • Start Term: Spring 2027

Master Legal Skills in AI, Privacy, and Compliance

Built for working professionals navigating legal complexity without a law degree. The online MSL from U. of I. delivers stackable credentials in high-demand areas including AI governance, cybersecurity, employment law, and business compliance. Start with a certificate or go straight to the full degree.

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Emerging Technologies Curriculum

This certificate equips you with the legal frameworks, strategic tools, and ethical grounding to lead innovation in blockchain, biotech, digital health, and other rapidly evolving technology domains.

LAW 546: Intellectual Property of Emerging Technologies (4 credits)
This course explores intellectual property law as it applies to emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and software innovation. Students examine patents, licensing, commercialization, open-source issues, and infringement risks while developing strategies to protect innovation and support technology commercialization within evolving legal frameworks.

LAW 547: Health Tech Law & Privacy (4 credits)
Students examine the legal and regulatory issues surrounding digital health technologies, including HIPAA, FDA oversight, patient privacy, and AI-assisted healthcare. The course develops skills in evaluating health data practices, assessing regulatory risks, designing privacy policies, and supporting compliant innovation within healthcare technology environments.

LAW 548: Frontiers of Technology Law (4 credits)
This course explores the evolving legal challenges associated with emerging technologies such as quantum computing, neurotechnology, and the metaverse. Students develop skills in policy analysis, regulatory forecasting, ethical evaluation, and strategic planning while examining how legal frameworks adapt to rapid technological innovation and global regulatory developments.

Faculty Spotlight

Elizabeth Rothman, J.D.
Technology Law Expert & Metaverse Standards Forum Board Member

Elizabeth Rothman is an attorney and thought leader at the intersection of law and emerging technology, with over a decade of experience spanning intellectual property, contracts, healthcare, and advanced technologies including AI, blockchain, and extended reality. She advises businesses, investment funds, and policymakers navigating AI and emerging tech legal landscapes, and serves on the board of directors of the Metaverse Standards Forum. She also instructs in specialized certificate programs for Harvard Law School and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Her teaching reflects the reality that emerging technology moves faster than the law—and that professionals need to know how to operate in that gap with strategic clarity and ethical grounding.

Meet the Faculty

Elizabeth Rothman

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Upcoming Admissions Deadlines

Jan
10
Final Deadline
January 10
Spring 2027
Jan
19
Classes Start
January 19
Spring 2027