Requirements

• Orientation. Unlike other certificate programs, the Tech Edge J.D. is not only limited to the last two years of law school. Incoming students in the Tech Edge J.D. will attend a special orientation session in the summer before 1L year, which will introduce the students to careers in technology law, and focus on career planning.
• Career Plan. Tech Edge J.D. students will explore career paths, and with guidance from SCU faculty advisors and attorney mentors, will create a customized career plan to guide them through the law school experience.
• Real-Life Experience. Students in the Tech Edge J.D. program will complete at least 450 hours of work experience during their law school careers. Specifically, students will be required to complete 3 credits, or 150 hours, advising startup companies in the Entrepreneurs’ Law Clinic. The other 300 hours will be in the form of legal externships in law firms or technology companies.
• Milestones. Unlike a traditional certificate program, successful completion will be based upon milestones instead of classes. Specifically, students will need to demonstrate that they have completed certain benchmark experiences –such as negotiation and drafting of a transaction, participating in a cross-disciplinary team, presenting alternative solutions to a business decision-maker, and analyzing financial statements.
• Advisors and Mentors. Each student in the Tech Edge J.D. program will be guided through the program with the help of an experienced team. Every student will be assigned one faculty advisor and two attorney mentors who will help steer.
• Career Portfolio. Throughout the program, students will create and maintain a career portfolio to showcase the students’ experiences and competencies to potential employers.

Requirement	Evidence of Completion
Career Plan	Submit plan to TEJD Camino page
Entrepreneurs’ Law Clinic	Passing grade reflected on transcript
Two (2) Externships of 3+ or more credits each relating to career plan Must be approved by Advisor Must be 2 different semesters unless approved by Program Director) Can be filled by an internship only if approved by Program Director	Externship “credit” reflected on transcript (unless a pre-approved internship; then internship supervisor must sign a verification form that is uploaded to Camino)
Minimum of one (1) meeting with each mentor per year (total 2/year)	Mentor meeting summary submitted to Camino

 

Benchmark Experience	Evidence of Completion (to be added to portfolio)
Draft and negotiate a transaction relating to student’s desired career path, as evidenced by career plan	Reflection and Document draft added to portfolio (if confidential information is redacted, that is OK)
Participate in a cross-disciplinary team that includes businesspeople and engineers	Reflection submitted to Camino
Present a set of options, with a recommendation, to decision-makers	Reflection and relevant document (memo, slides, email) added to portfolio (if confidential information is redacted, that is OK)
Learned about the Silicon Valley’s business norms and practices, including start-ups, financings, M&A, licensing, employment practices, cash and stock compensation, Silicon Valley lingo, Silicon valley culture	Reflection submitted to Camino; the advisor should ensure that the student has obtained an understanding of the Silicon Valley business norms and practices through a meaningful experience or combination of experiences / study that could include: work experience or volunteering in the community attendance at industry events readings, podcasts, videos, movies (preferably nonfiction) relating to Silicon Valley or similar innovative ecosystems
Become familiar with basic technology concepts and ways new technologies are developed, commercialized and distributed	Reflection submitted to Camino; the advisor should ensure that the student has obtained an understanding not just of the types of technology prevalent in the Silicon Valley but also development, commercialization, and distribution of at least one form of technology. This can be obtained through a meaningful experience or combination of experiences / study that could include: work experience or volunteering in the community attendance at industry events attending a class online or in person on technology development, commercialization, and distribution readings, podcasts, videos, movies (preferably nonfiction) relating to technology development, commercialization, distribution

 

Other Details
Applicants to the part-time program will be eligible, provided the applicant’s planned law school schedule would allow for the rigorous requirements of the TEJD, to be assessed by the Program Director.

All certificate requirements must be completed prior to the candidate’s graduation date. Students cannot earn both the TEJD certificate and another certificate.

A student’s advisor may terminate a student’s participation in the TEJD program if the advisor (in his or her sole discretion) believes that the program may jeopardize the student’s completion of graduation requirements and/or bar passage. The Program Director may also terminate a student’s participation for the same factors.

A student may petition to be added to the TEJD program before or during their 1L summer (but not thereafter). Because those students did not have an opportunity to complete crucial elements of the program, the TEJD Director will assess each students’ ability to catch up and complete the requirements of the program.

The TEJD Director has authority to waive certificate requirements. Waivers will generally only be granted in exceptional cases. TEJD candidates may opt out of the program at any time. A student who has opted out will not be eligible for re-entry in the program.