Fashion Law

LL.M. students in the Fashion Law program will study with the most distinguished faculty in the discipline, including both academics and industry insiders—in New York City, a capital of the world’s fashion industry.

You will explore what we’ve defined as the four pillars of fashion law:

  • Intellectual property
  • Business and finance, including areas such as investment, employment law, and real estate
  • International trade and government regulation, including sustainability, privacy, and issues related to wearable technology
  • Consumer culture and civil rights

You’ll also gain direct access to events and networking opportunities available through the nonprofit Fashion Law Institute. Established with the assistance of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, it’s the world’s first center dedicated to the law and business of fashion—and it’s based at Fordham Law.

  • Each student is required to complete a minimum of 24 credits of approved courses; the maximum number of credits permitted is 30.

    Full-time students take 10-15 credits per semester (11-13 recommended); part-time students take 2-9 credits per semester and must complete the program within 24 months of starting. Up to 4 credits may be taken during summer terms.

  • If you hold a JD from a law school in the U.S., you must take the following classes:

    • Fashion Law* (2 credits)
    • Fashion Law Capstone/Thesis (3 credits; final semester)
    • Quantitative Methods for Graduate Students (1 credit)**
    • At least four of the following courses designated "FASH" on the course listing published on the registrar's website:
      • Cosmetics Regulation (2 credits)
      • Fashion Ethics, Sustainability, and Development (2 or 3 credits)
      • Fashion Law and Finance (2 credits)
      • Fashion and Commercial Real Estate Law (2 credits)
      • Fashion and Employment Law (2 credits)
      • Fashion Law and International Trade (2 credit)
      • Fashion Licensing (2 credits)
      • Fashion and Employment Law (2 credits)
      • Fashion and the In-House Counsel Role (2 credits)
      • Fashion Modeling Law (2 or 3 credits)
      • Fashion Retail Law (2 credits)
      • Fashion Law Drafting (2 credits)
      • Fashion Law & Social Justice (2 credits)
      • Fashion Law Practicum (3 credits) (Note: limited enrollment)
      • Fashion: Integrating Law and Business (1 credit)

    Additional electives, chosen from the range of courses open to LLM students, for a total of 24 credits. Consider choosing electives that complement your fashion-related courses and cover areas of legal specialization important to fashion law that you may not have studied in the past.

    *Students who completed the Fashion Law Institute's Fashion Law Bootcamp(R) summer intensive program are exempt from the Fashion Law course requirement and should instead take 3 other credits of their choice.

    ** Students who completed a similar course in their prior studies, or who have significant business, tax, or other experience that provides them with sufficient knowledge of this topic may seek a waiver by submitting the Request for Waiver from LL.M./M.S.L. Program Requirement​s​ form.  Late registrants who are unable to register due to enrollment limits must take this course in their second semester of study.

  • Below are the requirements for non-U.S. law degree holders. This option fulfills the requirements of the "Cure Provision," which allows foreign-trained lawyers and law students with a "Qualifying" first degree in law to sit for the New York Bar Examination. For more details, see New York Bar Exam site and select on "Foreign Legal Education."

    • Introduction to the U.S. Legal System and Process (3 credits)
    • Legal Writing and Research for LLM Students (2 credits)
    • Quantitative Methods for Graduate Students (1 credit)*
    • Introduction to the U.S. Legal Profession (2 credits) or another Professional Responsibility course (3 credits)
    • 6 credits in subjects tested on the New York bar exam from the list of content outline courses. Consider choosing courses that will not only assist in your studying for the bar exam but also complement your fashion-related courses and cover areas of legal specialization important to fashion law that you may not have studied in the past.
    • Fundamental Lawyering Skills for LLM Students** (3 credits)
    • Experiential Course** (2 credits)
    • Fashion Law*** (2 credits)
    • Fashion Law Capstone/Thesis (3 credits; final semester)
    • 6 credits from the following courses designated "FASH" on the course schedule published on the registrar's website:
      • Cosmetics Regulation (2 credits)
      • Fashion Ethics, Sustainability, and Development (2 or 3 credits)
      • Fashion Law and Finance (2 credits)
      • Fashion and Commercial Real Estate Law (2 credits)
      • Fashion and Employment Law (2 credits)
      • Fashion Law and International Trade (2 credit)
      • Fashion Licensing (2 credits)
      • Fashion and Employment Law (2 credits)
      • Fashion and the In-House Counsel Role (2 credits)
      • Fashion Modeling Law (2 or 3 credits)
      • Fashion Retail Law (2 credits)
      • Fashion Law Drafting (2 credits)
      • Fashion Law & Social Justice (2 credits)
      • Fashion Law Practicum (3 credits) (Note: limited enrollment)
      • Fashion: Integrating Law and Business (1 credit)

    *Students who completed a similar course in their prior studies, or who have significant business, tax, or other experience that provides them with sufficient knowledge of this topic may seek a waiver by submitting the Request for Waiver from LL.M./M.S.L. Program Requirement​s​ form.  Late registrants who are unable to register due to enrollment limits must take this course in their second semester of study.

    **These courses are required for students following "Pathway 1" of the New York Court of Appeals §520.18 Skills Competency Requirement for Admission.  (These requirements can be waived for the following students: (1) Students who are already admitted to the New York bar (or who do not plan to sit for the New York bar examination); (2) Those who are authorized to practice law in another U.S. jurisdiction or any other country outside of the U.S. and can establish that that they have been in good standing and practiced law in that jurisdiction full-time for at least one year (or half-time for two years)  Students must consult with their academic advisor to determine whether they should register for this course in their first or second semester of study.

    ***Students who completed the Fashion Law Institute's Fashion Law Bootcamp(R) summer intensive program are exempt from the Fashion Law course requirement and should instead take 3 other credits of their choice.

  • Below are the requirements for non-U.S. law degree holders. This option does not fulfill the requirements of the "Cure Provision," which allows foreign-trained lawyers and law students with a "Qualifying" first degree in law to sit for the New York Bar Examination. For more details, see www.nybarexam.org and click on "Foreign Legal Education."

    Before making course selections that will make you ineligible to sit for the New York Bar Examination, please consult with a program advisor. A waiver is required to exercise this option ("Request for Waiver from LLM Program Requirement," available on LawNET Forms Central).

    • Introduction to the U.S. Legal System and Process (3 credits)
    • Legal Writing and Research for LLM Students (2 credits)
    • Quantitative Methods for Graduate Students (1 credit)*
    • Fashion Law** (2 credits)
    • Fashion Law Capstone/Thesis (3 credits; final semester)
    • At least four of the following courses designated "FASH" on the course schedule published on the registrar's website:
      • Cosmetics Regulation (2 credits)
      • Fashion Ethics, Sustainability, and Development (2 or 3 credits)
      • Fashion Law and Finance (2 credits)
      • Fashion and Commercial Real Estate Law (2 credits)
      • Fashion and Employment Law (2 credits)
      • Fashion Law and International Trade (2 credit)
      • Fashion Licensing (2 credits)
      • Fashion and Employment Law (2 credits)
      • Fashion and the In-House Counsel Role (2 credits)
      • Fashion Modeling Law (2 or 3 credits)
      • Fashion Retail Law (2 credits)
      • Fashion Law Drafting (2 credits)
      • Fashion Law & Social Justice (2 credits)
      • Fashion Law Practicum (3 credits) (Note: limited enrollment)
      • Fashion: Integrating Law and Business (1 credit)

    Additional electives, chosen from the range of courses open to LLM students, for a total of 24 credits. Consider choosing electives that complement your fashion-related courses and cover areas of legal specialization important to fashion law that you may not have studied in the past.

    *Students who completed a similar course in their prior studies, or who have significant business, tax, or other experience that provides them with sufficient knowledge of this topic may seek a waiver by submitting the Request for Waiver from LL.M./M.S.L. Program Requirement​s​ form.  Late registrants who are unable to register due to enrollment limits must take this course in their second semester of study.

    **Students who completed the Fashion Law Institute's Fashion Law Bootcamp(R) summer intensive program are exempt from the Fashion Law course requirement and should instead take 3 other credits of their choice.

  • The Fashion Law Institute pioneered the placement of legal interns at fashion brands. Students within our program have served as interns at companies throughout the New York area. Louis Vuitton, Prada, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Coach, Cushnie et Ochs, and SoulCycle are just a few of the brands where our students have interned. Students have also worked at leading fashion funders, nonprofits, law firms with fashion practices, and other organizations connected to the industry. 
     
    A number of these students have been placed through our Fashion Law Practicum drafting course, in which students receive academic credit for internships supervised by our faculty. Students have also secured internships independently with the help of our extensive industry connections. Internships come in all spaces and sizes, and we encourage students to remember that any internship has the potential to turn into a job.

A note regarding course selection for part time students

The LL.M. program strives to ensure that there is a wide range of courses available in the evening in each of our LL.M. areas of specialization, and to ensure that students will be able to meet their program requirements within their desired time frame for completion. However, it would be impossible to ensure that any specific course will be offered at a time that is convenient to all students. We encourage you to look at the schedules from past semesters, available on the registrar's website, to get a sense of what courses may be offered in the future (noting, of course, that the schedule varies from one semester to the next). Should you find at any time that you are having trouble meeting your program requirements within your desired time frame, you should contact Anthony Agolia at [email protected] to discuss options.