OUR EMPHASIS PROGRAMS
International Law Emphasis
Globalization has created a demand for lawyers knowledgeable and comfortable with international, comparative and foreign law. At UMKC School of Law, students can learn in the classroom through a rich curriculum and interaction with students from around the world, including classmates seeking the LL.M. degree in American Law.
Lawyers working in the international field need to understand the legal implications of treaties and customary international law, how foreign legal systems work, and how to manage cross-border transactions and litigation. This area of law requires skills such as oral and written advocacy, legal drafting, negotiating, dispute resolution and research in foreign and international legal materials.
Competition Opportunities
- ELSA Moot Court Competition on World Trade Organization Law
- Inter-American Human Rights Moot Court Competition
- Phillip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition
Study Abroad Opportunities
- Balkans in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina
- The United Kingdom (Oxford, London, Edinburgh)
- Hague University of Applied Science in The Hague, Netherlands
- La Sapienza University in Rome, Italy
- Merida, Mexico
Selected Course Offerings
- Comparative War Crime Tribunals
- Conflict of Laws
- Global Legal Systems
- International Intellectual Property Law
- International Law
- Immigration Law and Policy
- International Business Transactions
- International Human Rights
- International Taxation
- International Trade and Finance
- Multicultural Lawyering and Spanish for Lawyers
- Transnational Litigation and Arbitration
- Student Trial Advocacy Competition
Advocacy Emphasis
UMKC School of Law’s advocacy emphasis equips students with the necessary tools and knowledge to thrive in the dynamic landscape of 21st-century legal practice. Students benefit from access to various court systems, including state and federal courts in the Kansas City metro area. Through externships and in-house clinics, students gain hands-on experience advocating for clients across diverse court settings.
Complementing rigorous coursework, the school’s trial advocacy program offers opportunities for students to compete regionally and nationally, continually adding to UMKC School of Law’s tradition of competition success. Students from the advocacy emphasis graduate ready to immediately and effectively represent their clients’ legal interests.
Selected Course Offerings May Include
- Advanced Legal Research: Litigation Drafting
- Advanced Legal Writing: Civil Litigation Drafting
- Appellate Advocacy
- Litigation Drafting: Appellate Advocacy
- Client Interviewing
- Complex Litigation
- Criminal Trial Techniques
- Employment Discrimination
- Famous Trials
- Federal Courts
- Federal Trial Practice
- Intro to Post Conviction Advocacy
- Master Class in Post Conviction Advocacy
- Mediation
- Personal Injury Litigation
- Products Liability
- Remedies
- Sports Law I (Amateur)
- Sports Law II (Professional)
- Trial Advocacy
- Wrongful Convictions
Clinics and Field Placement
- Access to Justice Clinic
- City attorneys
- City, county, state and federal courts
- County, state and federal prosecutors
- Legal Aid
- State and federal public defenders
Competition Opportunities
- ABA Client Counseling Competition
- ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
- Attorney General’s Cup Mock Trial Competition
- Ellison Moot Court Competition
- ELSA World Trade Organization Moot Court Competition
- Hispanic National Bar Association Uvaldo Herrera Moot Court
- Inter-American Human Rights Moot Court
- Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition
- Last Team Standing Mock Trial Competition
- National Trial Competition
- Student Trial Advocacy Competition
Business and Entrepreneurial Law Emphasis
The business and entrepreneurial law emphasis equips students to excel as advisors to entrepreneurs, businesses and nonprofits, whether in private practice, in-house legal departments or public sector regulatory agencies.
The curriculum, crafted by faculty who have decades of experience as transactional lawyers, offers diverse courses covering cutting-edge business law topics, including interdisciplinary collaborations with students from various academic units. Partnering with the Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Henry W. Bloch School of Management, the program integrates practical skill development, giving students the ability to be value-adding members of business and entrepreneurial teams.
Selected Course Offerings May Include
- Administrative Law
- Antitrust and Fair Competition Law
- Commercial Transactions
- Debtor-Creditor Relations
- Entrepreneurial Urban Development
- Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation
- Intellectual Property
- International Business Transactions
- Partnership Tax
- Securities Regulation
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Taxation of Business Organizations
- Tax-Exempt Organizations
- Transactional Lawyering Skills Lab
Field Placement Opportunities
- Bankruptcy court
- Local government offices
- Social entrepreneurship organizations
- Technology transfer offices
Competition Opportunities
- Business planning
- Client counseling
- International transactions
- Negotiation
- Transactional lawyering
Joint Degree Programs
- J.D./MBA
- J.D./MPA
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Clinic Opportunities
- Entrepreneurial Law Clinic
- Intellectual Property Clinic
- Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic
Other learning opportunities
- Faculty-supervised independent studies
- Interdisciplinary project-based courses
Child and Family Law Emphasis
The UMKC child and family law program equips students with the expertise and skills to support every member of the family — from infants to elders — and to lead the nation in improving family law standards and practice. Graduates are well prepared to excel in roles benefiting children, families and elders, whether in private practice, government or leadership positions.
This program offers innovative coursework, dedicated journal opportunities and strong connections within the legal community to enrich the learning journey. Additionally, the Child and Family Services Clinic provides hands-on experience representing clients seeking custodial orders for child permanency, empowering students with practical skills through real-world engagement in client representation, case strategy development and court proceedings.
Selected Course Offerings May Include
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Adoption and Assisted Reproduction
- Children in the Law
- Elder Law
- Estate Planning and Drafting
- Estates and Trusts
- Ethical Issues in Representation of Families
- Family Law
- Gender and Justice
- Guardian ad Litem Workshop
- Juvenile Offenders and the Law
- Mediation
- Seminar in Family Violence
Journal Opportunity
- Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
Field Experience Opportunity
- Child advocacy organizations
- Child support enforcement
- Domestic violence shelters
- Estate planning offices
- Family court
- Legal Aid
- Mediation services
Clinic Opportunities
- Access to Justice
- Child and Family Services
- Guardian ad Litem
Intellectual Property Law Emphasis
The field of intellectual property covers copyright, patent and trademark law, as well as trade secrets, right of publicity, and related business torts and unfair competition claims, vital for companies striving for success by distinguishing themselves in today’s economy. Situated in a large metropolitan area, UMKC School of Law offers students rich intellectual property experiences with professors who have expertise and practice experience.
Through core classes, substantive courses and hands-on clinical programs, UMKC School of Law students gain essential skills before becoming lawyers. Additionally, the school has created opportunities for students to interact with, and learn from, local practitioners in more informal settings. With various study options available, students can tailor their focus, guided by faculty to optimize their understanding and career prospects in intellectual property law.
Selected Course Offerings May Include
- Advanced Trademark Seminar
- Advising Life Science and Technology Enterprises
- Art Law
- Business Torts and Unfair Competition
- Copyright Law
- Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation
- Intellectual Property
- Intellectual Property Licensing
- Intellectual Property Litigation
- Law, Science and Technology Seminar
- Patent Law
- Patent Prosecution
- Sports Law
Clinical and Field Placement Opportunities
- Intellectual Property Clinic
- Entrepreneurial Law Clinic
- Technology Transfer Externship
Competition Opportunities
- Giles Sutherland Rich Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition
- National Patent Application Drafting Competition (First Place in 2024)
- Cardozo BMI Entertainment and Media Law Moot Court Competition
Urban, Land Use and Environmental Law Emphasis
The urban, land use and environmental law emphasis is committed to training lawyers and policymakers with specialized, interdisciplinary knowledge of the issues of law and policy relevant to land use, including the development and redevelopment of land, housing, the environment, and how these issues are affected by state, regional and local governments.
In addition to coursework, students gain practical experience in a variety of internships and externships. Representative placements include The Office of the Mayor of Kansas City, the KC City Attorney’s Office, the Environmental Protection Agency, the UMKC Abandoned Housing Clinic and various redevelopment authorities. In addition to the law school’s wide range of courses, students are encouraged to take advantage of graduate-level offerings in other UMKC departments including public administration, urban planning, architecture, geosciences and economics. These courses, combined with law studies, prepare you for a successful career in this practice area.
Selected Course Offerings May Include
- Administrative Law
- Construction Law
- Cultural Preservation Law
- Energy Law
- Environmental Law
- Environmental Compliance, Auditing and Permitting
- Entrepreneurial Urban Development
- Fair and Affordable Housing
- Land Use Law
- Law, Technology and Public Policy
- Natural Resources Law
- Public Finance
- Real Estate Finance
- Real Estate Transactions
- State and Local Government Law
- State and Local Government Taxation
- Sustainability
- Toxic Torts
- Water Law
Clinical and Field Placement Opportunities
- Abandoned Housing Clinic
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Entrepreneurial Urban Development
- Kansas City, Missouri City Attorney’s Office
- Law, Technology and Public Policy
- Missouri Attorney General’s Office