Beginning in the Fall 2010 semester, Colorado Law will offer Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees in the school’s areas of academic strength: Entrepreneurial Law, Natural Resources Law, and Information Technology and Intellectual Property Law. The CU Board of Regents unanimously approved the new degree program yesterday.LL.M. degrees offer local and international legal professionals the opportunity to enhance their legal acumen and to receive recognition for their expertise in particular areas of law. International legal professionals also have the opportunity to take special courses in the American legal system.The Entrepreneurial Law LL.M. is unique, one of only two LL.M. programs in entrepreneurial law nationwide. “A great counselor for entrepreneurs has to know how to help the client prioritize his legal needs,” said Professor Brad Bernthal, director of the LL.M. in Entrepreneurial Law program. “Most start-up entrepreneurs have multiple legal needs, but can only afford counsel for a few. Our program and courses should help candidates learn how to best meet their clients’ needs.”Along with taking a variety of advanced legal classes, degree candidates will intern alongside cutting-edge entrepreneurs in the “Mile High Tech Center,” the area between Boulder and Denver, and have the opportunity to work with start-up companies in Colorado Law’s Entrepreneurial Legal Clinic.Candidates for the Natural Resources Law LL.M. degree have a distinct opportunity to study natural resources law with nationally recognized experts in natural resources law such as Professors Charles Wilkinson and Mark Squillace. “We are situated in a geographic region that lends itself to people who really want to engage in this field,” said Professor Squillace, director of the LL.M. in Natural Resources Law program. “This program will allow students to engage in thoughtful research in Natural Resources Law.”In the Information Technology and Intellectual Property program, candidates will establish themselves within the local and national technology and intellectual property industries. The culmination of the degree is the master’s thesis, which gives candidates the opportunity to gain recognition by answering groundbreaking legal questions. “They’ll graduate with a very significant piece of academic scholarship,” said Professor Paul Ohm, director of the LL.M. in Information Technology and Intellectual Property program. “They’ll be able to hit the ground running.”Professor Ohm also emphasized that candidates will have the opportunity to meet high-ranking government officials and current industry leaders at events like the annual Silicon Flatirons Digital Broadband Conference. Past speakers at this event have included former Federal Trade Commission Chairman William Kovacic and Qualcomm Founder and Director Irwin Jacobs.