Curriculum Guide · Courses

Professor Anthony Cook

J.D. Practicum 1087 | 4 credit hours

The objective of this practicum is to explore the lawyer’s role as counsel to entrepreneurs in early-stage ventures. In the 110 hour field placement component, supervised by practicing attorneys, students research issues and advise student entrepreneurs affiliated with the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative, as well as various community empowerment and economic development initiatives in the area. Students will typically develop a portfolio of 3-5 projects across the semester. In the weekly classroom component, students survey the legal issues confronted by entrepreneurs and develop the practical skills to effectively and ethically represent them. Students study how to interview, counsel, plan, draft, and negotiate, by critiquing others and simulating those skills in the context of client matters and classroom exercises. They discuss client work through case rounds and seminar readings. Topics consist of the following: the entrepreneurial mindset; the issues confronted by social and business entrepreneurs—similarities and differences; evaluating the key elements of a business plan; choosing and forming the right business entity; ownership and control—aligning the interests of founders, key employees, and investors; governance issues—building and advising the board of directors; employment agreements; capital structure and vehicles for funding the entity; securing and monetizing intellectual property.

Prerequisites: Students must complete the required first-year program prior to enrolling in this course (part-time and interdivisional transfer students may enroll prior to completing Criminal Justice, Property, or their first-year elective).

Students may not concurrently enroll in this practicum and an externship or a clinic (except Street Law) or another practicum course. Students who wish to receive credit for the Externship Seminar and a practicum course that has the same field placement may do so only if: (1) the practicum course is taken in a semester following the Externship Seminar; and (2) the student receives permission from the Assistant or the Associate Dean for Clinical Programs. To receive such permission, the student must explain in writing how the practicum course field work would serve substantially different learning goals than did their externship field placement.

THIS IS A PRACTICUM COURSE. This is a 4 credit course. Two credits will be awarded for the weekly seminar and 2 credits will be awarded for approximately 16 hours of supervised work per week. The seminar portion will be graded. The 2 credits of supervised work are mandatory pass/fail and count toward the 7 credit pass/fail limit. Students who enroll in this course will be automatically enrolled in both the seminar and practicum components and may not take either component separately. A student wishing to withdraw from the course will be withdrawn from both the seminar and field work components.