Which Law School Is Bringing Fashion Law Mainstream?

Is this LL.M. in Fashion Law worth the high cost?

It wasn’t too long ago that Above the Law readers were wondering if fashion law was similar to unicorn law. We were quick to let them know that unlike unicorn law, and contrary to public opinion, fashion law actually exists. In fact, Fordham was quick to capitalize on the burgeoning industry, and jumped at the chance to become the first law school to establish a fashion program — the Fashion Law Institute — back in 2010. Today, we’ve got more news out of Fordham, a school that has its mind set on revolutionizing education in the field of fashion law.

Today, Fordham announced yet another first: the school is inviting students to pursue the world’s first academic degrees in fashion law, and the program has even been blessed by the “patron saint of fashion law” — none other than designer Diane von Furstenberg herself, the creator of the wrap dress. Classes that will begin in Fall 2015.

I was lucky enough to attend a press event this morning announcing the launch of the program, and got to speak with Professor Susan Scafidi, one of the women who first made fashion law more than a statement piece. Also present was CFDA President Diane von Furstenberg, a designer who has long supported the Fashion Law Institute. While there (and while not swooning over the fact that I was seated mere feet from the diva that is DVF), I learned some information about the new degree programs.

Fordham, a “very fashionable school” per DVF, will be offering an LL.M. in Fashion Law for lawyers, and an M.S.L. in Fashion Law for current and aspiring designers, executives, entrepreneurs, and other fashion industry professionals. Like the price of the highly sought after Birkin bag, this degree will cost you a pretty penny. The tuition for the LL.M. degree is currently set at $53,440 per year, while the M.S.L. degree costs 25 percent less.

We’d normally be hemming and hawing about the high cost of the degree, but as Professor Scafidi noted, “the good news is that no one in fashion pays retail.” With the advent of income-based loan repayment programs, we suppose the same could be said for indebted law school graduates. There will be a scholarships available for the advanced fashion law degree program in the future. It’s not the LL.M. in Tax that most law firms expect when it comes to candidates with LL.M. degrees, but if you have a true passion for fashion and don’t mind adding more debt to your life, then perhaps this is the degree for you.

As fashion magnate Von Furstenberg noted, this program is essential to the fashion community because “the more you can make lawyers practical, the better.” Professor Scafidi brought up a great point, in terms of employment opportunities for lawyers following the completion of an LL.M. in Fashion Law: “There are plenty of big law firms in the city that hire lawyers who have knowledge in the background of fashion. Why wouldn’t they hire lawyers who are actually trained in the field of fashion?”

DVF correctly observed that “law is the most boring thing in the world,” but she praised Professor Scafidi for bringing her advocacy to an area that sorely needed it. For far too long, designers have been subjected to knockoffs and have been forced to battle over from everything to their intellectual property to even their names. A specialized degree in fashion law is just what the industry needs.

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Why not apply now? We’d say that an LL.M. in Fashion Law would go out of style, but like the wrap dress, we think it’ll be around for a very long time.

P.S. If you’re interested in fashion law but not up for adding a notable degree like this to your résumé, then you can attend one of Above the Law’s fashion law forums. We’ve already hosted two very successful, standing-room only events like this, and we’ll be planning another one very soon in a city near you.

YOU CAN NOW GET A DEGREE IN FASHION LAW [Fashionista]

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