BLI Certificates – Rules & Requirements
Application Procedure
Only current Hamline University School of Law students may be admitted to the Business Law Certificate program. To apply to the Certificate program, you must submit an Application Form.
Application Deadlines
There are no application deadlines but you are encouraged to apply early in your tenure so that you can meet with your Certificate Advisor to develop a completion plan and have sufficient time to complete the Certificate. You may apply as early as your first year.
Initial Advising Meeting
Once admitted to the Business Law Certificate program you will meet with a Certificate Advisor. The BLI Program Manager will contact you to schedule this meeting. It may be helpful to print the Planning Worksheet and bring it with you to the meeting. Students will be assigned a business law faculty advisor whom you will meet with each term, prior to registration.
GPA Requirement
All students must earn a minimum 3.2 GPA, not including first year courses, to complete any of the BLI certificates.
Faculty Advisor Meetings
Prior to registration each term, certificate students must meet with their BLI faculty advisor to ensure that they are registering for courses that will fulfill the requirements for the certificate.
Exit Interview
Before your Certificate is awarded, you must complete an exit interview with your Certificate Advisor. You must bring your completed Requirements Checklist and any supporting documents to the exit interview so we can verify that you have completed all of the required elements of the Certificate. It is your responsibility to schedule the exit interview; please contact your Certificate Advisor in your final semester at Hamline. If you are taking Certificate courses during your final semester, you should schedule the meeting after the final drop date for classes has passed.
We will not submit your paperwork to the Registrar until an exit interview has been completed. Upon receipt of your paperwork, the Registrar will verify your completion of the coursework and will determine whether you achieved a cumulative 3.2 GPA (minimum). If all requirements have been fulfilled, your Certificate will then be awarded. The Certificate will be noted on your transcript and you should expect to receive the physical certificate within 12 weeks of your exit interview or the posting of your final grades, whichever is later.
BLI Certificates – Writing Requirement
A substantial written work (20 pages minimum) on a topic related to the area of concentration. This requirement may be satisfied by:
Course Paper
Students can meet this requirement by earning a B or higher (as determined by course instructor) on a paper written for a Hamline School of Law course, including seminars and independent studies. The paper must be reviewed and approved by the BLI Director to ensure the topic meets the business law or certificate concentration requirement. Courses that fulfill other Certificate requirements may be used to satisfy the course paper requirement.
Law Review/Journal Note or Article
Students can meet this requirement by writing a business‐related note or article for the Hamline Law Review or the Hamline Journal of Public Law & Policy, while the student is a member of either publication. The note or article must be reviewed and approved by the BLI Director to ensure the topic meets the business law‐related requirement and is of publishable quality.
BLI Certificates – Practical Experience Requirement
Students enrolled in a BLI certificate program must obtain practical experience by enrolling in a clinic or externship with a business focus. Current offerings include the Small Business/Nonprofit Clinic, Business Law Externship, Private Attorney Externship, and General Externship (Summer only).
BLI Certificates – Extra‐Curricular Activities Requirement
During your tenure at Hamline University School of Law, you must participate in at least six extra‐curricular activities that introduce business law issues or provide networking opportunities with leaders in the business and legal communities. These activities may include lectures, conferences, symposia, CLEs, or breakfast/lunch meetings. These events provide opportunities for networking and substantive engagement; as a result, students generally exceed the required six activities.
Any events sponsored by BLI or the Business Law section of the Minnesota State Bar Association are qualifying events. Other events may qualify but must be pre‐approved by the BLI Director. Information sessions and student group meetings will not count toward this requirement. However, relevant student groups may seek pre‐approval for their event to qualify; please contact the BLI Director for more information.
Attendance must be verified at each extra‐curricular activity or event. At BLI events, a sign‐in sheet will be available. At non‐BLI events, you must provide proof of attendance (registration receipt, event program, etc.). You must record the activities you attend on your Requirements Checklist.
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