Each spring during graduation week, the MSL hosts a symposium to showcase the work of its students and to highlight the cross-disciplinary knowledge that makes the program unique. The annual symposium is a culminating event – it marks the end of the school year, highlights the diversity of the cohort, and offers a glimpse into the variety of professions the MSL can impact.

Most importantly, the annual symposium is a community event open to the broader MSL and law school network. Professors attend, alumni attend, and even prospective MSL applicants and students attend. It’s an opportunity for alumni to see what new trends have emerged at the intersection of STEM, law, and business, and an opportunity for future law school students to see how an MSL degree can boost their careers.

All of this year’s presentations are available for streaming on the MSL website symposium page. Be sure to keep an eye out for updates regarding next year’s symposium, which will be held in Spring 2024.

Here are three value-adds you can gauge by staying current on the latest and future MSL symposiums.

Value Add No: 1: Alumni Support and Networking

Suzanne Maso, a 2016 MSL graduate currently working as a legal operations manager, attended her first annual symposium this year. Another fun fact: She is co-chair of the MSL Alumni Board.

“There’s a great network of really amazing people who’ve gone through this program and who are just as excited about it as you are,” Maso said. This network – our MSL alumni association – provides opportunities for graduates to connect with one another while also holding space for MSLs to learn from each other and help each other out.

Joining the alumni association is a recommended way to stay in touch with MSL graduates from the program’s first decade of cohorts – and attending an event like the symposium is a unique opportunity to connect in person while simultaneously staying current on the latest topics that are important in MSL-related professions.

Reason No. 2: Learning About the Latest Program (and Industry) Developments

Symposium presentations provide a glimpse into new classes, the latest evolution of core classes, and new ideas for students and professionals pursuing a variety of career paths.

If you are trying to decide if your career path includes an MSL – or which direction you should take your degree – streaming past presentations (and keeping future ones on your radar) can help you get there.

Reason No. 3: Hear Diverse Perspectives Across Many Professional Tracks

While reflecting on the 2023 Annual Symposium, Senior Lecturer Jeffrey Carter-Johnson – or JCJ, as his students call him – said part of his job as a faculty member is to introduce his students to different perspectives or areas they may have not considered before. The Annual Symposium is a strong representation of this. This year, JCJ was pleased to hear from students during the symposium who came into the program to pursue one topic but decided to present on a different area of interest instead.

“Maybe they won’t pursue that as a career,” he said, but they’ve gained something they didn’t expect, and that’s one of the best things about this program.”