Course Level

intermediate - advanced / 3rd - 4th year

Information:

Prior courses in intellectual property topics are recommended, but not strictly required. If you have never studied copyright, patent, and trade secret law, then you will have to work harder than students who are already proficient in these areas, but if you are interested in the subject, the extra workload should be manageable. An engineering or programming background is not necessary.

Course Language

English

Course Classification

This is a Themis course. It is also open to non-Themis students.

Teaching Mode 

Online course with self-study chapters

Contact Hours

Apart from the live meeting on campus and an in-person written examination on campus, students will not have to be online during regular course hours. All content will be available at any time.

On December 4, 2026, probably at 1:00 p.m. you will meet for an in-person class at Freie Universität Berlin; all other session are remote/virtual (apart from the final exam). 

Class Schedule

Students work through course materials and submit a number of quizzes throughout the semester on a weekly basis. You will be able to study independently at your own pace most of the time.

The on-campus live session will take place on December 4, most likely from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (most likely in room 3302/04 at Boltzmannstraße 3). More information is published in our electronic course catalogue

ECTS-credits

5 (if exam has been passed)

Frequency

This course will be held at irregular intervals. It will be available in the winter term 2026/27.

Course Content

Based on case studies focused on generative artificial intelligence (AI), this course explores laws, industry practices, and policy considerations relating to the development, protection, and commercialization of software, computers, and information technology services. The primary focus will be on U.S. and EU intellectual property law, but we will also cover contracts, antitrust, international and commercial issues, as well as different technology and business models, including artificial intelligence, cloud computing and open source licensing. We will cover data as an asset, but not information privacy or data protection law topics (which are covered separately in my course on Data Privacy Law, which I am planning to teach again in a future semester).

AI and IT Law Course is focused on practical problem-solving, exercises and quizzes. The class meets for one in-person "live" session at the Free University Berlin on December 4, probably at 13.00 (exact time and room to be announced). You will work through course materials and submit a number of quizzes throughout the semester on a weekly basis, as explained in the syllabus. You should submit the quizzes before each deadline (within 5 days of receipt) and you should complete the assignments in writing for your own benefit (but you do not have to send in the written assignments). The class will meet a second time virtually for a discussion on AI Regulation.

Prior courses in intellectual property topics are recommended, but not strictly required. If you have never studied copyright, patent, and trade secret law, then you will have to work harder than students who are already proficient in these areas, but if you are interested in the subject, the extra workload should be manageable. An engineering or programming background is not necessary.

Students may register for this course before October 12, 2026 per email sent to lothardetermann@outlook.com and fran.say@bakermckenzie.com to receive course materials, assignments and quizzes per email. We will not use Campus Management or a Blackboard for this course.

For each class, please prepare by working through assignments, starting with the assignments for Class 1, attached to this message.

Every week, you will receive another file with

• sample answers, considerations and outlines pertaining to the assignments for the previous class, which you can compare to your own answers and deepen your understanding of the subject matter
• a Quiz with 10 multiple choice questions to expand and check on your progress; please submit your answers to the Quiz within 5 days of receipt to fran.say@bakermckenzie.com and lothardetermann@outlook.com.
• A written exam at the end of the semester will be administered in person by the FU administration (Prüfungsbüro).

Every following week you will receive another installment of course materials teaching AI and IT Law subjects, assigning problems to you and giving you a Quiz to complete. All of the materials you will receive are accompanied by a short message that gives you more information about what to do.

You will receive 5 ECTS-credits upon completion of the course.

Students should complete quizzes and assignments within 5 days of receipt (Assignment 1 by October 31); students do not need to send their assignments in, only the quizzes, but students may send their assignments if they wish to do so.

On December 4, 2026, probably at 13.00 we meet for an in-person class at the Freie Universität Berlin; all other session are remote/virtual.

Please direct any questions you may have to fran.say@bakermckenzie.com and lothardetermann@outlook.com.

- Prof. Dr. Lothar Determann - 

Restricted Enrollment

no (that means that everyone who signs up for this course on time can take part in this course)

Course Registration and organisation

It will not be possible for the students themselves to sign up for this course on Campus Management.

Students may register for this course before October 12, 2026 per email sent to lothardetermann@outlook.com and fran.say@bakermckenzie.com to receive course materials, assignments and quizzes per email.

The Examination Office will sign you up for this course on Campus Management in November, once it has received the participant list from Professor Determann.

Important Information:

We may excuse absences due to illness if we receive prior notice at fran.say@bakermckenzie.com. We will not send follow-up emails if you do not submit your quiz timely. Unexcused absence at the "live" session or failure to submit Quiz answers on time disqualifies you from passing the course.

De-Registration from this Course

You may drop this course with a valid cause until 14 days prior to the final exam. If you need to withdraw from the course, you must communicate this in writing, or you receive a failing grade. Please also contact the International Office at the Law Department if you have to use this option.

Type of Exam and Exam Period

The course is focused on practical problem-solving, exercises and quizzes as well as an in-person written exam on campus at the end of the semester. 

Students should complete quizzes and assignments within 5 days of receipt (Assignment 1 by October 31); students do not need to send their assignments in, only the quizzes, but students may send their assignments if they wish to do so.

Registration for the Exam

Students will automatically be registered for the exam when they sign up for this course.

De-Registration from the Exam

Students who drop this course are automatically de-registered from the exam. Students who do not drop this course via Campus Management and do not take the exam, are going to finish this course with a non-passing grade (0 points).

Grade Release

via Campus Management