70 Free Law Courses You Can Take In 2021

Around this time last year, I posted about my my completion of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation) General Course on Intellectual Property and had quite a few people reach out to me for details on the course. In response, I wrote an article listing 40 free law courses lawyers/law students could take to expand their knowledge and sharpen their skills during the lockdown.

The lockdown may be (mostly) over now but learning more about different areas of the law and developing useful skills are both definitely still in vogue, especially when it comes to rapidly-evolving areas like Fintech Law. So I've expanded the list, added 30 new courses, and separated them into categories. You can find Fintech courses in the first category - technology law. Be sure to go through the entire list though - you'll certainly find something you want to learn!

As with the first list, all the courses below can be accessed for free but you might need to pay a fee (or apply for financial aid) to access the certificate, in some cases:

Technology Law Courses

Computer Science for Lawyers – Harvard – EdX

Data Ethics: Managing Your Private Customer Data – LinkedIn Learning

FinTech: Finance Industry Transformation and Regulation (4-Course series) – Hong Kong University of Science and Technology – Coursera

AI and Law – Lund University – Coursera

The Laws of Digital Data, Content and Artificial Intelligence (AI) – The University of Law – FutureLearn

Data Ethics, AI and Responsible Innovation - The University of Edinburgh – Coursera

Introduction to Innovation and Technology in Legal Services - The University of Law – FutureLearn

AI for Legal Professionals (I): Law and Policy - National Chiao Tung University (NCTU) – FutureLearn

AI for Legal Professionals (II): Tools for Lawyers - National Chiao Tung University (NCTU) – FutureLearn

Bioethics: The Law, Medicine, and Ethics of Reproductive Technologies and Genetics – Harvard University – EdX

FinTech Law and Policy – Duke University – Coursera

Data Protection Courses

GDPR Compliance: Essential Training – LinkedIn Learning

Introduction to GDPR: General Data Protection Regulation – University College, London – FutureLearn

Privacy Law and Data Protection - University of Pennsylvania – Coursera

Privacy Law and HIPAA - University of Pennsylvania – Coursera

Data Privacy Fundamentals - Northeastern University – Coursera

Protecting Health Data in the Modern Age: Getting to Grips with the GDPR - University of Groningen – FutureLearn

Understanding the GDPR - University of Groningen – FutureLearn

Intellectual Property Courses

Intellectual Property (Series of 4 courses) – University of Pennsylvania – Coursera

Intellectual Property Law and Policy: Part 1 - University of Pennsylvania – EdX

Intellectual Property Law and Policy: Part 2 - University of Pennsylvania – EdX

Copyright Law - University of Pennsylvania – Coursera

Intellectual Property Rights: A Management Perspective - Indian Institute of Management Bangalore – EdX

DL-101 General Course on Intellectual Property – World Intellectual Property Organization

Copyright Law in the Music Business – Berklee College of Music – Coursera

Intellectual Property Law in Digital Age - Saint Petersburg State University – Coursera

Intellectual Property in the Healthcare Industry - University of Pennsylvania – Coursera

Business/Finance Law Courses

American Contract Law I - Yale University – Coursera

Property and Liability: An Introduction to Law and Economics - Wesleyan University - Coursera

Contract Law: From Trust to Promise to Contract – Harvard University – EdX

Introduction to Corporate Finance – Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania - Coursera

Mergers and Acquisitions: Structuring the Deal – New York Institute of Finance – FutureLearn

Project Finance: Funding Projects Successfully - Delft University of Technology – EdX

Corporate & Commercial Law I: Contracts & Employment Law - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – Coursera

Corporate & Commercial Law II: Business Forms, Financing & Governmental Regulation - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – Coursera

Public/Constitutional Law Courses

Chemerinsky on Constitutional Law – Individual Rights and Liberties (Coursera)

Introduction to English Common Law – University of London

Comparative Judicial Systems - Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II – EdX

International Law Courses

International Law - Université catholique de Louvain – EdX

International Law in Action: A Guide to the International Courts and Tribunals in The Hague - Universiteit Leiden – Coursera

International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes - Universiteit Leiden – Coursera

International Law in Action: the Arbitration of International Disputes - Universiteit Leiden – Coursera

Internet Giants: The Law and Economics of Media Platforms – The University of Chicago – Coursera

Introduction to International Criminal Law (Cape Western Reserve University) – Coursera

Rethinking International Tax Law – Universiteit Leiden

International Investment Law - Université catholique de Louvain – EdX

International Water Law - University of Geneva – Coursera

International Labour Law - Saint Petersburg State University -  Coursera

Human Rights Law Courses

Children's Human Rights - An Interdisciplinary Introduction (Universite de Geneve) – Coursera

International Human Rights Law - Université catholique de Louvain - EdX

International Humanitarian Law - Université catholique de Louvain – EdX

International Humanitarian Law in Theory and Practice - Universiteit Leiden – Coursera

Asylum and Refugee Law - Université catholique de Louvain – EdX

Healthcare/Environmental Law Courses

Principles of Health Law and Regulatory Issues – Doane University – EdX

Introduction to Environmental Law and Policy – The University of North Carolina – Coursera

Healthcare Law (Series of 4 courses) - University of Pennsylvania – Coursera

International Climate Change Law and Policy – University of Newcastle, Australia – EdX

Human Rights, Human Wrongs: Challenging Poverty, Vulnerability and Social Exclusion – SDGAcademy - EdX

Global Health: An Interdisciplinary Overview - University of Geneva - Coursera

Other Courses

A Law Student's Toolkit (Yale University) – Coursera

International Franchise Law: the World is Yours – The University of New South Wales – Futurelearn

The Sharia and Islamic Law: An Introduction – The University of Edinburgh – Futurelearn

Music Law: Recording, Management, Rights, and Performance Contracts – LinkedIn Learning

Introduction to Modern Diplomacy: Principles, Practices and Actors - Global Diplomatic Forum – FutureLearn

Making Successful Decisions through the Strategy, Law & Ethics Model - University of Michigan – FutureLearn

Business Ethics: Exploring Big Data and Tax Avoidance - University of Leeds – FutureLearn

Conclusion

Which one of these courses will you take? Share in the comments so you can find others interested in the same courses and keep one another on track.

Remember to share with lawyers/law students/entrepreneurs/investors or anyone else who you think would benefit.