Frequently Asked Questions

Visit the Harvard Law School Executive Education Health and Safety Protocols page for current information and guidelines.

HLS Executive Education is following guidance from Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) with regard to operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Program dates listed on our website are up-to-date. Should we postpone or cancel a program, we will notify accepted applicants and update the website appropriately. If you have any questions, please contact us at execed@law.harvard.edu.

You can find the link to the application on the web page of the program to which you would like to apply. A complete list of our programs is on the Programs page. For general information on the application process and what is on the application, please visit the Admissions page.

For most programs, the application deadline is typically two months prior to the program’s start date*. Visit the program’s web page to find the specific program’s deadline. Applications are reviewed on a rolling, space-available basis. Programs can fill up quickly, so we recommend you apply as soon as you can.

*Applications may be submitted after the deadline and will be considered if space remains. 

Yes. HLS Executive Education can work with you to develop a custom program designed to meet your organizational goals. Explore custom programs→

Yes. HLS Executive Education has several online programs which you can learn about here.

Yes. Our programs are designed to further the education of individuals with a strong foundation in practice. Rather than focus on black letter law, our programs seek to complement and build upon the skills learned in an LL.B., J.D., or LL.M. program.

Payment is due within 30 days of acceptance and can be made by credit card, check, or wire transfer. Full payment details will be included on your invoice. If you are accepted fewer than 30 days from program start, payment is due upon receipt of the invoice. Payment must be received in full prior to the start of the program.

Payment can be made by check, electronic bank wire transfer, or credit card. Detailed information regarding payment will be included with your invoice.

If you are no longer able to attend the program, you may cancel by submitting a cancellation request to execed@law.harvard.edu. Requests must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Time at least 30 days prior to the program’s start to receive a full refund*. Due to program demand and the volume of pre-program preparation, cancellations received fewer than 30 days prior to the program’s start are subject to full payment. If you have already paid your program fee, you may be eligible to defer your enrollment to the next offering of the program.

* Please note that Harvard is not responsible for fluctuations in international exchange rates between payment and refund, nor is it responsible for interest charges or other fees due to the timing of credit card refunds.

To ensure the safety and well-being of our entire campus community, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires that educational visitors are immunized against common contagious illnesses. Please ensure that your immunizations are up to date prior to arrival on campus.

Dress for programs is business casual. The environment is professional, but we encourage participants to be comfortable. Local temperatures often fluctuate throughout the day, so we encourage participants to dress in layers. Most programs have a final celebratory dinner at which business attire is appropriate.

Our programs include a mixture of case discussions, lectures, exercises, and simulations. In a typical day, you will participate in four (4) sessions broken up by networking breaks and lunch. Each day begins around 9:00 a.m. and concludes around 5:30 p.m. Some evenings will have planned dinners.

Cohort size varies from program to program. Depending on the goals and content of the program there may be 25-65 participants. However, most of our on-campus programs have between 45-65 participants.

Given the highly interactive nature of the case method of teaching, and to ensure full participation in the program, we ask that participants leave personal devices silenced and out of sight during sessions. Participants can use the scheduled break times to check their devices.

Approximately three (3) weeks prior to the start of the program, you will receive online access to the materials and information you need to prepare for the program. The materials typically include: a detailed schedule, case readings, and any other assignments to be completed ahead of time.

Unlike the popular Socratic method-style of teaching common in most law schools, we use Harvard Business School-style cases and teaching methods to deliver relevant content in a highly-relatable and applicable format. HLS Executive Education develops case studies with the Case Development Initiative that explore the challenges facing real lawyers, legal departments, or other professional service firms. Our faculty facilitate a discussion analyzing the contents of the case and drawing on the experience of the cohort to identify relevant issues and apply lessons to their own organization. Because we develop many of our own case studies, HLS Executive Education participants have the unique opportunity to discuss cases with the faculty who researched and the developed them.

Unless otherwise stated, your accommodations will be at the Sheraton Commander. This historic hotel is a 5-minute walk from the Harvard Law School campus where classes will be held. Breakfast is available every morning at Nubar Restaurant on the first floor of the hotel.

HLS Executive Education programs are intense, immersive learning experiences. You will learn from your peers in class, as well as in group exercises, during breaks and meals, and at other social activities. The Sheraton space promotes informal gathering in a comfortable and collaborative setting. In order to maximize the benefit of peer networking, it is important for the whole class cohort to be housed together.

The program fee only covers the nights of the program, but you are welcome to add additional rooms to your reservation (if they are available). Please use the link and/or hotel contact information in your acceptance letter to add additional nights to your reservation.

Due to the hotel’s close proximity to the Harvard Law School campus, you can walk! The Sheraton Commander is located about a 5-minute walk away from Pound Hall where HLS Executive Education programs are run.

HLS Executive Education is dedicated to providing a learning environment conducive to academic achievement and growth. As such, we ask all participants and affiliates of HLS Executive Education programs to adhere to the following guidelines:

• Alcohol consumption must be in adherence with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
• No alcoholic beverages may be brought into, served, or consumed at any time in any academic space on campus.
• The unlawful possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol by students, faculty, and staff or their guests on Harvard property or as a part of any Harvard activity are violations of HLS policy as well as the law.
• Harvard University has a no-smoking policy. Smoking of any kind is prohibited on all Harvard University campuses including Harvard Law School.

No. However, depending on where you practice you may be able to apply independently for CLE credits after attending one of our programs. We provide a simple sign-in sheet each day of the program. We can send you a copy of the sheet after the program ends as proof of attendance.

Yes. All participants receive a signed certificate of completion on the last day of the program.