As the legal industry evolves at an unprecedented pace, Florida State University College of Law is staying ahead of the curve, thanks in large part to the Stoops Center for Law and Business.
By: Joshua Coco, Executive Director of the Stoops Center for Law & Business and the Institute of Law, Technology & Innovation
The Stoops Center at FSU Law is a hub for interdisciplinary learning, outreach, and innovation—connecting the legal, business, and technology worlds in practical and forward-thinking ways. The Stoops Center's mission is rooted in expanding the reach of legal education beyond the traditional classroom to offer accessible, high-impact programs and lectures for professionals, lawyers, and students alike through the Frontiers in Law and Technology webinar series, a flagship program run by the Institute of Law, Technology, and Innovation.
The Stoops Center is committed to deepening partnerships with major employers and public institutions as it is currently in discussions with more than 15 organizations—including Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, the Department of the Navy, and the courts of Miami-Dade and Broward Counties—to pioneer tuition support and workforce upskilling initiatives that directly link legal knowledge to employer needs.
The Stoops Center has rapidly emerged as a national model for how law schools can respond to the increasingly complex legal landscape by offering real-world, future-focused education. The Center collaborates closely with the College of Law's Juris Master (J.M.) program, which provides non-lawyers with a graduate-level understanding of legal and regulatory systems. While the J.M. program operates independently, both units work in tandem to ensure that students and professionals receive a cohesive, career-focused education. Joint initiatives include integrating relevant certifications with J.M. coursework, hosting events that bring together J.D. and J.M. students, and offering programming that highlights real-world applications of legal knowledge in business, healthcare, and technology. This commitment to forward-thinking education has fueled impressive strategic growth. The Stoops Center has achieved over 400% year-over-year growth in enrollment for its courses and certifications, demonstrating its relevance and reach in the professional market. This momentum is also helping to drive record-breaking enrollment in the J.M program with more than 460 new students joining across fall, spring, and summer terms. Across the board, applications, admissions, and deposits are on a sharp upward trajectory, signaling a growing recognition of the Center's value proposition.
Additionally, the Stoops Center offers four robust certification tracks—Employment & Human Resources Law, Health Care Law, Privacy Law & Policy, and Sports & Entertainment Law—equipping students with specialized, career-relevant expertise that aligns with today's most in-demand legal sectors. Through the Center's courses and certification program, professionals acquire essential legal acumen to navigate the increasingly complex and regulated environments in which they work. These certifications provide participants with targeted expertise while earning continuing education credits (SHRM, CLE, etc.). These programs are designed to help professionals "think like a lawyer"—understanding not just what the law requires, but how it affects decision-making and strategy across industries.
Beyond certifications, the Stoops Center's course program has become a cornerstone of its success, offering over 20 innovative courses designed to meet the needs of professionals across various industries. From workplace investigations and privacy law to the business of sports and health care compliance, the curriculum bridges legal theory with practical application in a way that few programs can. The Center isn't slowing down. As of Fall 2026, new executive education courses will debut, including timely offerings like Influencer Law, Travel Law, and Legal Issues on Digital Platforms, fields that are increasingly shaping both public policy and private enterprise. Even more future-focused courses are in development, covering critical and often under-addressed topics such as employee mental health laws, AI and social media in the workplace, ADA compliance, and whistleblower protections.
A key part of the Stoops Center's success lies in its outreach efforts. The Center, in concert with the Institute of Law, Technology, and Innovation, regularly represents FSU Law at national and regional conferences, including SHRM events across Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and North Carolina, as well as risk management and healthcare compliance gatherings. The team also participates in major innovation-focused events such as CyberBay in Tampa and Emerge Americas in Miami. These appearances serve multiple purposes—raising visibility for FSU Law, recruiting students to the J.M. and professional certification programs, fostering industry partnerships, and identifying emerging topics for future curriculum and research collaborations. The relationships built at these events have already led to discussions around sponsored programming, joint webinars, and custom corporate training initiatives that align with FSU Law's mission to extend legal knowledge beyond the traditional legal community.
In an era when the law must adapt to everything from digital disruption to workplace transformations, FSU Law's Stoops Center for Law and Business is proving itself to be more than just an academic hub—it's a strategic engine of innovation. The Stoops Center is focused on continuing to grow its national presence through new partnerships, expanded CLE offerings, and innovative programming. Looking ahead, the Stoops Center is assisting with and hosting sixteen events, including AI Day in the Capital—a collaborative event connecting Florida policymakers, educators, and industry leaders to discuss the policy and ethical implications of artificial intelligence. Research-driven institutes and clinics designed to expand FSU Law's leadership in business, technology, and regulatory education are also on the horizon.