Innovation, Technology and Intellectual Property Law

Students are strongly encouraged to take the foundational course, Introduction to Intellectual Property Law, in the fall of their second year. Building upon that foundation are the three doctrinal courses in American law: Copyright Law, Trademark and Unfair Competition Law, and Patent Law.

What courses a student will take depends on practice interest. Students are not forced to take one track or the other. Students who think they may wish to “straddle” tracks can select courses from each. For example, while passage of the Patent Bar Exam is required for those who wish to prosecute patents before the Patent and Trademark Office, litigators practicing in federal court have the ability to try copyright, trademark, and patent cases.

International Intellectual Property Law educates students about international laws, practices, and problems. Other courses and seminars build upon the basic doctrines, provide students with more specialized knowledge, and frequently give students an opportunity to learn in smaller settings and from a variety of professors, including practitioners in the field.

Cincinnati Law also offers students many opportunities to build skills and gain experience in the area of intellectual property. The Center for Professional Development and UC Law faculty assist student in obtaining IP-related positions with local companies throughout the school year. These externships provide practical experience in addition to classroom credit.

The online Intellectual Property and Computer Law Journal addresses matters of importance both to the scholarly community and to the bench and bar. The journal covers doctrinal subjects traditionally included within the broad domain of intellectual property as well as both short- and long- form scholarship on entertainment, media and free expression, telecommunications, privacy, sports law, and computer and technology subjects.

Innovation and technology are critical to our society. Intellectual property law careers deal with protecting intangibles that can range from the copyright on a song, book, or screenplay to the trademark on a phrase, logo, or symbol to the patent on a manufactured item’s unique functions.

An IP lawyer may do advisory work, transactional work, litigation, or some combination of them all. Patent lawyers also need prior scientific or technical level training in order to sit for the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Bar Exam.

Law firms and corporations actively seek attorneys that are able to navigate the diverse and challenging matrix of legal, scientific, technological, economic, and public policy issues associated with intellectual property. Cincinnati Law alumni work on diverse legal matters related to IP Law around the world.