The Center for Law, Science and Technology
Faculty Picks
IP Course Offerings
Important non-IP Courses

Since its founding, the Center for the Study of Law, Science, and Technology has sought to contribute to the legal system's response to the pervasive and increasing challenges posed by new scientific discoveries and their technological applications.

The Center seeks to improve the quality of law and public policy affecting science and technology and supports work in an important reciprocal vein: the scientific study and understanding of law, legal institutions and legal process.

The Center encourages interdisciplinary research; promotes development and review of the College of Law curriculum; and provides service for law students, attorneys and others.
The Center offers a Law, Science, and Technology Certificate.

In brief, the Program involves substantive course work, a minimum average grade for that course work, a substantive paper, extracurricular activities and regular advising.
Students must apply for the program and for available scholarships.
Details can be found here.

Dennis Karjala:
Obviously students should take all the IP courses that are offered.  Beyond that, I would say every IP lawyer must first be a lawyer, which means having a good basic understanding of how the business world works.  Courses in basic federal income tax, corporations and partnerships (especially closely held enterprises), and the UCC (especially personal property security under Article 9) should be taken by everyone with an interest in IP.  If I had more time to think about it, I would surely come up with others, but that would be my core list for the moment.

Douglas Sylvester:
My suggestions are

Copyright Law
Credit Hours: 3 / Instructor(s): Gorman
This course provides a detailed introduction to the law of copyright. The course coverage excludes patent law, except in brief overview, and only touches briefly upon related areas of intellectual property law, such as misappropriation, trade secret, and unfair competition law. It will cover the basics of traditional copyright and consider the application of those basic principles in an age of digital technology.

Copyright Practice
Credit Hours: 3 / Instructor(s):
This course is designed for students with an introductory background in the areas of intellectual property or commercial torts, and particularly for those who wish to practice in the areas of law associated with: entertainment (film, music, television, theater, live performance), publishing (book, software, video, on-line), visual art (painting, sculpture, lithography, photography, computer graphics), sports (professional, university, international, event-based), advertising, print, electronic) education (media production, teaching, library, distance education) or communications (print, radio, television, internet, cable, satellite).

Patent Law
Credit Hours: 3 / Instructor(s): Fellmeth
Patent Law is designed for students who have a career interest in intellectual property law as well as those who plan on specializing in patent law. A technical background is not required. The course will focus on the law of the Federal Circuit as practically applied to: (a) evaluating the kinds of technology that can be patented and under what conditions; (b) understanding transactions for the commercialization of inventions; and (c) enforcing patent rights in federal court. This course is a prerequisite for enrollment in either Patent Litigation or Advanced Patent Law, clinical seminars that expand on the enforcement of patent rights.

Patent Litigation
Credit Hours: 4 / Instructor(s):
This clinical seminar will explore—in the most practical terms—how to develop and integrate legal, procedural, evidentiary, commercial and strategic considerations within the context of two patent infringement case studies: In the first case study, participants will directly engage in validity, infringement, enforceability and economic analyses while representing opposing parties in negotiating and preparing a pre-litigation settlement agreement. In the second case study, seminar participants will be directly involved each phase of the litigation and trial preparation process, including the analysis of jurisdictional and special venue issues; the preparation of a complaint, answer and counterclaim; the development an efficient and effective discovery plan; the preparation of interrogatories; the preparation and taking of the inventor’s deposition; the analysis of file of original and reissue histories; the demonstrative presentation of design and utility claim interpretation; the analysis and presentation of proof relating to design and utility infringement (or non-infringement); and. the preparation and documentation of each major patent defense based on invalidity and unenforceability. Completion of PATENT LAW (or equivalent experience approved by professor) IS A PREREQUISITE. Completion or concurrent enrollment in Evidence and Civil Procedure is strongly recommended.

Advanced Patent Law
Credit Hours: 2 / Instructor(s):
This clinical seminar involves the study of Federal Circuit law as applied to the judicial enforcement of patent rights. Topical coverage is divided into two components: (a) a series of lectures on the unique legal, procedural, evidentiary, strategic and economic aspects of patent litigation; and, (b) a series of clinical projects in which participants research, investigate and prepare to pursue a single utility and design infringement case from pre-filing through summary judgment. The clinical component integrates seminar discussions with team preparation of case-specific documents and tasks, including: an infringement complaint; an answer and counterclaim; an initial set of interrogatories and admission requests; an economic analysis and settlement proposal; preparation for and taking of the inventor’s deposition; a midway case evaluation; preparation of claim interpretation charts and analysis; preparation of demonstrative exhibits for use in proving infringement; and, preparation of exhibits and analysis for proving patent validity based on Sections 101, 102, 103, 112 and 120. PREREQUISITE: PATENT LAW

Int'l Intellectual Property
Credit Hours: 2 / Instructor(s): Karjala
This course will consider patents, copyrights, and trademarks (as well as more specialized topics like geographic indications (why you can’t call your blue cheese “Roquefort” any more) under international law and the major international treaties – the Berne and Paris Conventions, the TRIPS (Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) Agreement, and NAFTA. We will also consider international enforcement and remedies. Other topics that may be taken up, time permitting, include internet regulation, the international protection of computer software and databases, and the impact of cultural rights on intellectual property. NO FORMAL PREREQUIAITES; however, Commercial Torts or a course in copyright or patent will be useful background.

Licensing Intangible Property
Credit Hours: 3 / Instructor(s):
This clinical seminar on Licensing will explore--in the most practical terms--how to strategize, structure, negotiate and document transactions involving intangible property. Based on a series of factually related case studies, participants will learn (through direct participation) how to integrate legal and business issues, formulate long-term strategies, negotiate with opposing counsel and jointly prepare contracts that implement: (a) confidentiality, trade secrecy and non-disclosure agreements; (b) product development agreements; (c) agreements to consolidate ownership of patent, trademark, copyrights, trade secrets and know-how; (d) field-of-use agreements; (e) joint venture manufacturing, distribution and marketing agreements; (f) non-exclusive licenses; (g) software agreements; (h) celebrity endorsement agreements; (i) book publishing agreements; (j) music publishing agreements; and, (k) merchandising agreements. Each of the substantive areas of law treated in Commercial Torts will be applied to transactional problems in Licensing. Participants will develop a professional level of licensing skills and a unique understanding for the growing number of legal principles that apply to all forms of intangible property, particularly within the context of commercialization.

Advanced Intangible Property
Credit Hours: 3 / Instructor(s):
The seminar involves research, discussion and analysis of the most critical emerging issues impacting each area of intangible property with an ongoing pragmatic focus on how law, economics and technology must be continually balanced to achieve long-term social and cultural goals. Completions of COMMERCIAL TORTS PLUS EITHER COPYRIGHT PRACTICE or PATENT LAW (or equivalent experience approved by professor) ARE PREREQUISITES. Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Evidence and Law Science and Technology is strongly recommended.

Law, Science & Technology
Credit Hours: 3 / Instructor(s): Marchant
This survey course is intended to provide the student with an introduction to the various ways in which the legal system interacts with science and technology, and the skills and knowledge necessary to address such issues. The course will examine the interactions and conflicts between law and science using a series of illustrative case studies addressing current issues such as the internet, cloning, air pollution, the Daubert standard for admission of scientific evidence, tobacco research, the Microsoft antitrust case, electric vehicles, digital copyright, genetically modified foods, global warming and privacy. No special background or expertise in science or technology is required to benefit from this course.

E-Commerce Seminar
Credit Hours: 2/3 / Instructor(s):
This course provides a current snapshot of the many legal issues raised by electronic commerce, and provides a framework for responding to problems that may arise in the future. There is a strong practical, problem-solving, component to this course and, therefore, wherever appropriate we will employ hypotheticals or business school-style case studies to drive the discussion, and we’ll use class exercises and simulations to highlight the legal, business, and policy challenges. Among the topics covered are: company networking, intellectual property management, privacy, electronic contracting, electronic payment systems, security, trusted systems, and other current issues as they arise. In addition to these more practical, topic-oriented areas, we will also introduce larger questions about the role of law in regulating e-commerce activities in domestic and international perspectives.

Business Associations I
Credit Hours: 3 / Instructor(s): Lynk
This is the first of our two-semester Business Associations sequence, dealing with the rights, duties, and liabilities of people who conduct business together in some form. Business Associations I covers basic principles of agency, partnerships, and limited liability companies. The second-semester course (BA II) deals primarily with the special problems of corporations. The emphasis will be on theory and its application. No background in accounting or finance is necessary, and all of our problems will be based on simple models that highlight the underlying theory. Our goal is to grapple with the basic policy question of how the law should best facilitate and regulate the establishment and operation of business organizations so as to promote economic growth while preventing abuses of economic power or the evasion of fiduciary responsibility.

Federal Income Taxation
Credit Hours: 3 / Instructor(s): Chodorow
This is the basic income tax course. Its objective is to give the student an overview of the Code provisions governing the taxation of individual income and a familiarity with the basic concepts and legal doctrines which courts employ in implementing those provisions.