Patent Law in Practice

NOTE: This course is remote.

This section is for  JD and LLM students only. MSPL students may enroll in #5025.

Patent Law in Practice examines patent law and related areas of intellectual property and technology law through the lens of professional practice. Practice courses are a critical component of developing students’ understanding of how legal doctrine operates in real-world settings, providing a forum in which experienced practitioners discuss their work, decision-making, and career paths.

A guest-speaker–driven format allows students to engage directly with professionals who are actively practicing in the field and to gain exposure to perspectives that are difficult to capture through case law alone. The field of patents spans the intersection of business, technology, innovation, and law, and patent lawyers operate in a wide range of roles and institutional contexts.

Through weekly sessions led by practicing professionals, students are introduced to how patent issues arise, are evaluated, and are addressed across the lifecycle of innovation. Topics may include the formation of client relationships, invention and patent creation, patent strategy, licensing and transactions, infringement and dispute resolution, international patent issues, and institutional settings such as startups, established companies, and universities.

Speakers may include in-house and law firm attorneys, inventors, executives, technology transfer professionals, and other practitioners working at the intersection of law and technology. The course is structured around practitioner-led discussions and emphasizes exposure to professional judgment, strategic considerations, and the realities of patent practice across different sectors and career paths.