Academic Programs
Intellectual Property Law & Information Technology
Intellectual property law is one of the most rapidly growing and dynamic areas of law. The exponential growth of e-commerce, new technologies, biotechnologies and global markets has led to a demand for highly-trained lawyers who have the expertise and skills to practice in this ever-changing environment.
DePaul’s intellectual property law and information technology (IP/IT) concentration stands in the forefront of IP/IT legal education and consistently ranks among the best in the nation. With nine full-time faculty members, a broad and innovative curriculum, a specialized first-year legal writing section and unparalleled assistance in job placement, DePaul's IP/IT program is deserving of the national recognition it has garnered since its inception more than a decade ago.
While the IP/IT program has become nationally known for its academic programs and faculty scholarship, students who participate in the program particularly appreciate the effort made by DePaul faculty and staff to assist them with their career development. The program has a number of committed DePaul IP/IT alumni who are eager to mentor students in an effort to assist them in developing career strategies.
IP/IT Certificate Programs
The IP/IT program at DePaul offers nearly 40 courses covering a broad range of patent, copyright, trademark and information technology issues. For students wishing to specialize in IP/IT as they pursue their Juris Doctor (JD), there are four certificate options:
To earn a certificate, a student must complete the 86 semester hours required for the JD and satisfy all JD requirements. Within the elective coursework required for the JD, a student must complete 15 credit hours from the approved intellectual property law curriculum with a minimum GPA of 3.20 in those courses.
Joint Degree Programs
In addition to the JD, students accepted into one of DePaul’s joint degree programs also can receive master’s degrees in areas that prepare them for specialized legal careers in IP/IT. Available joint degrees include:
- JD/MS or JD/MA with DePaul’s College of Computing & Digital Media
- JD/MBA with DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business
Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Intellectual Property
Law graduates can enhance their legal education and broaden the scope of their practice potential through the Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Intellectual Property. Viewed as one of the most comprehensive programs in the country, DePaul’s LL.M. program addresses the growing demand for attorneys with specialized training in IP law.
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Legal Analysis, Research & Communication
Our unique legal writing program places specific emphasis on current topics in IP/IT as part of the first-year Legal Research, Analysis & Communication curriculum. Admission to the section is highly competitive. Students awarded seats represent top undergraduate and graduate institutions.
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Technology/Intellectual Property Clinic
The Technology/Intellectual Property Clinic provides students with a unique, for-credit clinical experience advising artists, authors, musicians and inventors. Among other tasks, students prepare and prosecute trademark applications and copyright registrations, evaluate claims of copyright and trademark infringement, draft license and confidentiality agreements, and review recording and publishing contracts. The clinic also has assisted clients in defending actions to cancel or oppose their trademark registrations. While the clinic does not file patent applications, students help novice inventors understand the steps necessary to protect their inventions.
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Field Placement Program: IP/IT
The Field Placement Program is another way to obtain valuable experience in IP/IT while earning course credit. Recent externships have included placements with judges in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois; the World Intellectual Property Organization, New York City; the U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C.; and the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago.
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Special Programs
Center for Intellectual Property Law & Information Technology (CIPLIT®)
CIPLIT was established to promote research and concentrated study of intellectual property and information technology law broadly defined. It seeks to develop IP/IT professionals of the highest caliber through a unique, all-inclusive learning experience that combines outstanding classroom education, innovative scholarship, first-class lawyering skills training, and an unparalleled range of extracurricular activities.
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Center for Art, Museum & Cultural Heritage Law
The Center, which is affiliated with the law school’s Center for Intellectual Property Law & Information Technology, offers a two-course sequence on art and the law and a seminar in cultural property law. These courses are complemented by upper-level externship opportunities with, among others, the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago History Museum, Spertus Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art and U.S. Department of State Cultural Heritage Center. Through such placements, students engage in extensive copyright-related projects, repatriation of cultural items to Native American tribes, and accession and deaccession issues within museum collections, helping prepare them for work in museums and the art world after graduation.
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DePaul Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law
Published biannually under the direction of a student editorial board, the DePaul Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law provides students with the opportunity to write, publish and edit scholarly articles. The Journal addresses current legal issues in the areas of intellectual property, cultural property, the arts and information technology.
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IP Law Society
Working with CIPLIT, the student-run Intellectual Property Law Society connects DePaul students with the IP legal community through mentoring, publishing the IP Legal Digest and hosting practicing IP professionals as guest speakers.
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Annual IP/IT Events
Each year, CIPLIT hosts a number of events for students, faculty, alumni and the IP bar. These events include the Annual Niro Distinguished Intellectual Property Lecture, featuring an influential figure in IP/IT who addresses faculty, students and attorneys on current IP/IT issues; an annual conference on emerging issues in patent law, cyberlaw and copyright law, which brings together leading researchers and thinkers in advanced technology, law and policy; and the Hosier Distinguished Visiting Intellectual Property Scholars Series, in which leading national and international IP scholars share their expertise with students through specialized courses and lectures.
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IP/IT Summer Job Program
Students who excel in the first-year IP legal writing program and other first-year courses may participate in CIPLIT’s summer job program, in which faculty and staff assist students with career development and placement in a variety of firms and organizations. These job opportunities provide students with valuable legal experience as a significant first step on their career paths.
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Full-Time Faculty
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Barbara B. Bressler Benjamin E. Alba Patty Gerstenblith Ellen Gutiontov Roberta R. Kwall |
Margit Livingston John C. Roberts Matthew Sag Vadim Shifrin Anthony G. Volini |
