Maurer School of Law IP clinical program certified for pro bono practice before U.S. patent office

  • July 31, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana University Maurer School of Law’s new intellectual property clinical program, a project of the Center for Intellectual Property Research,  has been selected to join the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Law School Clinic Certification Pilot Program, effective in the fall of 2014.

Certification will enable students to practice patent and trademark law before the federal patent office as part of their pro bono representation of clients of the law school’s intellectual property law clinic. Fewer than 25 percent of the nation’s law schools have been selected to participate in the pilot program, and fewer still are certified in both patent and trademark law.

“We are delighted to partner with the USPTO in this important effort to provide pro bono IP services to early-stage entrepreneurs in Indiana,” said Mark D. Janis, the Robert A. Lucas Chair of Law and director of the law school’s Center for Intellectual Property Research. “Our students will gain invaluable hands-on experience in intellectual property practice, and our clients will benefit from the technical advice they need in order to secure rights in their innovations.”

Since its formation earlier this year, the school’s intellectual property clinic has already represented several clients on patent matters. Complemented by the general corporate counseling work of the law school's Elmore Entrepreneurship Clinic, the intellectual property clinic expects to support innovators referred by Indiana University Research and Technology Corp., the Purdue Foundry, Rose-Hulman Ventures and the Naval Weapons Support Center Crane, among others. The clinic has received crucial seed funding from IU’s Office of the Vice Provost for Research and volunteer assistance from intellectual property attorneys at the Indianapolis office of Faegre Baker Daniels.

"Innovation is the key to economic development in Indiana,” Janis said. “Through the work of the clinics, we’re playing an active role in the economic life of the state, and we’re extremely proud of that. At the same time, we’re providing intensive practical skills training for Maurer law students who aspire to practice intellectual property law.”

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Mark D. Janis

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