Intellectual Property Clinic

The Intellectual Property Clinic provides Penn State Law – University Park students an opportunity to gain practice-ready skills in intellectual property law. Under the clinic director, students will provide legal services to the clinic’s start-up clients in much the same manner as practicing IP lawyers.

Students in the clinic will engage in client counseling regarding patents and trademarks and other intellectual property.  Projects may include: preparing and prosecuting US patent applications before the US Patent and Trademark office, performing patentability searches, developing a patent portfolio strategies for early-stage companies, performing diligence (i.e. freedom to operate studies and/or patent landscape analysis), and registering US Trademarks.  Students will adhere to standard patent law office practices such as conflict checks, maintenance of strict confidentiality, docketing, and time-recordation. Students will learn and conform to the professional responsibilities of lawyers engaged in IP transactional practice as well as the Rules of Ethics of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The clinic will meet as a weekly class to discuss current client cases, intellectual property law in practice, ethics, and special projects. In addition, students will interface with clients in-person, via telephone, and via email to discuss client intake, IP evaluation, and counseling. Students will also meet individually, as necessary, with the clinic director regarding the representation of particular clients and special projects.

Visit the Intellectual Property Clinic site for more information.

This course satisfies the experiential learning requirement.