Introduction to Intellectual Property

This course will survey the protection of proprietary rights in inventions, writings, creative expression, trade secrets, and other intangible intellectual products by federal patent, copyright, trademark and unfair competition law, and by state trade secrecy and unfair competition law.  A central theme will be the challenges to traditional legal paradigms posed by new technologies and the shift to an information-based economy.  The course is intended for all students who anticipate having corporate clients and seek a basic understanding of the laws applicable to key assets of most businesses, as well as for students interested in becoming intellectual property specialists.  This course does not replace (and is not a prerequisite for) Copyrights, Patent Law, Trademarks, or any other intellectual property course.