About Intellectual Property (3 credit doctrinal)

About Intellectual Property

Intellectual property, or “IP,” is at the center of some of today’s most important legal disputes, such as YouTube videos, cybersquatting disputes, the smartphone wars, and more. This course will focus primarily on the three main areas of federal intellectual property protection: trademarks, copyrights, and patents, as well as other areas, such as trade secrets and right of publicity (also known as “name, image, likeness” or NIL). In so doing, we’ll study historical and modern IP disputes with the goal of an integrated understanding of IP doctrine, theory, policy, and practice. Studies will go beyond mere cases and statutes into the real world of IP practice through experiential IP activities.  Instead, our classes will focus on learning-centered discussions using the Harkness method, an approach that places students at the forefront of learning as discussion leaders, and that will help to foster the knowledge and skills underlying IP practice.

IP certificate

This course qualifies as a “core” course for St. Thomas Law Intellectual Property Law certificate program.

Revised Jan. 9, 2024