Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic

The Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic at the University of Connecticut's School of Law provides students with the unique opportunity to counsel Connecticut's innovators on an extensive range of intellectual property (patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret) and related business law issues.

The IP Law Clinic was established by the Connecticut legislature as part of UConn's Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CCEI), to strengthen Connecticut's economy with innovative new programs aimed at supporting emerging companies. Because innovators encounter challenges arising from both the law and the marketplace, CCEI partners the Law School's IP Law Clinic with the Business School's Innovation Accelerator at a facility located at 222 Pitkin St. in East Hartford.

During its first eighteen months of operation, the Clinic has already assisted more than 60 Connecticut-based clients. The clinic's law students, under the guidance of supervising attorneys, have advised clients regarding numerous legal issues including patent searches and applications, patent licensing, trademark clearance and registration, copyright licensing, nondisclosure and employee confidentiality agreements, and formation of business entities.

The Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic combines three of the finest traditions at the University of Connecticut's School of Law—its broad-based commitment to clinical education, its innovative approach to the study of intellectual property law, and its dedication to serving the people of Connecticut.

To learn more, contact the clinic at iplawclinic@law.uconn.edu.

IP Law Clinic students represent individuals, small businesses, and non-profit organizations in a broad range of intellectual property (patent, trademark, and copyright) and related business law issues. The clinical experience provides intensive training in both the relevant law and practical skills relevant to intellectual property law practice.

Students will spend three hours per week in class and approximately eight hours per week working on client matters. Class topics fall into four general segments relating to intellectual property:

• Nuts and Bolts (basic lawyering skills and legal ethics)
• Transactions
• Litigation
• Other topics (antitrust, due diligence).

The clinic's law students are involved in all aspects of client matters, including but not limited to conducting interviews, legal research, and drafting documents. Under the guidance of supervising attorneys, they have advised clients regarding numerous legal issues including patent, trademark and copyright searches/clearances and applications; licenses and related contract drafting; nondisclosure and employee confidentiality agreements, and business entity formation.

A scientific or engineering background may be helpful but is not required. Prerequisite: Intellectual Property (LAW 7715) or Patent Law (LAW 7716) or Trademark Law (LAW 7939).

Our clients are drawn from Connecticut's innovator-entrepreneurs who have basic intellectual property and business law needs.

Client services currently available include, but are not limited to, patent searches and provisional patent applications, trademark clearance and registration applications, copyright and trade secret matters, drafting and negotiating intellectual property agreements, and basic entity formation.

Although Clinic services are free, clients are responsible for certain costs that may be necessary for the Clinic to provide assistance, including, for example, the fees for filing a patent, trademark or copyright, or the fees to register a corporation, etc.

To learn more, contact the Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic at iplawclinic@law.uconn.edu. If the Clinic is unable to provide assistance to prospective clients itself, we will try to direct them to other legal resources.

• Hillary Greene, Associate Professor of Law and Director, Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic
• Geoffrey G. Dellenbaugh, Assistant Clinical Professor of Law and Supervising Attorney, Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic
  

Important Information about the Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic

• The Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic is staffed with Supervising Attorneys, who over see the work performed by law students.
• All information shared with the Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic is subject to attorney/client privilege.
• We will notify you promptly whether the Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic decides to accept your case.