Intellectual Property Law

Students in the intellectual property clinic work with the intellectual property laws that govern the messages and symbols that populate our shared media ecosystem. The intellectual clinic recognizes that many of the most interesting clients cannot afford an attorney and works with those artists, small businesses, non-profits, and individuals to protect their creations, brands, and confidential information from misappropriation. 

The intellectual property clinic files trademark applications and copyright applications to secure federal recognition of its clients’ rights. It also files and defends claims for and against its clients before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board as well as state and federal courts. Students negotiate agreements on behalf of artists and small businesses that help them avoid future disputes. By providing such variegated services to qualifying clients, students in the clinic are able to find creative solutions to the problems they face. 

Legal interns in the clinic work under the supervision of clinician Anderson J. Duff, an intellectual property litigator, as shown in the documentary Chop & Steele (2022), and occasional producer of documentary films such as Life on the Farm (2022).