College of Law clinic chosen to participate in US patent, trademark pilot programs

The College of Law has been selected to participate in two pilot programs of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) which will allow law students to represent clients, under faculty supervision, on issues related to their applications before the USPTO.

The Lisa Foundation Patent Law Clinic at the College of Law has been accepted into the USPTO’s Patent Law School Clinic Certification Pilot Program and its Trademark Law School Clinic Certification Pilot Program.

David J. Kappos, Director of the USPTO and Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property, said the College of Law and 10 other law schools were selected for the patent pilot because of their exemplary intellectual property curricula, effective outreach to inventor communities and comprehensive client services.

Regarding the trademark pilot, the USPTO cited the schools’ support of students’ hands-on learning, their commitment to networking in the community, comprehensive pro bono services and excellent case management system.

Michelle Gross, director of the Lisa Foundation Patent Law Clinic and an adjunct clinical professor at the College of Law, said its acceptance into the programs is a significant step in giving students valuable practical experience as temporarily registered practitioners and increasing their marketability upon graduation.

“The special provisions of these programs that provide for expedited examination of applications submitted will greatly enhance their educational experience because, in a single semester, students will not only be able to submit an application, but also experience multiple interactions with the USPTO,” said Gross, a 2009 alumna of the College of Law. “Normally, this process spans several years.”

The other schools are Case Western Reserve University School of Law, University of Colorado Law School, Fordham University School of Law, University of Maryland Francis Carey School of Law, North Carolina Central University School of Law, University of Notre Dame Law School, University of Puerto Rico Law School, Thomas Jefferson School of Law, University of Washington School of Law, and Wayne State University Law School.