Intellectual Property - Survey

Taught by Loren

This course surveys the main areas of intellectual property law,
including state trade secrecy and unfair competition law, and federal
patent, copyright, trademark law. It introduces each subject and
explores commonalities and differences among different systems of
intellectual property protection. A central theme is 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 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 is a formal
prerequisite to most other Intellectual Property courses

Each student enrolled in Professor Loren’s class may select to have
their grade based on either: (1) a series of four memo assignments
completed throughout the semester along with a one-hour multiple
choice exam at the end of the semester (limited to 20 students), or
(2) a standard three-hour exam at the end of the semester. Student
election of the grading method must be made at the end of the first
week of class.  If more than 20 students elect to complete the memo
assignments, a lottery will be held to determine which students will
have their grades determined by the memo assignments and multiple
choice exam. Students completing the memoranda will be required to
attend three separate sessions focused on writing craft throughout the
semester and will be eligible to satisfy the WIE writing requirement.
Class participation may also be considered in grading for the course.

Taught by Laakmann

This course surveys the main areas of intellectual property law,
including state trade secrecy and unfair competition law, and federal
patent, copyright, trademark law.  It introduces each subject and
explores commonalities and differences among different systems of
intellectual property protection.  A central theme is 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 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 is a formal
prerequisite to most other Intellectual Property courses.  Evaluation
will be by scheduled exam.