This course will introduce students to fundamental principles of U.S. copyright law. The legal protection of "creative" content as an intangible property right has been statutorily recognized in the U.S. for over 200 years. While legal rights in such works are often seen as rooted in economic rationale, the law has changed over time, in response to technological challenges and international developments. The course will therefore also provide students with an understanding of how U.S. copyright law functions and adapts in this changing environment. Students with an interest in any branch of modern intellectual property law and how it responds to modern challenges will benefit from this course. Eligibility: Open to all except 1Ls. Course format: lecture. Grading: final exam, 100%.

This course will introduce students to the principles of searching trademarks records at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, underscoring the connection between trademark prosecution practice and trademark law theory. The course will provide students with strategies for navigating Trademark Office records from a former Trademark Examining Attorney and with an understanding of how the U.S. trademark registration process functions under the Lanham Act. Students with an interest in trademark prosecution, litigation and transactional practice will benefit from this course.

This course offers broad exposure to various legal issues confronted by mass media enterprises, ranging from traditional broadcasters and similar internet-based services, to the major internet platforms and the new class of ?media enterprises? that they spawned, such as YouTube influencers and TikTok stars. By examining current issues and events, students will navigate areas of law including defamation, rights of publicity and privacy, newsgathering and right of access, advertising, broadcast and internet regulation, intellectual property, and antitrust ? to understand how the law?s staple doctrines apply to the business of producing and distributing news, information, and entertainment for mass audiences.

In the life sciences industry, which encompasses pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals, patent protection and exclusivity rights are of critical importance. For industry innovators, patents and exclusivity rights are essential for companies and academic institutions to protect and recoup the very substantial research and development investments that are made to discover and develop new medicines and biologics that can treat and cure ailments, diseases, and other medical conditions. For generic drug and biosimilar manufacturers, challenging those patents?and the financial incentives to do so?allows them to manufacture and market affordable medicines with relatively small investments. The Federal Courts, U.S. Congress, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have created a body of case law, statutes, and regulations that are tailored to this industry. These laws and regulations provide both incentives to innovators to bring new products to market, and also incentives to those who seek to market generic equivalents or biosimilars of the products before the innovators? patent rights and exclusivities expire. This course will delve into many of the laws and regulations that should be understood by anyone who is interested in patent litigation, prosecution, or licensing in the life sciences industry.