Intellectual Property Certificate
Students completing their Juris Doctor (JD) or Master of Laws (LLM) full time and on campus at ASU Law can supplement and enhance their degree with the Intellectual Property (IP) Law Certificate. The certificate provides focused coursework, faculty mentorship and experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for careers in intellectual property law. Students develop practical skills in patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret law while engaging with the Wolin Family Center for Intellectual Property. This certificate is available only to JD and LLM students currently enrolled at ASU Law.
Students completing the certificate will gain the ability to:
- Identify and analyze intellectual property issues
- Apply intellectual property statutes and legal doctrines
- Draft and evaluate intellectual property agreements
- Analyze infringement claims and defenses
- Support intellectual property litigation strategy
- Conduct intellectual property legal research
- Evaluate intellectual property as a business asset
- Navigate emerging issues involving artificial intelligence, biotechnology and other evolving technologies
The certificate prepares students for intellectual property and technology-related work in private practice, corporate legal departments, government, universities, research institutions, startups and other organizations that create or manage innovative and creative assets.
Potential career pathways include:
- Intellectual property, copyright, trademark or patent associate
- Intellectual property litigation associate
- Technology transactions or licensing attorney
- Brand protection or intellectual property enforcement counsel
- Corporate intellectual property or technology counsel
- Product or commercial counsel
- Entertainment and media attorney
- Startup or innovation counsel
- Intellectual property portfolio or licensing manager
- Technology commercialization counsel
- Privacy, data or technology risk counsel
- University or research-institution counsel
Some patent-focused positions may require a scientific or technical background and eligibility to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Certificate requirements
To earn the Intellectual Property Law Certificate, students must fulfill the following requirements:
Coursework requirement
Students must complete a minimum of 15 credit hours consisting of three required courses and at least two approved elective courses.
Core coursework provides a foundation in the principal areas of intellectual property law, while electives allow them to tailor the certificate to their interests in subsequent legal areas.
Additional courses may be approved by the Faculty Director or Executive Director of the Wolin Family Center for Intellectual Property.
Complete 9 credits from the following courses:
- LAW664 - Intellectual Property
- LAW646 - Copyright Law
- LAW644 - Trademark and Unfair Competition Law
- LAW645 - Patent Law
- LAW668 - Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants
Complete 6 credits from the following courses:
- LAW608 - Taxation of Business Entities
- LAW646 - Copyright Law
- LAW644 - Trademark and Unfair Competition Law
- LAW645 - Patent Law
- LAW668 - Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants
- LAW769 - International Intellectual Property
- LAW633 - Law, Litigation, and Science
- LAW732 - Patent Preparation and Prosecution
- LAW705 - Media Law
- LAW703 - Law, Science, and Technology
- LAW649 - Scientific Evidence
- LAW633 - Law, Litigation, and Science
- LAW689 - Health Technologies, Innovation and the Law
- LAW724 - Privacy
- LAW714 - Biotechnology: Science, Law and Policy
- LAW777 - Entrepreneurship and Small Business Clinic
- LAW779 - Lisa Foundation Patent Law Clinic
- LAW696 - Privacy, Big Data and Emerging Technologies
- LAW691 - Seminar
- LAW791 - Seminar
The following special topics have been approved for the IP Certificate:
- LAW 691: Patent Preparation & Prosecution, Patent Appeals at the USPTO, Intellectual Property Litigation, Copyright Litigation, Entertainment Law, Entertainment Business Contracts
- LAW 791: High Tech Licensing, AI: Strategic Protection of Emerging Technologies with IP, Patent Licensing & Enforcement, Software Intellectual Property Law and Agreements
Students must complete at least 2 elective courses in addition to the 3 core course requirements. Any other course approved by the Faculty Director or Executive Director of the Wolin Center can be added to the elective qualifications.
- The list of Elective Courses is subject to revision by the Center’s Faculty Director or Executive Director with the advice of the Center Faculty Fellows. Web listings may sometimes lag behind new approvals – for the most up to date course information or questions, contact the Center Director(s).
- Graduate seminars (500 level or higher) in other departments and/or independent study with Center Faculty Fellows in ASU Law, as approved by the Center Faculty Director or Executive Director, may serve as elective courses.
- Clinics listed above may qualify for two courses when taken for six credits. Credit for the course component of the clinic is automatic; additional credit for the clinical component is assumed, but will be evaluated by the Center Director, based on the clinical work performed.
Minimum average grade requirement
Each student must earn a cumulative average grade of at least a “B” for the courses taken to satisfy the Coursework Requirement of the IP Law Certificate. A student may take one elective course on a Pass/Fail basis.
Courses used to satisfy the core or qualifying courses component of the Coursework Requirement may not be taken Pass/Fail, unless the course is only offered on a Pass/Fail basis.
Active participation in Wolin Family Center for IP requirement
Each student must participate in at least one of the following approved activities for two semesters:
- Patent Clinic
- Membership on a moot court team involving IP substantive areas (by approval from Center Director)
- IP-related externships (by approval from Center Director)
- Networking opportunities and career programming through the Wolin Family Center for Intellectual Property
- Membership and active participation in one of the following student organizations:
- Law and Science Student Association (LASSA)
- Intellectual Property Student Association (IPSA)
These experiences help students develop practical skills that translate directly to law firms, corporate legal departments, startups, research institutions and innovation-focused organizations.
Students are also encouraged to participate in as many Wolin-sponsored events as possible, including conferences, symposia and other activities.
Writing requirement
Each student must satisfy their Graduation Writing Requirement (GWR) on a topic related to intellectual property, advised by an IP Faculty Fellow. Students may elect to complete their GWR as part of a course or a law journal, or through an independent study.
The IP Law Certificate program does not typically require a paper in addition to the ASU Law's GWR requirement. If students have already completed their GWR before enrollment in the program, they may substitute another paper of similar length that is on a related topic and advised by an IP Faculty Fellow.
This requirement will be monitored by the Wolin director and confirmed by the registrar.
Unforeseen or exigent circumstances
The Faculty Director and Executive Director shall have joint authority to modify, waive or reconfigure the program requirements in particular instances where necessary to promote equity and fairness in the event of unforeseen complications or exigent circumstances.
Application process
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through the College of Law’s internal application system. Students should apply early enough to receive advising regarding course selection and certificate completion.
Applicants must:
- Be currently enrolled in an eligible Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law degree program.
- Be in good academic standing.
- Satisfy any applicable College of Law and Graduate College requirements.
For more information, please contact Daniel Drane III, Executive Director, Wolin Family Center for Intellectual Property and the Center for Law, Science and Innovation.
Questions?
For any questions, please contact Daniel Drane III, Executive Director, Wolin Family Center for Intellectual Property and the Center for Law, Science and Innovation, at [email protected].