The Program

Brochure

The innovations that produce economic growth and social progress first arise as ideas. The cost of bringing a new idea to market can be extraordinarily high, but the cost of copying that idea is often very cheap. Intellectual property law tries to balance society’s interest in having incentives to create intellectual property with the need to distribute that property optimally for social benefit. The ability of digital technologies to copy and exploit the advantages of unique intellectual achievements presents new challenges for intellectual property law, making it one of the fastest-growing legal specialties in the United States.

Flash Video Prof. Chris Sprigman discusses the intellectual property program and his personal research in copyright law and the fashion industry.

Being a good intellectual property lawyer requires adaptability in a dynamic field and an understanding of the realities of producing intellectual works. Two patent and licensing clinics offer students hands-on experience with learning how and when to file patents and draft licensing agreements, as well as dealing with clients in the science and technology fields. Students interested in intellectual property benefit from Virginia's Program in Law & Business, which brings business and legal analysis into the classroom through courses in accounting and finance, as well as from enhanced core business law courses and short courses taught by senior counsel and executive officers from major corporations. .
 

Program | Curriculum | Patent & Licensing Clinics
Faculty | Student Organizations