Intellectual Property (IP) is one of the most dynamic and fastest growing areas of legal practice and represents roughly 20 percent of the American economy. Technology and social media are enabling the rapid distribution of content to millions of mobile phones, laptops and tablets across the globe, with new legal questions surfacing every day. Every lawyer, from the solo practitioner to in-house counsel to transactional and litigation lawyers in large firms will increasingly be faced with IP issues. Students with an IP concentration will be prepared for the “knowledge” economy of the 21st century.

Loyola has once again placed itself ahead of the law school curve by approving a new Concentration this Spring that will go into effect in the 2012-13 academic year. The IP Concentration requires successful completion of 16 units in qualifying courses including a “capstone” course that may consist of an externship in a related industry or advocacy placement, or an IP-related moot court, colloquium or skills course. Students with work experience in IP, which would otherwise be duplicated by a capstone experience, may waive out of the requirement upon approval by the Concentration advisor, Karl Manheim.

The concentration also offers an optional sub-concentration (specialty) in Patent and Technology law. Students selecting that specialty must complete 12 units (as part of the 16) in designated courses. A table of qualifying courses can be found on the Concentration website:  http://www.lls.edu/academics/concentrations/ip.html.

Some of the courses for the IP concentration may also qualify for other concentrations (e.g., Entertainment Law, Corporate Law). While students may seek designation in two distinct concentrations upon meeting the qualifications for each, a separate capstone (experiential) requirement must be satisfied for each.