Intellectual property (IP) law—copyright, trademarks, patents—is fundamental to the legal rights of artists, authors, inventors, startups, and corporations in every sector of the economy. An understanding of IP law is essential for lawyers representing the proprietary interests of individuals, brands, and manufacturers—from fashion designers to professional athletes, from the pharmaceutical industry to Hollywood.
How can lawyers address challenges to ownership rights facing creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses in an age driven by AI and other emerging technologies?
The Law School’s location in New York City gives students the opportunity to study with expert practitioners who are well versed on cutting-edge issues in copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, and unfair competition law. Through simulations and externships, students gain practice negotiating and drafting IP agreements. They can also draw on resources such as the Kernochan Center for Law, Media, and the Arts and experiential learning opportunities.
Why Columbia?
Explore emerging and specialized topics, including media and advertising law, visual arts and music industry law, federal trademark and copyright litigation, international aspects of intellectual property, private law theory, and cybercrime.
Participate in simulations to gain practice negotiating and drafting IP agreements and serving as counsel to emerging digital businesses.
Gain hands-on experience by working on cases during externships, including at Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.
Network at events hosted by the Kernochan Center for Law, Media and the Arts. The center conducts intellectual property research, runs interdisciplinary seminars with other schools at Columbia University, hosts speakers and conferences, and awards prizes for outstanding journal articles on current IP topics.
Join other students as an editor of the Columbia Journal for Law & the Arts and the Columbia Science and Technology Law Review.
