Course Details

Intellectual Property Litigation: Pretrial Skills

This class is designed to teach both analytical and practical skills for handling intellectual property disputes, using an imaginary fact pattern that takes the student-attorneys from the beginning of the case when the client first walks through the door up through a summary judgment motion. Along the way, student-attorneys will gain hands-on experience in dealing with pretrial considerations (including prefiling considerations and preparing cease and desist letters), initial pleadings in federal court, discovery, and preparation of a summary judgment argument. The class will involve patent and trademark issues. Student-attorneys will focus on both written and oral skills as part of this course. During the first half of the course, weekly assignments will focus on short writing assignments, and during the second half of the course, the emphasis will be on developing oral skills, such as questioning witnesses in a deposition. The primary objective of the course is to prepare student-attorneys for the types of assignments they would likely receive during their first few years of practice as intellectual property lawyers. Because this is a "hands-on" class in which students learn by doing, class attendance and participation is essential. PRE-REQUISITES/RESTRICTIONS: PPTYTORT 650 Intellectual Property is a required pre-requisite. PPTYTORT 651 Patent Law is preferred (but not required)

Catalog Number: LITARB 614A
Practice Areas: Civil Lit. and Dispute ResolutionIntellectual Property Practice AreaLegal Skills Development
Additional Course Information: Experiential Learning, Lit/Arb Concentration Elective


Course History

Fall 2023
Title: Intellectual Property Litigation: Pretrial Skills
Faculty: Cooperman, Marc S.
Mitrius, Janice (courses | profile)
Stockton, Richard Stephen
Patel, Binal J.
Fink, Katherine Laatsch
Section: 1     Credits: 2.0
Capacity: 12     Actual: 11

Fall 2021
Title: Intellectual Property Litigation: Pretrial Skills
Faculty: Cooperman, Marc S.
Mitrius, Janice (courses | profile)
Stockton, Richard Stephen
Fink, Katherine Laatsch
Section: 1     Credits: 2.0
Capacity: 12     Actual: 10