Welcome to IP @ the U, a periodic newsletter for students, alumni, faculty and friends of the University of Utah College of Law's Program on Intellectual Property and Technology Law. This issue covers a range of IP highlights from the beginning of the Fall 2024 semester.
If you have news about IP events, accomplishments and milestones, please send them to our Program Director, Jorge Contreras.
USPTO DIRECTOR KATHI VIDAL AT MARRIOTT LIBRARY
Marriott Library celebrated the 40th Anniversary of Salt Lake City’s Patent and Trademark Resource Center in September with a visit from Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The event featured discussions of trademark and patent searching and IP in industries ranging from IP in life sciences & medical devices, outdoor recreation, sports, clothing design, games and finance.
USPTO Director Kathi Vidal
POLICY ACTIVITY – THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
In September, the College of Law was pleased to co-sponsor a debate on the intellectual property jurisdiction of the International Trade Commission (ITC) held at American University Washington College of Law in Washington DC. The event featured Judge Clark S. Cheney, Chief Administrative Law Judge of the ITC and Professor Contreras, together with a panel of experts from leading law firms and trade associations. The event was designed to continue the national debate over the ITC’s patent jurisdiction to which Prof. Contreras has actively contributed with an article forthcoming in the Harvard Journal of Law and Technology as well as testimony at a recent hearing convened by the US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Internet, Intellectual Property and Courts.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN IP WORKSHOP
In October, Professor Anderson hosted the Rocky Mountain IP Workshop at the College of Law. At this new annual event, IP scholars from the Rocky Mountain region (broadly construed) convene to discuss their latest research and writing. Participants this year included IP scholars from the University of Utah, BYU, University of Colorado, Vanderbilt, Denver University, University of North Dakota, Kansas University and Indiana University Bloomington.
Participants in the Rocky Mountain IP Workshop: (L to R) Sean Seymore, Blake Reid, Stephanie Plamondon, Nikola Datzov, Mark Janis, Bernard Chao, Andrew Torrance, Laura Dolbow, Jorge Contreras, Tim Holbrook, Viva Moffat, Jonas Anderson
USPTO CHINA IP ROAD SHOW
In September, the College of Law was pleased to host the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) 2024 China IP Roadshow. The event featured experts on Chinese law and business from government, legal practice and private industry, with a focus on helping Utah businesses enter and thrive in the Chinese market.
Michael Mangelson, Intellectual Property Counselor,
USPTO, U.S. Embassy, Beijing
SPRING IP AND TECHNOLOGY LAW COURSE OFFERINGS
We are excited by the number of intellectual property courses that will be offered in Spring 2025. Interested students can direct questions to Prof. Contreras.
Copyright Law (LAW 7876)
IP Advocacy, Policy & Access (LAW 7080)
Trademark & Unfair Competition (LAW 7058)
Data Privacy Practice (LAW 7005)
Law of Artificial Intelligence (LAW 7800-3)
Reddit, Crypto, ESG (LAW 7800-4)
Law & Biomedicine Colloquium (LAW 7889)
Giles Sutherland Rich Patent IP Moot Court (LAW 7096-3)