American University Washington College of Law is perennially recognized as among the top places in the world to study intellectual property law. The program builds on AUWCL's other major strengths, including in international law, public interest law and clinical legal education. The law school’s diverse and innovative courses offer students the opportunity to develop a broad and deep expertise in intellectual property and information law subjects, including through a unique LL.M Degree in Intellectual Property Law. AUWCL's first of its kind Intellectual Property Clinic and path-breaking Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property anchor an academic environment that is unique in the world.
The Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property (PIJIP) is the institutional home of the internationally recognized intellectual property and information law research and academic program of AU WCL. PIJIP implements AUWCL’s motto – Champion What Matters – through a large array of research and public impact projects that focus on promoting the public interest in intellectual property and information law. PIJIP projects include the hosting of www.infojustice.org, a leading IP news and analysis blog, and Creative Commons-U.S. – the U.S. affiliate of the global network of Creative Commons membership organizations. PIJIP hosts dozens of events, meetings and conferences every year.
AUWCL's LL.M. in Intellectual Property is designed for U.S. and foreign attorneys who seek specialized knowledge in the complex, rapidly evolving and increasingly global field of intellectual property law. The LL.M requires successful completion of 24 credits of coursework, including the writing of a thesis or an equivalent substantial written work product.
Short courses offered through PIJIP’s Intellectual Property Summer Sessions in Washington D.C. and Geneva, Switzerland, create excellent opportunities to combine classroom work with experiential learning two centers of global intellectual property law and policy.
A variety of student managed organizations and publications promote active intellectual engagement and professional networking opportunities.
Students at WCL have ample opportunities to receive one-on-one advising and other interaction with members of one of the largest alumni networks in the world.
Students have worked in a wide variety of intellectual property-focused organizations through Washington College of Law's unique Supervised Externship Program. Examples of regular hosts for IP-intersted students include the U.S. Copyright Office, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the Federal Communications Commission, legislative committees of Congress, the World Bank, communications, media and industry associations and non-profit advocacy organizations and associations.
WCL students regularly receive fellowships supported by universities and civil society groups for recent law school graduates who wish to research public interest areas of intellectual property law.
WCL students have won cash, scholarships and publication through a number of writing competitions focused specifically on intellectual property. See enclosed for examples.
WCL students have recieved a variety of public and private scholarships for those particularly interested in intellectual property law, including those linked above.