Patent and Trade Secrets Law

Patents and trade secrets protect commercially valuable inventions and information respectively. As the information age and biotechnology progress, these legal monopolies and "know-how" have become increasingly important to commerce.

This course will examine: protectable subject matter (novelty, non-obviousness, secrecy and the problems with specific technologies such as as AI, computer software, business methods, methods of medical treatment and biotechnology); the mechanisms used to obtain protection (nationally and internationally); maintenance, how to read (construe) and how to enforce (litigate) a patent; and licensing. The scope and overlap of patent and trade secret protection will also be examined.