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IP PRO J.D. PROGRAM
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON SCHOOL OF LAW

University of Akron IP Center (UAIP) is proud to present the IP Pro JD

Students enroll in professional school because they want a career, not merely to take classes or obtain a credential. The primary goal of the IP Pro JD program is to help our students establish rewarding careers as intellectual property professionals.

A next-generation version of our intellectual property certificate, the IP Pro JD program goes far beyond a merely prescribing coursework to add a focus on experiences and guidance to transform students into effective IP lawyers.

With admission by application only, this program provides students with individual mentoring, hands-on skills training, and an intensive education in the law, business, and profession of intellectual property.

Our IP Pro JD program will offer students opportunities to begin working on their IP careers even before the first day of law school.

Our IP program is a center of excellence, and the IP faculty advise and mentor students to take full advantage of career opportunities. We offer further opportunities for students actively seeking careers in intellectual property, however. This improved career development will continue throughout each student’s law school career, following a plan developed by students with their mentors and advisors as they achieve a series of milestones on the path to a rewarding career.

Our program offers a broad variety of additional benefits for students interested in intellectual property, including:

  • Our career services office offers excellent guidance for students seeking IP jobs.
  • Our IP alumni base is supportive and provides many informal opportunities for networking.
  • Our IP student organization provides programs that advise students on career paths.

ADMISSION

Students can apply to the IP Pro JD program by indicating their interest in their application to the standard J.D. program. A STEM degree is not required for admission to the IP Pro JD program. (Students with STEM degrees who are interested in the Patent Bar Exam should express that interest as soon as possible, to facilitate taking the exam early.)

COURSEWORK

All IP Pro JD students enroll for their first fall semester in a specially designed 1-credit-hour course that focuses on developing each student’s IP career goals. The course will introduce students to intellectual property and technology law and will feature guest speakers to talk about their careers in the field. Students will also spend time researching and developing a career plan to obtain their first jobs in IP and beyond.

The program will offer several tracks for students to specialize in specific types of practice. The following table illustrates the available tracks and which courses are most suited to each. The full list of IP courses is available on the UAIP website.