| About the Patent Clinic
The Patent Clinic is the result of the successful completion of a Patent Pilot Program (PPP) established at the University of Illinois College of Law in the spring of
2008. The prerequisite to participating in the Patent Clinic is completion of my Patent Prosecution course, where students learn the practical skills for drafting a patent application. In Patent Prosecution, all students draft a patent application relating to a single new innovation conceived by me.
Conversely, in the Patent Clinic, each law student has the opportunity to put their skills to practice by writing an individual patent application (under my supervision) for an undergraduate or graduate student invention. However, due to the fast pace and high level of competence required, participation in the Patent Clinic is only recommended for students who earned at least a B+ in Patent Prosecution. The Patent Clinic is currently only offered in the spring semester.
Most recently (spring 2009) we had seven law students participate. We worked with the Technology Entrepreneur Center (TEC) and
with participants in the Lemelson Innovation Competition and Cozad New
Venture Competition. From the dozens of innovations that were
considered, seven were selected (one per law student) and each law
student wrote a full patent application with regard to their chosen
innovation. The patent applications were then provided to the
inventors (although the inventors must resolve their rights with the Office of Technology Management before filing the patent application.)
In
our inaugural year (2008) we had six law students participate and we
drafted six full patent applications toward six innovations in cooperation with the TEC's Lemelson and Cozad Competitions.
Next
year and we look forward to an even more successful semester hopefully
with even more law student and inventor participation.
2010 Patent Clinic Intro Presentation - Presented Friday, January 22, 20102009 PPP Closing Presentation - Presented Friday, May 1, 2009 | |
2009 Innovations
Patent applications drafted in 2009 concerned:
- A video-related e-commerce system
- An improved solar-based water purifier
- A holography system
- A roof-based hydroponic system
- Improved materials for sporting equipment
- An e-commerce site for fashion management
- An internet security system
2008 Innovations
Congratulations to Pat Walsh!
Pat's
solar charged light product for use in impoverished rural India was one
of the six innovations that we wrote a patent application for during
the 2008 Patent Clinic. Pat is currently marketing his
product through his company Greenlight Planet. We wish Pat continued tremendous success!
The other patent applications drafted in 2008 concerned:
- Access assistance for quadriplegics
- An identification system for cancerous cells
- A lifesaving traffic safety device
- A microfluidic analysis laboratory tool
- A computer procesing management system
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