Notre Dame Law School’s Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Clinic (Clinic) will be the first law school clinic to include Master of Science in Patent Law (MSPL) students practicing in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)  Law School Clinic Certification Pilot Program (Program).

Launched in January 2012, the Clinic provides students with valuable experience in applying substantive intellectual property law to client problems, and offers assistance to local businesses and entrepreneurs with counsel on intellectual property related issues.  Under the supervision of a licensed practitioner, law school students participating in the Clinic are able to practice both patent and trademark law at the USPTO, including preparing and filing applications, responding to Office Actions, and communicating with USPTO examiners.

In a first for non-law school students, the USPTO has now extended participation in the patent portion of the Program to University of Notre Dame MSPL students, through the Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Clinic.  In conjunction with the Law School’s Clinic, the USPTO has authorized a two-year trial enrollment for MSPL students, beginning in January 2014. MSPL students in the Clinic will work exclusively on patent matters, helping expand capacity in this high-demand area of intellectual property practice, and under the direct supervision of the Clinic’s Director.  By participating in the Clinic, MSPL students will gain first-hand, practical experience through assisting real clients.

A one-year, graduate-level program, the Master of Science in Patent Law prepares students with a technical background to pass the USPTO’s Patent Bar and to succeed in daily practice as a patent agent or patent examiner.