LAW 6512: Intellectual Property Law

James Grimmelmann

Cornell Tech

Fall 2022

Overview

This is a survey course in intellectual property (IP) law. It covers the what, when, who, how, and why of IP: what kinds of information can be protected, when these rights arise, who owns them, how they are enforced, and why the legal system goes to all this trouble. Topics covered include trade secret, patent, copyright, trademark, copyright, false advertising, right of publicity, design, biotechnology, and software.

Course Outcomes

Students who complete this course will be able to:

For more information about previous versions of the course, including syllabi and final exams, consult my courses webpage.

Who is This Course For?

Anyone at Cornell Tech can take this course. There are no prerequisites. All are welcome.

If you have not studied IP before, the course is a self-contained introduction.

If you have studied IP before, the course’s breadth and strategic focus distinguish it from other IP courses.

This course is also appropriate for non-law students. Rather than getting into the weeds of IP doctrine, it lays a solid foundation for thinking about what kinds of information are and are not subject to legal protection, and for devising legally sound strategies for protecting and using information.

Policies

Please see the course policies document for information about COVID-19 safety; inclusion; names, titles and pronouns; the history of the site where the course takes place; academic integrity; unauthorized collaboration policy; accessibility and accommodations for disabilities; class recordings; and professionalism.

Logistics

Contact

This syllabus is at http://james.grimmelmann.net/courses/ip2021F.

Email: james.grimmelmann@cornell.edu
Huddle: Bloomberg 370
Desk: Bloomberg 3 NW, near the bookshelves

My office hours are whenever I’m free during the workday. You can sign up for a slot using the link on Canvas. We can meet in person in my huddle. If you need to meet via Zoom, there’s a link on Canvas. Just tell me to expect you on Zoom so I know to open my computer.

If none of the available times work for you, send me an email or DM me on the Cornell Tech Slack.

It is also always fine just to swing by to see if I’m free. If I have headphones on, just catch my eye. If my huddle door is closed, it’s closed for a reason (usually a call or a meeting) – send me an email! If it’s open, come on in! If I’m not around, email is generally best.

There are two required readings for the course. Both of them are free.

The following are not required but you may find them useful:

Class

Our class sessions will be devoted almost entirely to discussing the problems from the textbook. To prepare for class, read the assigned section of the textbook and then work through the assigned problems. I will generally not lecture on the readings, nor will I expect you to answer questions on them. Instead, focus on preparing good answers to the problems, drawing on the readings as needed.

Attendance in class is required. Especially in view of the other significant demands on your time, I will be understanding about conflicts and flexible in working with you to make alternative arrangements as needed. That said, consistent unexcused absences are not okay, and may lead to a reduced grade or exclusion from the course (after reasonable written warning). Please arrive promptly. I promise that we will end on time, but that means we must start on time. Bring the readings with you, either on your computer or in hard copy.

Questions are always welcome, even when we are discussing something else. Occasionally I will ask you to hold a question because we are about to answer it in a few minutes when discussing another case, but otherwise I will do my best to answer all questions immediately. If something is unclear to you, it is probably unclear to your classmates as well – and sometimes it is unclear to me, too.

Assignments

Your work for this class will consist of the following:

First, do the assigned readings and participate in class discussions. I will sometimes ask you to post on Canvas your answers to short problems from the textbook in advance of class (e.g., drafting a short patent claim). These will be factored into the class-participation portion of your grade; I will give full credit for any diligent and good faith attempt.

Second, there will be a midterm of ~2000 words. It will place you in a professional role (e.g., advising the CEO of a startup about the IP risks from a proposed product) and require you to provide appropriate analysis. It will be available on Friday, October 7 and due by 11:59 PM on Sunday, October 16.

Third, there will be a take-home final examination of ~4000 words. It will consist of one or two questions that follow the same basic parameters as the writing assignment. The exam will be available on Wednesday, December 7, and due by 11:59 AM on Thursday, December 15.

All written work will be blind-graded; I will provide instructions to ensure appropriate anonymity.

Grading

Your grades will be determined as follows:

I may adjust grades up or down by one third of a grade (e.g. B+ to A-) for consistently good or poor class participation, or, in truly exceptional circumstances, by two thirds. I consider good class participation to be anything that helps your fellow students learn, and poor participation to be anything that obstructs their learning.

The final course grades will conform to Cornell Law School’s grading curve, which require that all courses be curved to a mean grade of 3.35., i.e. very close to B+.

Schedule

We will usually meet Mondays and Wednesdays 11:25 to 12:40 in room 61 in the basement of the Bloomberg Center. Our first session will be on Monday, August 22, and our final session will be Monday, December 5. We will not meet on:

I will post reading assignments here as the course progresses. Assignments with dates in the past are what we actually did; assignments with specific section numbers in the future are my best guess as to when we will cover the material. Assignments without section numbers should be regarded as speculative fiction; I reserve the right to pivot before we reach them.

Ideas and Trade Secret

Utility Patent

Copyright

Writing assignment due by Sunday, October 16, 11:59 PM

Trademark

Advertising

Right of Publicity

Design

Case Studies

Review

Examinations