“We anticipate this joint collaboration will enhance the quality of
Washington and Lee law school’s intellectual property program by
bringing a critical number of highly qualified science students with
a keen interest in intellectual property issues,” Smolla, a First Amendment scholar, said.
Rodney Smolla
University School of Law
First Amendment Scholar
Associate Professor of Law;
Director, Frances Lewis Law
Center
Regulation of e-commerce and
videogames expert
Partner in Latimer, Mayberry,
and Matthews IP Law, LLP
Blacksburg, Va.
Kimbley “Kim” Muller
Senior Counsel and Manager
of Trademarks and Intellectual
Property
“Whether our science students pursue careers in law after graduating
from Virginia Tech or they enter professions in the sciences, Professor
Muller is preparing them to become engaged citizens who will ensure
that scientific advances work for the betterment of society,” said Jill
Sible, associate dean for curriculum, instruction, and advising in the
College of Science.
Shell Oil Company
UT PROSIM…THAT I MAY SERVE
Sean Seymore
Assistant Professor of Law and
Alumni Faculty Fellow
Now in his sixth year of bi-monthly commuting from his home in
Houston, Texas, to Blacksburg to teach, Muller says he has high regard
for the caliber of students who enroll in his course, which is offered
each spring semester. A remote distance-learning classroom allows
Muller to teach some of the classes from Houston.
“These students are extremely dedicated and want to begin a career
Adjunct Professor, Virginia Tech
Balancing continued next page
ISSUE NO. 7 FALL 2009
Michele Mayberry
IP rights usually cover new products and ideas that can be used and
enjoyed by many consumers. Examples especially relevant in today’s
society include MP3 players, iPods, Blackberries, and cell phones.
Questions arise as to who can download music. What are the legal
considerations and consequences regarding replication of electronic
music and videos? Who owns copyrights for such property? How far
do royalties extend? These are among the many debatable questions
in an IP law classroom.
M A G A Z I N E
Joshua Fairfield
Holders of patents, for example, have exclusive rights to exclude all
others from the practice of their claimed invention and can reap large
financial rewards from licensing or assigning their patent rights. IP
rights also have an intrinsic economic value. It is estimated that twothirds of the value of large businesses in the U.S. can be traced to
intangible assets (Economic Effects of Intellectual Property-Intensive
Manufacturing in the United States, Robert Shapiro and Nam Pham,
July 2007).
S C I E N C E
Dean, Washington and Lee
Intellectual property law deals with product and property protection
for discoveries, scientists, and universities that conduct research and
development. It is the fastest growing field of law in today’s technology-driven society. Common types of intellectual property include
copyrights, trademarks, patents, industrial design rights, and trade
secrets.
O F
THE EXPLOSION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
3
C O L L E G E
The intellectual property law joint degree program
between the College of Science and the Washington and
Lee University School of Law offers pre-law classes for
undergraduates majoring in science or engineering. A distinguished group of instructors leads the way in ensuring
that bright students have the introductory knowledge and
skills to succeed in law school. Who are they?