Technology and Intellectual Property Law

The Right Place and Time to Be a Technology Lawyer

Colorado Law takes advantage of its location in Denver-Boulder metro, which is the heart of one of the nation’s premier telecommunications and technology hubs, featuring Centurylink, DISH Network, CableLabs, Level 3 Communications, Sun Microsystems, and Time Warner Telecom. Boulder also has a vibrant  entrepreneurial community with many start-up and emerging companies, ranked No. 1 by Federal Reserve Bank of Boston researchers as the highest performing small city for venture capital investment, and No. 2 by the American Electronics Association for percentage of workers employed in high technology.

Colorado Law has developed one of the nation’s most  comprehensive legal programs oriented around information technology. Technology lawyers address interesting policy challenges and novel legal issues, and rank among the most satisfied within the legal profession. Colorado Law is the right place at the right time for those interested in exploring the frontiers of  entrepreneurial law, technology policy, and intellectual property.

  • Robust Curriculum. Take courses that cover the spectrum from the doctrinal basics to  the leading edges of law and policy. Expert faculty teach IP and corporate  building blocks, lead hands-on transactional and policy clinics, and offer advanced courses in areas  such as telecommunications policy and venture capital.
  • Expansive Co-Curricular Opportunities. Become editor of a top technology law journal, participate in technology-oriented moot court competitions, attend Silicon  Flatirons Center’s nationally recognized policy conferences, or participate in  a cross-disciplinary offering across campus.
  • Career Success. Be completely prepared to practice law in an information age. The program’s internships, externships, clinics, and relationship building opportunities help students jumpstart their careers.

Curriculum

Colorado Law’s intellectual property, technology and telecommunication curriculum and business  and commercial law curriculum prepare graduates for careers at law  firms, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and governmental agencies. Students receive a broad-based legal education in addition to specialized  environmental and natural resources courses and practicum opportunities.

Faculty

To help students succeed in the advanced fields of technology, entrepreneurial, and IP law, Colorado Law’s nationally known faculty teach legal foundation courses, a wide variety of specialized electives, and clinics for practical experience.

  • leads the Entrepreneurial Law Clinic and the Entrepreneurship Initiative for the Silicon Flatirons Center. Professor Bernthal’s research focuses on the areas of spectrum  and public safety communications policy.
  • specializes in the law of new technologies, focusing on information governance, privacy, and freedom of expression, and serves as director of the Privacy Initiative at Silicon Flatirons.
  • serves as the director of the Samuelson-Glushko Technology Law & Policy Clinic (TLPC).
  •  studies, teaches, and practices in the intersection of law, policy, and technology.
  • attended Columbia Law School, where he assisted the late Professor E. Allan Farnsworth on his Farnsworth on Contracts treatise.
  • scholarship centers upon IP law with a substantive focus on patents and copyright, information privacy law, and the application of computer technology within the legal system.

Mentoring

The Silicon Flatirons Center sponsors a mentoring program, which connects students with local lawyers and businesspersons who are at the top of their technology fields.

Relevant Scholarships

  • Colorado Bar Association Tax Section Scholarship
  • Dale Hatfield Scholars and Research Program for public service summer internships in technology policy
  • Entrepreneurial Law Clinic Scholarship
  • James R. McBride Scholarship for IP law
  • Thomas Schatzel Scholarship for IP law

Career Opportunities

Colorado Law strongly recommends students seek out externships for credit. Externships offer valuable exposure and contacts, as well as the opportunity to conduct research and writing assignments. Colorado Law students  and graduates have received externships or permanent employment in the areas of technology policy, entrepreneurial, and IP law at the following firms and  organizations from numerous firms and agencies, including: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., CableLabs, Colorado Public Utilities Commission, Cooley LLP, Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, Holland & Hart, Holme Roberts & Owen, Intrado, Level  3 Communications, Merchant & Gould, Patton Boggs, and Sun Microsystems.

Brown Headshot

"At Colorado Law, I discovered my passion for technology and privacy. Through the outstanding faculty and course offerings, Silicon Flatirons Center, technology journal, and student groups, I was introduced to an area of law that I never even considered before law school. With the help of Silicon Flatirons, I was able to land summer internships for an FTC Commissioner and a top Washington, D.C. law firm."

Arielle Brown ('14) - Editor in Chief, Journal on Telecommunications and High Technology Law

Covell Headshot

“The professors and the academic coursework at Colorado Law provide students with an opportunity to immerse themselves in different facets of intellectual property.  There are general overview classes, like Introduction to Intellectual Property, and classes that are focused on a particular subset of intellectual property law, such as Patent Law.  At Colorado Law, students may then elect to apply black letter law in experiential learning courses."

Hiwot Covell ('09) - Associate, Sheridan Ross P.C.

Farquhar Headshot

“I found our Colorado Law intern much more prepared than other 2Ls to dive into telecom issues, plus she understood (even better than some attorneys) how to highlight the key in- formation needed for clients. We appreciated having had two such capable students from Colorado Law—your students are definitely firm-ready!”

Michele Farquhar - Partner, Hogan Lovells US LLP, Washington, D.C.

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“The opportunity to develop advocacy skills before federal and state agencies in the Technology Law and Policy Clinic was an invaluable learning experience for me, and opened the door for many other opportunities.”

Jamie Jackson ('13) - Attorney, Patton Boggs LLP

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“Colorado Law could not have prepared me better for my career in telecommunications law and policy. I continue to benefit from the program and from my fellow alumni. You’ll have difficulty finding a better investment.”

Nick Alexander ('01) - Special Counsel, Office of Strategic Planning & Policy Analysis, FCC