Patent Law Essentials: What Scientists, Engineers, Physicians & Entrepreneurs Need to Know

The goal of this afternoon-long workshop was to help undergraduates, graduate students, post-docs, faculty, and alumni in science, engineering, medicine, business, and law appreciate the basics of U.S. patent law as a guide to, among other things, when they should consult lawyers concerning their innovations. The Engelberg Center co-sponsored this program together with the NYU Entrepreneurial Institute and three student-run organizations at NYU School of Law: the NYU Intellectual Property & Entertainment Law Society; NYU Patent Law Reading Group; and the NYU Social Enterprise & Startup Law Group. In addition to being co-sponsored by NYU School of Law student organizations, NYU School of Law students Stephen M. Hou ’17 and Julian G. Pymento ’17, both with engineering backgrounds, developed and taught this program. The workshop covered the basics of U.S. patent law, including the patent application process, prosecution, litigation, and licensing. The program highlighted key issues that inventors should be aware of as they navigate the patenting process, discussed what recent developments in patent law mean for inventors, and drew examples ranging from the computer software to the pharmaceutical industries.