Antitrust, Intellectual Property, & Information

Jeanne Fromer specializes in intellectual property and information law, with particular emphasis on unified theories of copyright and patent law.
Scott Hemphill’s research focuses on the law and economics of competition and innovation, and has included influential work on the pharmaceutical industry.
Christopher Jon Sprigman’s book The Knockoff Economy: How Imitation Sparks Innovation suggests that copying in creative areas can promote innovation.
Barton Beebe’s research—and his interpretations of trademark’s broad reach—allows NYU to be one of the few law schools that offer an advanced course in trademark law.

Creative License

Questions of innovation and information policy are critical to our society. As technology infiltrates nearly every aspect of our lives, intellectual property and antitrust issues are becoming increasingly pervasive.

NYU Law’s curriculum covers the major areas of law that affect innovation and information policy: intellectual property law, including patents, copyrights, and trademarks; antitrust law and competition policy, including the study of US and European legal systems; and related topics, including information privacy. Our faculty of law professors, economists, and noted practitioners explores these issues in a variety of settings, offering nearly 30 intellectual property courses a year, from basic courses to high-level seminars to independent directed research projects. Because IP law so often overlaps with greater issues of culture and business, it also draws in faculty with non-IP specializations, who cover subjects such as art law, biotechnology, fashion, and entertainment.

For students craving hands-on experience, the Technology Law and Policy Clinic provides the opportunity to represent clients on public interest issues and to work with the American Civil Liberties Union’s Speech, Privacy & Technology Project and National Security Project on issues and cases on their dockets. The Engelberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy also hosts events and conferences, a vibrant addition to campus life.

For those students who wish to pursue specialized graduate study in innovation and information policy, NYU Law offers the LLM in Competition, Innovation, and Information Law .