Innovation Law / Business Impact

The Center for Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship at Cleveland State University College of Law prepares students to lead at the intersection of law, technology, and innovation. Our mission is to empower future lawyers, creators, and business leaders to protect ideas, build ventures, and shape the policies that drive progress. Through hands-on learning, conferences, and mentorship, the Center connects classroom knowledge to real-world creativity and commercialization.

Learn Law At The Intersection Of Intellectual Property, Business, And Technology

Cleveland State University College of Law students study in an dynamic innovation corridor, surrounded by top research at medical institutions and corporations leading advanced materials manufacturing. The Center for Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship provides students with the knowledge, experience, and network to transform ideas into impact.

The Center stands out for its industry-connected, practice-focused curriculum—designed in partnership with inventors, entrepreneurs, and IP law professionals across the region. Students learn directly from full-time faculty scholars and adjunct professors who are practicing attorneys, entrepreneurs, creatives (including a Grammy-award winning musician as a professor of music law), and more, ensuring a bridge between theory and practice.

Signature Programs And Activities

• Certificate in Intellectual Property Law - Students develop expertise in patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and technology law while gaining practical skills to excel in modern innovation-driven practice.
• Annual IP+ Conference - A nationally recognized event that convenes distinguished speakers on intellectual property law, innovation, startup law, medtech, sports, arts, and entertainment. Featured speakers have included Federal Circuit Judges Richard Linn and Kathleen O’Malley; patent law scholars Donald Chisum and Janice Mueller; USPTO Commissioner of Patents Vaishali Udupa; and Laura Quatela, Chief Legal Officer of Lenovo and former President of Eastman Kodak.
• IP Fellows Program - Connecting students with local mentors in law, business, and technology, providing individualized career and professional development guidance.
• Intellectual Property & Technology Association (IPTA) - A thriving student organization that hosts guest speakers, professional development sessions, and workshops on topics such as the patent bar exam, employment opportunities, and career advancement.
• Career Success Nationwide - Employers across the country recruit CSU|LAW IP students for positions in law firms, corporations, and government. Many graduates enter patent law and and other intellectual property law fields with opportunities for strong career growth in a high-demand field with commensurate salaries.  Intellectual property is also an area of law that commonly goes to trial, making it a great fit for lawyers who want trial litigation experience early in their career.

Career Opportunities

Graduates from CSU|LAW’s IP and Entrepreneurship programs go on to careers that shape the future of innovation—whether they are protecting inventions through patent prosecution and litigation, managing brand portfolios and licensing deals, advising startups, or shaping emerging technology policy.

Typical career paths include:

• Intellectual property associate or counsel at law firms
• In-house counsel at technology, pharmaceutical, or creative companies
• Patent attorney at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
• Licensing and commercialization professional in university or medical technology transfer
• Startup founder or business counsel in emerging industries
• Government lawyer working on intellectual property licensing or protection

Experiential Learning

Cleveland’s innovation ecosystem offers unmatched experiential opportunities. Students gain hands-on experience through externships and major projects focused on IP, business formation, and technology transfer.

Opportunities include:

• Externships with organization such as Nasa Glenn, Cleveland Clinic Innovations, or local government agencies or corporations
• Law clerk roles at local law firms practicing intellectual property litigation, prosecution, or licensing.  Many patent-eligible students work as a patent clerk during law school.
• Hands-on courses including an IP litigation course taught by lawyers at top firm Jones Day, called Litigation in the U.S.I.T.C.
• Opportunities to write articles and notes on topics of interest in seminars like Innovation Law or AI Law or on student-run journals like the Global Business Law Review.

Mentoring Program

Students may request a mentor through Career Services through our robust network of intellectual property and entrepreneurship practitioners, including patent attorneys, startup founders, venture investors, and innovation policy experts. These mentorships offer personalized career guidance and professional connections.

Ip+ Advisory Council

The Center is supported by an active Advisory Council composed of leaders in law, technology, and business. Their ongoing input ensures that our curriculum, events, and student opportunities remain aligned with the rapidly evolving innovation economy in the Cleveland area and beyond.