The International Technology Transfer Institute Clinic
(ITTI Clinic)
The ITTI Clinic is a four credit course with two class time credits and two clinical credits comprising research, analysis, and writing.
The ITTI Clinic builds capacity for advancing innovation across the globe. This happens via two approaches:
1. Helping to establish/strengthen technology transfer offices (TTOs) in developing countries.
2. Assembling and analyzing patent landscapes pertinent to innovations which are relevant to the needs of developing countries.
Sustainable global development is directly linked to capacity building; this can only occur when both human and institutional resources are in place to manage intellectual property, foster technology transfer, and thereby promote innovation. These resources are called TTOs. Students in the ITTI Clinic work on projects that contribute to establishing TTOs, either through direct capacity building or by policy, development, and/or intellectual property analysis. Student projects are expected to result in scholarly, peer-reviewed publications.
The ITTI Clinic also provides instruction in professional skills related to the various responsibilities patent lawyers encounter when preparing patent landscape analysis search reports in biotechnological fields.
Research results generated during the semester culminate in a graded work product that help client organizations make informed decisions and explore options and strategies for effective management, protection and/or licensing, in order to facilitate the mission, goals and objectives of these organizations.
Students learn:
- Practical skills for effective participation in interdisciplinary teams working at the intersection of law and technology
- Basic approaches to interviewing and counseling the organizations the ITTI Clinic serves
- Skills of preventative lawyering
Projects:
ITTI clinical projects predominantly focus on health and agricultural innovations relevant to the needs of developing countries such as:
- HIV vaccines
- Advanced innovations in crop biotechnology
Projects address intellectual property management as it relates to the global public interest.
Application:
The ITTI Clinic size is limited to eight students. If necessary, selection will be based on statements of interest and resumes to assess research capability, writing skills and breadth of patent law background.
Contact:
Jon Cavicchi
jcavicchi@piercelaw.edu
Dr. Stanley P. Kowalski
skowalski@piercelaw.edu
