The Intellectual Property Law and Technology Intensive Program (IP Intensive) is a unique program offered at Osgoode Hall Law School that gives students practical, experiential education in a workplace setting for an entire term in lieu of being in the classroom.
The IP Intensive provides students with a comprehensive examination of significant practical aspects of IP and technology law. The opening two weeks of class seminars are dedicated to presentations featuring prominent members of the IP community. These seminars cover a range of topics aimed at teaching students fundamental aspects of substantive and procedural law applied in the day-to-day practice of IP law. This is followed by a 10-week internship with a member of the judiciary, government agency, or other organization that is heavily involved with IP matters (e.g. a high-technology or pharmaceutical company). Throughout the semester, students attend seminars, write research papers, and participate in discussion sessions and online review writing exercises. In the final week of the Program, each student presents a seminar presentation with visual aids. Students have the benefit of face to face meetings with Osgoode faculty and receive regular support and feedback.
Pre-Requisites: Students must have taken at least two of the following courses: Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law, Copyright Law, Trade-mark Law or IP seminar course.
Evaluation: The major research paper proposal (3 pages), short presentation, and major research paper (7,000—10,000 words) are letter- graded for a total of 3 credits. The seminar presentation, 2 research-based short papers to be published in blog format online, acting as class seminar leader, and class participation are letter-graded for a total of 3 credits. Students’ internship reflective journal entries, internship reflective blog, and internship performance are assessed on a pass/fail basis for a total of 9 credits.
IP Intensive Placements
A key component of this clinical program is a 10-week internship with a member of a government agency, industry, or other organization that is heavily involved with IP matters. Participation in the internship will be in-person remote, although in some instances and where it is consistent with public health guidelines remote attendance at the placement site may be possible. The internship, together with periodic discussions with the Directors, a major research paper, blogging exercises, and a seminar presentation, provides students with a comprehensive examination of important experiential aspects of IP law and technology.
Fall 2023 Academic Term Placement Hosts
AstraZeneca is a global innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company specializing in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of prescription medicines that make a meaningful difference in healthcare. This internship will involve assisting the Legal Department and Government Affairs team with projects related Federal IP policy, patent litigation, data protection and privacy and many other aspects of the highly regulated pharmaceutical environment.
The BEST program supports entrepreneurial programs and initiatives at Lassonde focused on enabling engineering students to develop business skills and understand what it takes to launch a start-up enterprise. BEST offers students opportunities to interact with entrepreneurs, advisors, alumni and partners in the local ecosystem.
CBC is a Canadian Crown corporation that serves as the national public radio, television and digital broadcaster. It is the oldest existing broadcasting network in Canada and is considered a Canadian cultural institution. This internship may involve work related to copyright licensing and enforcement, fair dealing, and defamatio
The Broadcasting, Copyright and Creative Marketplace Branch of the Department of Canadian Heritage is responsible for formulating and implementing Canadian copyright policy. The internship involves work that has domestic and international scope.
CIPO is responsible for the administration and processing of intellectual property rights in Canada. The internship may involve one or more areas of CIPO’s work, including the Patent Branch, Patent Appeal Board, Trademarks and Industrial Designs Branch, Trademarks Opposition Board, and the Policy Branch.
The Globe and Mail is a nationally-distributed newspaper with one of the largest circulations in Canada. It is known for being an early provider of digital media and device-agnostic in the delivery of its content. This internship may involve work related to copyright litigation and the roll-out of a privacy policy.
ISED is the federal department that is responsible for Canadian regulations in industry and commerce, the promotion of science and innovation, and support of economic development. Students have been placed in the Copyright and International Intellectual Property Policy Directorate, Marketplace Framework Policy Branch and Performance and Partnerships (ISED P&P) Branch.
SOCAN is the Canadian copyright collective that administers and protects the performing and reproduction rights of more than 160,000 songwriters, music publishers, composers and visual artists in Canada. This internship is expected to involve various matters, including copyright litigation, administrative law, music licensing, and general in-house issues.
CodeX is a multidisciplinary lab operated at Stanford University and is a partnership with the Law School and the Department of Computer Science with affiliated organizations from industry, government, and academia. CodeX researchers and entrepreneurs work to design and develop technologies for the betterment of the legal system.
ventureLAB is a leading global founder community for hardware technology and enterprise software companies in Canada. Located at the heart of Ontario’s innovation corridor in York Region, our initiatives have enabled thousands of companies to create over 4,000 jobs and raise more than $200 million in investment capital. The internship allows students to work directly with tech start-ups to address their business, IP strategy, and legal needs to accelerate the commercialization of transformational products on a global scale.
Wattpadd is a free, online platform that allows users to publish and read original stories. It has stories from nearly 300,000 writers from some 35 countries and works available in more than 50 languages.
The IP Innovation Clinic operates in collaboration with:
Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation (VPRI)
The IP Innovation Clinic receives financial support from:
For all inquiries, we can be reached here:
IP Innovation Clinic
Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, ON M3J1P3
ipinnovationclinic@osgoode.yorku.ca
437-925-3821