Intellectual Property & Technology Summer Sessions
Washington D.C. and Geneva, Switzerland
May 28 THROUGH JUne 22
Each summer, AUWCL's renowned intellectual property & technology program offers a broad selection of short courses for law students and practitioners. Summer courses are available for transferable academic credit and/or a certificate of completion.
Our summer courses are an excellent way to gain practical skills for unique Washington, D.C. area intellectual property litigation practices as well as to further careers in technology law that require exposure to a broad array of legal fields.
Specialty certificates are offered upon completing at least two credits in either the Music Licensing & Video Game & Immersive Technology. Courses may also be taken a la carte.
Instructor: Michael Carroll
May 28 - May 31 | MTuWTh | 10:00-12:00 pm
Virtual
1 credit
This course provides an introduction to the treaties and principles of international intellectual property law. The course includes review of aspects of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (“TRIPS”), and WIPO administered intellectual property treaties. The course is a basic introduction to both the principles of intellectual property and to international treaty law and does not require prior course work in either field.
Instructor: Scott Kelly
June 3 - June 6 | MTWTH | 5:30-8:30pm
In-Person
1 Credit
Video game developers face a unique combination of legal issues and hurdles from initial concept, through development, and continuing through the release of each new game. At the outset, intellectual property plays a key role in protecting video games, and freedom of speech is a recurring theme.
Instructors: Eric Schwartz
June 20, 21, & 22 | T, F, Sa, | 5:30-8:30pm & 10:00-4:00pm
In-Person
1 Credit
This course provides an overview of music licensing and related copyright issues, including: (1) The parties comprising the “music” licensing eco-system: songwriters, music publishers, performers (featured and non-featured), engineers, producers, record labels, collecting rights societies (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, Global Music Rights and SoundExchange), music streaming services (Spotify, Tidal, Apple, Pandora etc.), download services (iTunes), upload sites (YouTube), and consumers (UGC, fan sites etc.); (2) An examination of the exclusive rights of copyright – “works” versus “sound recordings” – plus the licensing structure of negotiated licenses versus “statutory licenses” (17 U.S.C. § 106 (works); for sound recordings §§ 106(6), 112, 114 and 115), and, an analysis of public performance issues; (3) Basics of licensing and payment schemes, including changes resulting from the 2018 Music Modernization Act; (4) Miscellaneous issues: collecting societies and consent decrees (and DoJ review), direct licensing, international issues, and case law.
This two-week course focused on the World Trade Organization and World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva, and offers students an in-depth look at international issues in IP and trade. The unit on the WTO provides an overview of the substantive areas of international economic relations that are covered in the text of the WTO Agreements and look at the workings of the different WTO divisions. The unit on Intellectual Property in the Multilateral System includes comparative study of international treaties on intellectual property. The course will cover contemporary debates around the role of intellectual property in development. (Full course description)
Full-Tuition Scholarships for Government Delegates from Developing Countries
As part of our partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organization Academy, American University is pleased to offer five full-tuition scholarships to the Rulemaking and Dispute Resolution course for employees of government delegations of developing countries. **Applications for 2024 will be available in March 2024.