Intellectual property law greets creatives

By Brian Babcock
Staff Writer

The average cost to sit down with an intellectual property attorney, or any attorney for that matter, will typically cost a lot of money—usually between $100 and $500 an hour. However, the cost of talking to an attorney at WCC’s “Intellectual Property Essentials Panel and Discussion” is free.

Students with an entrepreneurial edge or a creative side are invited to attend the panel and discussion on Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. Last year, this same event took place on campus for the first time and was greeted with a high turnout.

Kristin Gapske, director of the Entrepreneurship Center, helped organize the event.

“We’re trying to get people connected where they need to go and what’s going to help them . . . some people don’t know IP, so we’re trying to be that conduit,” Gapske said.

Gapske said events like these can serve as a way to build resources.

“We figure if you start coming around to the workshops, you’ll not only get all of this information, but also business cards, right … and suddenly you’ve come to four or five workshops, say, over a year here. Then you’ve got a business attorney’s card, an IP attorney’s card; you’ve met people at the small business development center … you’re starting your network, so you know you’re not alone.”

At the event, three IP specialists will give brief presentations about who they are and what they specialize in. Afterward, the floor will open up for the students to ask questions and get professional answers.

Attorney Douglas Waters, who is also a business professor on campus, will be the moderator for the event. Waters promotes entrepreneurship on campus. He believes that the information students receive will help them navigate the legalities of owning their own business.

“There’s a lot of information available on the internet about intellectual property and a lot of questions out there, but until you hear it from the horse’s mouth, you won’t be totally confident sometimes,” Waters said.

Last year, over 60 people showed up to the event, and students walked away with information covering patents, trademarks and copyrights.

Students interested in attending should RSVP at ippanel2019.eventbrite.com. Students can submit any questions for answer by panelists.

Intellectual property law event

Community Room on the first floor of the Student Center.

Monday, October 14 at 6 p.m.

Panelists

Fernando Alberdi: Ph.D., partner, Honigman

Specializes in counseling public private companies, non-profit institutions, and hospitals (practices third-party IP law and patent law in the life sciences)

Ka’Nea Brooks: JD, Associate, Honigman

Specializes in Intellectual property and commercial litigation (practices trademark, copyright, trade dress and trade secret matters)

Leena Lalwani: MLS, U-M Patent and Trademark Resource Center Librarian

(U.S. Patent and Trademark Office representative, second year speaker)

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