Innovation Law Center Office Hours

The Innovation Law Center at SU’s College of Law offers research to NYS companies and inventors considering the commercialization prospects of technology-based inventions. The Center also partners with SU’s Blackstone LaunchPad to provide “office hours” where LaunchPad participants and meet with third year law student senior research associates (SRA’s) to provide information on intellectual property, regulatory compliance, and commercialization research resources a few times a month. The SRAs provide guidance in conducting patent searches and explain the importance of understanding prior art for designing and assessing the patentability &/or freedom to operate prospects of a new invention.

The SRA’s do not provide legal advice and office hours are not a substitute for legal counsel. Neither the law students nor the Innovation Law Center signs NDAs with LaunchPad participants. The sessions with SRAs are helpful in understanding the various types of intellectual property protection and making informed decisions about seeking patent or other intellectual property protection. If LaunchPad participants want an NDA in place, they are advised to consider consulting with an intellectual property attorney to discuss options.

With regard to the TM / trade dress questions, the College of Law also has a Transactional Law Clinic which can provide assistance on trademark questions. The clinic evaluates each application and if they have the bandwidth, offer a valuable resource.