Student Requirements & Responsibilities
No compensation may be received for work performed during the program.
Because the clinic has a classroom component, students must attend a once a week, two-hour course at the law school. Classes will be devoted in part to ensuring students gain a basic understanding of various areas of the law and practice skills relevant to the current work of the clinic. Topics may include: copyright law (in particular provisions relating to registering works, enforcing against online infringement, clearing rights and when to rely on fair use), right of publicity, client interviewing skills, the roles of and responsibilities of various federal agencies and Congress, and effective advocacy skills for various venues.
Letter grades will be issued based on class participation, quality of written work product, accuracy, efficiency and thoroughness of documents prepared and/or advice delivered to clients of the clinic.
Students must contribute a minimum of 180 hours of combined in-class and out-of-class hours to obtain credit. Students will be required to track the time spent on clinic work.
Preference will be given to applicants who have taken Copyright Law or Entertainment Law or who will be taking either course concurrently with the clinic.
Students may be required to attend off-site educational opportunities at the United States Copyright Office, United States Patent and Trademark Office, Congress, and with practitioners in Washington D.C. To the extent possible these visits will be scheduled to occur during normally scheduled classroom time. Travel to and from these visits is at the student’s own expense.
Application to and permission of Professor Aistars is required for registration in the clinic. Applications for the clinic will be solicited before the opening of each semester’s registration period.
Because the clinic qualifies for a writing credit, students will be required to write and present to the class short essays on “hot topics” in copyright law and practice throughout the semester. With the student’s permission suitable essays will be submitted for publication on various blogs or as opinion pieces to relevant publications.
Students will work under the supervision of Professor Aistars, practitioners in the field, and/or staff members of C-IP2.