Technology, Innovation Law, and Ethics (TILE) Program

Seattle is home to a robust and innovative entrepreneurial community at the forefront of emerging transformative technologies. For those who desire to contribute to this exciting sector, Seattle University School of Law offers a comprehensive program in innovation law, including intellectual property, with an emphasis on ethics, values, and social justice. Situated in a global city, the program offers comparative and international perspectives, in addition to a strong grounding in U.S. law.

In this section

Areas of Focus

Intellectual Property

Copyright
Patent
Trademark

Transformative Technologies

Artificial Intelligence
Cybersecurity
Internet
Privacy

Ethics and Entrepreneurship

Ethics of Innovation and Technology
Law Practice Technology and Ethics
Representing Entrepreneurs

Degrees

JD

Choose from the courses below to create a curriculum centered on innovation law, including intellectual property, based on your interests and desired practice areas.

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LLM in Technology and Innovation

For both foreign-trained lawyers and attorneys trained in the United States who want to focus their studies in technology and innovation law-related areas such as cybersecurity, digital commerce, financial technology, and privacy.

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Master of Legal Studies (MLS) in Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship

For non-lawyers interested in technology and innovation law-related fields, including compliance, consulting, government, banking, and business.

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Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD)

For distinguished students who have already earned a law degree and who want to focus on a specific area of research and writing, including technology and innovation law.

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Courses

Innovating the Built Environment
Intellectual Property
International Intellectual Property
Internet Law and Digital Commerce
Internet Platforms: Policy and Litigation
Introduction to Financial Technology
Law Practice Technology and Ethics
Managing Privacy
Patent Law
SJD Dissertation Research and Writing
SJD Seminar
Supervised Independent Study
Trademark Law
Visual Litigation and Today’s Technology

See all upper-level course descriptions

Online MLS in Compliance & Risk Management

With a curriculum grounded in the foundations of compliance and risk management, our students graduate with a commanding knowledge of law, legal analysis, and the frameworks used to identify, assess, and respond to risks related to fintech, data, and cybersecurity. Courses are open to JD and LLM students who meet specific criteria.

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Online MLS Compliance & Risk Management Courses

Additional MLS Courses

Seattle skyline as seen from Gas Works Park

Summer Institute for Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (SITIE)

Gain an insider’s view into Seattle’s start-up culture and learn to contribute legal expertise to cutting-edge innovators during a late-spring/early summer intensive institute that offers a menu of courses suitable for JD, MLS, and LLM students.

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Recent SITIE events

SITIE Courses

Clinics

Arts Law Clinic, in collaboration with Washington Lawyers for the Arts
USPTO-sanctioned Trademark Clinic

Internships and Externships (Selected)

AeroMech
Allen Institute
Amazon
Arts Law Center UNIGE
Attorney General of WA (University of Washington) General Practice Team
Boeing
Costco
Edifecs
Expedia
Federal Trade Commission
Glowforge, Inc.
Hagen Resources International
Ionic Security
Microsoft
NCR
NCSOFT
Nintendo (Gregoire Fellows Program)
Quest software

Salesforce
Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
Seagen
Seattle Art Museum
Seattle Children’s Hospital
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Symphony
Starbucks Coffee Company
Sub Pop Records
T-Mobile
United States Air Force JAG Corps - Joint Base Lewis - McChord Legal Office
University of Washington CoMotion
Vestas American Wind Technology
Wizards of the Coast
World Intellectual Property Organization
Zillow

Student Organizations

Board members of the 2023 Intellectual Property Law Society in Sullivan Hall — The Intellectual Property Law Society board

Student Journal

Seattle Journal of Technology, Environmental & Innovation Law (SJTEIL)

Professional Opportunities

Federal Communications Bar Association (FCBA) Diversity Pipeline Program
Hispanic National Bar Association Intellectual Property Law Institute
IAPP Westin Scholar Award (annual student award)
Intellectual Property Section, WSBA Scholarship (annual student award)
Microsoft Agile Mentoring Program
Seattle Intellectual Property American Inn of Court
Seed IP Scholarship (annual student award)
Washington Intellectual Property Alliance

Employers (Selected)*

Our graduates are building careers at a variety of innovative organizations, including:

Adobe
Allen Institute
Amazon
Apple
Avvo
Cisco
Dell
DocuSign
Expedia
Glassdoor
Google
Intel
Meta/Facebook
Microsoft
Netflix
Oracle
Redfin
Samsung
T-Mobile
United States Air Force JAG
Universal Music Group
USPTO
Wizards of the Coast

*This list does not include the many regional, national, and international law firms where our distinguished alumni are practicing in areas related to technology and innovation law.