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.

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

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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.

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.

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.

Charisse Arce

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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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

Clinics

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

Recent News

Luminaries in Law

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.

Other University Initiatives

Enabling Innovation in Law and Society

6th Annual Innovation and Technology Law Conference (virtual)

Friday, June 9, 2023

Sponsored by the Seattle University School of Law Program in Technology, Innovation Law, and Ethics; its SITIE institute (Summer Institute for Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship); the Seattle Journal of Technology, Environmental & Innovation Law (SJTEIL); and Perkins Coie LLP.

Conference schedule (PDF)

Register

Faculty — Career

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Steven Bender

TILE Faculty Co-Director

Associate Dean for Planning and Strategic Initiatives and Professor of Law

Expertise: Ethics and Innovation

Margaret Chon

TILE Faculty Co-Director

Donald and Lynda Horowitz Endowed Chair for the Pursuit of Justice

Expertise: Intellectual Property, International Intellectual Property

Mark Chinen

Professor of Law

Expertise: Artificial Intelligence

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John Eason

Professor of Law

Expertise: Intellectual Property, Property

Seth Katsuya Endo

Associate Professor of Law

Expertise: Legal Technology and Ethics

John B. Kirkwood

Professor of Law

Expertise: Antitrust

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Steve Tapia

Distinguished Practitioner in Residence

Expertise: Technology Law

LeighAnne Thompson

Reference Librarian

Expertise: Law Practice Technology and Ethics, Legal Research

Anthony E. Varona

Dean and Professor of Law

Expertise: Media and Communications Law