You may not know that, in a former life, I actually taught high school science. I could not get enough of sharing my love of life science and technology with others. So, I decided to do it professionally. I took a 5 year sabbatical from practicing law. I got a master’s in teaching and got back in the trenches. Today, I got to combine all of what I enjoy – teaching and practice intellectual property law. Ariel Rudolph, himself an adjunct professor at Columbia College Chicago, invited me to speak to his Business in Design class. They are aspiring artists, music and movie producers, filmmakers, and graphic designers. All of them eager to use their talents to make our world a more beautiful place and still support themselves. Many of them already run businesses outside of class. Thank you, Ariel and students, for making me feel welcome.

I gave the students today this “toolkit for protecting and making money from your artwork while respecting others’ work.” We discussed what copyrights, trademarks and licensing agreements are. We talked about how these tools can help protect their ideas. We talked about copyright and trademark infringement, and how important it is to get good legal advice early on. I pointed them to the Lawyers for the Creative Arts and the Chicago Bar Association lawyer referral services. These are both excellent places to find a lawyer you like and can afford. The students came prepared with some excellent questions which showed they are thinking about life beyond the classroom. You may copy and distribute this PowerPoint abundantly.

If you have, or know of, a student, professional or other group who would enjoy learning more about intellectual property law, do not hesitate to call.