Seyfarth had the honor of participating in and sponsoring the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) VIA Intellectual Property Law Institute (IPLI), a weeklong program held in Washington, DC.
The annual IPLI program offers law students the opportunity to participate in an engaging week of programming with practitioners across the field. Students met with lawyers, judges, regulators, and policymakers from key institutions, including the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the U.S. Copyright Office, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). The program also included a visit to the U.S. Supreme Court. The jam-packed week concluded with a closing ceremony and celebratory happy hour for students, volunteers, speakers, and practitioners, hosted by Seyfarth's Washington, D.C., office.
Seyfarth patent attorney, Joe Lutz, served as a speaker on a panel discussion focused on patent and trade secret law. Seyfarth IP attorneys Robert Terzoli and Sarah Chemli also volunteered their time to serve as mock interviewers, offering students practical guidance. Cory Davis from our Atlanta IP team also attended the conference, while Christa Dommers, Office Managing Partner in Washington, DC, volunteered as both a mock interviewer and mentor, further supporting the next generation of diverse legal talent. The students were impressive and innovative, with exceptional qualifications. Their enthusiasm and passion for IP law were evident and contagious, leaving a lasting impression on everyone who had the opportunity to interact with them.
Throughout the week, IPLI alumni shared their experiences at several events, highlighting the program's lasting impact. These testimonials served as a powerful reminder that IPLI is more than a summer program focused on IP law; it provides a launchpad and a career-long community of support that continues to benefit its alumni year after year.
Seyfarth deeply values its ongoing partnership with the HNBA and its sponsorship of the IPLI program. IPLI continues to demonstrate an exceptional track record in developing talented and diverse IP professionals and providing them with the resources, mentorship, and connections that will benefit them throughout their careers.