One of the greatest advantages of attending Windsor Law is our location. With the United States only a river-crossing away, we are in a remarkable position to partner with American law schools that share our deep interest in comparative transnational law.
Starting 30 years ago, when both Windsor and Detroit were the centre of the North American auto industry, Windsor Law began sharing resources with American law schools to explore intellectual property (IP) law issues such as patents, copyright, trademarks and technological innovation.
In the late 1970s, three law schools—Windsor Law, the Wayne State University Law School and the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law—forged an official partnership creating the Intellectual Property Law Institute (IPLI).
IPLI is not a physical institute, but rather a shared network of IP courses offered by all three law schools. By combining the IP expertise of three faculties, says professor emeritus Brian Mazer, "IPLI provides many more IP course options than any Canadian law school could offer on its own."
Another thing IPLI provides, says Mazer, is a streamlined way to register for classes at a different law school. All IPLI courses are listed in the Windsor Law course calendar, even if they are taught at another school. To register, you follow the same procedure as registering for any other class. When the course is complete, the credit is automatically added to your transcript; no need for complicated transfers.
Even better, all IPLI classes are included in the standard Windsor Law tuition.
"[Windsor students] can take Entertainment Law at the University of Detroit-Mercy, Bioethics at Wayne State University and Internet law at Windsor without any extra fees," says Assistant Dean (Student Services) Francine Herlehy.
Intellectual property is a rapidly growing area for both traditional and non-traditional legal careers. Hollywood studios need lawyers to draft multi-million-dollar contracts and protect copyright content. Universities need skilled patent lawyers to identify research breakthroughs with commercial potential. And high-tech companies hire teams of IP lawyers to protect proprietary innovations.
A final advantage of a program like IPLI is that Windsor Law students gain access to an expanding network of alumni with successful IP careers:
- Roma Khanna '93 is president of NBC Universal Global Networks and one of the Globe and Mail's "Top 40 Under 40."
- Cyril Drabinsky '81 is the head of Deluxe Laboratories, one of the most respected post-production companies in Hollywood (Star Wars, The Da Vinci Code)
- Lorne Abony '94 is the CEO of Fluid Music, one of the world’s largest distributors and aggregators of independent music, and another selection for the "Top 40 Under 40."
- Michael Rotenberg ‘81 is a multi-award-winning television and film producer, talent manager and founding partner of 3 Arts Entertainment.
Learn more about the Intellectual Property Law Institute and our community education initiative, the Intellectual Property Law Information Network (IPLIN).