Advances in computers, communications systems, electronics, and biotechnology occur at a breathtaking pace, and the Internet is having a revolutionary impact on commerce and entertainment. The faculty of the law school recognized early on the importance of many of these developments. Thus, in 1989, the University of Dayton School of Law committed itself to producing graduates who are well-versed in law and technology issues by creating the Program in Law and Technology (PILT).

As PILT has developed over the last sixteen years, it has become internationally known. We have had a variety of distinguished visitors and speakers, including the United States Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks and the General Counsel for StreamCast, as well as others from China, the Netherlands, and Australia. The program has also regularly sponsored advanced programs for practitioners and scholarly symposia. The scholarly symposia are free and open to law students, and the advanced programs for practitioners are open to law students for a nominal fee.

Our new program, Lawyer as Problem Solver, contains the Intellectual Property, Cyberlaw and Creativity track, which incorporates both PILT and our new curriculum.

The Program in Law and Technology is designed to provide students with a solid foundation in several areas: patent law; copyright and trademark law; business dimensions of intellectual property law (particularly the licensing of intellectual property); and computer/cyberspace law. The University of Dayton School of Law offers more than a dozen courses in these areas. Thus, students have a greater opportunity to graduate with a well-rounded, cutting-edge education. They are well prepared to handle the legal issues involved in these ever-expanding areas of law.

In addition to courses, there are many opportunities for students to participate in extra-curricular and co-curricular activities related to law and technology. For example, students may join the Cyberspace Law Association or the Intellectual Property Law Society and may participate in the IP Moot Court.

PILT Informational Brochure

Graduate Programs in Law in Intellectual Property

Our Students

Since the Program in Law and Technology began in 1989, the law school has attracted significant numbers of students interested in law and technology. Generally, 20 to 30 percent of the students entering the law school express an interest in PILT, and significant numbers of students are interested in patent law.

The quality of the students in the program is noteworthy. Our students are hard working and highly motivated. They come from a variety of backgrounds, and many have worked professionally for a number of years before coming to law school.

They are also a geographically diverse group. Dayton attracts students from all over the United States - from about 200 different colleges in more than 35 states and a number of foreign countries. Many of these students have chosen Dayton because of the Program in Law and Technology.

There is no specific undergraduate background required for the program, however. Students in the program have undergraduate backgrounds in every conceivable major. In recent years, these majors have included liberal arts (economics, English, history, journalism, mathematics, music, philosophy), social science (government, political science), science (biochemistry, chemistry, microbiology), engineering (aerospace, biomedical, ceramic, chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical), business (accounting, finance, marketing, MIS), and other (computer science, prelaw). One aspect of patent law (patent prosecution) requires a background in science and engineering, yet other areas of patent practice do not require this background.

As the Internet expands, the School of Law expects that more and more employers will need attorneys with an understanding of and an interest in the legal issues raised by this technology. The courses offered by the Program in Law and Technology prepare students for work in this area.

Career Opportunities

Many graduates from the program have found jobs in the law and technology field, especially in patent law. They hold jobs at law firms and corporations such as: