Julie Zink, a 1999 graduate of the University of Dayton School of Law, joined the faculty in 2006 to teach Legal Profession courses, with a particular interest in the intellectual property, cyberlaw and creativity curriculum track. She was most recently an adjunct professor for the school and an associate attorney at Faruki Ireland & Cox PLL in Dayton, specializing in intellectual property litigation.

Interested in law since middle school, Professor Zink was introduced to intellectual property law while earning an associate’s degree in legal assisting from Sinclair Community College. She signed up for an IP course not knowing exactly what the subject meant – but she soon knew all about it. “I bought and read the book before the semester even started,” she says, “which is the most nerdy thing I’ve ever done.”

Professor Zink attended UDSL, where she was champion of the Walter H. Rice Moot Court Competition, after earning her associate’s degree and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Wright State University. She then moved to Alexandria, Virginia, where she was an associate patent litigator at Oliff & Berridge PLC. She frequently worked 70 or more hours each week at the firm, which she says left little time for tourism in Washington, D.C. She moved back to Dayton after three and a half years to be closer to her family.

Her transition to teaching full time has been incredibly smooth, she says, thanks to the support from fellow faculty. It’s also a bit of a homecoming for this UDSL grad. “It’s great to come back to my law school, to contribute to the law and technology program and help it grow,” she says. “I just went through this a decade ago, so I can remember and relate to my students.”

Professor Zink is also an officer of the Dayton Intellectual Property Law Association, where she is finishing her position as treasurer and will begin a two-year term as secretary in July 2007.

Courses
LAW 6105 Legal Profession I
LAW 6106 Legal Profession II