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Professor Ilanah Fhima from the UCL Faculty of Laws shares some further information on the LLM in Intellectual Property Law for prospective students.
- What are the backgrounds or interests of students who normally select this specialism?
Students who study on the Intellectual Property (IP) Law specialism at UCL come from a wide variety of backgrounds and have a range of reasons for choosing to take this LLM. Some of our students have completed an IP module as part of their undergraduate studies in the UK or their home countries, and are looking to develop a deeper understanding of a subject that they particularly enjoyed. Others, coming to the subject for the first time, want to develop their expertise in this particular field to enhance their future career prospects.
Intellectual property law is becoming increasingly important in the digital economy, because the value in so many businesses lies in intangibles, such as brands, know-how and data, rather than in physical assets. Intellectual property law determines which intangible ideas, innovations and creations will enjoy the legal protection that is needed to underpin these business models.- What do you think are the top highlights of this specialism?
One of the highlights of studying the IP law specialism at UCL is the modules cover substantive IP law in far more depth than on many other Masters IP programmes. In addition, our modules consider the theories and justifications underlying IP law. As a result our students not only learn what the law is, but understand why it is framed in the way it is, and how legal reform might be enable it to achieve its aims more effectively.
Because we are teaching in our specialist field, our teaching is informed by cutting edge research and scholarship, ensuring that our IP modules engage with current issues and controversies. Professor Sir Robin Jacob - one of the leading IP judges of our time - also attends our classes from time to time, and is always willing to share insights on the cases which he decided, as well as those of others.
A further highlight of the IP specialism is its link with the Faculty’s Institute of Brand and Innovation Law (IBIL). IBIL convenes a series of public events and lectures which UCL students can attend for free. This provides unprecedented opportunities for students to hear lectures from leading academics from other institutions, as well as to network with IP practitioners, judges and policy makers.UCL is one of only a few UK universities to belong to the prestigious Pan-European Seal (PES) Professional Traineeship Programme – a partnership with Europe’s leading Intellectual Property (IP) organisations: the European Patent Office (EPO) and the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). Students who have completed the IP Law LLM at UCL are eligible to apply for a 12-month paid traineeship at either the EUIPO or the EPO after they graduate. Those selected to take part in the scheme will follow a tailored development programme, while also gaining on-the-job training by office staff, and having access to other training and language courses. This provides invaluable professional work experience in a multi-cultural environment, and bridges the gap between university and the competitive professional world of work in the IP sector.
Finally, there is the possibility of participating in the Oxford International IP Moot which the Faculty supports.- What do students who have studied this specialism usually go on to do?
Our IP LLM graduates go on to forge a wide range of exciting career paths. While some have used their qualification as a stepping stone to becoming IP barristers or partners in leading IP law firms in different jurisdictions, others have become in-house corporate IP Counsel, or work in IP policy within governmental departments.
Other students have elected to pursue IP research, completing PhDs and then taking up academic posts in institutions around the world. A few have gone on to set up their own businesses – making first hand use of their IP knowledge.- Which books, podcasts, blogs or newspapers do you recommend to students interested in taking this specialism?
Is it OK to ‘blow our own trumpet’? The Guidebook to Intellectual Property (7th Edition, Hart, 2022), jointly authored by Professor Sir Robin Jacob, Dr Matt Fisher and Dr Lynne Chave provides an accessible overview of the subject. IPKat is the leading IP blog. This will keep you update to date with current IP developments, news, events and opportunities. I co-founded the blog in 2003, and both Matt and I have contributed a number of posts over the years. For those particularly interested in copyright law, I'd suggest the Kluwer Copyright blog. Dr Alina Trapova, who teaches copyright law on the IP LLM, is part of the editorial team and is a regular contributor.