CHICAGO, Dec. 2, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intellectual property (IP) attorney Steven Wiser has been named director of the Trademark Law Clinic at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago.
Wiser, who earned an LL.M. in IP law from John Marshall, takes on leadership of the new clinic, created as the sibling program to the established Patent Law Clinic. John Marshall is one of the few law schools in the country selected to participate in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Law School Clinic Certification Program. John Marshall is the only law school in Illinois whose USPTO program focuses on both patent and trademark practice areas.
Wiser is managing attorney at Thorelli & Associates, as well as an adjunct professor in John Marshall's LL.M. in IP program, where he teaches Copyright Law & Practice and Intellectual Property in International Business Organizations. At Thorelli & Associates, he represents domestic and international clients in the software and technology industries. Previously he was an attorney with Chicago-based Defrees & Fiske (n/k/a Howard & Howard PLLC), where he negotiated IT and IP agreements involving licensing and distribution for technology developments and litigated a wide variety of IP issues.
"This has been a very exciting semester," Wiser said. "The Clinic has affiliated with other local pro bono legal services groups, such as Lawyers for the Creative Arts, to provide legal services to those not otherwise available to afford them. This has helped to raise the awareness of the Clinic in the legal community." Wiser has also doubled the amount of time law students spend in hands-on instruction by increasing the Clinic's operating hours.
"It's challenging and rewarding to work with law students who are dedicated to refining their practice skills," Wiser said. "Giving them the opportunity to work directly with clients on trademark matters before the USPTO means they will have essential practice skills before they graduate."
The John Marshall Law School, ranked 17 in IP in 2015 by U.S. News & World Report, has been leading the way in IP legal education since 1940. With more than 50 specialized IP courses, John Marshall offers the widest selection of IP topics of any law school in the nation.
About The John Marshall Community Legal Clinics
John Marshall offers several clinical experiences through its Community Legal Clinics, including the nationally recognized Veterans Legal Support Center & Clinic and the Fair Housing Legal Clinic. Law students gain valuable real-world experience in John Marshall's clinics. The National Jurist magazine has named John Marshall among the best in the country in providing practical training to law students. John Marshall earned an A- from the publication that is followed by current and future law students, law educators and the legal community.