Alumni Spotlight: Jenna Gillingham ’12, Intellectual Property

gillingham_jennaJenna Gillingham is an associate attorney at Ropes & Gray LLP, where her practice focuses on patent litigation in both federal district court and before the United States International Trade Commission. Prior to joining Ropes & Gray LLP, Jenna served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable John D. Love of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

Jenna earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law in 2012. While at Loyola, Jenna was a board member of the Intellectual Property Law Society, a student member of the Richard Linn American Inn of Court, a Chicago IP Colloquium Fellow, and the recipient of the Laura Terlizzi Scholarship, which is given to a female student intending to practice intellectual property law.  In addition, Jenna won the National Health Law Moot Court Competition in 2011, and served as a lead articles editor on the Loyola University of Chicago Law Journal. Prior to attending Loyola, Jenna completed a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin.

How did you get your current job (and was your clerkship relevant)?
I found my current job through the network of co-clerks and former clerks I formed with while clerking. A former clerk who is a good friend of mine recommended Ropes & Gray LLP to me and put me in touch with someone he knew there.

How has your judicial clerkship been valuable?
My clerkship has been extremely valuable in my practice. It has given me a perspective on all of aspects of patent litigation, provided insight into how the court thinks, and improved my substantive knowledge of the law. The skills I gained while clerking gave me a significant head start compared to my colleagues who went straight through from law school. Not a day goes by where I don’t rely on skills I gained while clerking. These skills have improved my efficiency and ability to serve firm clients.

Why do you recommend Loyola to IP interested students?
I recommend Loyola to those looking for a diverse and challenging legal education.  At Loyola, you are not just another law student, but a member of tight-knit, well respected, community.  Expect to make relationships with faculty and students that will last for years to come.

Loyola offers a broad curriculum of courses, including numerous courses focused on IP that you can begin taking as early as the second semester of your first year.  Some of the classes I took and enjoyed as a student were: Intellectual Property, Law and Science, Patent Law, and Patent Law Litigation.  Notably, Loyola offers unique opportunities to connect with alumni and the Chicago legal community through specialized IP advocacy and colloquium courses.  I was fortunate to have been a part of the Chicago IP Colloquium, which features guest scholars who present their research to students and allow students to discuss the research topics presented and provide feedback.  I was also fortunate to have received outstanding mentors through programs such as the Richard Linn American Inn of Court and the Chicago Intellectual Property Alliance.

What was your favorite law school class?
My favorite class in law school was the Judicial Externship course. Second and third year law students can apply for judicial externships in federal and state court through Loyola. I completed an externship with the Honorable Blanche M. Manning of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.  This incredibly opportunity allowed me to observe court proceedings (including trial), work with the judge and her clerks, and help research and draft opinions.  Unquestionably, this opportunity provided great experience that helped me secure a federal clerkship upon my graduation from Loyola.

What is your favorite Loyola law school memory?
My favorite law school memory was when my moot court partner and I won the National Health Law Moot Court Competition in 2011.  Winning was the culmination of all of our hard work and time spent editing our brief and perfecting our oral arguments. It was a truly rewarding experience unlike any other.

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