Intellectual Property (IP) is a growing field that encompasses a wide range of fields including patents, copyright, trademarks, privacy, and technology. We spoke with Gregory Leighton (JD ’06) who is currently a 
Hi all!
I entered Loyola in the Fall of 2015 with one goal: pursue IP law to protect companies in the fashion and luxury goods industry. At the time, I was aware that I was hardly the cookie cutter law student. As an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, I studied English and Art History, and I channeled my energy into gaining practical work experience. I wrote press releases and marketing material for companies in the luxury bridal industry, assuming that upon graduation, I would continue to shape my career around these particular experiences.
My decision to leave engineering for law school was not a simple one, and making sure that I went to the right law school for me was just as important as my decision to make the transition. Having worked as a patent examiner for the U.S. Patent Office and as an intellectual property (IP) law clerk at Cardinal Health, I was familiar with the schools that offered great IP programs, but I knew that I wanted to attend a school where I could distinguish myself in the IP field. When I applied to schools, it was important for me to find schools that not only had a good location and a good IP program, but also a strong alumni network and supportive community that could give me the best chance of finding employment upon graduation. Having just finished my first semester at Loyola, I can confidently say that Loyola was the right choice for me and that the school is a great place for students hoping to become patent attorneys.
Next fall I start my final year at Loyola and can sincerely say that attending Loyola has been the best decision I’ve ever made. For one, the student body here is incredible and caring – not cut-throat or insanely competitive. On top of that, the 
In the spring of 2012 I graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Bioengineering. Following graduation I began working at Cardinal Health, which is a medical manufacturing and distribution company. From July of 2012 to June of 2013 I worked as an engineer in R&D designing various medical products such as suction canisters, durable medical equipment, and monitoring devices. In June of 2013 I moved over to Cardinal Health’s Intellectual Property department and focused primarily in patent law. The majority of my work involved working with the marketing, R&D, and the legal teams to ensure products we were planning to launch were clear of competitor patents. However, I was also tasked to build patent portfolios of competitor products, meet with the R&D team to create product design arounds, and assist the IP team in prosecuting patent applications. Prior to my work at Cardinal I hadn’t the faintest idea of patents and their importance in developing technology. But by August of 2013, I was completely hooked. Thus, I decided to begin the process of applying to law school.
Where do you work?
Tiffany Gehrke is an associate attorney at Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP. She secures and protects intellectual property rights on behalf of clients, focusing her practice on patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets.
Alumni Spotlight: James “Jay” R. Nuttall
Jay Nuttall is the managing partner at Steptoe & Johnson LLP’s Chicago office. He is an experienced patent litigator engaged in furthering client trust and delivering tailored legal solutions. His professional excellence is nationally recognized in rankings by Chambers USA, IAM Patent 1000, Super Lawyers, and Law Bulletin Publishing Company.