Interviewer: “So, what’s your favorite Coca-Cola product?”
Me: I draw a blank at the simple question, trying to think of any Coca-Cola product in existence. A picture of the classic Coca-Cola can flashes in my mind; the bold cursive letters against the vibrant red background. “Well, it has to be Coca-Cola, of course!”
Continue reading “Trademark Tale: From a Mistaken Coca-Cola Enthusiast to Aspiring IP Attorney”
Embarking on the path of higher education is often a journey filled with twists, turns, and unexpected discoveries. As an engineering undergraduate, my passion for problem-solving and innovation led me down a familiar road of equations and design principles. However, it was during my last semester of undergrad that I stumbled upon a new realm of knowledge that would reshape my understanding of creativity and innovation – intellectual property law (IP).
Continue reading “Navigating the Crossroads: A Journey from Blueprints to Briefs”
Epilepsy: a life-altering word. Time stood still as the doctor gave me her diagnosis. My knuckles whitened as my grip tightened on the armchair. After years of not knowing the root cause of my health issues, I now had an answer. My diagnosis changed the trajectory of my life as I knew it. This pivotal moment separated my life into a “before” and an “after.” The love for math and science from my “before” life melded into a passion for navigating the landscape of innovation and technology. This passion defined my “after” life, and eventually propelled me into intellectual property law. But, let me start at the beginning with the “before.”
My first exposure to intellectual property (IP) unexpectedly started with t-shirts. If you asked me five years ago if it is easy to get approval for a phrase on a t-shirt, I probably would’ve said yes. However, now I know it can sometimes be anything but easy. In college, I was the President of Notre Dame’s (ND) Equestrian Team. To raise funds for the club, my fellow officers and I wanted to stamp “Ride Like a Champion Today” on t-shirts and sell them. We based this slogan off the “Play Like a Champion Today” phrase commonly used for ND Football. Expecting it to be a simple and quick process like our other t-shirt fund-raising campaigns, we sent in our mock-up for approval, but the athletics department answered with a resounding NO. What!?
I often hear this question: “But what are you going to do after law school?”
Right now, it’s an unsolved equation. But I’m working through the terms.
Patent Law = Engineering + Law
I’m exploring patent law because it represents the sum of two important interests in my life, engineering and law.
Continue reading “Still Calculating: Exploring IP as a WeekendJD Student at Loyola”
The first thing my law school classmates asked when I shared that I had a science undergraduate degree was – “Oh, so are you thinking of IP law?”
Surprisingly, I did not even know much about Intellectual Property (IP) law until I came to Loyola. When applying to law school, I heard about Loyola’s prestigious health law program and decided, prematurely, that that’s what I would do. It seemed like the best of both worlds with my background – healthcare in a legal setting. However, it was not until I started 1L that I realized (1) how my true interest is in IP (and specifically patent law!) and (2) how great the IP program is at Loyola.
Continue reading “The Unspoken Strength of Loyola’s Intellectual Property Program”
My journal into intellectual property begins with movies. I have always been fascinated by them. How a combination of images and sounds can captivate audiences worldwide, never ceases to amaze me. This fascination led me to study every aspect of filmmaking. This included how a scene is staged, the process where a director tells the actors where to go and how to move. Indeed, when I was a freshman in college, the only career path I had in mind was one in film.
During my junior year of undergrad, I was ecstatic when I received an offer to join the Legal Department of Fox Entertainment Group (now, 20th Century Studios) as a Content Protection Intern. The idea of working on a major studio lot was more than exciting to someone who had grown up an hour away from Hollywood. Continue reading “From the Studio Lot to Law School”
As a first generation American, daughter of immigrants, my family’s three options for my future were “doctor, lawyer, or engineer”. There was no flexibility, nor was there any other option for me besides going to grad school.
Continue reading “From Pre-Med Student to Entertainment/IP Lawyer…?”
An Inorganic Start
When asked why I chose to study intellectual property (IP), my most common answer is because of my unconventional wisdom.
Although this is true, it’s also a reference to my alma mater’s catch phrase, “Unconventional Wisdom.” Its true definition was a catch-all for not only describing the quirkiness of our university, but also how people used their unique experiences to solve problems and reach conclusions.
