Law clinic focuses on IP issues

Chinese and US law students are studying together as interns at a new Intellectual property (IP) law clinic at China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL) in Beijing.

The three-week "Summer Study of Law" program is under way through July 9. The CUPL program is in partnership with the Duquesne University School of Law in Pennsylvania.

CUPL's IP law clinic addresses an emerging discipline with special teaching methods that offer more hands-on experience than traditional law courses.

Under the guidance of teachers, the students participate in legal cases to improve their thinking and legal practice skills.

CUPL, one of China's leading universities of law, initiated the IP Law Clinic course in its undergraduate curriculum in 2003. Beijing's Jin Tai Law Firm is a partner law firm for the program.

While the IP Law Clinic has been under way since 2003, this is the first year the clinic has invited Duquesne University students to participate in the program.

More than 40 Chinese students and 10 US students are participating in this summer's clinic.

As part of their studies, the students are learning how to protect evidence in IP cases and conduct case studies on legal issues. Students will visit China's customs operations and courts to learn more about the legal system.

They also will communicate with lawyers at the Legal Aid Center of the US Justice Department to learn more about the US legal system as it pertains to IP laws and regulations.

(China Daily 07/06/2009 page9)