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New Akron Law IP Center director hits the grounds running
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: February 19, 2020
The University of Akron School of Law’s new director of the Center for Intellectual Property Law & Technology is off to a fast start.
Since taking over in January, Mark Schultz has started new programs, assisted law school administrators in forming an international partnership and is now busy organizing the upcoming 22nd annual Symposium on Intellectual Property Law and Policy.
Schultz replaced former director Ryan T. Holte, who was sworn in as a judge on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in July 2019. Holte, now Jurist-in-Residence Professor of Law, continues to teach IP law courses to Akron Law students on a part-time basis.
“Mark came to us with a tremendous amount of relevant experience that has already bolstered our Center for Intellectual Property Law & Technology,” said Akron Law Dean Christopher J. (C.J.) Peters. “He has many international connections that are helping us to develop important relationships with institutions in other countries.”
Schultz said he plans to continue the law school’s tradition of being “the best place to come to learn IP law in northeast Ohio” and “the best place to hire new IP attorneys.
“The opportunities in IP law here at Akron Law are unbeatable,” said Schultz. “My position gives me a chance to make a difference, teaching one of the country’s largest and strongest groups of IP students.
“I want to help strengthen the regional IP law community and contribute positively to the development of IP law and policy.”
Not long after he started, Schultz was charged with organizing The Cleveland Intellectual Property Law Association’s meeting at Akron Law, which took place on Jan. 23. In February he testified before the U.S. Senate on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), a 1998 law governing copyright issues on the Internet.
Schultz said the March 9 Symposium on Intellectual Property Law and Policy, which he’s currently working on, will feature a variety of panels on timely issues, including IP licensing, patentable subject matter, resolving IP disputes in alternative forums such as online marketplaces and IP litigation financing.
He said the symposium topics demonstrate why IP law is one of the most fascinating areas of practice and why he enjoys running an IP center.
“Throughout our nation’s history, IP law has been at the forefront of progress. From steam engines to cars, to computers, IP lawyers have always been among the first to work on new technology,” said Schultz. “Today the issues include artificial intelligence and biotech. The only constant is change.”
Born in Maple Heights, Ohio, Schultz received a bachelor’s degree in international economics and his juris doctorate from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
He began his legal career in 1993 as a judicial clerk to U.S. Court of Federal Claims Judge Eric Bruggink. He then served as a judicial clerk to U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Judge Daniel Friedman.
In 1995, he moved to Chicago, taking a position as an associate at the law firm Pattishall, McAuliffe, Newbury, Hilliard & Geraldson, where he focused on intellectual property litigation and technology licensing issues.
He later joined the information technology and international commercial practice of Baker & McKenzie (now Baker McKenzie) in Chicago. There he served as outside general counsel to startup companies, handled technology development deals and did software and database licensing. He also worked with technology companies to set up businesses around the world.
Schultz made the switch to academia in 2003 when he joined the faculty of Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Law.
In 2012, while still a law professor at SIU, he co-founded the Center for the Protection of Intellectual Property at George Mason University, serving as its co-director until April 2018. He is still a non-resident senior scholar at the center.
Schultz is active as an adviser and officer in several professional organizations. He serves on the American Bar Association IP Law Section’s International Task Force and as chair of the academic advisory board of the Copyright Alliance. He is also chair of The Federalist Society’s IP Practice Group.
In addition, he is a senior fellow at the UK-based think tank Geneva Network, where he advises on global IP issues.
Schultz recently negotiated a memorandum of understanding between Akron Law and Gujarat National Law University in India, which was signed in January. He said the two institutions are now working to establish a U.S.-India IP project.
“The recent memorandum of understanding with Gujarat National Law University in India likely will create new opportunities for our faculty and students in the IP field,” said Peters. “This is a very exciting relationship that would not have happened without Mark’s presence. Going forward, I expect Mark will continue to develop international collaborations while building on our strong IP program here at home.”
Schultz has also secured a grant from CREATe.org (the Center for Responsible Enterprise and Trade) for the launch of the Center for Intellectual Property Law & Technology’s new Global Trade Secret Institute.
“The center will study trade secret laws around the world, publish research on how countries can improve their systems and how businesses can manage their international risk and provide training and capacity building,” said Schultz.
“Today trade secrets are more important but more threatened than ever before,” he said. “International issues are central, driving the U.S.-China trade dispute.”
With two trade secret experts on the faculty, Schultz and Associate Professor of Law Camilla Hrdy, he said, “the institute will cement The University of Akron’s place as the leader in this field.”
The institute will launch this spring and hold its first conference in Washington, D.C. in the fall.
“It will be a multilateral, public-private dialogue among officials from several countries, business leaders and legal experts in trade secret law from around the world,” said Schultz.
On Feb. 11, Schultz appeared before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, where he discussed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which governs how sites like YouTube, Google and Facebook deal with copyright infringement.
“The law is 22 years old and I think it’s time for a change,” Schultz said. “It now favors wealthy companies such as Google and Facebook at the expense of creators.”
Registration is already underway for the March 9 Symposium on Intellectual Property Law and Policy.
This year’s keynote speaker is former Sixth Circuit Chief Judge Alice Batchelder, who will talk about effective advocacy in IP and technology disputes.
“We are very excited to welcome Judge Batchelder,” said Peters. “This is a tremendously popular and well-attended event and one of the highlights of the year for the school of law.”
The daylong event has been approved for seven Ohio CLE hours. It kicks off at 8 a.m. at The University of Akron Student Union at 303 Carroll St. Registration for the symposium ends on March 2. For more information go to https://www.uakron.edu/ipsymposium