The Right Place and Time to Be a Technology Lawyer

Colorado Law takes advantage of its location in Denver-Boulder metro, which is the heart of one of the nation鈥檚 premier telecommunications and technology hubs, featuring Centurylink, DISH Network, CableLabs, Level 3 Communications, Sun Microsystems, and Time Warner Telecom. Boulder also has a vibrant听 entrepreneurial community with many start-up and emerging companies, ranked No. 1 by Federal Reserve Bank of Boston researchers as the highest performing small city for venture capital investment, and No. 2 by the American Electronics Association for percentage of workers employed in high technology.

Colorado Law has developed one of the nation鈥檚 most听 comprehensive legal programs oriented around information technology. Technology lawyers address interesting policy challenges and novel legal issues, and rank among the most satisfied within the legal profession. Colorado Law is the right place at the right time for those interested in exploring the frontiers of听 entrepreneurial law, technology policy, and intellectual property.

  • Robust Curriculum. Take courses that cover the spectrum from the doctrinal basics to听 the leading edges of law and policy. Expert faculty teach IP and corporate听 building blocks, lead hands-on transactional and policy clinics, and offer advanced courses in areas听 such as telecommunications policy and venture capital.
  • Expansive Co-Curricular Opportunities. Become editor of a top technology law journal, participate in technology-oriented moot court competitions, attend Silicon听 Flatirons Center鈥檚 nationally recognized policy conferences, or participate in听 a cross-disciplinary offering across campus.
  • Career Success. Be completely prepared to practice law in an information age. The program鈥檚 internships, externships, clinics, and relationship building opportunities help students jumpstart their careers.

Curriculum

Colorado Law鈥檚 intellectual property, technology and telecommunication curriculum and business听 and commercial law curriculum prepare graduates for careers at law听 firms, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and governmental agencies. Students receive a broad-based legal education in addition to specialized听 environmental and natural resources courses and practicum opportunities.

Faculty

To help students succeed in the advanced fields of technology, entrepreneurial, and IP law, Colorado Law鈥檚 nationally known faculty teach legal foundation courses, a wide variety of specialized electives, and clinics for practical experience.

  • leads the Entrepreneurial Law Clinic and the Entrepreneurship Initiative for the Silicon Flatirons Center. Professor Bernthal鈥檚 research focuses on the areas of spectrum听 and public safety communications policy.
  • specializes in the law of new technologies, focusing on information governance, privacy, and freedom of expression, and serves as director of the Privacy Initiative at Silicon Flatirons.
  • serves as the director of the Samuelson-Glushko Technology Law & Policy Clinic (TLPC).
  • 听studies, teaches, and practices in the intersection of law, policy, and technology.
  • attended Columbia Law School, where he assisted the late Professor E. Allan Farnsworth on his Farnsworth on Contracts treatise.
  • scholarship centers upon IP law with a substantive focus on patents and copyright, information privacy law, and the application of computer technology within the legal system.

Mentoring

The Silicon Flatirons Center sponsors a mentoring program, which connects students with local lawyers and businesspersons who are at the top of their technology fields.

Relevant Scholarships

  • Colorado Bar Association Tax Section Scholarship
  • Dale Hatfield Scholars and Research Program for public service summer internships in technology policy
  • Entrepreneurial Law Clinic Scholarship
  • James R. McBride Scholarship for IP law
  • Thomas Schatzel Scholarship for IP law

Career Opportunities

Colorado Law strongly recommends students seek out externships for credit. Externships offer valuable exposure and contacts, as well as the opportunity to conduct research and writing assignments. Colorado Law students听 and graduates have received externships or permanent employment in the areas of technology policy, entrepreneurial, and IP law at the following firms and听 organizations from numerous firms and agencies, including: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., CableLabs, Colorado Public Utilities Commission, Cooley LLP, Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, Holland & Hart, Holme Roberts & Owen, Intrado, Level听 3 Communications, Merchant & Gould, Patton Boggs, and Sun Microsystems.