SLW Academy Opens the Door to Careers in IP
The SLW Academy is now open for students to explore. The SLW Academy is a free online resource where participants can earn a certificate in intellectual property basics, as well as hear professionals speak about workplace best practices and career advice. To take part, participants need only register and log in; the courses are available on-demand. Courses feature videos presented by Schwegman attorneys and staff. With SLW Academy, the firm aims to provide practical instruction and opportunities to students who are traditionally underrepresented in intellectual property.
Principals Piers Blewett and Chris Palmisano were instrumental in organizing the Academy. Piers explains, “The broad goal of the Academy is to increase representation of diverse candidates in the field of intellectual property law. More specifically, we seek to facilitate access to information underlying consideration of a career in IP law and offer practical skills and opportunities to succeed in launching an IP career.”
The SLW Academy features instructional content for students at various levels, including:
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- High school students interested in careers in the law, science, or engineering;
- Students working toward or having completed degrees in engineering, science, or mathematics; or
- Students working toward or having completed a law degree.
Piers speaks on the “How to Review Patent Applications” video, as part of the SLW Academy IP Certification Course. Piers explains, “My course is focused on how to review a patent application and check that some key aspects have been addressed. As a ‘value add’ for any aspiring patent attorney, this skill can be passed along to clients and inventors to help extract maximum value from patent applications and become known as a true asset builder in your career.”
Chris Palmisano is one of the co-organizers of the SLW Academy. In addition, he presents the “35 U.S.C. 103 Rejections” video in the SLW Academy IP Certification Course. His lesson explains what obviousness means in patent law, how the USPTO uses obviousness to reject applications, and discusses how attorneys and agents can address obviousness rejections.
Diversity has long been a focus at Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner. The firm includes building a foundation of diversity within and beyond the IP community as a key objective in its community outreach.
To explore the SLW Academy and dive in, click here.
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