Enquire to study in the UK 
Technology, especially the boom in artificial intelligence, may have changed Intellectual Property law forever in the last few years. But when it comes to advancing your IP law career, the roadmap to success remains the same: you need to learn from the right people and be in the right place.
Ask successful IP law practitioners, and many say you can find both at the Boston University School of Law (BU Law). The school is ranked #8 for IP Law by US News & World Report and recognised by The Princeton Review as the nation’s #8 best in providing the “best classroom experience”.
Its LLM in Intellectual Property & Information Law is led by some of the nation’s leading IP practitioners who are consistently named to the top of Princeton Review’s “Best Professors” list. In lecture halls and seminar rooms, they contribute insights from their cutting-edge work at Boston’s top IP firms and biotechnology companies. These include leading tech and IP companies like Akamai, Facebook, Draper Labs, Moderna, and Pfizer, as well as a multitude of startups – all of which are actively shaping the landscape of IP law from their East Coast base.
Great professors and a great city for IP law can be career-changing – these students and graduates tell us how.
From self-doubt to award-winning partner
When Shisong Chen. Source: BU Law
When Shisong Chen, 37, graduated from BU Law in 2020, Dean John Riccardi attended his commencement ceremony and gifted him a book he kept for 30 years. “I was deeply moved because I thought no one would come to join that big event since my family was far away in China,” he says. “But his appearance, instructions, and support helped me move forward in my career and life.”
When Chen first joined BU Law, he never thought he would ever “make it.” But classes like the “IP Workshop” and “Patent Law” as well as world-class “geniuses” showed him he could. “I love the way Professor Wendy J. Gordon instructed her class. She is an authority in IP and her upper-level writing class helped me significantly in legal writing,” he says. “Professors Michael J. Meurer and Jessica Silbey are masters in IP education.”
These figures paved Chen’s path to partnership. Today, he’s an equity partner at Zhejiang Brighteous Law Firm, primarily representing cases in civil law, corporation, criminal law, and international dispute resolution – with many awards to his name. He was the Young Lawyer of East China 2024 by Asian Legal Business and one of LexisNexis’s 40 Under 40 in Asia-Pacific in 2023.
“So far, I have litigated two cases in the Supreme People’s Court of China, and two cases in the Ministry of Public Security of China,” he says. “With the knowledge learnt from BU Law, I believe that I am more confident and capable of protecting the interests of my clients worldwide.”
Supporting creators and artists
Tai-lin Ibanez. Source: BU Law
Tai-lin Ibanez, 26, plans to use her LLM to help creators protect their work. Her goal is to contribute to a more vibrant and inclusive creative community in the US and in her home country Colombia. “I believe that strong IP protection is important for encouraging creativity and supporting diverse voices in these fields,” she says. “I also want to advocate for fair practices and help emerging artists and small businesses access legal resources, as they often struggle to navigate complex laws.”
Having experts as professors who are “very approachable” makes it easy for Ibanez to ask questions and seek help. But it’s Patti Jones, her professor in the Practice of US Copyright and Trademarks in Entertainment course, who has been “incredibly supportive” of her ambitions to pursue a career in fashion law.
“She provided valuable advice on specific courses I should take to strengthen my knowledge in this area and recommended law firms to research for potential opportunities,” says Ibanez. “Additionally, she emphasised the importance of networking in this field, encouraging me to connect with professionals and attend industry events.
Making things happen
Dhruthi Batchu. Source: BU Law
Dhruthi Batchu, 31, believes all BU Law faculty members made an impact on her personal and professional life. “Many of my professors encouraged building professional networks in Boston and connected me with relevant industry leaders and bar affiliations, making sure I was in the ‘room where it happens’,” says the graduate from India.
Boston is that kind of place. During practical learning opportunities, such as the BU/MIT Student Innovations Law Clinic, Batchu got to network and interact with professionals in leading IP firms, startups and tech companies at the epicentre of innovation and discovery.
After graduating, Batchu clerked at the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts and worked as an IP and IT law associate at McCarter and English for over two years. Today, she’s an associate at Barclay Damon with the firm’s Intellectual property and commercial litigation group. When she’s not making things happen in the rapidly evolving field of IP law, she’s giving back.
“By offering pro bono advice, I help people safeguard their ideas, brand image, and innovations, helping them thrive in competitive markets,” says Batchu. “I am also a member of the South Asian Lawyers Bar Association, and I use this platform to mentor and provide advice to current and prospective LLM students and young attorneys.”
Follow BU Law on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
