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Chicago–Kent College of LAW
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Nigel M. de S. Cameron, research professor and
director, Center on Nanotechnology and Society
Chicago-Kent is an innovator in intellectual property law,
the fastest-growing segment in the legal profession. The
college was the first in the nation to offer a master’s degree in
international intellectual property law. Last year, U.S. News
& World Report ranked Chicago-Kent’s Intellectual Property
Program 9th in the nation among such programs.
Nanotechnology is another area in which Chicago-Kent
has taken the lead. Chicago-Kent faculty, with significant
Congressional support, formed the Center on Nanotechnology
and Society to ignite informed research and discussion of
the social ramifications of nanotechnology. Center members
include an interdisciplinary collective of faculty from IIT and
partner universities, as well as legal professionals. The center,
the first of its kind at an American academic institution, has
hosted a series of high-profile symposia that have helped
to bring greater national attention to this issue. And a new
grant from the United States Department of Energy will help
Distinguished Professor Lori Andrews explore the relationship
between intellectual property law and nanotechnology.
In addition to advancing law to keep up with the pace
of technology, innovative programs at Chicago-Kent are
harnessing technology for the betterment of those who might
otherwise not have access to the court system.
The Center for Access to Justice and Technology combines
cutting-edge technology with hands-on experience as students
work with litigants who lack financial resources. The center
conducts research, builds software tools, teaches classes, and
supports faculty, staff, and student projects aimed at making
the legal system more accessible. Students also gain insights
through a student-run editorial board, which trains others to
participate in the center’s activities.
“We help potential litigants learn if they need a lawyer,
where they can look for one, and what they need to take their
case forward,” explains Krent. “Students volunteer to help by
meeting and working with the litigants, giving them real-world
experience. It’s a program that works on many levels.”
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