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Franklin Pierce Law Center, Concord, NH [By Heather Jung] The Franklin Pierce Law Center (FPLC), the only law school in New Hampshire, is named after New Hampshire native and politician Franklin Pierce. Pierce served as the 14 th President of the United States from 1853 to 1857 and is known for having signed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which revoked the Missouri Compromise and created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska.
FPLC, a private, ABA-accredited school,
of-its-kind course of study designed to train
include the Public Interest Coalition, the
was founded in 1973 by Robert H. Rines
IP professionals, lawyers, administrators,
Public Interest Summer Fellowship Program,
“in reaction to two shortcomings in U.S.
entrepreneurs, and engineers from all over
the Student Pro Bono Project, and the High
legal education: its failure to effectively
the world to specialize in and understand
School Mentor Program.
teach professional skills and its neglect of
the practice of intellectual property law and
intellectual property law.” Since that time,
licensing. The LL.M. in Intellectual Property,
Since opening its doors 24 years ago, the
the intellectual property program at FPLC has
Commerce, and Technology program allows
school has graduated several notable alumni,
become one of the most prestigious and well-
students to earn postgraduate law degrees
including U.S. Representative Tim Ryan;
respected in the country and is consistently
and learn more about the business and
Maryland politician Roger Manno; and Bing
ranked among the top 10 intellectual property
transactional areas of intellectual property.
Wang, Vice Dean of Tsinghua University and China’s first patent agent.
programs in the country. Other academic resources for the IP Students interested in studying intellectual
enthusiast include the Intellectual Property
FPLC is located in New Hampshire’s capitol,
property (IP) are provided with an abundance
Library, the IP Mall (a website that gives
Concord. Thus, students at FPLC have a wide
of classes, programs, and options to utilize.
students access to IP research), the
array of opportunities within the city. Concord
According to the law school’s IP website,
Intellectual Property Law Review (IDEA), and the Kenneth J. Germeshausen Center.
is the official seat of the state government
FPLC “offers the most extensive selection of intellectual property courses in the country, exposing students to a wide variety of current
The law center hosts several summer
intellectual property issues.”
programs for its students. There are four summer intellectual property programs
The law center offers a joint degree in
available: the Criminal Law and Justice
intellectual property—the J.D./M.I.P. (Master
Seminar (held in Washington, DC), the
of Intellectual Property)—and a J.D./
Intellectual Property Summer Institute (held
Certificate of Health Policy program, which is
in Concord), the China Intellectual Property
run in conjunction with the University of New
Summer Institute (which takes place in Beijing
Hampshire and allows students to study the
and Xi’an), and the eLaw Summer Institute
key elements of health-policy development. In
(which takes place in Cork, Ireland).
addition to the two joint degrees offered, there are several concentrations in which students
Students interested in social reform can hone
can study while earning their J.D.s: commerce
their interest through several social justice
and technology, criminal law, general
projects. The Pierce Law Innocence Project
practice, health law, intellectual property, and
is affiliated with the New England Innocence
social justice.
Project and provides legal assistance to men and women who have been wrongly
and is home to the oldest state house in which members of the legislature still meet in their original chambers. Concord is also home to several other notable buildings, including the Eagle Hotel, where former presidents wined and dined, and the Walker-Woodman House, the oldest house in Concord. Another major point of interest in the city of 40,687 is the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium named after the Concord teacher who perished in the 1986 Challenger explosion. On the Net Franklin Pierce Law Center www.piercelaw.edu
The school also offers a Master of Intellectual
incarcerated. Street Law, a program for
Concord, NH
Property in Commerce and Technology and
2L and 3L students, allows students to
www.onconcord.com
a Master of Laws in Intellectual Property,
teach 10-class courses on the rights and
Commerce, and Technology. The M.I.P. in
responsibilities of law to local high school
Intellectual Property at FPLC
Commerce and Technology program is a first-
students. Other programs at the school
www.piercelaw.edu/academics_ip.htm
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