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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

IP Law Basics: Protecting & Licensing Tech Assets

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign via Coursera

Overview

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This course gives business professionals a practical understanding of how intellectual property works in practice: who owns it, how it moves between parties, and how to work with legal counsel. You will learn the default ownership rules and how work-for-hire, employment, contractor, and joint development agreements change them. You will also learn how licenses are structured, from exclusivity and scope to royalty models, and how to read the key provisions of a licensing agreement. Finally, you will learn when to involve IP counsel and how to prepare, manage costs, and ask questions that lead to actionable advice.

Syllabus

  • Module 1: Foundations of Intellectual Property
    • You will learn why intellectual property exists, how it works as a business tool, and how patents, trade secrets, copyright, and trademarks each protect different aspects of a technology company's assets. You will also practice spotting IP issues in real-world products, including a connected home security device and a SaaS analytics platform. Finally, you will learn how the four types of IP work together as complementary layers, and why the territorial nature of IP rights and patent filing deadlines matter for global businesses.
  • Module 2: Ownership, Licensing, and Working with Counsel
    • You will learn who owns intellectual property by default, how the work-for-hire doctrine applies to employees and contractors, and how to structure employment, contractor, and joint development agreements so the company secures its rights. You will also learn how licenses are structured, including exclusivity, scope, and royalties, how to read the key provisions of a licensing agreement, and how to know when to involve legal counsel and work with them effectively.

Taught by

Elizabeth Rothman

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