Curriculum

The John Marshall Law School has appointed Richard S. Gruner, former counsel to the IBM Corp., as a law professor and director of the Center for Intellectual Property Law, beginning in July.

Since 1983, Gruner has taught patent law, computers and law, corporate law and white collar crime at Whittier Law School in California. A graduate of the University of Southern California Law School, he has an LL.M. degree from Columbia University.

Gruner is co-author of the 2006 text, “Intellectual Property in Business Organizations: Cases and Materials,” and “Intellectual Property: Private Rights, the Public Interest, and the Regulation of Creative Activity,” which will be published this year.

He is currently in Beijing, China, with John Marshall's acting dean John E. Corkery and Dorothy Li, co-director of the Asian Alliance Program, for meetings at the State Intellectual Property Office.

For 10 years, John Marshall has partnered with SIPO in training Chinese attorneys in U.S. and international intellectual property law. Corkery will present diplomas to those who have completed the LL.M. degree program.

The DePaul University College of Law has begun accepting nominations for alumni awards that will be presented during its 14th annual luncheon on Thursday, Sept. 20, at the Palmer House Hilton, Chicago.

The categories are Distinguished Alumnus/Alumna Award, Outstanding Young Alumnus/Alumna Award, Outstanding Service to the Profession Award, and Outstanding Service to DePaul University Award.

Nominating forms may be obtained from the office of alumni relations by calling (800) 437-1898 or sending an e-mail to dpalumni@depaul.edu. The deadline for submissions is Friday, April 13.

The University of Chicago Law School will be the site of the second annual Constance Baker Motley National Moot Court Competition in Constitutional Law on Saturday and Sunday, March 31-April 1.

The American Constitution Society for Law and Policy, which sponsors the moot court, is seeking judges. Send an e-mail to mootcourtreg@acslaw.org.

• • •

The John Marshall Law School will be host for the National Undergraduate Diversity Mock Trial Competition on Friday and Saturday, April 13-14. Contact Rory Smith at (312) 987-1412 or 6smith@jmls.edu.

John Marshall's Center for Intellectual Property Law will present the Howard T. Markey Distinguished Lecture in Patent Law from 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 10.

• • •

Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier of the Illinois Supreme Court will be keynote speaker at the fifth annual spring gala of the University of Illinois College of Law on Friday, April 20, at Champaign Country Club.

Participants will celebrate student achievements, thank alumni for support, honor faculty and staff, and toast the leadership of campus administrators. Call (217) 333-2628 for information and reservations.