George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School

George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School Launches Innovation Law Clinic

Sean O'ConnorScalia Law Will Serve Emerging Tech Sector in the DMV

George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School today announced the launch of its new Innovation Law Clinic to support the emerging, dynamic tech sector in the DMV (DC, MD, No VA). Sean O’Connor, a distinguished innovation scholar and Executive Director of Scalia Law’s Center for the Protection of Intellectual Property (CPIP), will lead the clinic. He brings years of experience practicing at multinational firms and serving as general counsel to several startups.

“With the development of the Dulles high tech corridor, Maryland’s biotech sector, and the wealth of DC startups, the DMV is one of the hottest tech markets in the nation,” said O’Connor. “Amazon’s move to Northern Virginia, just minutes from our law school, confirms this region’s attractiveness to the tech sector.”

“It’s fortuitous that our Innovation Clinic will be next door to the proposed new Institute for Digital InnovAtion (IDIA) and computer science programs on the Arlington Campus,” said O’Connor. “IDIA, Computer Science, and The Innovation Law Clinic will serve as a triumvirate of innovation, resources, and support for the region’s tech sector.”

Students in the Innovation Law Clinic will have the opportunity to learn from local practitioners, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and faculty from both Scalia Law and George Mason University. Under the supervision of O’Connor and other local attorneys, students will analyze the client’s technology, business plan and legal documents, and then produce a confidential roadmap for the client.

“The Innovation Clinic, and related initiatives, will make Scalia Law the premier law school in the DMV for students interested in innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Scalia Law Dean Henry N. Butler. “We are preparing a generation of lawyers, entrepreneurs, and innovation experts for the country’s next great tech sector.”

About George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School

In July 2016, the George Mason University School of Law was renamed Antonin Scalia Law School in honor of the late Supreme Court Justice. Scalia Law is renowned for its academic emphasis on the intersection of law and economics, with some of the nation’s top law and economics scholars on the faculty. National Jurist ranks Scalia Law as a Top 20 Law School for students pursuing careers in government. A relatively young law school, Scalia Law School has been ranked a US News Top 50 Law School for 18 years, and recently ranked #4 for its part-time program. Scalia Law School is ranked #19 by Shanghai’s Global Rankings for Law. National Jurist ranks Washington DC, across the Potomac from Scalia Law School, the best city in the nation for young attorneys.