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2015 National Student Symposium

Law and Innovation

February 20 — 21, 2015

The University of Chicago Law School's Federalist Society Student Chapter hosted the 34th National Federalist Society Student Symposium on February 20-21, 2015. The theme for the Symposium was "Law and Innovation."

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5:30 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.
Panel I: Innovation and the Administrative State

2015 National Student Symposium

Topics: Administrative Law & Regulation • Law & Economics
Law School Auditorium
University of Chicago Law School
1111 E 60th Street
Chicago, IL 60637

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Description

Regulation can be a significant barrier to innovation, protecting incumbents and making it harder to bring new goods and services to market. Determining the appropriate regulation is all the more difficult when accelerating technology is creating many new opportunities as well as potential dangers. Can the administrative state itself innovate to promote beneficial innovation? Topics to be considered here will be the nature and scope of cost-benefit analysis, the use of experiments to guide regulation and prizes as an alternative to top-down regulation.

  • Prof. William Baude, University of Chicago Law School
  • Mr. Jon Dudas, Senior Associate to the President, University of Arizona and former Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
  • Mr. Steve Lehotsky, Deputy Chief Counsel for Litigation, U.S. Chamber Litigation Center
  • Prof. Jennifer Nou, University of Chicago Law School
  • Moderator: Hon. Stephen Markman, Michigan Supreme Court
  • Introduction: Ms. Kathryn Bi, President, University of Chicago Law School Federalist Society

This program was presented on February 20, 2015, as part of the 2015 Federalist Society National Student Symposium.
 

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10:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Panel II: Current Issues in Patent Law

2015 National Student Symposium

Topics: Intellectual Property • Law & Economics
Law School Auditorium
University of Chicago Law School
1111 E 60th Street
Chicago, IL 60637

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Our patent system has historically been thought to be an engine of innovation, but it is much criticized today. Is a one-size-fits all model for patent duration appropriate in today's technological environment or does it simply incentivize unnecessary litigation? For instance, the rapid pace of technological change in some areas may obviate the need of lengthy patents in some areas. Should certain innovation—such as business processes be patentable? Should the patent office be reorganized or split up to better assess patents. What other types of incentives, including those provided by copyright or prizes, provide alternatives to patents?

  • Ms. Phyllis Turner-Brim, Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, Intellectual Ventures
  • Prof. Doug Melamed, Visiting Professor, Stanford Law School
  • Prof. Michael Meurer, Boston University School of Law
  • Mr. Adam Mortara, Partner, Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP
  • Moderator: Hon. Danny J. Boggs, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit

This program was presented on February 21, 2015, as part of the 2015 Federalist Society National Student Symposium.

Speakers

11:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Becoming a Law Professor

2015 National Student Symposium

Topics: Federalist Society
Room V
University of Chicago Law School
1111 E 60th Street
Chicago, IL 60637

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  • Prof. Lisa Bernstein, University of Chicago Law School
  • Prof. Joshua Kleinfeld, Northwestern University School of Law
  • Ms. Beth Kregor, Director of the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Law School
  • Prof. John McGinnis, Northwestern University School of Law
  • Moderator: Hon. Lee Liberman Otis, Senior Vice President & Director of the Faculty Division, The Federalist Society

Speakers

1:45 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Panel III: Innovation and Health Care

2015 National Student Symposium

Topics: Administrative Law & Regulation • Healthcare • Law & Economics
Law School Auditorium
University of Chicago Law School
1111 E 60th Street
Chicago, IL 60637

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Description

Given that everyone is getting older and more prone to disease, medical innovation is one of the most important measures, if not the most important measure, of a successful health policy. Technological acceleration, including advances in genomics and stem cell research, suggest that we are on the cusp of a golden age of medical innovation. But government-imposed price controls and other policies can reduce the incentives for devising new treatments, resulting in preventable death and illness. This panel will look at the effect of Obamacare, and the policies of the FDA on innovation. More generally, will the current regulatory processes and reimbursement policies equipped to manage the next generation of personalized medicine and diagnostic devices?

  • Mr. Peter Huber, Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute
  • Ms. Lindsay Kelly, Special Counsel, Irell & Manella LLP
  • Mr. Gerald Masoudi, Partner, Covington & Burling LLP; former Chief Counsel, Food and Drug Administration
  • Moderator: Hon. Thomas B. Griffith, U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit

This program was presented on February 21, 2015, as part of the 2015 Federalist Society National Student Symposium.

Speakers

3:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Panel IV: Innovation and Inequality: Conservative and Libertarian Perspectives

2015 National Student Symposium

Topics: Administrative Law & Regulation • Civil Rights • Law & Economics
Law School Auditorium
University of Chicago Law School
1111 E 60th Street
Chicago, IL 60637

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Description

We are in an age of accelerating technology but many fear we are also in an age of growing inequality. Does the fast pace of innovation pose a threat to social stability? Many fear that machines will take away jobs from the less skilled and extend the reach of superstars, thus deepening inequality. This panel will address the dangers of innovation to employment and equality and what, if anything, the government should do about it.

  • Prof. Richard Epstein, NYU School of Law
  • Ms. Beth Kregor, Director of the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Law School
  • Prof. John McGinnis, Northwestern University School of Law
  • Moderator: Hon. Frank Easterbrook, U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit

This program was presented on February 21, 2015, as part of the 2015 Federalist Society National Student Symposium.

Speakers

6:45 p.m. - 9:45 p.m.
Banquet featuring Panel on Building Innovative Business Under Regulatory Uncertainty

2015 National Student Symposium

Topics: Administrative Law & Regulation • Law & Economics
Green Lounge
University of Chicago Law School
1111 E 60th Street
Chicago, IL 60637

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  • Mr. Evan Baehr, Co-Founder, Able Lending; formerly, Co-Founder of Outbox
  • Ms. Katie Biber Chen, Senior Counsel, Airbnb
  • Mr. Colin Stretch, General Counsel, Facebook, Inc.
  • Ms. Candice Taylor, Associate Litigation Counsel, Lyft
  • Moderator: Hon. Theodore W. Ullyot, Palantir

Speakers

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