Congratulations to St. Thomas University College of Law students Jennifer Blanco and Geraldine Orlando, both of whom have been selected for the highly competitive and prestigious Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA)/VIA Intellectual Property Law Institute (IPLI). A summer IP and Tech law program created to increase Hispanic representation in intellectual property law. The program began as an initial partnership with Microsoft and has expanded to include key IP stakeholders such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and more.
Each year the IPLI selects about 30 law students from law schools throughout the country to participate in this IP immersion and tech law program. Competition for spots in the IPLI is high. This year, STU boasts two awardees, Ms. Blanco and Ms. Orlando.
Jennifer Blanco
“Being the daughter of immigrants, a first-generation student, and law student, I am extremely honored and grateful to have been selected for this prestigious and highly competitive opportunity. Less than three percent of Hispanic attorneys practice IP in the US. To be part of a program that encourages and allows Hispanic students to collaborate with Big Tech Companies is a true blessing,” says Ms. Blanco of the opportunity.
Geraldine Orlando
Ms. Orlando shared similar sentiments about being selected for the HNBA IPLI this summer, “Law School has taught me that I can achieve more things that I thought I was capable of and allowed me to find my dream field of practice, IP Law. Being selected to be part of the HNBA Intellectual Property Law Institute is a huge honor and an amazing opportunity to learn more about IP and get valuable connections for the future. As a Venezuelan immigrant, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be part of a program whose goal is to help increase the presence of Hispanic attorneys in the IP field.”
The IPLI provides substantive instruction, hands-on practical experience, skills-based workshops, virtual visits with US government institutions related to IP law (Patent and Trademark Office, Copyright Office, Federal Trade Commission, House and Senate Judiciary Committee, US International Trade Commission, US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit), briefings from leading IP and tech law practitioners and congressional and executive branch authorities, mentorship relationships, and networking opportunities—all designed to give participants a broad understanding of these fields of practice.
Congratulation to our distinguished IP students Jeniffer Blanco & Geraldine Orlando and their contribution to increasing Hispanic representation in the field of intellectual property law! https://rusbank.net
