About Us

The Center for Patent Innovations is unique among New York Law School’s centers in that it is principally focused on research and development. Associated with both the Institute for Information Law & Policy and the Do Tank, the Center designs and develops projects harnessing Web-based collaborative tools for the sole purpose of improving patent systems, both in the United States and around the world.

Staffed primarily by students, the Center aims to extend their educational experience by providing them a hands-on approach to improving the way individual citizens can interact with governmental institutions. Student participants are able to adjust their participation to their academic schedules, but they are also in a position to take on leadership roles within the Center.

Projects undertaken by the Center begin at the conceptual stage, usually evolving from theoretical work of a faculty member. Once the concept is developed, the Center seeks to fund projects through corporate and foundation gifts. Projects then enter into a design stage where different approaches to the problem are tested and evaluated. Once an approach is selected, the project enters a development or prototype stage. The goal is to then launch the project as a pilot to test the “real-world” efficacy of the solution. Pilot phases may last from six months to several years. The goal of the Center is to ultimately move the projects from theory to full-fledged operation.