Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property

In February, students at WCL’s Glushko-Samuelson IP Law Clinic secured Patent #12,551,768 B1 from the USPTO for a local high school inventor. Luca Salvatore, a varsity soccer player, noticed how the typical net attachment systems would constantly break after impact from balls and players. He contacted the IP clinic to see if his novel solution to this recurring problem was patentable.

This representation spanned two academic years and involved four IP Clinic student attorneys–Sarah Elliot, Sean Graham, Sydney Myers, and John Seager– supervised by patent supervisor David Grossman and Clinic Director Professor Vicki Phillips. The IP Clinic is part of the school’s highly ranked program that not only gives students hands-on experience but also produces real-world results.

With patent protection now in place, Luca is bringing his line of indestructible soccer goals to the national stage this December at the 57th National Athletic Director's Conference in Arizona. Luca noted "I couldn't have thought of a better way to go about my patent other than working with the IP law team at AU. Truly magnificent and brilliant team of people who are led by some of the most respected professionals in the industry!”

We look forward to seeing our clinic students continue to make a positive impact in the D.C. community and beyond.

Can a generic drug maker be liable for patent infringement?

Happening Today: PIJIP and the Health Law Program will co-host the next installment of our IP@SCOTUS series this evening on Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. v. Amarin Pharma, Inc. | April 29, 2026 | 5:00–6:00 PM ET.

This Supreme Court case raises major questions about induced infringement in the pharmaceutical context, including whether calling a product a “generic version” and citing public information about a branded drug is enough to create liability when the patented use has been fully carved out of the label.

Join us this evening for post-argument reflections from counsel of record and selected amici as we discuss the broader implications for patent law, generic drug competition, and access to medicines.

This is a Hybrid event with reception to follow. Registration required: https://loom.ly/6scEDa8

Join us on Monday, April 20 | 5:00–6:30 PM ET | Virtual for a timely conversation on “De(Constructing) Washington’s Cultural Landscape: The White House, Kennedy Center, and Building Memorials.”

This program offers a rare opportunity to examine constitutional structure, administrative law, and cultural heritage law—not in the abstract, but as they are actively contested in court and in the public discourse—shaping, in real time, the future of Washington’s most iconic spaces.

Register here for the virtual event: https://loom.ly/hSDXRnQ