Even as a high school student, 1L James Finn knew he wanted to earn his JD and practice patent law. He entered the University of Minnesota intending to earn a bachelor’s degree in science and then apply for law school, but he realized he needed more education first.
“I fell in love with microbiology—of course I picked a science that requires a PhD to do patent law,” Finn recalls. “I finished my bachelor’s degree in microbiology and started a master’s program in bacteriology to confirm my passion for the field before committing to a PhD. The master’s program went really well, and a lot of my work there could be used in my PhD work. Ultimately, I finished my master’s degree and then earned my PhD in microbiology, both at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.”
During both his master’s and PhD programs, Finn focused on skills that could transfer to the legal field, primarily writing and communication. He says his ultimate goal is working in biotechnology or medicine, which is why he developed a background in the life sciences.
“My future clients will be hospitals and universities that are looking to patent biotech inventions, so you need a PhD to talk to these other scientists,” Finn explains. “No one with a PhD in molecular biology is going to want to waste time explaining the science or talking to someone who doesn’t understand the language.”
A Minneapolis native, Finn says he was drawn to Utah Law because the mountains were unlike the Midwest landscape. He was also impressed by the new law building.
“I was aware that there were only a couple intellectual property law professors here, but I liked the idea of having a smaller IP presence because there would be more opportunities for me to get involved,” he says. “I also hoped to meet with those professors more one-on-one and possibly collaborate with them on some writing projects.”
Though he has only been attending Utah Law for about seven months, Finn says he has enjoyed the professors and other students—both of whom have created a positive learning environment—and his chance to already be involved in the IP law student organization.
“I’m excited to be an officer of the Student IP Law Association (SIPLA) and to be in this intellectual space. We don’t really have weekly or monthly meetings, but we host lunches often and get to chat and catch up. It’s nice to be surrounded by other people who also love the intellectual property side of science. Most of us have a science background,” he says. “The lunches also make sure other IP-focused students have an opportunity to interact with firms and network.”
After Finn finishes his first year of law school, he’ll be employed as a 1L summer associate at Fish & Richardson P.C. in Boston, an international firm that focuses on intellectual property.
“They’ll help me learn about patent prosecution in the life sciences space, which is what I want to do after law school. Patent prosecutors represent inventors and convince the government that the application meets the criteria for a patentable invention,” Finn says. “I tell all my fellow scientists and friends that when you invent something, come to me and I will help you protect your intellectual property. You should enjoy the rewards of your hard work and protect what you created.”
Finn is most passionate about helping individuals protect what they create because it can benefit the world.
“Intellectual property protection encourages everybody who may have wanted to build something to build something, because now they know they can own it. The idea that you can own the creations from your thoughts is newer in the history of humankind, and in the United States, we allow everyone from the bottom to the top to own their intellectual property,” he says. “Anyone can protect the things they want to contribute to society, and they’ll have that protection for decades. That ownership is important not just to the individual, but to the broader aspects of society.”