Discover how UNC School of Law’s Institute for Innovation is powering North Carolina’s future. Our media archive captures our story in action – from our downtown Chapel Hill hub where student attorneys guide promising startups, to our faculty experts shaping critical conversations about law and innovation. Dive into our yearly collections to see how our three dynamic clinics – the Startup NC Law Clinic, Community Development Law Clinic, and Intellectual Property Clinic – are transforming legal education while serving entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and innovators across our state. Through news coverage, thought leadership, and event highlights, explore how we’re fulfilling our mission to strengthen North Carolina’s innovation economy, support rural and under-resourced communities, and prepare the next generation of business-savvy lawyers. Whether you’re a policymaker tracking our economic impact, an entrepreneur curious about our services, or a future lawyer eager to gain hands-on experience serving real clients, each story shows how we’re building a more innovative and inclusive North Carolina.
2024
- On December 13, Professor Dustin Marlan will participate in the Akron Law Intellectual Property Scholars Forum, where he will discuss the application of the right of publicity to combat the harms of deepfake technology. His paper, titled “Generative Identity Theft,” will appear in an upcoming intellectual property issue of the Akron Law Review.
- On December 4, 2024, the Institute for Innovation hosted a Lunch & Learn event at 79°West Innovation Hub that brought together diverse professionals – from tech novices to attorneys – for expert education on AI’s impact in legal practice.
- On October 22, 2024, the Institute for Innovation partnered with Outer Banks Entrepreneurs (OBE) to provide essential legal education to women business owners, with the Institute’s Assistant Professor Dustin Marlan delivering a seminar on intellectual property law to over 40 members in Elizabeth City, furthering their commitment to supporting entrepreneurs across North Carolina through expert legal resources and education.
- On October 18, Professor Marlan attended the Harvard/Penn/NYU Trademark and Unfair Competition Roundtable at Harvard Law School, where he discussed his paper, “Servicing Trade Dress,” regarding the intersection of trademarks and the design of services. Servicing Trade Dress will be published in the U.C. Davis Law Review in 2025.
- On October 17, 2024, the Institute for Innovation collaborated with the pro bono program to support minority entrepreneurs in Wilmington, where law students and attorneys provided essential legal guidance to twelve minority-owned businesses while deepening students’ understanding of the community’s historical context.
- On October 14, 2024, the Institute for Innovation’s Startup NC Law Clinic partnered with the Conservation and Agricultural Law Federation to host biotech entrepreneur Eli Hornstein for a discussion about innovative GMO corn development and the legal challenges facing agricultural startups focused on reducing methane emissions.
- On October 1, 2024, the Institute for Innovation hosted a high-profile panel discussion on “The Future of College Athletics” at the Blue Zone at Kenan Stadium, bringing together prominent figures in college sports – including ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, UNC Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham, and other sports leaders – to discuss pressing issues like NIL reform and conference realignment for an audience of over 250 attendees. Note: If you’d like to watch a recording of this event, you can view it here.
- On June 10, 2024, the Institute for Innovation continued its Speaker Series at Channel in Wilmington, where Dean Martin Brinkley delivered a “Business Enterprise Law 101” presentation in collaboration with Channel’s leadership team, furthering their commitment to providing fundamental legal education to the local business community.
- On May 1, 2024, the Institute for Innovation partnered with the New Hanover Community Endowment to host Professor Thomas Kelley III at Channel in Wilmington, where he provided essential legal education on nonprofit startup fundamentals to the local community.
- On April 14, 2024, the Institute for Innovation launched their Speaker Series at the Innovate Carolina Junction with a diverse panel featuring SAS Executive VP Patricia Brown, UNC Women’s Soccer Coach Anson Dorrance, and other leaders from law, tech, and government who shared insights on building innovative and effective teams.
- On March 12, 2024, the Institute for Innovation launched a partnership with CHANNEL Powered by Live Oak Bank in Wilmington, bringing their legal clinics’ expertise to support local entrepreneurs and small business owners in the coastal region, where they provided essential guidance on topics like intellectual property protection while serving CHANNEL’s community of 700 small businesses.