Intellectual Property Law Section of the State Bar of Montana and the Blewett School of Law
Present:
IP DAY IN MONTANA
Missoula, Montana | MARCH 26, 2027
Join us in Missoula on Friday, March 26, 2027 for our eighth installment of IP Day in Montana, taking place at the Blewett School of Law at the University of Montana.
Don’t miss this opportunity to meet with and learn from the leaders in IP law. Whether you attend annually or if this will be your first time, we hope to see you there.
The 2027 IP Day in Montana will feature very special guest, Professor Mark Bartholomew who will discuss topics from his book: Intellectual Property and the Brain: How Neuroscience Will Reshape Legal Protection for Creations of the Mind.
IP Day in Montana is the result of an ongoing partnership between the Blewett School of Law and the IPL Section of the Montana Bar.
The organizers and collaborators of IP Day in Montana are committed to continuing the mission of bringing free intellectual property education to students, businesses, and the Montana community. Therefore, if you register prior to March 15, 2027, this event is free to the general public, while legal professionals seeking CLE credit may pay $60.00 plus processing fees. Beginning on March 15, 2027, registration fees will increase by $25.00 to accommodate catering adjustments.
Speaker Bios
Mark Bartholomew is the Vice Dean for Research and Faculty Development at the University at Buffalo School of Law
Mark Bartholomew is the Vice Dean for Research and Faculty Development at the University at Buffalo School of Law. He writes and teaches in the areas of intellectual property and consumer protection law. Bartholomew received his B.A. from Cornell University and his J.D. from Yale Law School. After clerking on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, he practiced law, both as a litigator for a San Francisco law firm and as a deputy county counsel in Sonoma County, California. His latest book is Intellectual Property and the Brain: How Neuroscience Will Reshape Legal Protection for Creations of the Mind. The book explores the promise and pitfalls of using brain science to better understand creators and the audiences for their creations.
Prof. Bartholomew will share ideas from his book. Although legal scholars have begun to explore the implications of neuroscientific research for criminal law, they have yet to assess the potential of such research for intellectual property law—a legal regime governing over one-third of the U.S. economy. In his talk, Prof. Bartholomew will explain how tools meant to improve our understanding of human behavior will inevitably shape this important legal field. Brain science touches on key questions in copyright, trademark, and patent law, potentially altering the balance of power between artists and copyists, businesses and consumers. For example, fMRI imaging can help pinpoint how viewers perceive the similarity of two trademarks or two songs, key questions for analyzing trademark and copyright infringement. Neuroscience can offer much to improve our flawed system for regulating creative conduct and commercial communications. At the same time, it needs to be applied with careful attention to the reasons our system of intellectual property law exists in the first place. Describing recent scientific studies and using real-life examples of art, design, and advertising, Prof. Bartholomew will explore how lawyers and judges can best use brain science to unlock artistic innovation and promote consumer welfare.
Meet the Organizers
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Sarah is the co-founder and co-organizer of each of the installments of IP Day in Montana. She is a founding member and inaugural chair of the IPL Section of the State Bar of Montana. As part of her ongoing efforts and initiatives as past-chair, Sarah founded the Explorations Series featuring educational and professional development opportunities for Montana IP attorneys.
Now entering her 23rd year of IP practice in Montana, Sarah assists clients in securing and enforcing their intellectual property rights in the U.S. and international jurisdictions. Sarah counsels clients on developing strategies for protecting their IP assets and then represents them in patent, copyright, trademark, trade dress, trade secret and related matters. She is admitted to practice in the State Courts of Montana, the Federal Courts for the District of Montana, United States Tax Court, and is a Registered Patent Attorney. Sarah has served as counsel in trials and hearings in State and Federal Courts around the state, particularly serving as co-counsel with Michael Sherwood on many, varied criminal jury trials.
Sarah serves as Adjunct IP Professor at the Blewett School of Law and has presented a number of continuing legal education seminars over the years. IP Day in Montana is her firm’s central programming focus each year. Sarah would like to thank her paralegals Karen Fullerton and Caitlin Corson for their tireless efforts toward this event.
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The organizers wish to acknowledge the efforts of Prof. Cathay Smith as a founder and former co-organizer of IP Day in Montana.
Prof. Smith is currently serving as Professor and Co-Director of the Program in Intellectual Property Law at Chicago-Kent College of Law.
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Senior Technology Manager at Montana State University.
IP Day in Montana – Past Events
Each year, the organizers build educational programming featuring intellectual property. Past themes have included: IP for Start-Ups, Protecting Innovations in Business, and Ownership and Litigation of Ideas. In 2022, the IPL Section partnered with and hosted the event at Montana State University addressing topics on Agriculture & IP in Big Sky Country, particularly the Right to Repair. In 2024, the IPL Section and Blewett School of Law collaborated with the Montana State University and University of Montana Technology Transfer Offices to feature a day filled with University-inspired topics. In 2025, Professor Jorge Contreras presented on his book: The Genome Defense: Inside the Epic Legal Battle to Determine Who Owns Your DNA.
Check out books featured at past events:
- The Genome Defense: Inside the Epic Legal Battle to Determine Who Owns Your DNA by Jorge Conteras.
- The Branding of the American Mind: How Universities Capture, Manage, and Monetize Intellectual Property and Why It Matters by Jacob Rooksby
- The Right to Repair by Aaron Perzanowski
- You Don’t Own Me: How Mattel v. MGA Entertainment Exposed Barbie’s Dark Side by Orly Lobel
Parking
A parking permit or guest pass is required to park on the UM campus throughout the year, Monday - Friday, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Daily parking passes for visitors to the University, available for $8.00, are sold online at the Parking Portal with Guest Account set up, at University Police, University Center Bookstore and Info Desk, the Treasury Office in the Lommasson Center, and the cashier’s window at Missoula College. More information, including a map of parking lots around campus and transportation alternatives, can be found at UM's Visitor Parking Page. View a map of the parking lot and law school entrances here. Parking Lot P is the closest lot to the law school.