October 15, 2007 - (ATLANTA, GA) - Legal experts in the field of corporate intellectual property law will have access to the latest best practices and ideas from global IP experts during an event that is a joint effort of Georgia State University's J. Mack Robinson College of Business and the College of Law.

The first-ever Corporate Intellectual Property Institute is slated for Oct. 23-24 at the Georgia State Student Center. From technology transfer, brand licensing, business development, legal counsel, patents and much more, the event will include two full days of interactive panel discussions and networking.

The Corporate IP Institute was organized by intellectual property and licensing professionals in Atlanta to share best practices, network and discuss emerging business issues. Georgia State's College of Business and College of Law were instrumental in laying the foundations of the IP organization, and the alliance has resulted in successful Corporate IP Roundtable events and a planned Intellectual Property Legends Award luncheon to be held Oct. 17.

"The Corporate Intellectual Property Institute will provide a forum for IP professionals from around the world to recalibrate their best practices to the current business climate," explained Scott Frank, president of AT&T Intellectual Property and a founder of the College of Law's Intellectual Property Advisory Board. "The first day focuses on infrastructure - Keeping Your IP House in Order. Day two has a more outward-facing perspective, focusing on value extraction and interacting with other IP holders."

Topics covered during the event include IP quality assessment and valuation, licensing for high value and assertion licensing.

IP Institute co-organizer and Robinson professor Perry Binder will be speaking on a panel entitled Managing Employee IP Legal Issues. "This session will share insights into the importance of employee incentives, in an effort to generate patents and licensing opportunities," Binder stated. "In addition, we will discuss how employees have become crucial ambassadors to promote and protect a company's global brand in our knowledge-based economy."

"With the theme of Offense-Defense-Strategy, the Corporate IP Institute will also offer 12 CLE credits," added organization member Chason Carroll, director of intellectual property at CompuCredit. "These credits will be applicable for lawyers in both Georgia and Florida, so we encourage lawyers to take advantage of this opportunity for continuing education credits."

Heads of both Georgia State colleges involved believe the partnership is advantageous for IP professionals in Atlanta and beyond.

"The College of Business is extremely pleased to collaborate with the College of Law in developing the Intellectual Property Institute, IP Corporate Roundtables and the IP Legends Award event," commented H. Fenwick Huss, dean of the Robinson College of Business. "These initiatives will assist the business community in maximizing the value of their intellectual property assets and will honor those who have made exemplary contributions to IP development."

Executive speakers are confirmed from more than 20 commercial enterprises representing best-in-class intellectual asset management across various industry sectors. Presenters will include IP professionals from Air Products & Chemicals, AT&T Intellectual Property, The Coca-Cola Company, CompuCredit, Cox Communications, E.I. du Pont de Nemours, GE Energy, IBM, Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Inc., Motorola, Newell-Rubbermaid, Pitney-Bowes, The Procter & Gamble Company and UPS.

"Likewise, the College of Law is delighted with this linkage between our intellectual property initiative and the College of Business," added Steven Kaminshine, dean of the College of Law. "These events all serve to demonstrate the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between law and business. Effective lawyering requires practitioners to appreciate the context within which the law operates, and the IP Institute is an important example that highlights this truth."

For additional details and to register for the event, visit the 2007 Corporate IP Institute here.

For more information on Georgia State University's J. Mack Robinson College of Business, visit robinson.gsu.edu, and for the College of Law, go to law.gsu.edu.

For more information, contact:
Tammy DeMel
Robinson College of Business 
404/413-7078 (voice)
404/702-9743
tdemel@gsu.edu.

The J. Mack Robinson College of Business is one of the top-ranked business schools. The College's Flex (part-time) MBA program has been listed in the top ten by U.S. News for the past twelve consecutive years and its undergraduate business program is ranked among the top 50 in the nation. Robinson's Executive MBA program is listed among the world's best by The Financial Times. Georgia State University's Robinson College of Business has an enrollment of approximately 7000 students and has classroom facilities in downtown Atlanta, Alpharetta, Brookhaven and Henry County. www.robinson.gsu.edu