ESD re-designates Syracuse’s College of Law as science and technology law center

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The state has re-designated Syracuse University’s College of Law as a New York State Science and Technology Law Center (STLC).

Empire State Development’s (ESD) division of Science, Technology & Innovation (NYSTAR) awarded the designation, ESD announced.

With the new label the Law Center will “continue to support economic development across New York State by leveraging the experience and expertise of law faculty and students to help businesses determine prospects for the success of new and emerging technologies in the global marketplace,” according to an ESD news release.

ESD will support Syracuse University’s STLC with nearly $1.7 million in funding over the course of the five-year designation, the agency noted.

Craig Boise, dean of the College of Law at Syracuse University, said he is “extremely pleased” that NYSTAR has granted the College of Law the “coveted designation as the only” New York State Science and Technology Commercialization Law Center.

“NYSTAR’s action is an explicit recognition of our faculty’s strength in this area, as well as our students’ hard work and creativity. Coupled with the College of Law’s Technology Commercialization Law Program, [New York State] STLC allows us to partner with industries across New York, to support economic development in the state, and to provide a law curriculum that is rich in hands-on, practical experience,” said Boise.

STLC’s work

First designated in 2004, the STLC has faculty and students “promoting greater awareness and understanding” of legal issues in commercialization, such as intellectual property protection; technology transfer; patents, copyrights, and trademarks; and licensing agreements.

They will also advise other state-designated Centers for Advanced Technology; Centers of Excellence; certified business incubators; innovation hot spots; and regional Manufacturing Extension Partnership centers on technology-related, legal issues.

Syracuse University’s STLC has expanded its services over the last five years to keep pace with the growth of the state’s technology startups, ESD said. During the most recent designation, the STLC completed about 150 research projects at an average rate of 50 projects a year, according to the news release.

The STLC takes in clients from across New York seeking its assistance, Syracuse University’s extended “innovation ecosystem,” and other organizations dedicated to tech startups.

“Our network of NYSTAR-supported centers is crucial to New York State’s innovation economy, providing assistance that helps companies transform concepts into realities. The Science and Technology Law Center continues to offer unparalleled research and legal solutions for a range of businesses and sectors, and I congratulate the College of Law’s faculty and students on their re-designation,” Howard Zemsky, president, CEO and commissioner of ESD, said in the agency’s news release.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com