Stanford Program in Law, Science & Technology

Stanford Program in Law, Science & Technology
Name	Stanford Program in Law, Science & Technology
Established	1980s
Location	Stanford, California
Institution	Stanford University

Contents

Stanford Program in Law, Science & Technology is an interdisciplinary center at Stanford University that examines interactions among law, science, and technology through research, education, and policy engagement. It convenes scholars from Stanford Law School, Stanford School of Engineering, Stanford School of Medicine, and affiliated units to address issues related to intellectual property, privacy, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence. The program draws participants from legal practitioners at firms such as Morrison & Foerster, policymakers from United States Congress, and technologists from companies like Google, Apple, and Microsoft.

History

The program traces origins to collaborations among faculty linked to Stanford Law School, Stanford Department of Computer Science, and the Hoover Institution during debates following the passage of the Bayh–Dole Act and litigations such as Diamond v. Chakrabarty. Early contributors included scholars who engaged with cases before the United States Supreme Court and policy processes in the National Institutes of Health and the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Over time the program expanded alongside developments in Silicon Valley firms like Intel, NVIDIA, and Hewlett-Packard as well as regulatory shifts after events like the European Union General Data Protection Regulation deliberations and rulings such as Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank International.

The program aims to inform policymakers at venues including the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, legislative committees of the United States Senate, and international bodies like the World Intellectual Property Organization. Objectives include promoting scholarship that intersects with cases such as Mayo Collaborative Services v. Prometheus Laboratories, Inc., advising agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration, and shaping curricula that integrate perspectives from scholars who have worked with institutions like the National Science Foundation and think tanks such as the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University.

Academic offerings are coordinated with degree programs at Stanford Law School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, and the School of Engineering. Courses often reference foundational texts and cases including KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., involve guest lecturers from Facebook, Amazon (company), and feature modules on statutes like the America Invents Act. Seminars have included collaborations with institutes such as the Center for Internet and Society and visiting professors from Yale Law School, Columbia Law School, and University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

Research spans topics linked to landmark works and entities including CRISPR, Human Genome Project, and standards debates involving IEEE Standards Association. Initiatives have produced policy briefs engaging with litigation strategies from firms such as WilmerHale and corporate practices at Tesla, Inc., while addressing global challenges raised by institutions like the World Health Organization and treaties exemplified by the Convention on Biological Diversity. Projects often collaborate with laboratories such as SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and centers like the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.

The program maintains partnerships with universities including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University, and University of Oxford, as well as with governmental agencies like the Federal Trade Commission and European Commission. Collaborations extend to civil society organizations such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, professional associations like the American Bar Association, and corporations including IBM and Oracle Corporation. International research ties have engaged scholars from Max Planck Society, Tsinghua University, and the Australian National University.

Faculty and affiliated scholars have included former clerks and practitioners who have argued before the United States Supreme Court, served at the United States Department of Justice, or led centers like the Baker Institute. Alumni occupy roles at universities such as Harvard Law School, University of Chicago Law School, and corporations including Facebook, SpaceX, and Genentech. Visiting fellows have been drawn from institutions such as the Brookings Institution, RAND Corporation, and the Aspen Institute.

The program hosts colloquia, conferences, and workshops featuring speakers from institutions like the National Academy of Sciences, judges from the United States Court of Appeals, and executives from LinkedIn and Twitter. Public symposia address case studies such as Google LLC v. Oracle America, Inc. and regulatory topics debated at forums like the WSJ Tech Live and conferences including CES. Outreach includes executive education for officials from the Department of Commerce, briefings for delegations from the European Parliament, and summer programs attracting participants from Oxford, Cambridge University, and Peking University.