Professor Sharon K. Sandeen has been appointed as the director of Mitchell Hamline’s Intellectual Property Institute.
“Professor Sandeen is a recognized expert on U.S. and international trade secret law and a terrific educator, and we’re thrilled she’ll be leading the IP Institute into its 9th year and beyond,” said Mark Gordon, president and dean of Mitchell Hamline. “Professor Sandeen is a true leader in her field whose wisdom and advice is regularly sought by scholars and policymakers alike. I am also delighted that she is combining her efforts with those of Prof. Ken Port and Prof. Carl Moy, each of whom has impressive and well-recognized expertise in their respective areas of trademarks and patent law. With all of them working together in conjunction with Prof. Sandeen’s leadership, our IP Institute is now poised for even greater national leadership and recognition.”
The institute, established in 2008, offers students a broad range of topic areas and opportunities for experiential learning that’s unmatched in the region, whether they intend to pursue a career in patent law or work in business or litigation with an intellectual-property focus. “IP has always been one of the school’s strongest academic areas, and I intend to build upon that tradition by highlighting emerging career paths and deepening the connections between students and IP alums,” said Sandeen.
Sandeen began her full-time teaching career in 2002 at Hamline University School of Law, which combined with William Mitchell College of Law in 2015 to form Mitchell Hamline. Prior to becoming a professor, Sandeen practiced law for more than 15 years in Sacramento, Calif., first as a general business and IP litigator at the largest law firm in Sacramento and later as an intellectual property specialist at a boutique firm. She earned B.A. and LL.M. degrees from the University of California Berkeley and a J.D. from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.