Albany Law School Announces Nation's First Tech-Transfer Masters Program

    ALBANY, N.Y., Dec. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Albany Law School's Science and
 Technology Law Center received a $120,000 check today from N.Y. State Senate
 Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno to develop the nation's first Master's of
 Science in Legal Studies focused on technology transfer.
     The new degree will be designed to help working professionals better
 understand the legal and business aspects of the tech-transfer process, as
 well as better identify technology that holds the promise of success in the
 commercial market.
     "This type of degree program benefits area universities and the companies
 that rely on technology transfer applications to successfully market high-tech
 goods and services," said Senator Bruno.  "This first-of-its-kind initiative
 will be a significant boost to Tech Valley, helping to retain businesses and
 attract new high-tech firms that will spur job creation and enhance economic
 development across New York State."
     "The tech-transfer process requires understanding a complex process of
 many stages, using a wide range of skills," said Thomas F. Guernsey, president
 and dean, Albany Law School.  "We will develop a program to help the region's
 schools and companies gain the ability to assess the strength of an
 opportunity, evaluate the business risks involved, and, when appropriate,
 pursue the process toward successful commercialization."
     Albany Law School plans to enroll students into the masters program in
 January 2007 and expects to develop the program with regional partners like
 Union College, Rensselear Polytechnic Institute, the Research Foundation of
 State University of New York, and area companies engaged in tech-transfer
 activity.
     The Science and Technology Center will administer the masters program, led
 by Director Saul Seinberg, who was Trademark and Copyright Counsel at IBM and
 left to focus on transactional and IP licensing work at Sun Microsystems.
 
     Albany Law School, founded in 1851, is the oldest law school in New York
 state and the nation's oldest independent law school. Today it has
 approximately 700 students and 54 full-time faculty. www.als.edu.
 
      Contact:
      David Singer
      518-445-3211
      dsing@mail.als.edu
 
      or
 
      Nicole Soucy
      518-445-3208
      nsouc@mail.als.edu
 
 

SOURCE  Albany Law School