Open Letter on Ethical Norms in Intellectual Property Scholarship

14 Pages Posted: 13 Jan 2016 Last revised: 23 Apr 2020

See all articles by Robin Feldman

Robin Feldman

UC Law, San Francisco

Mark A. Lemley

Stanford Law School

Jonathan S. Masur

University of Chicago - Law School

Arti K. Rai

Duke University School of Law; Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative

Date Written: January 12, 2016

Abstract

As scholars who write in intellectual property (“IP”), we write this letter with aspirations of reaching the highest ethical norms possible for our field. In particular, we have noted an influx of large contributions from corporate and private actors who have an economic stake in ongoing policy debates in the field. Some dollars come with strings attached, such as the ability to see or approve academic work prior to publication or limitations on the release of data. IP scholars who are also engaged in practice or advocacy must struggle to keep their academic and advocacy roles separate.

Our goal is to bring attention to the dramatic changes that are occurring in the field, highlight the potential pitfalls, and suggest a set of ethical norms to which we will strive to adhere. We conclude this letter with a set of ethical norms to which a large number of IP academics have already subscribed. We welcome additional signatories to the principles expressed in this letter.

Suggested Citation

Feldman, Robin and Lemley, Mark A. and Masur, Jonathan S. and Rai, Arti Kaur, Open Letter on Ethical Norms in Intellectual Property Scholarship (January 12, 2016). Stanford Public Law Working Paper No. 2714416, Duke I&E Research Paper No. 16-7, Duke Law School Public Law & Legal Theory Series No. 2016-9, 29 Harvard Journal of Law and Technology 339 (2016), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2714416 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2714416

Robin Feldman

UC Law, San Francisco ( email )

200 McAllister Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
United States

HOME PAGE: http://https://www.uchastings.edu/people/robin-feldman/

Mark A. Lemley (Contact Author)

Stanford Law School ( email )

559 Nathan Abbott Way
Stanford, CA 94305-8610
United States

Jonathan S. Masur

University of Chicago - Law School ( email )

1111 E. 60th St.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States
773.702.5188 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.law.uchicago.edu/faculty/masur/

Arti Kaur Rai

Duke University School of Law ( email )

210 Science Drive
Box 90362
Durham, NC 27708
United States

Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative ( email )

215 Morris St., Suite 300
Durham, NC 27701
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
1,108
Abstract Views
7,800
Rank
36,289
PlumX Metrics