Varnum intellectual property attorney Timothy K. Kroninger has been named director of the newly-formed Trademark and Entrepreneur Clinic at University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. As the Clinic’s Director, Kroninger also serves as an adjunct professor at the law school.
“Among the goals of the new clinic are for students to gain exposure to entrepreneurs and early stage companies and understand their needs and motivations, as well as some of the key elements for a successful business in the startup industry,” Kroninger said.
The new clinic will offer opportunities for law students to work with entrepreneurs in navigating the legal issues involved in business startup, with a primary focus on protecting the entity’s valuable trademarks and brands. Students will interview local entrepreneurs to learn about their businesses, identify and discuss legal issues, and prioritize their legal needs. Under the supervision of Kroninger, students will advise on and assist with business entity formation (including preparing agreements and advising on business matters generally), and will help prepare, file, and prosecute trademark applications with the USPTO.
Kroninger is a partner at Varnum with extensive experience in intellectual property, franchising and licensing, and contract law. A graduate of Detroit Mercy Law and Michigan State University’s College of Business, he has previously served as a guest speaker on intellectual property and business law matters at both schools. He also assists student entrepreneurs at MSU in connection with Spartan Innovations, a part of the MSU Innovation Center, as well as through Varnum’s MiSpringboard Program.
The Trademark and Entrepreneur Clinic becomes the eighth clinic in Detroit Mercy Law’s clinical program, one of only a few required clinical programs in the country. Founded initially as the Urban Law Clinic in 1965, it was among the earliest clinics in the nation. Since that time, the program has flourished, receiving numerous awards including the ABA Louis M. Brown Award for Legal Access with Meritorious Recognition in 2012 and the ABA Law Student Division’s Judy M. Weightman Memorial Public Interest Award in 2006. The required clinical program is evidence of the Detroit Mercy Law’s Mission to provide an educational experience that emphasizes “experiential learning” and “service to others.”