About IIPSJ Inc.

The Institute of Intellectual Property and Social Justice, IIPSJ, Inc., is a not-for-profit tax exempt organization which raises funds for and otherwise supports the Institute of Intellectual Property and Social Justice at Howard University School of Law.  It also engages in projects not directly connected to or sponsored by the law school. 

IIPSJ Inc. supports various initiatives that examine intellectual property and intellectual property law and their relationships to social justice in the United States and in the global community. IIPSJ Inc., together with its sister organization, seeks to advance the social policy objectives that underlie intellectual property protection, i.e., the stimulation of creative enterprise and the broad dissemination of creative works and achievements, particularly within communities that have been traditionally underserved and underrepresented in intellectual property ownership, exploitation, and use.

One aspect of the mission of IIPSJ Inc., is educating lawyers and the creators of intellectual property about how to protect their rights.

Another aspect of IIPSJ Inc.'s mission is the examination of the law itself to assess how it impacts social justice in general. In conjunction with its sister organization, IIPSJ at Howard University School of Law, the IIPSJ Inc., emphasizes the leadership role of lawyers, particularly corporate and commercial attorneys, in addressing the problems of intellectual property and information technology disparity and the related, ongoing problems of institutionalized racial and economic inequities.

History of IIPSJ Inc.

The Institute of Intellectual Property and Social Justice at Howard University School of Law was created in the fall of 2002. It is the first Institute created within the law school. It was the brainchild of Prof. Lateef Mtima who is IIPSJ's first Director. Working closely with him throughout the process was Prof. Steven Jamar who is IIPSJ's first Associate Director.

In summer 2005 IIPSJ Inc. was created as a way to add flexibility in supporting the initiatives of IIPSJ-HUSL as well as outside of it.  IIPSJ Inc is intended to be more national in scope and is intended to permit the development of programs like those at the HUSL IIPSJ in other locales.