Trevor K. Copeland graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2003 with an M.S. in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology, and Genetics with a Graduate Minor in Bioethics and a J.D. Following his undergraduate education (Bachelor of Science in Education - Biology, Arkansas State University) and five years as a high school biology and chemistry teacher, Mr. Copeland began graduate school in 1998. His M.S. research in the laboratory of Drs. Chris Wylie and Janet Heasman focused on mammalian primordial germ cell migration during embryonic development. He entered the University of Minnesota Law School in 2000. As a student, he did data management and legal research in the Career Services Office, worked as a research assistant for two law professors, and did patent proofreading for the Minneapolis law firm of Merchant & Gould. While in law school, Mr. Copeland was also a staff member and editor for the Minnesota Intellectual Property Review, as well as an active member and officer of the Federalist Society and the Student Intellectual Property Association. For the 2002-03 school year, he was elected by his peers as their representative to the JDP Governing Committee. Mr. Copeland is an associate with the Chicago intellectual property law firm of Brinks, Hofer, Gilson, & Lione where his practice includes patent prosecution, due diligence, and opinion work in the fields of biotechnology, medical devices, design patents, and general mechanical arts. He also works on utility and design patent litigation.

Thoughts about Joint Degree Program (JDP):

The JDP presented me with a unique and ideal opportunity to combine my love for cutting edge science with my desire for an intellectually challenging career that doesn't involve bench-work and immersion in academic science. The timing and structure of the program meshed perfectly with my needs and interests, allowing me to complete my M.S. and graduate minor in Bioethics with the enriching effect of "thinking like an attorney." The class and various seminars integrated by the JDP into my program of studies really helped me to take stock of a broader variety of views than I previously had seen. The JDP also provided me with the chance to build camaraderie and friendships with others whose path of study was more like my own than either my law school or graduate school colleagues, while friendships in those two latter settings each had special value. The JDP staff and leadership are very helpful and supportive, and provide a degree of stability and guidance that really helped in facing the unique challenges of a dual degree. Perhaps best of all, my course of studies has prepared me for a rewarding career that I am eager to enter.