UPCOMING EVENTS


Greetings,

Over the last several weeks we've enjoyed making our way across the country as part of our alumni and development team's annual summer road trip, visiting with friends at each stop.

On the road to Flagstaff

Flagstaff was the site of our most recent alumni gathering. Yesterday and today we are in Phoenix to provide lunch and an hour of respite in the middle of bar exams to our most recent alums, our 2018 bar-takers.
 
In many of our editions of Letter of the Law this summer, we've featured Arizona Law alumni in the cities we've visited, and beyond. In today's edition we check in with Denver alumna Gina Cornelio.

Until the footnotes,

Marc

Spotlight on Gina Cornelio ('09)

Meet -- or catch up with -- Class of 2009 alumna Gina Cornelio!
 
Gina is a patent attorney in Denver, Colorado, with the firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP. She specializes in patent prosecution.
 
"One main aspect of my job requires working directly with inventors to help prepare patent applications and guide them through the examination process at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, as well as international patent offices."
 
Between college and law school, Gina was a patent examiner at the US Patent and Trade Office (USPTO). That experience provided her initial exposure to patent law.
 
Gina took all of the IP-relevant coursework she could while at Arizona Law to build on her interest and develop her expertise. She received an offer to be a summer associate with Dorsey & Whitney's Denver office during her 2L summer and has been there ever since.
 
The work with clients is fun, and she enjoys the people.
 
"I like to joke that being a patent lawyer is one of the best areas, since your clients are always excited to see you -- they have a new product they are launching or a new technology they've discovered and you're an integral part of the Research & Development process. This is compared to other areas where clients are perhaps not that excited to be calling you since they are looking to you to get them out of a sticky situation."
 

Gina recalls that when she accepted the summer associate position, she suspected that she would not last at a "big firm" for very long. But she says Dorsey has provided an excellent culture and mentorship that balances out the demands of private practice and has turned her into a "Dorsey lifer."
 
Originally from Tucson, Gina moved to Colorado for undergraduate school, receiving a basketball scholarship to the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado.
 
Next she went to Washington, DC, for her USPTO position. She says DC's humidity and severe cold were a bit too much for her and she was happy to return home to southern Arizona's climate for law school at the University of Arizona. In addition, Gina chose Arizona Law for its collegiality and close-knit community. She wanted a teamwork atmosphere, which Arizona Law provided.
 
Gina holds many great memories from law school. Speaking of teamwork, she fondly recalls the law school's intramural coed basketball team.
 
"We got together a group of students (ranging in years) to play in the intramural league on main campus. As I remember it, we came in 1st place every year. We were a bit out of shape compared to the 18 year olds, but had the best cheering section and team comradery. The post-game happy hours were pretty fun too."
 
Another vivid recollection was having Professor Dan Dobbs for torts during her 1L year.
 
"Professor Dobbs lived up to the "law school professor" stereotype (intimidating!), but helped elevate my thinking in a way that was exciting and challenging."
 
A favorite Tucson spot during law school for Gina was the Golden Nugget dive bar: "Many post-final celebrations were hosted there and the shuffleboard competition was always stiff."
 
She says that her adopted home of Denver has many great areas, especially outdoors. She and her family spend most of their free time in the mountains, skiing during the winter and hiking and biking during the summer.
 
Around the College
University of Arizona Science Night in La Jolla, CA, Aug 3 
 
Join Arizona Law in La Jolla on August 3 at the University of Arizona's Science Night at Birch Aquarium -- overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It's the perfect place to learn and share innovative ideas with UA President Robert C. Robbins and Joaquin Ruiz, UA College of Science dean, director of Biosphere 2 and Thomas R. Brown Chair of Innovation. Join the conversation about solving the world's greatest challenges through advances in science and technology at the UA College of Science. Welcome by UA Alumni Association President Melinda Burke.  

 
If you would like to attend, contact the College of Law's Director of Development, Megan O'Leary.



Just three weeks from now we will formally welcome our new JD and graduate class, followed shortly by a new wave of BA in Law students -- in Tucson and in Qingdao. In the meantime, many of our current students are busy in interviewing programs throughout the country.
 
Some new students, including some of our international students, are already starting to walk the hallways, as are our new colleagues. We can feel the hum picking up, ready for the opening act of another busy and idea-filled year the week of August 13.

Warmly,

Marc

 

 

 
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