Chicago-Kent Climbs to No. 7 in IP Law Rankings

Chicago-Kent College of Law has been ranked the 7th-best law school in the nation for intellectual property law by U.S. News & World Report in the publication’s 2026 Best Law Schools rankings. That is a two-position climb over the college’s 2025 ranking. It also makes Chicago-Kent, once again, the highest-ranked IP law program in Illinois and the Midwest.

Co-directors of the IP program include University Distinguished Professor and Global Professor of Intellectual Law Graeme B. Dinwoodie; Professor Sarah Fackrell; Associate Dean for Scholarship and Faculty Development and Research, Professor Greg Reilly; and Professor Cathay Y. N. Smith. Other members of the intellectual property faculty include: Assistant Professor Jordana R. Goodman; Visiting Assistant Professor Paul Rogerson; Assistant Clinical Professor Michelle J. Miller; Patent Hub Director Paul Holly; Director of the Law Lab, Professor Daniel Martin Katz; Michael Paul Galvin Chair in Entrepreneurship and Applied Legal Technology, Professor Nancy Kim; Assistant Teaching Professor Alexander Rabanal; Professor Richard Warner; and Assistant Professor Alexandra F. L. Yelderman.

Founded more than 25 years ago, Chicago-Kent’s IP program has grown to provide a full wraparound experience for students interested in this vibrant field. Chicago-Kent’s IP faculty host major events throughout the year, such as the annual Supreme Court Intellectual Property Review conference and the Chicago Intellectual Property Colloquium, act as judges for IP-oriented writing competitions, and coach a nationally recognized moot court team. Faculty regularly publish in top law reviews and provide expert commentary on emerging IP issues.

Meanwhile, students lead several student groups dedicated to IP and manage the highly regarded Chicago-Kent Journal of Intellectual Property. Students work on real IP cases through Chicago-Kent’s Patent Hub and the C-K Law Group’s Intellectual Property, Entertainment, and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic, and gain extensive practice experience through additional IP capstone and practicum courses.

“This recognition in intellectual property law reflects the extraordinary faculty, curriculum, and students that define Chicago-Kent,” says Dean Jason J. Czarnezki. “We are proud to be counted among the nation’s leading IP programs. For students who want careers in patent law, trademark, copyright, or IP litigation, we are one of the best programs in the country. That is a story we are eager to tell.”