Teaching

My philosophy of teaching can be summarized in one word: excitement.

Everything that happens in and outside of my classroom is designed to excite students about the subject they are studying. Excitement inspires students to explore as many aspects of their chosen field as possible, individually as well as collectively with their peers, and to share their passion with others. Engaging excited students helps them to solve real-world issues, not recite facts. To harness creative skills, not set routines. To see new opportunities, not old problems.

Sunrise at Kilimanjaro, by Jeremy de Beer

Sunrise at the Foot of Kilimanjaro, by Jeremy de Beer

Innovative strategies

All of my courses are all highly interactive, using pedagogical techniques like webcasting, Twitter feeds, digital mind-maps and Prezis, as well as conventional student-driven learning methods based on reading, discussion, and reflection. To see what their peers think of my approach to these topics, registered students can review and assess all official teaching evaluations from past years. Several of my publications address pedagogical innovation, such as this article about learning property law through the case of the Stanley Cup, or this chapter on intellectual property training in developing countries, contributing to better teaching. In 2016, I was honoured to receive from the Canadian Association of Law Teachers the Award for Excellence in Legal Education, which recognizes exceptional contributions to research and law teaching.

University courses

I teach both introductory courses and advanced seminars at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law. I run an intensive experiential learning program, Intellectual Property Advocacy, which trains an small, elite group of students to be outstanding written and oral advocates through moot court competitions in Toronto and Oxford. In the past, I’ve also taught seminars on global intellectual property policy, the digital music business, and sustainable international development. At uOttawa, I also teach an introduction to the fundamentals of property. This is a staple course for first-year law students, whom I find especially passionate and inspiring every year.

Graduate supervision

Supervising graduate students and directing undergraduate researchers are also integral parts of my teaching portfolio. I have guided and mentored over 30 Ph.D., LL.M., M.A. and J.D. students in law, political science and international relations. Current masters and doctoral students study topics such as smartphone patents, business strategy, fashion designs, copyright licensing, and global trade governance. Several of my former graduate students are now tenure-track professors, and many are already influential leaders in industry and legal practice.

Real-world education

My teaching activities are not limited to the campus classroom. I have also built and taught custom-designed curricula at community and professional levels. As a consultant to the World Intellectual Property Organization, I helped redesign a distance-learning course taken by hundreds of thousands of students worldwide, and to create a masters-level curriculum tailored to creative industries in a developing country. I’ve also participated in continuing education and professional development courses for judges. The Canadian government commissioned me to develop and deliver a training course on intellectual property and international business, while visual artists and musicians groups have attended my workshops on protecting intellectual property rights.


Property Law

A contemporary twist on this staple course in the law school curriculum, my introduction excites students with questions that connect foundational principles and real-world problems.

IP Advocacy

IP Advocacy is an experiential learning opportunity. A small number of elite students obtain the practical skills and experience they need to be outstanding intellectual property lawyers.

Global IP Policy

Global Intellectual Property Policy explores how IP impacts the world’s most pressing challenges: climate change, food insecurity, population health, access to education, poverty reduction, cultural participation and more.

IP & Environmental Law

Intellectual Property & Environmental Law is a 1-credit mini-course addressing clean technology innovation, biodiversity stewardship and benefit sharing, and sustainable technological development for food and agriculture.

Digital Music Law

A unique seminar course, Digital Music & Media covers the latest legal developments regarding digital music, online movies, e-books and more. Together we canvas legal, cultural, commercial and technological aspects of the media industries in countries around the world.

Intellectual Property & International Trade

This professional development course on Intellectual Property & International Trade helps government staff and/or business leaders engage in international trade by better understanding core intellectual property issues.