Kimberly Peaslee, a third-year law student at Franklin Pierce Law Center, has been awarded the $10,000 Donald W. Banner Corporate Intern Scholarship by the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation. The prestigious scholarship, named for the former U.S. Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, is awarded to only two students nationwide per year and was presented at a special luncheon in Washington, D.C.
According to Kimberly, the monetary portion of the scholarship wipes out all debt she has taken on for law school, but even more importantly, her time in the nation's capital interacting with members of the Intellectual Property Owners' Education Foundation provided top-notch-networking opportunities.
Kimberly's nomination for the scholarship was based on her internships with Merck & Co. In her two summers there, she drafted the patent application for a process for purifying monoclonal antibodies, and she conducted prior art searches and assisted in preparation of clearance options.
Kimberly received her undergraduate degree from University of Southern Maine, Portland, and she earned her Ph.D in chemistry, (protein crystallography), from Dartmouth College.
Of her decision to attend Franklin Pierce Law Center, Peaslee says, “I chose Pierce Law for its reputation in intellectual property. I knew about three years into my Ph.D that I wanted to pursue IP law. Pierce Law's IP is not only well-known, but the school has application-based instruction and it is collegial. All the things I could hope for. I also love the mix of students. Many are international, and, within IP, most have had previous careers as scientists and/or artists.”
This is the second time in three years that a Pierce Law student has won the Donald W. Banner Corporate Intern Scholarship. Nathaniel Lucek, class of '07, received it for his work with Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, the company that became his employer upon his graduation.
