About CWSL IP Society

Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law ("CWSL") Intellectual Property Society ("IP Society") is a student organization for those interested in intellectual property. On campus, the IP Society seeks to facilitate student interaction, involvement, and networking within the field of intellectual property. In furtherance of this mission, the IP Society has launched a website to act as an outlet for student authorship on intellectual property topics and related issues, such as technology, digital privacy, entertainment, and fashion.

Events

In past years, the VLS IP Society has hosted several speaking events, such as:

"All About NFTs" - Presented by Andrew Bull, Bull Blockchain Law
"Patent Litigation" - Talk by John Vandenberg, Klarquist Sparkman
"Musicologist Meeting" - Talk by Judith Finell, president of Judith Finell MusicServices Inc.
"Career in IP" - Talk by Peter Detkin, founder of Intellectual Ventures (IV)
"Law of Pharmaceutical Drugs" - Presented by Elizabeth Gau, FDA, and Marilou Matson, Fox Rothschild

Competitions

IP Society has promoted student participation in the USPTO Patent Application Drafting Competition as a way to introduce students into the patent drafting process.

Interdisciplinary Connections

IP Society seeks to promote interdisciplinary connections by co-hosting events, such as with BLSA, Emerging Technology Law Society, and Fashion Law Society.

Student Authorship

All Villanova Law students are invited to contribute to the IP Society Blog. If you are interested in submitting a blog post, please use this link to propose a topic.

VLS IP Society Executive Board

Elizabeth Rivette

President

Elizabeth is a 3L from Palo Alto, California. She graduated from the University of San Diego in 2019 with a BA in Political Science and a minor in Art History. While there, she served as the Vice President of Health and Wellness for the USD Panhellenic Council. After graduation she worked as an Intellectual Property paralegal at Morrison & Foerster in the Palo Alto office. Elizabeth has served on the E-Board of the Intellectual Property Society as 2L Rep, Secretary, and now President. After law school, she hopes to work at the intersection of blockchain technology and IP. In her free time, she enjoys working out, cooking, and watching the San Francisco 49ers.

Gavin Canzanese

Vice President

Gavin is a 2L from Malvern, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Villanova University in 2023 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. His most recent experience was functioning as a Federal Judicial Intern for the Honorable Chad F. Kenney at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Gavin hopes to combine his technical and legal education into a career focused on intellectual property litigation and prosecution. He will be joining Ice Miller LLP's Philadelphia office in the summer of 2025 as an IP-focused associate.

Vidhu Joshi

Blog Editor-in-Chief

Vidhu is a 3L from Toronto, Canada. He has a B.S. in Genetics and a M.S. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. Prior to law school, Vidhu worked at the Mayo Clinic for 5+ years in clinical research. At Villanova Law, Vidhu is in the IP concentration and has spent his summers working in patent litigation. After graduation, Vidhu plans to continue pursuing a career in patent litigation.

Greta Zimmerman

Treasurer

Greta is a 3L from Arlington Heights, IL. She graduated from Villanova University in 2022 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and minors in Business and Math. Greta is a member of Villanova's IP Concentration and part of the IP Clinic. After law school, Greta will be starting as an associate at Banner Witcoff, an IP boutique, in their Chicago office.

Rachana Panchal

Secretary

Rachana is a 2L from Warrington, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Drexel University in 2023 with a B.S.B.A in Finance and Legal Studies. During her first year of law school, Rachana got involved in the Benjamin Franklin Inn of Court and presented at one of their events which sparked her interest in intellectual property law. This past summer, Rachana was a law clerk at a firm in NJ and will continue working there during the school year. Rachana aspires to combine her interest in business, intellectual property, and the law in the future.