How does the American university recognize and nurture the American dream? 

On Friday, February 28, 2014, the Texas A&M Center for Law and Intellectual Property (CLIP) at Texas A&M School of Law brought together business professionals and legal scholars for the inaugural Innovation Summit, "Shaping the Future of Law and Entrepreneurship." The event was co-hosted by Startup Aggieland at Texas A&M University.

Texas A&M Law Professor Megan Carpenter, Director of CLIP, welcomes attendees

Conference participants discussed the university as a platform for innovation and entrepreneurship. CLIP Director Megan Carpenter remarked, “While the university has historically played a central role in society as a driver of innovation and creativity, a new dynamic landscape presents greater interdisciplinary opportunities in areas such as technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship.” She added, “These new partnerships enhance the core mission of the university — to provide the highest quality educational programs and develop new understandings through research and creativity.”

John D. Schiller, Jr., Chairman and CEO, Energy XXI, Keynote Presenter

During the event, entrepreneurs and business leaders collaborated with renowned law professors to discuss creative approaches to cultivating entrepreneurship in the university setting, through an "education evolution" involving experiential learning and programs to support entrepreneurs. Experts from the private sector discussed ways to make a practical impact through incubators, accelerators, and game-changing ideas.

The day's sessions included both roundtable discussions, moderated by Texas A&M law professors, and individual presentations demonstrating that while a focus on the American start-up business is an emerging topic for universities and law schools, these educational environments can provide the tools to meet this challenge creatively.

Innovation Summit Presenters:

• Alina Ball; University of California, Hastings College of the Law; Director, Social Enterprise & Economic Empowerment Clinic
• Darlene Boudreaux; Executive Director, TECH Fort Worth
• Shelly Brenckman; Marketing Coordinator, Startup Aggieland, Texas A&M University
• Patricia Campbell; University of Maryland Carey School of Law; Director, Maryland Intellectual Property Legal Resource Center
• Russ Conser; Shell Oil Co. (Retired), GameChanger
• David Deal; Washington University School of Law; Director, Intellectual Property Program
• Gordon Daugherty; Director/Mentor, Capital Factory
• Robin Feldman; University of California, Hastings College of the Law
• Shubha Ghosh; University of Wisconsin Law School
• Darrin Grove; Truefit
• Page Heller; President, Hopes Creek Consulting
• William Kell; University of California, Berkeley Law
• Gregory Kim; University of Hawai'i, William S. Richardson School of Law
• Kevin Klughart; Carstens & Cahoon, LLP
• Brian Krumm; University of Tennessee College of Law
• Don Lewis; Assistant Director, Startup Aggieland, Texas A&M University
• Anthony Luppino, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law; Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Tony Mendes; 2014 President of United States Association for Small Business & Entrepreneurship (USASBE); Clinical Professor & Director of the Murphy Center for Entrepreneurship, University of North Texas
• Manish Patel; Seed Sumo
• Alicia Plerhoples; Georgetown Law Center
• John D. Schiller, Jr., Chairman and CEO, Energy XXI
• Amanda Spratley; University of Massachusetts School of Law; Director of Community Development Clinic
• Naveen Thomas; University of Chicago Law School; Co-Director Corporate Lab Transactional Clinic