UIC Law student helps publish Patent Jury Instruction Handbook

Destinee Burrell, a third-year student at UIC John Marshall Law School in Chicago, was one of three law students in the country who assisted with research and updates for the 2020-21 Patent Jury Instruction Handbook. The Handbook provides a comprehensive sampling of annotated jury instructions used in actual patent infringement actions.

The Handbook has been updated annually since 2015 by Edward D. Manzo of HuschBlackwell LLP, with assistance from George S. Pavlik. It covers the legal issues most often implicated in a patent infringement trial and offers expert commentary for additional guidance. It includes model jury instructions from the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the Federal Circuit Bar Association, the National Jury Instruction Project, the Intellectual Property Organization, the Northern District of California and the Seventh Circuit.

Burrell got involved with the project during her time as a summer associate at HuschBlackwell. Her role in the project included checking for updated model instructions; looking for the biggest patent jury cases and jury awards through annual wrap-up review articles, and conducting an advanced search on Westlaw for patent cases with jury instructions within the last year.

While working on The Handbook, Burrell says she relied heavily on the skills she learned from her Lawyering Skills professors at UIC Law. “Professor Wojcik was my Lawyering Skills I professor, and he was very influential and helpful in the development of my writing skills,” Burrell said. “Almost two years later, he still makes himself available to past students in any way he can.”

UIC Law’s Lawyering Skills Program is ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report. The Program, currently ranked #7 in the nation, has continuously been in the top ten since the rankings began. It is known for its rigorous research and writing requirements and its robust faculty leadership.

During her law school career, Burrell served as Secretary and currently serves as Vice President for the Black Law Students Association. She is an Associate Justice for the Moot Court Honors Program and served as a teaching assistant for two semesters for Lawyering Skills courses.

Amidst a busy schedule, Burrell still finds time to volunteer. She serves as a board member for the South Shore Neighborhood Alliance organization, whose mission is to reestablish neighborly values, unify community organizations and increase families’ awareness of resources in the South Shore Community. She also works with Bronzeville Cares, an organization that provides relief for one of Chicago’s most historic and vulnerable communities.

In addition to gaining practical training experience as a summer associate at HuschBlackwell, Burrell also participated in the Law School’s Trademark Clinic and completed a judicial externship with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. After graduation, she will join HuschBlackwell as an associate, practicing in the commercial ligation group.