Megan Carpenter, a 1999 graduate of WVU Law, will take over leadership of the
University of New Hampshire School of Law effective July 1, 2017.
A nationally known expert in intellectual property with a focus in entrepreneurship and the arts, Carpenter is founder and co-director of the Center for Law and Intellectual Property at Texas A&M University School of Law.
She will be the first woman to lead the UNH law school since its founding in 1973.
Carpenter is chair of the academic committee of the International Trademark Association, the preeminent organization of trademark professionals. Prior to working in higher education, she practiced law at Kirkpatrick & Lockhart (now K&L Gates) where she represented technology, multimedia, and sports and entertainment clients.
“Dean Carpenter brings a wealth of experience that will help UNH Law continue to grow on the national stage,” said UNH Provost Nancy Targett. “Her work creating innovative academic programs, including experiential learning initiatives, certificate programs and interdisciplinary projects with colleges throughout the Texas A&M University System will open new directions for UNH Law. Her expertise, energy and enthusiasm will invigorate our faculty and staff, and ensure we are continuing to provide the best possible law education and experience for our students.”
Carpenter has received multiple awards for her dedication to students, her skills in program development and her service to the university and community. She developed and ran two law clinics to support entrepreneurship and innovation in the community, and was awarded Texas A&M’s distinguished achievement award for her devotion to graduate mentoring.
“I am honored to join the UNH community as dean of the law school,” said Carpenter. “With its worldwide reputation for excellence in intellectual property, its forward-thinking approach to legal education and its role as part of a public research university, UNH Law is uniquely poised to excel in a changing legal environment. I look forward to working with faculty, staff, students, alumni and the broader university community to develop innovative and interdisciplinary programs that further the law school’s mission to empower students in a global environment and to serve the public with integrity and excellence.”
Carpenter regularly writes and publishes in the area of intellectual property and entrepreneurship. She has written multiple book chapters and edited “Evolving Economies: The Role of Law in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.”
Her work has been published in the Fordham Law Review, Hastings Law Journal, Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law, Nevada Law Journal, Louisville Law Review, The Trademark Reporter and the Yale Journal of Human Rights and Development.
Carpenter earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in foreign languages from West Virginia University, her J.D. from West Virginia University College of Law and her LL.M. from the National University of Galway.
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