Law School Tests? He's Gotham Covered

CHICAGOLAWBULLETIN.COM FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2014

Volume 160, No. 122 Law school tests? He’s Gotham covered John Marshall adjunct professor goes batty with comics-themed exam

BY JACK SILVERSTEIN receiving unfair subsidies from a Law Bulletin staff writer foreign government (Demon’s Head is receiving a tax break atman has a problem. from its home government for His company, Wayne exports). BEnterprises, is the top “My tests have always used as manufacturer of bulletproof body examples things that I’m inter - armor, for which it holds a ested in,” Friedman said. “But patent. Until recently, they were this is the first test that I’ve Lawrence M. Friedman, posing at Graham Crackers Comics one of only three manufacturers written that had a cinematic downtown, combined his love of law and comic books in a test he of the body armor worldwide. scope to it. I did it in part to give administered this year in the international trade law class he But now, a company in Asia the students more room to teaches at The John Marshall Law School. Jack Silverstein called Demon’s Head Ltd. is discuss different things — but illegally using Wayne also honestly to entertain “We talked a little about little bit of creative writer in us, Enterprises’ patent to create myself.” Batman, talked a little about so this was a good way to do it. inferior body armor, hoping to The seven-student class in the Superman,” he said. “I think And I had a guaranteed reader - sell it to the American market. International Business and that’s what got the idea in my ship because they had to take the Alfred Pennyworth, a repre - Trade Law Program veered into head to do that.” test.” sentative of Wayne Enterprises, discussions about comic books The test-writing creativity did Representing superheroes comes to your law firm to find during a conversation on not lead to a difference in grades The topic of comic books and out what to do. customs enforcement of intellec - from previous tests, and the law brings other questions to How you will advise him? tual property rights. The topic Friedman received only one mind. Namely, what superheroes That’s the question adjunct was what Friedman called “a student e-mail about the test’s are in danger of the largest legal professor Lawrence M. gray area in copyright law,” content. The student told him issues? Friedman posed to his students whether someone can own a that a reference to Ted Kord Most of them, Friedman said. in a final exam at The John was, as Friedman “I deal with export controls, Marshall Law School. put it, “unfairly and export controls at the most Friedman — a partner “If Captain America shows up obscure.” restrictive level involves the at Barnes, Richardson & in some country to break up a civil “I took it in a movement of weapons and the Colburn LLP whose good-natured way,” movement of materials useful for practice focuses on inter - war, (he needs to say) whether he’s Friedman said. weapons in and out of the national trade and intel - “He must have country,” Friedman said. lectual property — used acting on behalf of the U.S. If he is, gone and looked “If Tony Stark just popped the exam this spring in then international law applies to him up Ted Kord and into his (Iron Man) suit and flew his LL.M. graduate identified him as down to Mexico to save elective class, and he needs to follow the rules. the Blue Beetle.” somebody, he would have International Trade If not, he’s technically a terrorist.” Along with violated a half a dozen laws just Remedies Law. creative test- by leaving the country in his suit, The test focused on two writing, Friedman assuming he didn’t have a areas of intellectual property: copyright on a character such as writes the Customs Law Blog at license.” patents (Demon’s Head is Batman as opposed to the customslawblog.com. He plans While renegades such as Iron illegally using the Wayne specific text of a character, such on writing more themed tests, Man and Batman facing Enterprises’ patent) and trade - as Frank Miller’s “The Dark finding it “a more entertaining, potential legal recourse is no marks (Demon’s Head is Knight Returns.” more inspiring process for me surprise, clean-cut superheroes marketing its armor as Wayne The answer depends on the this year than in previous years.” such as Superman and Captain Enterprises’ armor). degree to which the character is “It’s an opportunity to do some America could also run into It also addressed two areas of developed, a topic that gave creative writing while at the problems. international trade law: price Friedman the opportunity to same time taking care of a Superman, Friedman said, is dumping (Demon’s Head is teach his students about necessary task, which is “clearly an illegal alien … or at selling its product at an unfairly differences between comic book designing an exam,” he said. least undocumented.” And low price) and the question of characters. “I think a lot of lawyers have a questions surround the

Copyright © 2014 Law Bulletin Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from Law Bulletin Publishing Company. authority vested upon heroes amount of legal trouble, Friedman interest in representing could have him for a client.” fighting crime overseas. said, would be Aquaman. Superman — who he called “a Friedman did acknowledge, “If Captain America shows up “He keeps himself out of the trustworthy guy to have as a however, that representing Stark in some country to break up a civil jurisdiction of other countries client” — as well as Iron Man. would come with concerns. war, (he needs to say) whether most of the time,” Friedman said. “In terms of my client base, we “I feel like he would be a prob - he’s acting on behalf of the U.S.,” “He’s usually out in international really should be representing lematic client to have because Friedman said. “If he is, then waters. And he’s a foreign Tony Stark and Stark he’s in a highly regulated international law applies to him sovereign because he’s the king Industries,” Friedman said. “It’s industry and he seems a bit like a and he needs to follow the rules. If of Atlantis. So there’s not a lot a defense contractor. He’s got madman,” Friedman said. “He’d not, he’s technically a terrorist.” that can happen to him.” lots of import-export data issues. be a tough client to rein in. But The hero probably in the least Friedman also expressed an That’d be a clear win for us if we he’d be the ideal client for us.”