Amelia Smith Rinehart

Amelia Smith Rinehart is a Professor of Law at West Virginia University College of Law, where she served as the 18th Dean. Her academic career includes prior roles as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law (2010-2018), and Visiting Assistant Professor at Florida State University. She teaches Contracts, Patent Law, Intellectual Property Survey, and Leadership and the Law.

Her educational background comprises:

• B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, Tulane University (1996, summa cum laude)
• M.S. in Biomedical Engineering, Tulane University (1997)
• J.D., University of Chicago Law School (2002)

Prior to academia, she practiced intellectual property law at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (New York) and Jones, Walker (Baton Rouge), and worked as an engineer at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

Professor Rinehart's research centers on patent law theory, with a focus on historical evolution, policy implications, and societal impact. Her work examines intersections between patent doctrine and antitrust law, the role of patents in innovation ecosystems, and landmark cases like Myriad Genetics. As a registered patent attorney, she bridges practical legal experience with scholarly analysis, emphasizing how technological changes reshape intellectual property frameworks.

Her publication trends reveal consistent engagement with patent system challenges: historical case analyses (e.g., Holmes-era jurisprudence), contemporary policy debates (gene patents, public controversies), and doctrinal refinements (exhaustion principles, licensing frameworks). Articles frequently address the tension between patent monopolies and competition law, reflecting her expertise in both IP litigation and theoretical scholarship.

She resides in Morgantown with her two children and maintains active professional engagement through teaching, scholarship, and community interests in reading, live music, and outdoor trails.