Sarah Burstein

Sarah Burstein is a Professor of Law at Suffolk Law School, Boston, MA. She also serves as Academic Co-Director of the Suffolk Law IP Center.

• Education: JD from University of Chicago; BA in Art & Design from Iowa State University

Research Interests focus on the intersection of art, design, and intellectual property law. She specializes in design patent law, with secondary interests in legal theory, technology law, and innovation policy. Her work analyzes the economic, historical, and doctrinal dimensions of design protection, including empirical studies of patent litigation and the evolution of the patent system from 19th-century precedents to modern challenges.

Publication Trends show a sustained focus on design patent law across major law journals. Her work spans doctrinal analysis (The Patented Design), historical perspectives (The “Article of Manufacture” in 1887), and contemporary debates about creativity and utility (Uncreative Designs, The Truth About Design Patents). Collaborative projects include an open-access casebook on patent law.

Teaching includes courses on Civil Procedure, Patents, and Design Law. Her scholarship has been featured in media outlets like The Wall Street Journal, Wired.com, and Bloomberg Law, demonstrating public impact.