IBLT Expands Focus on Innovation and is Renamed

June 05, 2013
Media Contact

Patti Desrochers
Director of Communications
pattid@tourolaw.edu
(631) 761-7062

Central Islip, N.Y. – The Institute for Business, Law and Technology (IBLT), which was launched by Touro Law Center in March 2003, is commemorating the success of its first decade and the beginning of its second with a new, expanded focus on encouraging and supporting economic development and entrepreneurship along with a new name, the Center for Innovation in Business, Law and Technology.

“Our program has always been focused on innovation, but the renaming makes this even more clear,” said Touro Law Center’s Dean Patricia E. Salkin. “Our program will still be known as the IBLT, but the change highlights our expanded service to the many innovative entrepreneurs among Long Island’s 3 million residents who are driving our economic development and growth.”

Andrew Hazen, a successful tech entrepreneur, angel investor and attorney, says, "I applaud Dean Salkin and Touro Law Center for encouraging and supporting entrepreneurship. The IBLT is no ordinary resource; moreover, it's a platform to improve the understanding of the legal issues integral to the technology-driven business communities of manufacturing, eCommerce and high tech. Very few organizations have the breadth of programs and access to entrepreneurs, business leaders, tech and legal like IBLT. Entrepreneurs in the region should take full advantage of what the Center for Innovation in Business, Law and Technology has to offer."  

Among the IBLT’s newest and planned programs are:

  • An Entrepreneurship Assistance Fellowship, through which Touro Law students are already providing focused legal intelligence to local entrepreneurs seeking competitive advantages;
  • An online library for businesspeople of audio, video and written information and links regarding law, regulation and best practices in privacy, social media, intellectual property, e-commerce and other rapidly evolving subject areas;
  • Collaboration with Accelerate Long Island (http://www.accelerateli.org), Stony Brook University (http://www.stonybrook.edu) and other organizations on initiatives to encourage, support and measure economic development through entrepreneurship on Long Island; and
  • On-site legal clinics at regional business incubators through which Touro Law students (under attorney supervision) will provide basic legal services to tenant startups.

“The IBLT has always been designed to educate law students and attorneys on the practical issues at the intersection of law, technology and business, and to serve and support the business community as well,” said Professor Jonathan I. Ezor, the founding and current director of the IBLT. “Our existing courses, internships, programs, publications and social media channels have allowed the IBLT to reach both local and worldwide audiences, but we have continued to seek even greater opportunities to inform and empower businesspeople and attorneys alike. As we begin our second decade, we are launching exciting new initiatives in collaboration with economic development and business leaders in our region specifically designed to encourage the creation and growth of technology-driven businesses on Long Island and beyond.”

Mark Lesko, Executive Director of Accelerate Long Island, said, "The Center for Innovation Center in Business, Law and Technology at Touro Law Center will introduce law students to issues facing early stage high technology startup companies and also assist these startups during a time when proper legal assistance is critical. I congratulate Touro Law Center on ten years of training entrepreneurial minded attorneys and look forward to working with them to support Long Island's entrepreneurial ecosystem.”