Cesar Udave, a student at the University of Houston Law Center.
March 2, 2021 - Cesar Udave, a third-year student at the University of Houston Law Center, recently received the IPLI/IP Tech Camp scholarship from the Hispanic National Bar Association. The award is given to Hispanic law students around the nation to advance the HNBA’s mission of increasing representation in intellectual property and technology law.
“I am grateful to the Hispanic National Bar Association for their constant support and encouragement, and I look forward to following their example through my career,” Udave said. “Beyond mitigating the financial strain of law school, the scholarship reinforces my support group’s commitment to my education. My family and I are very thankful.”
Udave began working as a patent agent in 2016 at Fletcher Yoder, a law firm specializing in intellectual property matters. His Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering allows him to help clients secure patents.
“Having passed the patent bar a few years back, I prepare, file, and prosecute patent application with the United States Patent & Trademark Office, as well as facilitate prosecution in international jurisdictions,” he said. “Other responsibilities include working with a business organization’s patent counsel, engaging with Examiners at the USPTO, and working with inventors.”
When Udave began applying to law school, he realized he did not want to sacrifice his employment with a company he enjoyed.
“Pursuing a legal education at UHLC made the most sense for my situation,” Udave said. “The UHLC part-time program allows me the flexibility to continue to hone my patent prosecution skills, earn a salary to reduce student loan debt, and obtain a legal education.”
During his 2L year, Udave also served as a judicial intern for U.S. District & Bankruptcy Court Judge David Hittner of the Southern District of Texas. His duties included reviewing motions, drafting orders, and participating in courtroom observation of civil and criminal cases.
“Although course work, a full-time job, and a judicial internship was challenging to coordinate at times, interning for Judge Hittner has been my most rewarding law school experience,” he said.
Despite his primary interest being intellectual property law, Udave said he has enjoyed learning from Professor Douglass Moll, who specializes in business organizations, business torts, and commercial law.
“He is a very entertaining and effective professor,” Udave said. “He was able to make a topic like business organizations entertaining during a global pandemic.”
After graduation, Udave plans on continuing his career in patent law.
“I find the hybridization of the law and complicated technology to be very mentally stimulating and enjoyable,” he said.
