Argentina native Dámaso Pardo, LLM ‘90 made friends from all over the world while at UNH Franklin Pierce
If not for his affiliation with UNH Franklin Pierce, Dámaso Pardo, LLM ‘90 may never have had the opportunity to work for the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). “[The late] Professor Karl Jorda, in particular, gave me the opportunity to work at WIPO in Geneva, [Switzerland],” says Pardo, a native of Argentina, who finished serving as president of the country’s National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) last December. “That was one of my first experiences working in a foreign country. It helped to shape my legal career and allowed me to start building a legal network, both of which were essential for the many other experiences that would come my way.”
In addition to his work with WIPO, Pardo also landed an internship at Kimberly-Clark in Wisconsin and was offered a job at a law firm in Washington, D.C. In his year at UNH, he made friends from all over the world, including classmates from Mexico, Croatia, Japan, Belgium, and the U.S. – some of whom he has continued to work with in the years since his graduation.
Pardo had recently earned his law degree when he was offered a position in the IP group of a prominent law firm in Buenos Aires. He says he felt a strong urge to pursue IP, finding great appeal in working to protect intellectual property rights. He had also dreamed of studying abroad and discovered UNH Franklin Pierce in a search of the top American IP programs. “UNH was exactly the kind of personalized education I was looking for,” he says. “Students came from all over the world, creating an enriching and challenging experience. We engaged in personal interaction with our professors, a great asset that made it possible to understand how intellectual property works in the real world. And there was no lack of opportunities to discuss these matters in our spare time.”
His wife Jeannine was also pursuing a master’s degree at UNH at the time, which contributed to bond the recently married couple. They both cherish their time in New Hampshire as deeply stimulating.
The chance to take advantage of the outdoors, including woods and mountains, was also a huge plus when deciding where to pursue their studies. They both fell in love with Concord, and its proximity to skiing and the ocean. Pardo also appreciated the devotion of the faculty at UNH and their accessibility to students.
“The school...has a community of tutors and professors who are always willing to share their knowledge and experience with students,” he says. “Most importantly, I grew my network of people who have become a very important part of my life as an IP lawyer.”
Learn more about our IP programs and request more information by visiting our Intellectual Property Law Program Page
