In selecting 3L Niki Camateros-Mann as one of two recipients of the 2022 ChIPs Scholarship, board member Stephanie Burns lauded the UNH Franklin Pierce law student as an exceptional leader.
In June, Camateros-Mann learned she was chosen for the scholarship (Rachel Geiger of Santa Clara University School of Law was the other recipient), which comes with a $10,000 tuition award that recognizes academic excellence and a commitment to advancing women in IP. In choosing Camateros-Mann from a field of 100 applicants, Burns and the rest of the selection committee were impressed with her commitment to diversity in intellectual property law.
Boasting 3,700 members across more than 20 chapters in the U.S., Canada, and Europe, ChIPs is an organization devoted to advancing and connecting women in technology, law, and policy. According to ChIPs Executive Director Joan Toth, the nonprofit will “continue to increase opportunities for women to thrive in intellectual property and create the mentorship, access, and financial incentives necessary to continue to attract more women to the field.”
With a personal charge of moving the student body to recognize and honor diversity, Camateros-Mann embodies the mission of ChIPs. In her first two years at UNH Franklin Pierce, she has organized a series of events for the intellectual property community. In 2021, she co-founded an annual Women in IP Celebration, which features a panel of female leaders and initiates networking opportunities for current students. She also served as president of the Student Intellectual Property Law Association; co-hosted “Black Voices in IP,” a panel on the intersection between race and IP; and co-moderated a fireside chat with a professor to discuss her research on the lack of gender and race equity in publications and invention disclosures.
“My goal was to inspire the community to celebrate diversity and learn about the challenges that people different than them may face,” Camateros-Mann said of her efforts. “Inclusivity is important because everyone has unique experiences and perspectives they can bring to the table. When we do not make efforts to include everyone, we miss out on opportunities to add to our everyday lives. As a legal professional, I will continue to try to lift marginalized voices so every voice is not only heard but also celebrated.”
After law school, Camateros-Mann plans to work in either patent prosecution or litigation. This summer, she will get a taste of her future through a job in patent prosecution and patent litigation at Lerner David, just outside of New York City. In the fall, she will be the managing editor for IDEA: The Law Review of the Franklin Pierce Center for Intellectual Property, which will feature its first all-female editorial board.
A native of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, (“the mushroom capital of the world”), Camateros-Mann earned a B.S. in biological sciences with a minor in science, engineering, and law from Virginia Tech in 2015. She discovered patent law during her undergraduate research on micro-therapeutics and sustainable biomaterials.
While grateful to ChIPs for recognizing her advocacy work, Camateros-Mann also credits the faculty at UNH Franklin Pierce for connecting her with mentors in the IP field, noting that they have “provided me with invaluable opportunities to grow as a legal professional.”
“Niki s an exemplary student and leader,” Assistant Professor of Law Tiffany Li said. “We are so proud that she has received this award, which aligns with her record of advocacy and community building.”
