Before joining the Cumberland School of Law faculty in August 2020, associate professor Tim McFarlin knew the law school already had a strong foundation in teaching intellectual property (IP) and preparing students for careers in the field.

“Coming in I was very excited to join professors Kuruk, Laughlin and Smolin, among others, who are involved in IP,” McFarlin said. “What they and former professor [Woody] Hartzog ’03 have built here is excellent, and I’m glad to add to the mix my focus on music copyright and authorship.”

New to Cumberland’s faculty and to Birmingham, McFarlin has been doing research and making connections locally to learn, first, what the metro area has to offer law students when it comes to providing resources and, ultimately, jobs in the field. “Birmingham has a great network of folks in IP, and I hope to be able to help connect them with our students,” he said. “Then, I look forward to helping expand our reach to areas like Nashville, Memphis and Atlanta, which I know are hot spots for lawyers in the field.”

While working to gain new contacts, McFarlin has been busy identifying ways to expand student opportunities on campus. Ideas such as adding new courses like IP licensing to the curriculum, collaborating with and suggesting activities for the Student Intellectual Property Society, or creating new events that bring IP experts to campus (physically or virtually) aim to give Cumberland students a leg up when it comes to seeking IP careers.

“We’re fortunate to have Tim’s expertise and passion in this area as a part of our faculty,” said Allen Howell, assistant dean of external relations and career development. “Intellectual property has an excellent foundation at Cumberland, and I expect Tim will help the law school become a future hub for students seeking to study in this field.”

McFarlin has a personal interest in music and the intriguing laws surrounding music copyright, which is a focus of his scholarship. He has explored how the law intersects and interacts with the creative arts. He has written about the life and work of artists like Chuck Berry and Orson Welles, mining them for insights into copyright law and the concept of authorship. He has also written on innovative online teaching methods, integrating collaborative reading and open-source materials into legal education.

“I’m honored to join this group and do what I can to help provide opportunities for our students,” McFarlin said.

If you work in the intellectual property field and would like to connect with professor McFarlin or make a suggestion for practical class content, please email tmcfarli@samford.edu.

Before joining Cumberland School of Law, McFarlin taught as an assistant professor at the University of La Verne College of Law, a fellow at Elon University School of Law and an adjunct professor at Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to teaching, McFarlin practiced law as a civil litigator in St. Louis where he focused on intellectual property litigation. He obtained winning verdicts for clients as both first- and second-chair trial counsel. He earned his Juris Doctor from St. Louis University School of Law and bachelor’s degrees in history and political science from the University of Missouri.