CU Law Profiles
Alumnus Profile

Rita Sanzgiri

Class of 2006

Age

34

Hometown

Bombay, India

Family Status

Married with two children

Undergraduate Institutions and Degrees

University of Bombay, India, B.Sc., June, 1988
University of Poona, India, M.Sc., June, 1990
Iowa State University, Ph.D., June, 1998

Hobbies, Sports, or Extracurricular Passions

Hiking, Movies, Foreign languages

What were you doing before you came to the University of Colorado Law School?

I was doing post-doctoral research in Neuroscience at Brandeis University. As part of my research I was doing experiments to create ?forgetful?fruit-flies by introducing mutations in a gene that we suspected was involved in memory formation.

What is one interesting, fun, or offbeat thing you have done in your lifetime?

I spent time being a full-time mom.

Where do you live now (e.g., Boulder, Denver, etc.)?

Boulder

Why did you choose to live there?

My husband and I moved to Colorado from Cambridge, MA. I loved Boston and was reluctant to move to a ?small town.? But Boulder is a wonderful place to live in. It?s lively and culturally diverse. It has great restaurants. People are very friendly, and generally well-educated and well-traveled. And of course, the mountains are so close!

What do you like most about Boulder?

People. Also the fact that it?s small and compact.

What do you like least about Boulder?

Sometimes I miss the bustle of a big city.

Favorite Place To Eat Out in Boulder

The Med

What piece of advice would you give a student about surviving being a 1L?

Be regular in your studies, get to know other students in your class, talk to your professors often, and always try to keep the big picture in mind.

What piece of advice would you give a student about getting the most out of law school?

Get involved in activities, attend conferences. It?s not just about the classes.

What piece of advice would you give a 1L or 2L as they choose their 2L and 3L courses?

Choose classes that interest you, even if they are out of your comfort zone and even if they are not on the bar exam.

Why did you want to go to law school in general?

Two main reasons. First, my interest in Intellectual Property law. Right now there are many interesting things going on in IP area, that will have far reaching consequences to our society. As a scientist I find these issues highly fascinating. Second, freedom to choose where I live. Unlike basic academic research, law is a flexible career. I can find a job in any major city in the U.S.

What made you decide to come to the University of Colorado School of Law specifically?

I was already living in Boulder with my husband and two kids. We love the town, and have family here. CU has a great law school. It was perfect. I didn?t even bother applying to any other school.

What do you like most about attending the University of Colorado School of Law?

Great student body, and faculty.

What area of law do you want to practice, and why?

Intellectual Property. I have an extensive scientific background, and I am very interested in IP issues.

What first year courses did you have?

Property I & II : Campos
Torts: Eid
Contracts : Schmitz
Criminal Law: White
Constitutional Law : Weiser
Civil Procedure I & II : Mueller
Legal Writing : Heiny

What second year courses have you taken?

International Law: Yee
Corporations: Lowenstein
Evidence : Mueller
Basic Patent Law : Stacy
Intro. to Intellectual Property : Raymond
Legal Ethics : Bender
Privacy, Security and DRM : Weiser
Sem. in Law and Econ. of Info.Age : Weiser
Seminar in Forced Labor : White

Why did you take the courses that you chose during your 2L and 3L years?

Because I am interested in Intellectual Property and International issues.

What was your favorite Law School class? Why?

Privacy, Security and Digital Rights Management with Prof. Phil Weiser. It was an extremely interesting class that introduced us to many current cutting edge issues of the Internet. Also Prof. Weiser brings a certain energy and passion to his teaching. It was a very intense class with lots of reading, but I learnt a lot and enjoyed it very much.

What student organizations have you been involved with at the Law School?

Asian Pacific Law Students Association (APALSA) ? Secretary
Intellectual Property Law Society (IPLS) ? Member
Journal of Telecommunication and High Technology Law ? Production Editor