New York Law School (NYLS) congratulates Sarang (Sarah) Lim ’27 on earning national recognition for her academic writing and forward-looking legal analysis. With a focus on intellectual property and patent law, Lim is involved in several organizations on and off campus. She serves as the Public Relations Chair of NYLS’s Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA), a member of the Patent Law Clinic, a Law Student Ambassador for the New York State Bar Association, and a Young Lawyer member of the New York Intellectual Property Law Association (NYIPLA).
“I wanted to share this good news with fellow NYLS students, alumni, and faculty, because I truly feel that I have been able to pursue this path thanks to the support and opportunities I’ve received at NYLS,” says Lim. Her recent achievements are highlighted below.
First Place, AAJP McKelvey Writing Competition
Lim won first place in the 2025 Hon. Frederick E. McKelvey Writing Competition, organized by the American Association of Patent Judges (AAPJ). Her winning essay, “Restoring Public Trust in Patent Law: A Case for March-In Rights Reform under the Bayh–Dole Act,” was selected from submissions addressing a wide range of issues in U.S. patent law.
The McKelvey Writing Competition honors the legacy of Frederick E. McKelvey, whose five-decade career at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office was defined by his dedication to teaching, mentorship, and collegiality. As part of the award, Lim’s essay will be published in the Journal of the Patent and Trademark Office Society (JPTOS).
Bronze Scholarship, Karl Popper Legal Reasoning Challenge
Lim was selected as a Bronze Scholarship winner in the inaugural Karl Popper Legal Reasoning Challenge, an international competition hosted by The Atoll Society. The challenge invited law students and rising lawyers to consider how law should evolve if artificial intelligence became part of the constitutional order. Participants drafted judicial opinions and legal briefs set in the year 2047, addressing a refugee dispute in an AI-governed society.
More than 60 submissions were received from participants across the globe, including from Tehran, Nairobi, and London. Lim’s work was recognized for its thoughtful engagement with emerging legal, philosophical, and technological questions, earning her a place among a select group of finalists.
Publication in NYIPLA’s The Report
In addition to her competition achievements, Lim’s article, “When AI Writes Your Claims: A New Frontier for Prosecution History Estoppel,” has been accepted for publication in the Fall 2025 issue of The Report, the official journal of the NYIPLA.
Founded in 1922, NYIPLA is one of the nation’s leading intellectual property organizations, representing more than 1,500 attorneys in the United States and globally. The association is dedicated to advancing the development, understanding, and administration of intellectual property law.
Together, Lim’s achievements thus far signal a promising future in intellectual property and patent law, while also reflecting NYLS’s commitment to supporting student scholarship and professional development.