Lauren Wilson

Lauren Wilson teaches and writes in the areas of intellectual property and property law. Her work focuses, in particular, on the interactions between social and legal conceptions of ownership and authorship in creative media. Most recently, her scholarship has drawn upon her expertise as a music theorist to examine the evolution of the “musical work” as a legal concept and to argue that legal understandings of music depart detrimentally from established musical norms. Wilson’s writing has been published in the Connecticut Law Review and the Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law.

Prior to joining the University at Buffalo School of Law faculty, Wilson clerked for the Honorable Richard A. Hertling on the United States Court of Federal Claims, where her work within that court’s unique jurisdiction focused on takings claims and government contracts disputes. Before beginning her legal career, Wilson taught undergraduate courses in music theory and study skills at the University of Rochester Eastman School of Music and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. She has presented research at conferences around the country, and 2025 plans include invited talks on copyright issues in music publishing and on authorship and ownership of AI-generated music.

Wilson holds a JD from the University of Michigan Law School, a PhD in music theory from the Eastman School of Music, a Master of Music in music theory from Indiana University, and a Bachelor of Music in classical guitar performance from Oakland University. She is originally from Southeast Michigan.