Women, Influence & Power in Law UK Awards honors women lawyers who have made a remarkable difference in the legal profession. 1. Some of them, I made them be my advocate. Miriam Benjamin later worked in Edgars prosperous general law practice, and the 1920 census lists her occupation as a patent attorney. He made me the leader of the Silicon Valley office. An AV rating is given to those attorneys with very high to preeminent legal ability and ethics and is a testament to the fact that Jeanne peers rank her at the highest level of professional excellence. Chemistry (University of Utah, 1988), Ph.D. Chemistry (Univeristy of California at Berkeley, 1993), Admitted in Washington, Minnesota, and New York. The most common ethnicity of patent attorneys is White (75.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.9%), Asian (6.5%) and Black or African American (5.7%). The offices of patent attorneys (all white at the time) were in white-only commercial districts, hindering African American inventors from applying for patents, Cook wrote in an often-cited 2013 study that examined patent activity from 1870 to 1940. And yet we still have to prove ourselves, she said. Her litigation experience has dovetailed into counseling clients on global IP strategy, including work on the division of patent/technology assets for Kraft Foods 2012 split (into Kraft Foods and Mondelz) and leading the IP side of M&A transactions, such as work on potential $4 billion acquisition in power technology space and recent $1.2 billion deal involving the creation on behalf of power technology companies two JV entities (one in the U.S. and one in Switzerland). Companies are coming out with statements they probably never would have thought theyd make 30 days ago, saying Black Lives Matter, Drayton said. But she also said Black attorneys like her have faced a higher hurdle when trying to secure client work. So hes imploring in-house counsel not to turn to the same old network every time a new matter comes in. Ultimately, there might be valid reasons for choosing another lawyer. The Cochran Firm was founded over 40 years ago by the late Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr., one of the country's most well-known and well-respected legal advocates. The average age of an employed patent attorney is 46 years old. Stanley M. Gibson. Most historians agree that Thomas L. Jennings is the first African American patent holder in the United States. As a dialogue springs up around systemic racism, Kirkland partner Ellisen Turner and other lawyers discuss the legal industry's failure to recognize and reward the achievements of black patent attorneys. Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP - Patent Litigation Lawyer. It was great to see a prominent lawyer who looked like me; it materially contributed to my vision of success. Protecting And Enforcing Trade Secrets, Article: Whats Reasonable?Protecting And Enforcing Trade Secrets, Justices Craft Their Own Remedy for Violation of Constitutions Appointments Clause, Justices Scale Back Unreviewable Authority of Administrative Patent Judges, Justices Appear Conflicted About Status of Administrative Patent Judges, Justices To Consider Appointments Clause Challenge To Administrative Patent Judges, Trademark, Copyright & Advertising Counseling, Trademark, Copyright & Advertising Litigation, Foley Attorneys Named to 2023 Illinois Super Lawyers List, Jeanne M. Gills Named an Honoree at Corporate Counsel 2022 Women, Influence and Power in Law Awards, Foley Attorneys Recognized in 2023 Best Lawyers in America, Foley Represents The League in Acquisition by Match Group, 16th Annual IP Conference (Virtual): Knowing When and How to Pivot 2.0, Health Plan Transparency in Coverage Rule, The University of Chicago Law School (J.D., 1994), Michigan State University (B.S., with honors, electrical engineering, 1991), Ready to Respond: A Roadmap for Diverse Attorneys to Serve on Corporate Boards (CMCP Virtual Seminar, 3/21), General Counsel BootcampIntellectual Property (Client CLE, 2/21), Diversity & Inclusion: Beyond the Boardroom (F&L National Directors Institute, 11/20), Knowing When and How to Pivot 2.0 (Chair, F&L 16th Annual IP Conference, 10/20), Elevate: How to Breakthrough Your Inner Glass Ceiling & Reclaim Your Power to Lead (CCWC 16th Annual Conference, 9/20), Recent Developments in Patent Law & Best Practices with Patent Opinions (Client CLE, 6/20), 2019 PTAB Year In Review (F&L Webinar, 1/20), When and How to Pivot (Chair, F&L 15th Annual IP Conference, 10/19), Advanced, Patent Litigation Seminar (Chair, PLI, Chicago, 2009-2018), Proving and Guarding the Real Economic Value of IP (Chair, F&L 14th Annual IP Conference, 9/18), Trade Secrets Protection, Enforcement, and Litigation (Sandpiper Partners LLC, 6/18), Diversity & Inclusion (Law Bulletin Ethics Seminar, 6/18), Top Ten Tips for a Successful Mediation in Intellectual Property Cases (AIPLA Annual Meeting Presentation and Article, 10/17), Forging Ahead: Strategies for the New Unknown (Chair and Speaker, F&L 13th Annual IP Conference, 10/17), Chicago Black Partners Alliance, Marshall Movie Premiere Event (10/17), Career Not Moving Fast Enough? University of Nebraska College of Law Professor A. Christal Sheppard was in her last year of completing a PhD in molecular biology before considering becoming a patent lawyer. LexisNexis and Bloomberg Law are third party online distributors of the broad collection of current and archived versions of ALM's legal news publications. No one brought up the possibility, said Sheppard, who was previously a director of the PTOs midwest regional office. Asian patent attorneys have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Clients, attorneys say, are among the greatest gatekeepers for helping Black lawyers excel. To fix this, you can: 1. The U.S. patent system, long regarded as among the worlds best, has also been stubbornly difficult for Black inventors to access. He knows my wife. The executive explained that he had asked his legal department to compile a list of the top black attorneys at big law firms, in the interest of diversifying the companys outside teams. Here is the list of the first female attorneys registered to practice before the U.S. Patent Office: 26 Griswold, Miss Edith J., 220 Broadway, New York, NY 198 Lockwood, Belva A., 619 F street, Washington, D. C. 612 Moran, Miss M. L., Washington, D. C. 685 King, Florence H., 1564 Monadnock Building, Chicago, Ill Recognizing innovation in the legal technology sector for working on precedent-setting, game-changing projects and initiatives. When combined with the census entry, these documented sources confirm the validity of the statement that Miriam E. Benjamin was the first black woman to practice as a patent attorney.. The invention was highlighted at the Atlanta Exposition of 1895. Employees with the patent attorney job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. Sarah E. Goode is thought to be one of the first Black women to receive a patent, in 1885, for inventing a folding bed that could be made into a desk when not in use. One change he hopes to see in the IP bar is more opportunities for black lawyers to prove themselves in the courtroom. They benefit from a diversity of experiences in connection with among other things, witness preparation, formulating a trial story and approaches in relating to jurors. A registered patent attorney, he uses his background in biomedical engineering to prosecute even the most challenging patent applications for medical device technologies. Patent attorneys are most in-demand in Los Angeles, CA. We determined the average age of patent attorneys based on ethnicity and gender. High Rewards (Chair, F&L 8th Annual IP Conference, 10/12), Hot Topics in IP (in light of Apple v. Samsung & AIA) (BWLA Presentation, 10/12), IP Law Update (covering recent Trade Dress/Patent Decisions & AIA) (Client CLE, 9/12), An Overview of US Patent Reform (The America Invents Act) (Client CLE, 11/11), Patent Wars: The Game Show-Prosecutors vs. Litigators and author In Drafting A Joint Development Agreement, Who Should Own The Jointly Developed IP? (AIPLA Annual Meeting, 10/11), The Exponential Speed of Innovation: Is IP Driving Your Business? (Chair, F&L 7th Annual IP Conference, 9/11), Winning a Game of Inches: Gaining Momentum Through IP (Chair, F&L 6th Annual IP Conference, 10/10), Patenting Business Methods and Other Recent Developments (Client CLE, 1/10), Being A Partner (F&L Presentation, 1/10), What IP Issues Keep General Counsel Up At Night? (Chair/Panelist, F&L 5th Annual IP Conference, 10/09), Extracting Value from IP in the Reform Era: What It Takes to Build and Protect Your Core Assets in Uncertain Times (Argyle Corporate Leadership Forum, 9/09), Networking For Success (F&L Mentor/Mentee Seminar, 6/09), Emerging Legal Trends In Patent Law (MCCA CLE Expo, 3/09), IP Gone Wild? (Moderator and Panelist, F&L 4th Annual IP Conference, 9/08), Strategic Patent LitigationVenue Selection, Use of IP Injunctions & Defenses (IP Section Mtg. Defend Trade Secrets Act: The Latest in Trade Secrets Developments, Presentation: WhatsReasonable? The person may go to law school and, in some instances, the firm covers the cost. He is the Chairman of JMBM's Patent Litigation Group and the publisher of the Patent Lawyer Blog. It doesnt have to be saidthough its better if it is saidyoure part of the team. Tailoring was a relatively easy craft for African-Americans to enter, whether male or female. Jeanne also serves as vice chair of the firms national Intellectual Property Department focusing on Strategic Marketing & Business Development, and she previously served as vice chair of the Intellectual Property Litigation Practice. Maybe some of those individuals will then go to law schools and become lawyers. Avoiding Litigation Pitfalls through Effective Patent Prosecution (Article, Getting Off To A Good Start Drafting A Patent Application to Survive Prosecution and Litigation (AIPLA Annual Meeting, 2002), An IP Litigation Perspective on Licensing (PLI, 2001), Contributor to the IPLAC Litigation Committees Federal Circuit (2001 and 2002) Review of. The list did not include any patent litigators. When I introduce myself at conferences or events and give my elevator pitch, the surprise is often palpable.. Benjamin trained to be a teacher in a Massachusetts normal school, and in 1884 passed the civil service exam very creditably, allowing her to work as a federal government clerk in Washington D.C. Four years later, in 1888, she enrolled in the Medical School at Howard University, but dropped out in the first year. Henry E. Baker, a black patent examiner who was appointed in 1876, underlined that the patent system was colorblind; and neither the laws nor the administration excluded or differentiated on the basis of personal characteristics. Metrics And Measurements for Law Departments (, How to Litigate in the Digital Decade (Defendants' Patent Counsel (doing damages expert cross-exam and closing argument) in Mock Trial Plenary Session involving patent and trademark infringement; AIPLA Mid -Winter Institute, 1/04), Bank One: Law Firm Diversity Symposium (Panelist, 12/03), A Woman and Minority Perspective on Client Development (CBA, 9/03), IP Litigation and Opinions Using Litigation Knowledge to Advance Career Success (NBA Annual Convention, 8/03). He tested me, and I know I was judged and questioned in a way, if I were a white man, I would not have been, she said. Dr. Bruce E. Black is a registered patent attorney and specializes in domestic and international patent procurement, client counseling, licensing, and due diligence for innovations in the areas of medical devices, chemistry, physics, materials science, biotechnology, mechanical arts, and software. As you can see, patent examiner and patent attorney have the biggest difference in gender. Black or african american patent attorneys have the lowest average salary at $82,666. If you are a person of color, particularly a Black person, and you want to find a lawyer who is not going to think of you as intellectually inferior, who is not going to have some of those barriers and those implicit biases that may exist, its hard, Johnson said. Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ patent attorneys. Over 160 years ago, in 1857, the U.S. commissioner of patents said a slaves invention couldnt be patented. Arent Fox LLP Arnold & Porter LLP Baker & Hostetler LLP Littler Mendelson P.C. The best, most perfectly qualified lawyer for a matter may be a black lawyer, but if theyre not in your network, youre not hearing about them. The bills were referred to their respective committees but have seen no further action. Im surprised I havent heard of you, the executive said. In January 2006, Ms. Bashen became the first African American female to hold a patent for a software invention. Despite many years of promises and pledges, black lawyers remain underrepresented at big law firms. Beyond their behavior and comments being offensive, he said, they showed that they made no effort in the past to seek out or meet with attorneys like me..