- Name:
- Title:
Counsel
- Location:
Columbus, OH
- What IP matters do you assist clients with the most?
Patent preparation/prosecution and opinion work (patentability, freedom to operate, etc.)
- What are the biggest challenges facing your client’s industry?
The field (fuses and circuit protection devices) is extremely crowded with art. We help our client navigate the dense landscape and secure protection for small improvements while avoiding infringement of existing patents.
- What trends are you seeing in your client’s industry?
A greater focus on IP generally. Over the past decade there seems to have been an increasing recognition of the importance of intellectual property as both a defensive and offensive tool in business. Patents, which were often an afterthought in the minds of engineers and business folks, are moving to the front of the product development timeline.
- What excites you most about working with clients in this industry?
The technology. There’s a constant demand for putting more functionality and more power into smaller packages, which presents serious challenges when it comes to protecting electrical circuits and ensuring safety. It’s fascinating to see what the engineers come up with to address these challenges.
- How has IP work changed since you first started practicing?
There’s definitely greater cost consciousness on the client side than there was in the mid-2000s, pre-recession. The old practice was to file patent applications for anything and everything. As budgets have tightened, clients have become more discriminating when deciding which products and technologies to seek protection for.
- What is your favorite aspect of your practice?
The variety of work and clients. Being able to jump between prep/pros and opinion work across a diverse array of clients keeps things fresh and interesting.
- What do you enjoy most about working at KDB?
The collegiality and the flexibility. KDB’s hybrid telecommuting modal is a huge lifestyle benefit, especially for a new parent like myself.
- What activities do you enjoy when you’re not at work?
Golf, travel, and hanging out with my daughter, Ayla.