Apprenticeships in the 21st Century, In Search of Hetty Green: Self-Made Women Millionaires, Patent Waivers (or Dont know much about history), Is Technology a Race? Jeanne has likewise been lead counsel in over 25 PTAB proceedings, having handled IPRs, CBMs, and rare derivation proceedings, including defense of several PTAB decisions before the Federal Circuit (see e.g., IPR2013-00178 and IPR2013-00578). He has particular experience in patent preparation, prosecution and counseling in the fields of medical devices, optics, semiconductors, superconductors, lasers, solid state physics, RF and radar electronics, television/display technologies, software, electrochemical and optical sensors, organic and organometallic chemistry, pharmaceuticals, polymers and DNA assays. in biology, again from Texas Southern University. One of the first Black women in U.S. history to receive a patent, she expanded upon . Terms of Service. African-American Inventors of the 18th Century There are over 3,943 Patent Attorneys in the United States. Surfing Trademark Issues on the Web (F&L White Paper, 9/06; Crafting an Effective Patent Invalidity OpinionIs it the Last Bastion of Defense? (PLI, 2003-2006; Being and Finding Good Mentors (BWLA, 3/06), Trade Secret Protection in the 21st Century (F&L Litigation Conference, 12/05), The Dilution DilemmaLitigating Dilution Claims and the Trademark Dilution Revision Act of 2005 (ABA/Navigant Consulting IP Roundtable, 12/05), IP Roundtable on Key Patent Appellate Cases, including, Digital, Wireless & New Media TechnologiesIs Your IP Future in the Right Hands? (Chair/Founder, F&L 1st Annual IP Conference, 9/05), "Discovery Issues in Patent Litigation (PLI, 9/05), Internet-Related Trademark Litigation Issues & Trends (INTA, 5/05), New Insights into IP Law in ChinaPresenter on Trade Secret Protection (F&L Corporate Counsel Seminar, 3/05), Preparing to Initiate or Defend a Patent Lawsuit (ABA, 10/04), IP Litigation: Avoiding the Money Pit (, How Do You Measure Up? The same goes for the privilege and willingness to take advantage of systemic racism that we all witnessed in the recent video from Central Park, he said, referring to a viral video of Amy Cooper calling the cops on Christian Cooper, a black man who asked that she leash her dog. Member Portal The diversity gap in the patent system has deep historical roots, Northeastern University law professor Kara Swanson said. That bothered Turner. In the late 19th century, it was improved upon by Sarah Boone, an African American woman who was born enslaved. To fix this, you can: 1. The average age of an employed patent attorney is 46 years old. She is a member of the firms Management Committee and the Manufacturing Sector Advisory Board. Black IP Lawyers Who've Made It Look to Grow Ranks Beyond 1.7% Bloomberg Law August 6, 2020 "The rarity of being a Black intellectual property lawyer in the United States hits home for the 1.7% of attorneys who fit that description." Read the article Where are the Women and Minority Patent Professionals? Which State Has The Most Patent Attorneys? An Ounce of Prevention Smart Patent Prosecution Can Minimize Litigation Oops (Article. The Litigation Landscape Post-, Avoiding a Career Silo: Understanding and Converting Your Value (10th Annual CYOC Career Development Conference, IP Law Pre-Conference 9/07), Hot Topics in Trademark Law (DuPont Legal Conference, 9/07), Taking A Company's IP To The Next Level (Client CLE, 6/07), Use of Expert Witnesses in Patent Litigation (BNA/ABA Seminar, 11/06), Are Opinions of Counsel Still the Best Defense to Willfulness in IP (Patent & Trademark) Litigation (F&L Corporate Counsel Seminar, 10/06), Battling Global IP Piracy & Counterfeiting (Chair, F&L 2nd Annual IP Conference, 9/06). FURTHER DUPLICATION WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. When Griffin polled colleagues and clients, who ranged from small business owners to NASA engineers, on when they learned about patents, and that they had value, most said either in graduate school or after starting their careers. Janet Emerson Bashen became the first black woman to. She Persisted at Law and Legislative Matters. With her electronics background and given her attorney registration to practice before the USPTO, Jeannes broad-based IP experience also includes: counseling related to product configuration trade dress and use of color as a trademark; handling TTAB and UDRP matters; resolving copyright ownership disputes, particularly in the areas of computer software and associated documentation; handling contractual disputes concerning IP rights and the theft or use of IP by a companys former employees, business partners and/or independent contractors; counseling clients on IP holding companies, including how to maximize value from an IP portfolio when certain assets are likely to be the subject of IP litigation; handling cases involving the intersection of trade dress, design patent, and utility patent protection for consumer and industrial products; and conducting discovery abroad throughout Europe, Singapore and Japan. Shreveport Uzezi Abugo Uzezi Abugo, Attorney at Law Michael Acquah Hueston Hennigan LLP Los Angeles Michael Adams DeCuir, Clark & Adams, LLP During law school, she worked in the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender as a senior law student, representing clients who had been charged with misdemeanors and felonies. BS, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Texas Southern University, MS, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Texas SouthernUniversity (Summa CumLaude, With High Honors), JD, University of Illinois Chicago Law School, Top 25 Trial Lawyers The National Trial Lawyers National Women (Specialty Division), Top Women Attorneys in Illinois Rising Stars, Top Attorneys in Illinois Rising Stars 2014-2021, Lifetime Member of Black Women Lawyers Association of Chicago, American Intellectual Property Law Association, National Association of Patent Practitioners, Texas Southern University Distinguished Alumni Award. The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation found African Americans, while making up 13% of the U.S.s native-born population, comprised less than 1% of the U.S.-born innovators it surveyed. 10 Sure-Fire Ways to Ignite Your Passion and Career! (CCWC, 9/17), Current and Emerging Issues Related to Patents (Client CLE, 3/17), Get Ready Now! Jamaal was selected by judges, bar groups and fellow attorneys for his work, leadership and community service. Emerging technologies your clients are talking about (ACC Seminar, 3/15), Hot Topics in IP and Advertising/Promotions (Client CLE, 2/15), Patent Litigation: Jury Considerations (Practical Law Webinar, 1/15), Strategies for Winning NPE Litigation (Client CLE, 11/14), IPx: Evolution to Revolution (Chair, F&L 10th Annual IP Conference, 9/14), Right-sizing the Approach in Defending Against NPE Claims (MIP International Womens Leadership Forum, 6/14). That practice, in and of itself, said this process is not for you, said Shontavia Johnson, an attorney and entrepreneur who also serves as associate vice president for entrepreneurship and innovation at Clemson University. All of us should feel terrible about black women making up less than 1% of the equity partners in law firms, Gills said. The agency would also be required to make the data public. Contact Us| NextGen IPs founder, Flo Donovan, said the only way to ensure in my life-time that minority inventors are included in the patent process was to create a foundation for this purpose.. Working on major trials, especially in a leadership role, opens the doors to more opportunities. Take that on.. Phone (206) 420-6057 Fax (206) 420-6051 Biography 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. The cost of getting a patent, which can run into the thousands of dollars, and a lack of early exposure to the patent system present barriers to already marginalized communities. Criminal Appeal Lawyers in Georgia You have the right to appeal your sentencing and conviction. He counts Kasowitz as a friend. Patent records also refute the common tendency to attribute an entire industrial category to a single inventor in fact, over 800 similar signalling devices were filed before 1910, and dozens prior to Benjamins own invention. But there are not zero, he said. 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). We've been helping experienced inventors, first-time inventors, and businesses (and their in-house legal teams) protect their inventions and brands with patents and trademarks since 2004. Jamaals work also extends beyond the medical device field representing clients in a variety of industries, including power management and building construction. Numerous sources claim that she obtained a law degree from Howard University, but the college catalogues show that this was not the case. 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. License our industry-leading legal content to extend your thought leadership and build your brand. Many Black law students arent exposed to IP as a career path. Like most of America, Kirkland & Ellis partner Ellisen Turner has followed the horrific killings of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd. House and Senate lawmakers in 2019 introduced the IDEA Act (H.R. There are a number of talented African American attorneys, men and women, who for years now have represented clients, said Pierce, the former chair of the IP section of the National Bar Association, the largest national network of predominantly Black attorneys and judges. We determined the average age of patent attorneys based on ethnicity and gender. This data shows how men and women predominate in the patent attorney position over time. Were kicking up our social justice and civil rights initiatives. So youre starting from a limited population to begin with, said Azuka Dike, a patent attorney at Banner Witcoff who is a liaison to the American Bar Associations Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession. Chemistry (University of Utah, 1988), Ph.D. Chemistry (Univeristy of California at Berkeley, 1993), Admitted in Washington, Minnesota, and New York. A close second is doctoral degree with 42% and rounding it off is master's degree with 11%. The map here shows where patent attorneys earn the highest salaries in the U.S. Black IP Lawyers Who've Made It Look to Grow Ranks Beyond 1.7% You can start at some IP law firms in a technical specialist position, where you provide technical and scientific backup to attorneys while learning the law, Longsworth said. B.S. LexisNexis and Bloomberg Law customers are able to access and use ALM's content, including content from the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Legaltech News, The New York Law Journal, and Corporate Counsel, as well as other sources of legal information. We service our national and international client base remotely and through our offices in Seattle, WA and affiliates in San Francisco, CA. Like millions of innovative individuals, MIRIAM E. BENJAMIN (1861-1947) was active in multiple inventive markets, as the patentee of two inventions, and assignee on another. The same goes for the privilege and willingness to take advantage of systemic racism that we all witnessed in the recent video from Central Park, he said, referring to a viral video of Amy Cooper calling the cops on Christian Cooper, a black man who asked that she leash her dog. Some companies tend to go with what they know, he said. Top 100 National Black Lawyers | African American Attorneys Claims that black inventors filed patents under the names of white attorneys seem absurd: under U.S. patent laws, any such patents would be invalid, as even the most incompetent lawyer would know; and there was no reason at all to do so, since all applications were submitted in writing and it was impossible for anyone at the patent office to identify the inventors race. The racial divide persists for many reasons that dont lend themselves to simple fixes. As the founder of Allgaier Patent Solutions, she represents clients throughout theUnited Stateswho need legal assistance with regard to patents, trademarks, and copyrights. Report: Judicial Diversity Grew in California Courts Last Year, Its Important for All of Us To Lift as We Climb: Black Women Judges Discuss Diversifying the Courts, Skilled in the Art With Scott Graham: I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together, Semiconductor Pioneer Adds Legal Chief With Deep Deal-Making Experience, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, Law.com Editors and Analysts Offer Top Trends to Watch for 2023. The most common ethnicity among patent attorneys is White, which makes up 75.3% of all patent attorneys. The darker areas across the 50 states highlight the highest salaries. Interestingly enough, the average age of patent attorneys is 40+ years old, which represents 67% of the population. Johnson highlights another contributing factor: low numbers of Black intellectual property attorneys. Site Map, Advertise| Law.com Compass delivers you the full scope of information, from the rankings of the Am Law 200 and NLJ 500 to intricate details and comparisons of firms financials, staffing, clients, news and events. Most historians agree that Thomas L. Jennings is the first African American patent holder in the United States. For black lawyers, its even harder. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements. Some of those effects still linger, according to those who have studied the issue. At OC Patent Lawyer, we serve clients throughout Orange County and Los Angeles County, California from our office in Irvine, California. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to patent attorneys. This will further equip us to play a pivotal role in driving meaningful changes and ensuring that our voices are heard. 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. Patent Priority: the First Woman Patent Lawyer Women, Influence & Power in Law UK Awards honors women lawyers who have made a remarkable difference in the legal profession. Glencoe, IL 60022, Call: 847-409-8670 Phillips & Associates Attorneys at Law, PLLC All lawyers, but black lawyers especiallymake sure theyre playing an integral role in a meaningful case from the outset, he said. You cant just wait until you have some applicants in law school to start diversity efforts, Longsworth said. 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.. Among the roughly 8% of students in ABA accredited law schools who are Black, many are first generation law students, and may not have strong insight regarding the structure of law school, Dike said. *** In 1906, the Boston Daily Globe reported that Through the untiring efforts of Miss Miriam E. Benjamin of Boston, a clerk in one of the Departments at Washington, $10,482 has been awarded Samuel Lee, a negro, who was elected to congress 25 years ago, but never sworn in. Benjamin lobbied to bring the bill to aid Samuel Lee before Congress nine times, until it finally passed in 1906. Black Black Attorneys in Downtown Brooklyn, NY - Yellow Pages 8 Black Inventors Who Made Daily Life Easier - HISTORY As we celebrate Woman's month, founder of Mashabela IP Attorneys, Tumelo Mashabela, first black female patent attorney in South Africa, is determined to make a difference in local and international businesses by providing world class patent counsel through her boutique law firm which is situated in Pretoria. Thomas L. Jennings (1791-1859), for example, learned tailoring and dry cleaning and carried on that business in New York City, where in 1821, at the age of 30, he received a patent for an improvement in dry cleaning processes perhaps the first black person in this country to have received one . Born on September 1, 1857, in Columbia, Mississippi, Baker made it his mission to identify and publicly highlight the contributions of black inventors. 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. And you recruit at the law schools they attend. Bruce E. Black - Partner - Branch Partners We use cookies on our website to improve functionality and performance, analyze website traffic and enable social media features. Raychelle Tasher Company: U.S.. While they continue to make big strides and literally raise the bar across all practice areas of law, here are 10 black female attorneys you should know. Protecting And Enforcing Trade Secrets (AIPLA 2016 Spring Meeting), Check, Raise, or Fold: The Risky Business of IP (Chair, F&L 11th Annual IP Conference, 9/15), Trade Secret Protection and Enforcement in the U.S. (NBA Annual Conference, 7/15), Patents/Trade Secrets Overview (Client CLE, 4/15 and 7/15), Whats next? Toomey got a patent in 1930 for an appliance to prevent ice on airplanes. Black people and other minority inventors have been left behind for many reasons, including too few resources, a lack of access to capital, and a low level of awareness of the patenting system in general, according to consultant Janeya Griffin. According to the 2019 edition, 5% of lawyers are African American, . Employees with the patent attorney job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. Patents & Trademarks. Jeanne M. Gills is a partner and intellectual property lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. We provide excellence in legal services and are proud to be one of the most powerful networks in the industry. It was great to see a prominent lawyer who looked like me; it materially contributed to my vision of success. Another study, from Michigan State University researchers, found that from 1976 to 2008, African American inventors were awarded six patents per 1 million people, compared to 235 patents per 1 million for all U.S. inventors.