The origins of current inequality can be detected in historical patterns and outcomes, but both present and past sources include many inaccuracies and false claims. She recalls a session at a partner retreat last year for introducing members of the management committee. In addition, she is a member of the Chicago and Cook County bar associations, the Bar Association of the District of Columbia and the Illinois State Bar Association. Segregation laws also made it harder for Blacks to patent their inventions. But there are not zero, he said. 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. Miriam Benjamin later worked in Edgars prosperous general law practice, and the 1920 census lists her occupation as a patent attorney. She was similarly the attorney of record, when her younger brother, Edgar P. Benjamin (18691972), received U.S. patent no. When it comes to protecting your intellectual property, patents and trademarks are essential. Well be inviting experts to discuss ways to have meaningful conversations in our respective companies and organizations. He counts Kasowitz as a friend. in biology, again from Texas Southern University. Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?Subscribe Now. Researchers say the underrepresentation means the U.S. is missing out on significant inventions, with fewer perspectives and ideas in the pipeline. Watch All Parts of ABWA's 2020 Ruth Whitehead Whaley Celebration here !!! 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. He said he wouldnt be where he is today without having had the opportunity to pitch them. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that: 20.7% of patent attorneys are women and 79.3% of patent attorneys are men. For Foley & Lardner LLPs Jeanne Gills, securing a lead role on a trial team in one of the biggest cases in her career -- a patent dispute in which a half-billion dollars were at stake -- was a game changer, made possible because in house counsel lobbied for me., Any lawyer that hires outside counsel, they have the power to hire a diverse lawyer to lead their matter or require the lead lawyer to staff a diverse attorney, Gills said. And you recruit at the law schools they attend. Patent grants allow us to objectively prove novelty and priority. There are also organizations like the New Voices Foundation, which helps women of color who are entrepreneurs, and the Chicago Inventors Organization, which has worked with a number of Black inventors. Recognized as a top patent lawyer and author of Navigating the Patent . All three credit mentorssome black, some whitewith making a difference in their careers. Some of those effects still linger, according to those who have studied the issue. The patent application process was quite transparent, and many patentees completed it on their own account, later setting up businesses as intermediaries for others who preferred to delegate these bureaucratic tasks. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Allgaier worked as a research associate in the Section of Leukocyte Biology at Baylor College of Medicine. 4075, S. 2281), which would require the patent office to collect demographic information, including gender and race, from patent applicants on a voluntary basis. Black or Afro-American Inventors PATENT AND INVENTION INDEX INVENTOR INVENTION DATE PATENT Page 1 of 10 A Abrams, W. B. Hame Attachment April 14, 1891 450,550 Allen, C. W. Self-Leveling Table November 1, 1898 613,436 Allen, J. We represent clients in northern Georgia and throughout the U.S. Early in his career, Kilpatrick Stockton & Townsend partner Mitchell Stockwell put Waldrop on a trial team in an important case. *** 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. One change he hopes to see in the IP bar is more opportunities for black lawyers to prove themselves in the courtroom. 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? 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). The greater horror is that they were nothing new, he said. Lawyers do XYZ. 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. But that in itself wasnt enough. And while Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell are household names, inventors like Percy Julian and Granville Woods havent been as celebrated. 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 STEM education, or practical experience verified by individual states, is a requirement to take that bar exam. 7.9% of Patent Attorneys are Hispanic or Latino, 6.5% of Patent Attorneys are Asian, 5.7% of Patent Attorneys are Black or African American, 4.4% of Patent Attorneys are Unknown, and 0.2% of Patent Attorneys are American Indian and Alaska Native. 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? 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? Having people ahead of you who look like you and know what youve been through, and can be the champions of your success, can be critically important, Turner said. No. Call the Hollin Law Offices in Georgia today at 770-872-4703, or contact us online. These multiple routes to a patent career promoted diversity, because they were especially valuable for women and other disadvantaged groups. The professional industry is the highest-paying for patent attorneys. 337-TA-1140) (ITC patent trial on automotive technology), TAS v. Cummins (jury trial on a license covering engine technology), and DeKalb v. Pioneer (jury trial on patents covering genetically engineered corn). Now, he said, corporations need to put their money where their mouth is and stop claiming they cant find Black IP lawyers for a case. She previously served on the board of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform and previously served for six years on the Evening Associates Board of the Art Institute of Chicago and mentored high school students through Links Unlimited. We see strings of them every year, well beyond the subset captured on video.. I think that also plays a role because we dont see ourselves being owners of intellectual property.. Do I care? ***I am indebted to Barbara Levergood of the Bowdoin College library and Rene Bosman at UNC-Chapel Hill, for their generous assistance in locating these bills. Each attorney is granted unlimited access to high quality, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry along with administrative access to easily manage CLE for the entire team. Drayton said he too benefited from a black role model: former Cooley partner Daniel Johnson Jr., now of the Dan Johnson Law Group. Pierce, the Venable lawyer who remembered being called really articulate, said that occurred after an in-person presentation to a group of executives at a potential client company regarding a patent case. Our second option allows you to build your bundle and strategically select the content that pertains to your needs. Kasowitz Benson Torres partner Jonathan Waldrop credits equal parts luck, hard work and good timing for his success as a patent litigator. By comparison, 5% of attorneys in the U.S. are Black, according to the American Bar Association. Patents Lawyer Serving Los Angeles, CA. The industry-leading media platform offering competitive intelligence to prepare for today and anticipate opportunities for future success. We provide excellence in legal services and are proud to be one of the most powerful networks in the industry. 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. Don't miss the crucial news and insights you need to make informed legal decisions. (310) 201-3548. NBA Annual Conference, 7/08), Pre-Conference Workshop on "Creating & Managing Patent Portfolios (2nd Annual IP Summit for Wireless Tech & New Media, 6/08), IP Litigation in the 21st CenturyA Look at In re Bilski, Post-KSR Litigation Strategies, & Stats on Best Patent Defenses (, At the Razor's Edge: Prosecuting and Defending Against Patent Infringement Claims Post-, Strategic Venue Selection & Use of IP Injunction (F&L Litigation Conference, 12/07), Navigating The Changing Tides of Patent Litigation (, Views from the Bench: Remedies in IP Litigation CasesA Roundtable of Judges from the Southern District of New York (Chair/Panelist, F&L 3rd Annual IP Conference, 10/07), Unexpected Results? This chart breaks down the ages of patent attorney employees. Many Black law students arent exposed to IP as a career path. Contact Us| License our industry-leading legal content to extend your thought leadership and build your brand. Jeanne has authored (and regularly updates) a chapter on Experts for the Patent Litigation Strategies Handbook (BNA Books). 1928-2014. Member Portal The agency would also be required to make the data public. By comparison, 5% of attorneys in the U.S. are Black, according to the American Bar Association. Learn about patents, patent searches, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets in these resources and guides. Black IP lawyers have felt the impact of their race as early as their educational years. Their president, Jefferson Davis, had unsuccessfully tried before to get a U.S. patent on a propeller invented by a man, Benjamin Montgomery, enslaved by his brother, according to research from University of Kentucky law professor Brian Frye. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for patent attorneys in the United States. Firms have been pledging to diversify the ranks of equity partners, and general counsel have been pledging to diversity trial teams, for many years. James Smith, the first chief judge of the federal Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and now chief intellectual property counsel at Ecolab Inc., said hes actually had attorneys hand him their bags to carry. Arent Fox LLP Arnold & Porter LLP Baker & Hostetler LLP Littler Mendelson P.C. 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. Women and minority patent practitioners make up only a small percentage of the patent profession. Years ago, she said, a Black deputy general counsel at a Fortune 500 company got Gills a meeting with the outfits White general counsel. I do hope that it is a catalyst for real change. With this subscription you will receive unlimited access to high quality, online, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry. In the late 19th century, it was improved upon by Sarah Boone, an African American woman who was born enslaved. Janet Emerson Bashen became the first black woman to. Yes, Patent Attorney jobs are male - dominated. Lawyers and other IP professionals also have a responsibility to help diverse entrepreneurs and inventors, said Deborah Lodge, a partner at Squire Patton Boggs who has participated in New Voices Foundation educational programs about IP protection. People are often surprised when they learn that I practice patent litigation, said Ellisen Turner, IP practice group partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. A close second is doctoral degree with 42% and rounding it off is master's degree with 11%. Some law firms are looking to increase the pipeline by going beyond recruiting from top law schools. Phillips & Associates Attorneys at Law, PLLC Benjamins influence and persistence in legislative matters can be detected in her extended dealings with Congress. 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. For someone like Kirklands Turner, its almost like he has to be not just good, but fantastic, superlative to succeed. That bothered Turner. 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. This data shows how men and women predominate in the patent attorney position over time. Clients, attorneys say, are among the greatest gatekeepers for helping Black lawyers excel. Shreveport Uzezi Abugo Uzezi Abugo, Attorney at Law Michael Acquah Hueston Hennigan LLP Los Angeles Michael Adams DeCuir, Clark & Adams, LLP The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements. 67% of Patent Attorneys are 40+ years old or older, 29% are between the ages of 30-40 years, and 4% are between 20-30 years old. But there should be no reason a black lawyer isnt pitching, Turner said. Im surprised I havent heard of you, the executive said. Growing Mineola firm with national practice seeks associate (with 3-6 years experience) to handle complex general liability matters.Competit CASH KRUGLER & FREDERICKS LLC is Celebrating Our 20th Anniversary & Newest Partners! 475,749 for a bicycle clip in 1892, two years before he graduated from Boston University School of Law. All of us should feel terrible about black women making up less than 1% of the equity partners in law firms, Gills said. 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 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. History of African American Inventors. But more than 90 percent of American Intellectual Property Law Association survey respondents said they were admitted to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office bar, which is required to practice in agency matters like prosecuting clients patent applications. Patent attorneys are most in-demand in Los Angeles, CA. In addition, Jeanne has been Peer Review Rated as AV Preeminent, the highest performance rating in Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings system. Her listing in the 1920 census as a patent attorney is certainly notable, but the census takers simply recorded what householders told them. 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. Women, Influence & Power in Law UK Awards honors women lawyers who have made a remarkable difference in the legal profession. An active participant in several professional organizations, Ms. Allgaier is a lifetime member of the Black Women Lawyers Association of Greater Chicago, Inc., and she also belongs to the National Association of Patent Practitioners and the American Intellectual Property Law Association. Return to our main appellate law firm page. 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! And yet we still have to prove ourselves, she said. In addition, the industry that employs the most patent attorneys is the professional industry. The amount you can make as a patent attorney can depend on where you live. A U.S. Patent and Trademark Office council will begin tackling a huge challenge this year: boosting the percentage of patent owners who are Blacka figure that hovers in the single digits by some estimates. US Supreme Court Rules That Patentee Maintains Burden of Proving Infringement in Actions Brought by Licensee, (Article, Board Oversight of IP Strategy (F&L National Directors Institute, 11/13), How Bad Is It, Counselor?What Do You Mean, I Don't Know?! Like most of America, Kirkland & Ellis partner Ellisen Turner has followed the horrific killings of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd. Thats why the change in the conversation over the last two weeks has been so significant, he said. I have seen, in my career, people who presume from the outset that I could not be handed much responsibility, because they didnt think I belonged in the responsibility-carrying club, Smith said. The Confederate states allowed slave owners to patent the inventions of their slaves. Gain access to some of the most knowledgeable and experienced attorneys with our 2 bundle options! Recognizing innovation in the legal technology sector for working on precedent-setting, game-changing projects and initiatives. 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. Being laser focused on the opportunities afforded Black lawyers and the outcomes will allow firms to course correct for any potential disparate impact associated with long standing practices, Drayton said. If such an individual doesnt exist at their law firm, say to them, If you want to keep my business, hire some additional individuals to put on my team.. Turner, whose practice covers intellectual property litigation and strategy, is encouraged that a national and international conversation is springing up around systemic racism faced by African Americans. Theres a direct correlation between the racial wealth gap and IP ownership, said Nina Archie, diversity and tech policy adviser at The Commercializer. Foley & Lardners Gills faces the double challenge of practicing patent law while being black and female. Thats hugely important to me, he said. The decision essentially precluded Black people from patenting their inventions. No one brought up the possibility, said Sheppard, who was previously a director of the PTOs midwest regional office. Lisa Ascolese, known as "The Inventress," has received multiple patents and founded the Association for Women Inventors and Entrepreneurs. Patent attorneys are most in-demand in Los Angeles, CA. 497,747 in 1893 for an improvement on Broom Moisteners and Bridles. The rights to the invention were assigned at issue to Miriam, and she signed the document as the patent attorney (you can view her signature at the bottom of the linked patent drawing). Law.com Compass includes access to our exclusive industry reports, combining the unmatched expertise of our analyst team with ALMs deep bench of proprietary information to provide insights that cant be found anywhere else. Join The Recorder now! Los Angeles Uzodima Frank Aba-Onu Optum Eden Prairie Aji Abiedu Freedom Forever Temecula Chauna Abner McGuireWoods LLP - Baltimore Baltimore Reginald Abrams, Sr. Law Office of Reginald W. Abrams, Sr., L.L.C. 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. Drayton suggests that Milbank partner Errol Taylor, Perkins Coie partner Dennis Hopkins and Latham & Watkins partner Tara Elliott also would be included on any list of accomplished black patent attorneys.