Years working in IP: 15 years
Years with current organization: 4 years
Current location: Minneapolis, MN
Current role: Shareholder at Mueting Raasch Group
What I do: I focus on patent issues for corporate clients, including obtaining patent protection through drafting and prosecuting patent applications, clearance analysis, patent portfolio management, and post grant proceedings. I also assist in managing the prosecution of international patent application families. My work spans a vast array of technological areas including medical devices such as cardiac rhythm management devices, medical device software, high technology filters, material science, hazardous material handling, sensor devices, acoustics, device venting, radio frequency and other communication systems, packaging, construction technology, and waste treatment.
I am also a volunteer for the Patent Pro Bono Program through the LegalCORPS Inventor Assistance Program since 2012. Through that work I represent independent inventors before the U.S. Patent Office in the filing and prosecuting of patent applications. I am also on the Screening Committee and review the incoming invention disclosures to match an inventor with volunteer services. Until recently I additionally taught a quarterly class on patent law for pro se inventors through this program. In 2016 I was the recipient of the LegalCORPS Volunteer of the Year Award, and I received the Patent Pro Bono Achievement Certificate from the USPTO for my contributions in 2021.
Previous roles: I served on the board of the Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Association (MIPLA) from 2016 to 2022, including the presidency in 2020-2021. For five of those years I also planned and organized the MIPLA Stampede, an annual day long IP-focused CLE event with speakers from all over the world.
Years and involvement with AIPLA: I got involved in AIPLA because my friend, Yelena Morozova, took a bit of a leap of faith and asked me to teach the Responding to Office Actions Workshop for the 2017 AIPLA Patent Prosecution Boot Camp. I had never considered participating in AIPLA before then, but that was the push I needed to join. I’ve been teaching the workshop annually since then. In AIPLA I served as the Liaison Manager for the Diversity Committee and as a member of the Planning Committee for the 2019 Spring Meeting. I also spoke at the 2019 AIPLA Annual Meeting on fixing mistakes in patent application filings.
Q. What was the best professional decision you ever made?
A. Joining Mueting Raasch Group – a highly respected firm that has an equitable path to becoming a shareholder and that allows for a reasonable work-life balance. The shareholders have championed me to facilitate developing my professional relationships, both old and new, which has been overwhelming and amazing. And because of that decision to join Mueting Raasch Group, I have the likes of AIPLA superstars Ann Mueting and Brian Whipps as partners and colleagues who have helped me navigate AIPLA.
Q. What was the worst professional decision you ever made?
A. Saying “yes” to commitments in professional organizations simply because I was excited and theoretically capable, rather than
saying yes because I had the actual time to execute on them. As a result, I spent a couple of years being overcommitted and unable to get everything done. I am better at saying “no” now.
Q. What would you consider your greatest professional achievement so far?
A. Becoming a shareholder. It is hard to become a shareholder at a law firm at all, let alone for (1) a woman of color at (2) a patent
prosecution boutique. I feel so lucky to have been able to develop the network and the client relationships necessary to obtain a
shareholder role.
Q. In your opinion, what could women be doing better to advance their careers?
A. Let it be known that I am fighting every urge to evade the question and instead call out those who have not been advancing women while I say this:
(1) Bet on an organization that is likely to advance you. Decide where to place your bet based on data rather than the optimistic words coming out of someone’s mouth.
(2) Help the people in your network. Elevate them and celebrate them. What goes around, comes around; but also, elevating your
network elevates you.
(3) Contribute in ways that are visible. If they are not visible, then make them visible by telling everyone about it!
Q. What is the best advice you have received?
A. “Stop being so insecure.”
If they bottled my personality, the label would read:
Bubbly & energetic
Something I said I’d never do, but did anyway:
Becoming a shareholder at a law firm! Early in my career I actually thought that I didn’t want it.
One thing people are surprised to find out about me:
I have a cabin in the woods in Wisconsin that I rent out on Airbnb.