Judy's clients benefit from her legal and engineering experience and the smart, strategic advice she provides.
Overview
A registered patent attorney and electrical engineer, Judy offers a balance of legal knowledge and technical skills to help technology companies develop and manage patent portfolios covering medical devices, electronics, optical systems, software, and computer networks.
Judy has prepared and prosecuted hundreds of patent applications for complex technologies in the United States and worldwide. She counsels clients on freedom to operate issues, including the preparation of non-infringement and invalidity opinions. Her experience includes drafting and negotiating IP agreements, and advising clients on the IP aspects of M&A transactions. When it comes to patent litigation, Judy’s patent prosecution experience and engineering background have been critical to the favorable resolution of disputes.
Experience
Judy developed comprehensive patent filing strategies for medical device companies in connection with the protection of light and ultrasound devices for therapeutic applications, multi-modal drug delivery systems, and microcurrent devices for the treatment of eye disease.
She represented software companies in pursuing and obtaining patent protection for encryption software, electronic health record systems, and web-based software applications.
Judy prepared and prosecuted U.S. and foreign patent applications for an R&D group on technologies including RF heating equipment, rotary engines, thermoelectric devices, and methods for heating biological targets.
She assisted universities with pursuing patent protection for high-speed digital cameras, static random access memory (SRAM) cells, and ultrasonic measurement systems.
A strategic problem-solver, Judy counseled financial and insurance companies on strategies for navigating the current legal landscape in the U.S. and globally concerning the patent eligibility of software and computer-implemented business methods.
She drafted and negotiated IP agreements for technology companies, including patent license agreements, joint development agreements, software development agreements, and M&A agreements.
Judy led or worked on IP due diligence teams relating to the investigation of IP assets for voting machines, LiDAR systems, and ultrasonic transducer devices.
Judy worked in the telecommunications industry prior to law school, where she concentrated on the design of fiber optic transmission systems and digital switching specifications. Since then, she has represented telecommunications companies in securing patent protection on their innovations and assessing freedom to operate issues.
Judy received the 2017 Patent Pro Bono Achievement Certificate from the USPTO for her efforts to make its Patent Pro Bono Program available to financially under-resourced inventors and small businesses.
News & Insights
News
Speaking Engagements
Judy has presented on recent developments in intellectual property law at the firm's annual Business Law Update event. She has also presented on patent issues relating to blockchain technology, and frequently provides client presentations on the patent eligibility of software and computer-implemented business methods.
Professional & Civic Activities
Professional & Civic Activities
American Intellectual Property Law Association
The Missouri Bar
The State Bar of Wisconsin
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- United States Patent & Trademark Office, 1998
- Wisconsin, 2008
- Missouri, 1996
- Kansas, 1997
Education
University of Kansas, J.D., 1996
University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Electrical Engineering, B.S., 1988
