Laura McJilton Ph.D.

Leveraging her technical proficiency, engineering career, and in-house experience, Laura McJilton provides business-oriented IP legal advice for software, physics, chemistry, and electronics-based technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), chemistry, OLEDs, nuclear physics, semiconductors, nanotechnology, as well as life sciences, pharmaceuticals, biopharma, medtech, medical devices, radiology, digital health, health care IT, and healthtech companies. She advises clients on patenting, licensing, enforcement, diligence, and defense against infringement accusations.

Laura manages patent portfolios and conducts freedom to operate and competitive analyses and supports litigation. She also drafts and negotiates complex commercial agreements, including IP development and licensing contracts, data licensing, research and commercial collaborations, technology transactions, and major partnerships. She worked as in-house counsel supporting the digital pathology division of a large biotechnology company, including supporting all AI/ML initiatives. She has counseled on privacy compliance and is an AIGP and CIPP/US privacy professional.

Prior to her legal career, Laura worked as a senior engineer for Intel, contributing to the development of several semiconductor technology nodes. She also completed a doctorate under Nobel Laureate Richard Smalley synthesizing single-walled carbon nanotubes, interned in the Materials division of Wright Patterson Air Force Laboratory, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship supported by DARPA making smart materials at Cornell University.

Concentrations

•Intellectual property strategy, defining and implementing
•Patents
•IP Deal Diligence
•Open source software
•Data Use and AI training
•Licensing and Technology Transactions
•Patent infringement, IPR, and ITC
•Privacy and AI Governance, AI strategy