Melissa Hunter-Ensor Ph.D.

Dr. Melissa Hunter-Ensor is Co-Chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Global Patents and Innovation Strategies Group. Melissa focuses her practice on the intellectual property and commercial needs of clients in the life science industry, encompassing pharmaceutical, biotechnology, chemical agricultural, diagnostics and medical device companies. Melissa has experience representing clients throughout the business cycle, from start-ups and universities to global pharmaceutical companies, with patent portfolio management and strategic alliances, as well as litigation and pre-litigation strategy. She also assists venture capital firms and other investors in assessing the IP risks of target investments and conducts IP patent and licensing due diligence in connection with life science technology transactions.

Before becoming a lawyer, Melissa earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Pennsylvania and her thesis research resulted in a first author paper in Cell . She followed this accomplishment with a four-year post-doctoral fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology laboratory of Nobel laureate H. Robert Horvitz where she was a Jane Coffin Childs fellow.

Concentrations

•Patent portfolio management and strategic counseling•Technology transactions and licensing•Litigation and pre-litigation strategy

Recognition & Leadership

Awards & Accolades

•Listed, Chambers USA Guide, 2024-2025 •Intellectual Property, 2024-2025 •Life Sciences, 2025 •Shortlisted, Euromoney, 'Women in Business Awards - Life Sciences Lawyer of the Year, ' 2024 •Listed, The Legal 500 United States, 2023-2025 •Life Sciences, 2023-2025 •Patents: Prosecution, 2024-2025 •Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Patent Law, 2023-2026 •Listed, IAM Global Leaders Guide, 2025-2026 •Listed, Managing IP Magazine's World IP Handbook and Survey, 'IP Stars: Boston Patent Stars,' 2017-2025 •Listed, IAM magazine, 'IAM Patent 1000,' Prosecution, 2019-2025 •Selected, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, “Massachusetts Go To Lawyers: Life Sciences/Healthcare,” 2022 and 2024 •Shortlisted, Euromoney, 'Women in Business Awards - Best in Patents,' 2020 and 2022 •Listed, Euromoney's Expert Guides: 'Women in Business Law,' 2022 •Listed, Boston magazine, 'Top Lawyers - Intellectual Property Rights,' 2022-2023 •Team Member, a U.S. News - Best Lawyers 'Law Firm of the Year' in Trademark Law, 2020, 2022 •Listed, LMG Life Sciences, 2016-2025 •Shortlisted, 'Patent Strategy Attorney of the Year - New England,' 2024 •Shortlisted, 'Patent Strategy Attorney of the Year - Massachusetts,' 2023 •'Life Science Star,' 2016-2025 •Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Massachusetts Super Lawyers, “Rising Stars,” 2017-2018 •'Massachusetts Women's Edition, Rising Stars' 2018 •Selected, 'Top Women of Law,' Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, 2015