My Why

What powers my practice

My path to law began when I earned a patent on my Ph.D. research and, through working with the attorneys who prosecuted it, saw how intellectual property turns innovation into impact. I’m most fulfilled helping inventors convert ideas into protected assets that advance their business goals. Through training junior practitioners and serving on community boards, I share what I’ve learned and offer practical legal insight beyond IP. Ultimately, clients will find a collaborative partner backed by a great team capable of addressing nearly any legal need.

Overview

Bernie assists clients protect and leverage their biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and chemical innovations. He has expertise in a variety of life sciences technologies including molecular biology, immunology, biosimilars, biochemistry, medical devices, diagnostics, blood products, agriculture, plants, and small molecule pharmaceuticals and their formulations.

Bernie provides comprehensive patent prosecution, portfolio management, and commercialization counsel. He handles U.S. and foreign prosecution; patentability, freedom-to-operate, and prior art analysis; invalidity and non-infringement opinion work; and reexamination requests. He also assists clients with licensing their technologies, overall portfolio strategy, and navigating the FDA regulatory process. Additionally, Bernie advises clients on pre-litigation Hatch-Waxman and Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA) strategy, inter partes review proceedings, and Patent Trial and Appeal Board and Federal Circuit appeals.

Experience

Solutions in action

Recent experience includes:

  • Managing and counseling a pharmaceutical company’s worldwide patent portfolio, clearance analyses, along with monitoring competitor activity and playing a supporting role in litigation strategy.
  • Drafting and prosecuting patent applications for the bioproduction division of a multi-industry research company.
  • Provides global IP counseling, patent prosecution, and transactional review for one of the largest U.S. suppliers of gourmet and medicinal mushrooms.

Credentials

  • Elon University, Juris Doctor (J.D.), Business Editor, Elon Law Review, 2010
  • North Carolina State University, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Biochemistry, 1997
  • North Carolina State University, Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Zoology and Biochemistry, 1992
  • North Carolina State University, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Chemistry, 1992

  • North Carolina
  • United States Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
  • United States District Court, Middle District of North Carolina
  • United States Patent and Trademark Office

    • North Carolina’s Legal Elite, Intellectual Property, Business North Carolina Magazine, 2023

 

Engagement

  • Member, North Carolina Bar Association, Intellection Property Law Section

  • United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Vice Division Commander, District 054, Division 9; Assistant District Staff Officer Legal/Parliamentarian, Sector North Carolina; Flotilla 054-09-11
  • President of the Board of Directors, Sound of the Sea Condominium III Association Inc., Sound of the Sea Community, Emerald Isle, NC
  • Member, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Issues Committee, Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO)

Insights

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