Leadership Briefs

Stephanie Sanders is currently the global patent operations chief at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton. In this role, Stephanie is responsible for ensuring that the firm’s IP teams continually improve their patent prosecution practice and enhance their efficiency. Stephanie’s career journey includes the roles of patent examiner, patent attorney, law school career counselor, and IP training manager at a boutique law firm.

Originally from Long Island, NY, Stephanie earned a BS from Binghamton University, the top-ranked public university in New York, where she majored in computer engineering. She then attended law school at George Washington.

Although Stephanie claims to not have had a career plan, she was always attuned to her natural strengths, her interests, and her principles. Thus, even without a plan, she was able to blaze a trail that led her to a string of great jobs – each a better fit than the previous one. 

In this episode, Stephanie shares her nontraditional journey in the legal profession, the opportunities that can be found if you keep your eyes open, and the strategies that have allowed her to home in on authentic, perfect-for-her positions in patent law. 

Highlights include:

• No career plan? No problem! (02:59)
• The blinking cursor leads to a college major (04:19)
• How to randomly fall into engineering, and love it (05:21)
• Capitalizing on natural strengths (08:13)
• Feeling like an ugly duckling and floundering (11:19)
• A fed-up mother and a new career in patent law (13:24)
• Landing in the Patent Office and receiving great patent training (18:02)
• Pivoting again to law school and battling imposter syndrome (20:55)
• Finding out that practicing law in BigLaw isn’t a good fit (30:36)
• Being good at your job but feeling like a failure (39:50)
• The drawbacks for women attorneys in firms without strong female leadership (43:34)
• Judging a job by the fit, not by the prestige (48:30)
• Finding an even more perfect job in the classifieds (52:37)
• An ugly duckling turns into a swan (53:33)
• Being authentic and genuine as a young attorney (55:52
• When doors open and great offers start coming your way (59:17)

Learn More:

• Listen to Stephanie's personal podcast, "Are You New Here?"

Thanks for listening to Sidebars! Connect with us:

• Learn more about April Abele Isaacson
• Check out other insights from Kilpatrick
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
• Questions or feedback? Reach out at [email protected]
• Learn more about Kilpatrick

**The opinions expressed are those of the attorneys and do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm or its clients. This podcast is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.

Danielle Abramson is currently SVP, Global Head of IP at RedHill Biopharma. She is a registered patent agent with an almost 20-year career in the legal field, which includes stints at several law firms where she created her own career path.

Danielle has a BS in mechanical engineering from Binghamton University, the top-ranked public university in New York. She also has a PhD in medical sciences from Brown University where her research centered on biomaterials and tissue engineering.

A diagnosis of scoliosis in eighth grade introduced Danielle to a life-long passion for science and engineering. A willingness to take risks, speak up, and consistently create new opportunities out of thin air have translated this passion into a trail-blazing career in patent law that has translated into better career paths for her fellow patent agents as well. 

In this episode, Danielle generously shares her actionable and practical blueprint for building a charmed, passion-filled career.

 Highlights include:

• The curve that started it all (02:14)
• The dogs that shifted a career path (5:27)
• The switch to biomaterials and tissue engineering (07:50)
• Getting things done, with a light touch (10:04)
• The dining-room-table patent law firm (11:06)
• Dipping a toe into patent law as a tech specialist in Boston (13:34)
• Finding a law-firm position that fits (15:40)
• A mentor’s positioning advice to a young patent agent (17:03)
• The value of strong relationships in building career flexibility (18:21)
• Who says a patent agent can’t develop business? (20:42)
• Speaking up – for the good of your client work (23:08) 
• Setting boundaries and keeping toxic colleagues at bay (24:34)
• Building the first-ever patent agent career track in a law firm (29:02)
• Creating one’s own in-house position (34:30)
• Busting myths about the life of an in-house counsel (40:10)
• The blueprint for a dream career (45:38)
• The value of admitting you don’t know what you’re doing and asking for help (52:03)

Thanks for listening to Sidebars! Connect with us:

• Learn more about April Abele Isaacson
• Check out other insights from Kilpatrick
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
• Questions or feedback? Reach out at [email protected]
• Learn more about Kilpatrick

**The opinions expressed are those of the attorneys and do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm or its clients. This podcast is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.

Jamie Graham is currently Associate Director and Senior Patent Counsel at Boehringer Ingelheim USA. Prior to joining Boehringer, Jamie practiced patent law for 30 years at Kilpatrick Townsend, many of them as a partner. At the firm, she focused on IP issues relating to biological and chemical technologies, particularly in the areas of biotechnology, diagnostics, immunology, and pharmaceuticals. A registered U.S. Patent Attorney since 1986, Jamie claims title to being the first female patent attorney in Atlanta, back when there were fewer than 25 registered patent attorneys in the entire city.

In her science work, Jamie conducted enzyme isolation and characterization research at Sloan-Kettering, and cardiac and allergy drug disposition/metabolism research at Boehringer Ingelheim Ltd. She also performed graduate research in neuroimmunology and virology, including HIV research conducted at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Jamie co-founded Women in Bio (WIB) Atlanta, was active in Women In Technology (WIT) to help build women’s careers, and promoted STEM initiatives through a variety of organizations. As an American Cancer Society (ACS)-GA Board member, Jamie successfully led the regional ResearcHERS Initiative – an inaugural nationwide program with a goal of $3,000,000 to fund women-led cancer research – working with 12 high profile female community leaders and ACS executives.

Jamie charted a unique course in her career, scrambling the traditional steps of a patent practitioner to create her own path to success as a lawyer, a scientist, an engaged community member, and most importantly to her – as a mother. For example, she was already a member of the patent bar and a licensed, practicing attorney when she went to graduate school for a degree in molecular biology. She was five years out of law school when she asked to be a summer associate at Kilpatrick Townsend, intending to stay a summer, then staying 30 years.

Highlights include:

• Experiencing formative female leadership in college 
• Being the only woman in a meeting and learning to not make copies – or coffee 
• Making career decisions based on childcare considerations
• A trick for making women be heard in meetings
• Juggling the demands of a high-powered career and caring for aging parents 
• Learning from Madeleine Albright
• Building a nationally recognized patent practice by hiring women
• Voting for diversity with your time and attention
• Discovering patent talent on an Uber ride
• Supporting female cancer researcHERS
• Launching a new career chapter after a storied 30-year stint at one law firm 
• Early-morning partner meetings and small children
• The value of making deci

Thanks for listening to Sidebars! Connect with us:

• Learn more about April Abele Isaacson
• Check out other insights from Kilpatrick
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
• Questions or feedback? Reach out at [email protected]
• Learn more about Kilpatrick

**The opinions expressed are those of the attorneys and do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm or its clients. This podcast is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.

In this episode, Cecilia Andrews, Director of Intellectual Property for Novelis, Inc., shares her approach to building an authentic brand and delivering high-impact value for clients and colleagues. Cecilia relates her career path from aspiring mechanical engineer as an undergrad to top patent guardian and IP legal strategist for a global firm. Growing up in New England, she navigated different cultures as a first generation American whose parents had immigrated from Argentina. She grew up bilingual but not quite fitting the conventional mold of “Latina.” Like her two older sisters, she won a scholarship to Vanderbilt University where her professional sights shifted from engineering to patent law.

After Vanderbilt Law School, she interviewed in Atlanta, fell in love with the urban forest atmosphere and joined a large firm. With a fellow lawyer’s advice and help, Cecilia moved to a patent boutique where her career took off. Eight years ago she joined Novelis and embraced the challenge of earning respect from older, mostly male, colleagues by learning to be seen as a contributor of value in every engagement.

Highlights include:

• From New England to Memphis – a Connecticut Latina goes South: 7:15
• Choosing Atlanta to start her career: 12:40
• How great mentors opened doors for her: 15:30
• The Cecilia Andrews way of building a personal brand: 17:00
• Winning peer respect as a woman in a largely male field: 23:00
• The critical process of developing trust: 25:40
• Going in-house – how her viewpoint shifted: 32:00
• How the power of wellness has changed her life: 36:24
• Her perspective on interacting with different cultures: 43:20
• Cecilia’s “first and foremost” – her goals as Mom: 49:38
• Strategic approach for being the “first or only” at the table : 56:15

Thanks for listening to Sidebars! Connect with us:

• Learn more about April Abele Isaacson
• Check out other insights from Kilpatrick
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
• Questions or feedback? Reach out at [email protected]
• Learn more about Kilpatrick

**The opinions expressed are those of the attorneys and do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm or its clients. This podcast is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.

Huong Nguyen is currently Vice President, General Counsel, of Fosun Pharma USA Inc. She has spent the majority of her nearly two-decade law practice actively working in the pharmaceutical industry as both an in-house counsel and a private practitioner, with deep and wide-ranging experiences in litigation, IP, compliance, M&A, BD and commercial transactions, and employment. Throughout this time, she has partnered with a wide variety of cross-functional groups, and has directly counseled senior management and Boards of Directors in her areas of expertise. Huong received her BA at the University of California, Los Angeles and her JD at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.

Arriving in the U.S. as a child refugee from Vietnam, after her family was separated in the aftermath of Saigon falling to the North Vietnamese and her father being sent to a re-education camp, Huong had to learn a new language, reintegrate with her family, and find a new identity in her adopted country. In this episode, Huong shares her story of never giving up, devising solutions to whatever situation she found herself in, and creating a path that is truly her own. She is a gay Asian-American woman who’s achieved success in traditionally inhospitable terrains, such as the patent bar while staying true to her authentic self. Her grit, determination, and grace under extreme circumstances are truly inspiring. 

Highlights include:

• How Huong’s family fared after the fall of Saigon (2:03) 
• The fraught journey to America (4:20)
• How to speak to kids about challenging topics (12:30)
• The melting pot and how diverse a single family can be (14:20) 
• The long-lasting effects of trauma (18:00)
• The principles that shaped Huong’s worldview (19:45)
• Starting to succeed by flourishing academically (21:09)
• Building self-respect and community through sports (27:51)
• The military comes calling, and Huong answers the call (31:16)
• The military in 1992: you can be gay, but we’ll kick you out for gay conduct (35:00)
• Choosing authenticity (36:40)
• A surprising pivot to philosophy, then law school (42:03)
• The importance of diversity in outside counsel pitch teams (48:27)
• Paying it forward – giving your kids a better life (53:36)
• Walking into a room with senior management and feeling like you belong, authentically (60:51)

Thanks for listening to Sidebars! Connect with us:

• Learn more about April Abele Isaacson
• Check out other insights from Kilpatrick
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
• Questions or feedback? Reach out at [email protected]
• Learn more about Kilpatrick

**The opinions expressed are those of the attorneys and do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm or its clients. This podcast is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.

In this episode, April and Kim interview Mary Hannon, the woman who started the public conversation about the gender gap in the patent bar and inspired this podcast. Mary is currently a law student at DePaul University and in the fall she will be joining Sidley Austin as an associate in the IP litigation group. She is the author of The Patent Bar Gender Gap: Expanding the Eligibility Requirements to Foster Inclusion and Innovation in the U.S. Patent System, which was published in IP Theory in the fall of 2020. This article generated significant media attention and in December 2020 U.S. Senators Hirono and Tillis referenced Mary’s article in the letter they sent to the Director of the USPTO concerning the gender gap among patent practitioners. 

In March 2021, the federal register published a request for comments by the USPTO to propose changes to the eligibility requirements to sit for the patent bar.

In this podcast, we will explore the trajectory of Mary’s education and career, which led her to formulate her ideas about the gender gap in the patent bar, and her innovative ideas about the solution to this problem. 

Highlights include:

• The many facets of a science-related career (3:23) 
• The path to IP law (5:11)
• Handling rejection with grace and turning it into a job offer (9:14)
• The best advice Mary got from her dad (11:22) 
• Work-life balance as a trial lawyer (15:07)
• The inspiration behind Mary’s ground-breaking article (26:05)
• The arcane criteria currently used to determine patent bar eligibility (29:17)
• Possible fixes to the outdated eligibility criteria for the patent bar (32:09)
• Increasing the visibility of patent law as a career option (35:52)
• Expanding opportunities vs. lowering the bar (37:35)
• Sailing through unexpected celebrity and controversy (41:00)
• Finding your voice and seizing the day (50:18)

Articles Mentioned in the Episode:

• “The Patent Bar Gender Gap: Expanding the Eligibility Requirements to Foster Inclusion and Innovation in the U.S. Patent System” by Mary Hannon
• "USPTO Is 'Institutionally Biased' Against Women, Study Says," Law360, October 6, 2020
• U.S. Senators' Letter to USPTO Director
• USPTO Director Andrei Iancu's response to U.S. Senators' Letter
• Federal Register | Request for Comments on the National Strategy for Expanding American Innovation

Thanks for listening to Sidebars! Connect with us:

• Learn more about April Abele Isaacson
• Check out other insights from Kilpatrick
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
• Questions or feedback? Reach out at [email protected]
• Learn more about Kilpatrick

**The opinions expressed are those of the attorneys and do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm or its clients. This podcast is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.

April Abele Isaacson has 25 years of experience as a trial lawyer and a registered United States patent attorney. Before starting her legal career, April earned a MS in Pharmacological and Physiological Sciences and was an HIV/AIDS research scientist at Boston Children’s Hospital. This technical background plays a significant role in her success as a patent litigator who focuses her practice on pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and chemical patent litigation, particularly on behalf of drug innovators. Her patent litigation experience includes trying cases in several federal district courts throughout the United States, as well as appeals before the Federal Circuit, representing both plaintiffs and defendants. April also counsels biopharma companies on patent and related regulatory issues, including patent portfolio strategy, litigation preparation and strategy, licensing, patent term extension strategy, and Orange Book patent listing and Use Code strategy. April’s experience also includes a 5-year stint as in-house counsel at a public specialty pharmaceutical company, and serving as a U.S. Navy JAG Corps prosecutor where she won several high-profile jury cases and earned multiple achievement medals and letters of commendation for superior service and leadership.

April’s career is a truly her own creation, and her success is built on grit, tenacity, and love of learning. At every turn, she bet on herself and did the hard work that opened new doors. In this episode, April shares her journey and the forces that shaped her life and her career – from mental illness in her family to a changing political landscape in the country to the crucible of serving in the Navy. She also shares how determination and focusing on being her best self allowed her to build a bespoke career that fits her perfectly and that she loves – a career that didn’t come with an instruction manual.

Highlights include:

• Why 1984 was the perfect year to attend a Seven Sisters college (2:00) 
• Embracing culture shock (4:35)
• Finding your tribe (6:38)
• Leaving it all on the (track-and-)field (7:42)
• Spurning an athletic scholarship (10:13)
• The invaluable support of others when there’s no family support to lean on (12:14)
• How Shirley Chisholm derailed plans for medical school (15:06)
• Letting go of other people’s dreams and expectations and finding your own (20:53)
• Creating a Master's degree in a school that doesn’t award them (24:16)
• Hello, law school, Hello Nashville (27:42)
• Growing as a leader and a litigator through the Navy JAG Corp experience (30:43)
• Cross-country and cross-careers: the move to California and to patent litigation (37:21)
• The generational shift from women competing against each other to a collaborative, symbiotic approach (42:27)
•  Getting ahead in life does not require a “sharp elbows” mentality (45:45)

Thanks for listening to Sidebars! Connect with us:

• Learn more about April Abele Isaacson
• Check out other insights from Kilpatrick
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
• Questions or feedback? Reach out at [email protected]
• Learn more about Kilpatrick

**The opinions expressed are those of the attorneys and do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm or its clients. This podcast is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.

Kim Davis is a rising star in the patent bar. Kim earned a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Emory University and her scientific training is instrumental in her practice, which focuses on prosecuting foreign and domestic patent applications in pharmaceuticals, the chemical arts, and metallurgy, due diligence and freedom to operate analysis, and client counseling and portfolio strategy for companies, universities, and research institutions. Among Kim’s many honors and accolades, she was recognized in 2018, 2019, and 2021 as a Georgia "Rising Star" in the area of Intellectual Property by Super Lawyers magazine, and named a “40 Under 40 Leader” by Emory University Alumni Association in 2020. Kim also serves as the co-chair of KT Voice, Kilpatrick's resource group focused on promoting the interests of Black attorneys.  Kim is also a National Board Member and Chair of the Atlanta Advisory Board for Jumpstart, a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring all children enter Kindergarten prepared for success.

The story of how Kim got to her present position and her current career success is full of pivots, twists, and surprises. In this episode, Kim pulls back the curtain and shows us how her relentless drive for excellence and achievement, which has been a constant factor in her life since her high-school days, allows her to navigate an imperfect career path to reach her perfect outcome.

Highlights include:
•  The eternal question: doctor or lawyer? (1:06) 
•  A valedictorian competition, a pivot, and a prestigious new path (3:40)
•  A reality check, a gut reaction, and yet another pivot to a new career (8:02)
•  An Eli Lilly internship provides a glimpse of two potential futures: bench science vs. patent law (12:13)
•  The importance of honesty for finding the right mentor (17:00)
•  Being proactive in building networks pays huge career dividends (20:01)
•  Working 9-5…and 5-9 (in evening law school) (26:05)
•  Making the move from to Kilpatrick Townsend (29:44)
•  Designing a great career takes thought…and a checklist (31:48)
•  Tackling the PTO presidency during a pandemic (34:29)
•  When your career takes an unexpected detour on its way to partnership (37:09)
•  How to be a great mentee and how to mentor others (42:22)
•  The value of being “the only” in your category (46:33)

Thanks for listening to Sidebars! Connect with us:

• Learn more about April Abele Isaacson
• Check out other insights from Kilpatrick
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
• Questions or feedback? Reach out at [email protected]
• Learn more about Kilpatrick

**The opinions expressed are those of the attorneys and do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm or its clients. This podcast is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.

Why does a gaping gender gap persist in the patent bar and what’s to be done about it? In this inaugural episode of Sidebars, a limited-series podcast for women in patent law, Kilpatrick Townsend partners April Abele Isaacson and Kim Davis set up a discussion of these issues, which they will continue to explore in future episodes through interviews with phenomenal women in patent law, many of whom are “firsts,” or in some cases “onlys” even today. April and Kim also share some stories of their own careers and the pivot points that inspired them to create this podcast.

Articles Mentioned in the Episode:
•  “Senators Tell Iancu Patent Bar Needs More Women” (Law360)
•  “The Patent Bar Gender Gap: Expanding the Eligibility Requirements to Foster Inclusion and Innovation in the U.S. Patent System” by Mary Hannon
•  “Diversity in Patent Law: A Data Analysis of Diversity in the Patent Practice by Technology Background and Region” (American Bar Association, Landslide)
•  U.S. Senators' Letter to USPTO Director
•  "Where Have all the Patent Lawyers Gone? Long Time Passing..." by Kenneth L. Port, Molly Littman, and Lucas Hjelle
•   USPTO Director Andrei Iancu's response to U.S. Senators' Letter

Thanks for listening to Sidebars! Connect with us:

• Learn more about April Abele Isaacson
• Check out other insights from Kilpatrick
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
• Questions or feedback? Reach out at [email protected]
• Learn more about Kilpatrick

**The opinions expressed are those of the attorneys and do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm or its clients. This podcast is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.

We're pleased to introduce Sidebars! This limited podcast series by Kilpatrick Townsend's biopharma team showcases today's leading women in the patent bar. Each of the episodes is a candid conversation between groundbreaking women legal practitioners about their career paths, the obstacles they overcame in reaching success, and the steps we as a profession must still take to close the gender gap in intellectual property law and the patent bar.

Meet the Hosts:
•  April Abele Isaacson, M.S.
•  Kimberlynn B. Davis, Ph.D.

Learn More:
•  Visit the Kilpatrick Townsend MEMO Blog
•  Check out other insights from Kilpatrick Townsend

Thanks for listening to Sidebars! Connect with us:

• Read our Medicine and Molecules (MEMO) Blog
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
• Questions or feedback? Reach out at [email protected]
• Learn more about Kilpatrick Townsend

**The opinions expressed are those of the attorneys and do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm or its clients. This podcast is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.