Professionals

Bruce Grant, J.D., Ph.D.

Principal & Shareholder

Bruce has worked for over twenty (20) years procuring and analyzing biotechnology patents. He applies this experience to position intellectual property portfolios for clients in synergy with their business objectives.

Bruce is experienced in all aspects of domestic and foreign patent prosecution, including patent application preparation and prosecution, and patent portfolio strategy and management. His practice also includes advising clients with regard to investment diligence, and third party intellectual property, and preparing patent non-infringement and invalidity opinions.

Bruce also drafts and negotiates transactional agreements for clients, such as agreements pertaining to licensing, research, confidential disclosure, materials transfer, services, consulting and employment.

With a technical background in biochemistry and molecular biology, he regularly addresses a range of technologies pertaining to diagnostics, research tools, biologics, gene therapies and small molecule pharmaceuticals.

 Phone: (858) 623-3226

Gary Silverstein, J.D., Ph.D.

Registered Patent Attorney

Gary ’s practice focuses on intellectual property management and protection and transactional matters. He specializes in biotechnology and life science-related intellectual property law with particular emphasis in the fields of molecular biology, cell biology and immunology. Gary is experienced in patent application preparation and prosecution, opinion work (invalidity, non-infringement, freedom to operate), due diligence analysis and counseling clients on intellectual property issues related to their business operations. He has extensive experience in technology transfer matters including negotiation, drafting and analysis of licenses and a wide variety of other agreements such as: research collaboration, inter-institutional, sponsored research, material transfer, confidentiality, consulting, service and manufacturing agreements.

Prior to working with Grant IP, Gary was General Counsel and Patent Counsel at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and held positions as an intellectual property attorney at three major law firms.

 Phone: (858) 623-3242

Sheryl Silverstein, J.D., Ph.D.

Registered Patent Attorney

Sheryl’s experience in patent management and protection ranges from client counseling, procuring patents, and litigating issued patents, to working with outside law firms as an in house director of intellectual property. Sheryl established and managed the patent department of a San Diego biotechnology and pharmaceutical research company. Prior to working in house, Sheryl spent several years at one of the oldest and largest U.S. patent firms, where she gained experience in patent procurement, diligence, and preparing invalidity and non-infringement opinions. She also spent a significant amount of time litigating issued patents, and now uses this litigation experience for strategic patent prosecution.

Sheryl’s practice includes client counseling, the preparation and prosecution of patent applications, due diligence review, preparation of non-infringement and invalidity opinions, and patent portfolio management. Technology areas that she has addressed include diagnostics, research tools, biologics, transgenic plants, stem cells, and small molecule pharmaceuticals.

 Phone: 858-623-3240

Kari Dickinson, Ph.D.

Registered Patent Agent and Managing Practitioner

Kari is a patent agent registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Kari is experienced in patent application preparation and prosecution and patentability analyses, and in supporting freedom-to-operate, inventorship, due diligence, non-infringement and invalidity analyses. Technology areas that she has addressed include biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, protein therapeutics, and medical diagnostics. Kari’s diverse scientific background includes laboratory research in the fields of molecular biology, genetics, plant biology, pharmacology and immunology.

Kari has been working in the field of intellectual property since 2006 and has been a registered patent agent since 2007. Prior to working with Grant IP, she was a senior technology specialist at a prominent intellectual property law firm.

 Phone: (858) 412-1084

Paula Schoeneck, J.D.*

Registered Patent Agent

Paula is a registered U.S. patent agent and has worked for more than 20 years in intellectual property law in corporate and law firm settings. Her practice as a senior patent agent includes U.S. patent application drafting and prosecution, working with international associates to secure counterpart foreign patent protection, patentability analyses and supporting freedom-to-operate, inventorship, due diligence, non-infringement and invalidity analyses.

Paula has held positions as a senior patent agent in two major law firms and as a director of intellectual property at two San Diego area biotechnology companies. She has considerable experience handling intellectual property matters in a variety of life science/biotechnology areas, including molecular biology, cell biology, genomics, genetics, neuroscience and cancer therapies, and advising clients in developing and maintaining comprehensive patent portfolios.

*Paula serves firm clients as a registered U.S. patent agent only, and is not licensed to practice law.

 Phone: (858) 623-3240