Michael R Ward

Patent Strategy + Prosecution, IP Due Diligence, Patent Litigation, Plant Intellectual Property

Michael Ward is global head of the firm’s Life Sciences Industry Group, head of the firm’s Patent Practice Group, co-chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group and co-chair of our global Food & Agriculture Industry Group. Dr. Ward is among the foremost figures in the crop protection and plant IP field, developing multibillion dollar, worldwide patent portfolios for some of the world’s most lucrative plant varieties. Clients call on him to lead them through the complex pathway for plant IP protection and perform critical due diligence for potential transactions and licensing deals as well as assess infringement risk. Dr. Ward works closely with a number of clients to develop and manage their patent portfolios. Dr. Ward helps clients to identify, monitor, and assess the infringement risks of third-party patents. He also assists clients in preparing both offensive and defensive patent portfolios, with a particular emphasis on drafting patent applications that will be utilized in licensing and in litigation efforts.