Liz Burke has been working in the patent field for 30 years. After earning a degree in biomedical engineering, Liz joined the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as a Patent Examiner, examining patent applications directed to implantable medical devices, medical fluid delivery systems, catheters, endoscopic systems, and absorbent products. She left the USPTO to pursue a master’s degree in bioengineering while simultaneously working for the university’s tech transfer program, where she assessed the patentability and commercial potential of new inventions, evaluated licensing opportunities and identified potential partners to develop and commercialize the new technologies. Liz then went to law school, earning her degree at night while working as a student associate during the day, learning the arts of patent prosecution, opinion writing, and patent litigation. These early experiences in the patent field form the foundation of her current practice today.

Liz enjoys counseling startup companies on all aspects of patent law—from the filing of a first patent application, through rounds of funding and the release of a first product to acquisition. She has prosecuted thousands of utility and design patent applications around the world, relying on her experience as an examiner to achieve effective and cost-efficient prosecution and build global patent portfolios for her clients. Her experience in patent litigation allows her to assist clients in identifying and minimizing risk, and to craft patent claims with an eye toward enforcement. Liz’s practice also includes conducting due diligence in support of investment and acquisition opportunities; advising clients on licensing and collaboration efforts; conducting freedom-to-operate and infringement analyses; oral argument before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB); and post-grant practice, including reissue, reexamination, PGR, IPR, and CBM proceedings.

Liz’s technical experience extends to diverse technologies in the biomedical, mechanical, and electromechanical fields, and she has counseled clients in fields such as medical technologies, automotive technologies, imaging systems, packaging technologies, oil well drilling technologies, and business methods.