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UCSD Founder Fundamentals: Lunch & Learn with Morrison Foerster - Patents Palooza

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Join us for the third installment of the UCSD Founder Fundamentals: Lunch & Learn with Morrison Foerster series, designed for...

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Join us for the third installment of the UCSD Founder Fundamentals: Lunch & Learn with Morrison Foerster series, designed for university researchers and startup founders looking to build a strong legal foundation for their ventures.Partner Karen Potter and associate Jeffrey Schmidt of MoFo’s Patent Strategy + Prosecution Group will lead an interactive discussion on practical strategies for leveraging patents and intellectual property from invention to commercialization. Using a hypothetical case, they will explore how to build a robust patent portfolio, strengthen competitive positioning, and protect innovations in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence.Agenda:11:30 a.m.: Registration open with Boxed Lunch and Beverage available for pick up12:00 -1:00 p.m.: Lunch and Learn Session in Room 2081:00 - 1:30 p.m.: Q&A1:30 - 3:30 p.m.: Office Hours on 4th Floor with Mofo Reps, 20-minute slots available, sign up at the event<hr>

UCSD Founder Fundamentals: Lunch & Learn with Morrison Foerster - Patents Palooza

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Karen Potter, Ph.D., J.D., is a nationally recognized patent attorney and leader of Morrison Foerster’s Cell and Gene Therapy Patent practice in San Diego, California. With over 20 years of experience in life sciences intellectual property law, Karen specializes in patent strategy, prosecution, and portfolio management for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies worldwide.Karen’s technical background in cellular and molecular biology and immunology uniquely positions her as a trusted advisor for innovators in:<ul><li>Cell and gene therapies (including T cell, Natural Killer cell, stem cell, gene-based, and epigenetic therapies)</li><li>Immunotherapies (antibody and protein-based therapies)</li><li>Virus and vaccine therapies</li><li>Companion diagnostics and diagnostic assays</li><li>Protein therapeutics and bioassays</li></ul>Karen leads and mentors a multidisciplinary team of patent attorneys, agents, and scientific analysts, delivering strategic and comprehensive intellectual property services. Her practice includes:<ul><li>U.S. and international patent preparation and prosecution</li><li>Patent portfolio development and management</li><li>Patentability and freedom-to-operate analyses</li><li>Patent term extension strategies</li><li>Due diligence for investors and M&A transactions</li><li>Strategic counseling for startups, emerging, and established life sciences companies</li></ul>Karen is widely recognized for her ability to deliver pragmatic, creative patent solutions tailored to the unique needs of life sciences clients. She has been honored by publications for her leadership and innovative approach in biotechnology patent law.Before her legal career, Karen completed postdoctoral research at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology and earned her Ph.D. in cellular and molecular biology from Duke University. Her scientific research has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals and presented at national conferences.

Karen Potter

Partner

Dr. Jeff Schmidt is a member of the firm’s Patent Group. His practice focuses on patent prosecution in the areas of life sciences, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals, which includes the preparation and prosecution of patent applications in domestic and international jurisdictions, as well as strategic counseling and global portfolio management.  Jeff also counsels clients on issues including patentability, enforceability, validity, freedom-to-operate, IP due diligence, and IP landscape analysis, and assists with patent litigation in U.S. district court.Jeff has research experience in the fields of genetics, biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, cancer biology, and immunology. He was awarded a Department of Defense predoctoral fellowship to investigate, using cell and animal models, the role that certain cytokine signaling pathways play in the development and progression of breast cancer, and to identify novel strategies for prevention and treatment.Prior to joining Morrison & Foerster, Jeff was a corporate counsel extern for the Whirlpool Corporation, a legal intern for the University of Notre Dame’s Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Clinic, and a summer associate with Morrison & Foerster for two summers. He also externed as a patent examiner for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and interned in the technology transfer office at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.Jeff earned his J.D. summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame Law School, where he was the Executive Articles Editor for the Notre Dame Law Review, and a member of the Moot Court Board. He received his Ph.D. in Cancer Research from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, his M.B.A. from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and his B.A. in Biology from Saint John’s University.Jeff is admitted to practice before the United States Patent & Trademark Office.

UCSD Founder Fundamentals: Lunch & Learn with Morrison Foerster - Patents Palooza

04 Dec 2025 11:30 AM - 3:30 PM PST