John P. Breen, Ph.D.

John is a patent counselor and a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property Department. John is committed to understanding each client’s commercial objectives and works diligently to create and execute patent programs that are aligned with business objectives and budgetary requirements.

John quickly comprehends disclosed innovations in a wide range of technologies in the biotechnology field, including pharmaceutical products, molecular biology-based technologies and agriculture products. His training as a plant molecular biologist, combined with his vast patent prosecution experience, allow him to add value to disclosed inventions during the drafting process to ensure inventions are protected to the maximum extent in both U.S. and non-U.S. jurisdictions.

Previously an associate at the firm from 1993-1999 and before returning, John served as senior patent counsel for the University of Virginia Patent Foundation. This experience gave John insight into the unique challenges of protecting intellectual property in a university environment. His responsibilities included preparing and prosecuting U.S. and international patent applications, primarily in the field of biotechnology; advising faculty on intellectual property matters; and lecturing and providing oversight to students in a patent law clinic course offered through the University of Virginia School of Law.

At Indiana University, John’s Ph.D. research was related to plant molecular biology and more particularly to characterizing the expression of the cruciferin storage proteins of Brassica napus.