NAPP Webinar: Marketing Your Patent Practice Panel Discussion

Description

Standing out in today’s competitive patent landscape requires more than technical expertise—it demands a thoughtful, strategic approach to marketing your practice. This moderated session brings together experienced practitioners to share practical, real-world insights on how to build your brand, attract the right clients, and grow with intention.

In this moderated session, you will learn:

• Building Your Personal Brand
• Real-world strategies to increase your online presence
• Ethical considerations
• Using AI Tools
• Lessons learned when starting a practice 
• Actionable tips in Prospecting.

Agenda

• Opening Remarks:  Rich Baker, moderator 
• Framework for Business Development: Frankie Householder
  • Building Your Personal Brand
• Marketing and Ethical Guardrails: Jennifer Bales 
• Using AI to your Advantage: Carol Wilhite 
• Tips for Starting and Establishing your own Firm: Michael Drapkin
• Growing your Practice through Effective Prospecting: Joel Douglas 
• Closing Remarks: Rich Baker

Panelist

Richard Baker is the president of New England Intellectual Property. He is a senior IP licensing executive and patent practitioner with over 25 years of experience negotiating deals and settling patent disputes within a corporate environment. He has extensive knowledge of the corporate dynamics of licensing negotiations and is an accomplished public speaker with the ability to clearly articulate facts and opinions. Mr. Baker is a Certified Licensing Professional, a past-President of the NAPP currently serving on the Board of Directors, and served as trustee of the Licensing Executives Society (LES) USA and Canada. Mr. Baker is a named inventor on 36 US patents.

Frankie Householder manages business development strategy at Wolf Greenfield, one of the largest and best-performing intellectual property boutiques in the US. With a decade of experience developing business development initiatives at the firm, practice group, and individual practitioner levels, she drives strategic client generation and development efforts across all practice areas, and brings deep insight into the operational and business dynamics that support successful IP practices and attorney growth.

Jennifer L. Bales is a Colorado-based patent attorney and partner at Macheledt Bales LLP, where she focuses on intellectual property law, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights. She brings a strong technical background in electrical engineering, with prior experience developing signal processing, optics, and radar systems before entering law. With decades of experience, she advises clients across a wide range of technologies and is known for her work in patent prosecution and enforcement.

Carol Wilhite is the NAPP Executive Director where she leads marketing, communications, and member engagement initiatives focused on delivering value to patent professionals. She brings a unique blend of corporate and association experience, having previously held marketing roles with major global brands including Gatorade and Diageo/Guinness, where she developed and executed high-impact campaigns and brand strategies. 

Michael Drapkin is a nationally recognized patent attorney and Managing Partner at Landfall IP, where he advises leading technology companies on the strategic development and management of patent portfolios. He has served as top outside counsel to companies such as Qualcomm, Micron, and Salesforce, and previously led a major patent practice at a national law firm, growing it significantly in scale and impact. A 2022 U.S. National Practitioner of the Year for Patent Prosecution, he is also a thought leader in IP innovation and co-founder of an AI-driven patent technology company.

Joel Douglas is a partner at Menlo Park Patents, www.menloparkpatents.com which currently does approximately 1000 engagements a year comprised of both patents and amendments. In addition the company provides FDA consulting services and Mr. Douglas has authored and received clearance of 29 U.S. 510(k)s for class I and II devices. He is a serial entrepreneur and the named inventor on 113 granted US Patents.