Lecturer Bios
Lisa M. Schreihart, BSEE, MSEE, MBA, JD
Lisa is an experienced (20 years) systems engineer and project manager (focused on software, signals, controls, wireless systems, and military electronics), a USPTO Registered Patent Attorney, and a NCPP Certified Patent Practitioner. Her time spent as a Patent Examiner in Art Unit 3685 gave her valuable insight into 35 U.S.C. section 101 examination practices, which she further developed in working closely with examiners on 101 issues across many cases at various law firms and with many clients as a go-to 101 rejection handler.
Lisa holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Marquette University, an MBA from the University of Iowa, and a J.D. From Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University. She is a member of the Maryland, District of Columbia, and U.S. Supreme Court bars. She enjoys finding creative ways to combine her diverse education and experience in engineering, business management, and the law for practical solutions.
While Lisa has found that not every subject matter eligibility problem is solvable under Alice, resolution of most 101 rejections is attainable with tweaking of perspective - for example, looking at patent law as a system with levers that can be managed for individual cases like a project. The approach can help refocus a patent practitioner on what is important to an examiner, often producing stronger claims as a result.
Patrick Evans, Esq.
Patrick Evans is Assistant General Patent Counsel at Microsoft, providing legal guidance and support to in-house clients with a focus on Artificial Intelligence. Patrick is patent portfolio manager for the Microsoft Research AI and Machine Learning division, and has experience in acquisitions, joint developments, licensing, IP conflicts and risk mitigation, as well as AI tools design and architecture. Patrick has a Juris Doctor from Seattle University, a master's in computer science and engineering from the Paul Allen School at University of Washington, and an undergraduate in Computer Science from the Lassonde School of Engineering at York University, Canada
Kean J. DeCarlo, Esq.
Kean DeCarlo is a leader in the mechanical, software, database solution, and medical technology sectors and actively advises clients on all aspects of patent, trademark, trade dress, licensing, unfair competition, copyright, trade secret, and Internet matters. Kean strives to develop an in-depth business partner relationship with his clients – by understanding the intimate details of a client’s business, he is able to maximize the return to the business on their intellectual property investments.
With over two decades of experience, Kean has extensive experience in domestic and international patent prosecution, patent counseling, portfolio and competitor risk analysis, licensing, and commercial transactional matters for clients ranging from start-up companies to international conglomerates. He provides strategic due diligence guidance to companies, universities, and investors during mergers and acquisitions or portfolio restructuring, with a particular emphasis on early stage growth companies and entrepreneurs in commercializing their IP assets. As part of Kean’s business partner focus, he routinely serves on clients’ patent and marketing committees, where he provides strategic intellectual property guidance.
Additionally, Kean worked as a domestic and international commercial pilot for Delta Air Lines and as a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. He is a veteran having served in Operation Desert Storm.
Kean is an adjunct professor of Intellectual Property Law and IP Transactional and Licensing Law at both Georgia State University College of Law and Mercer University College of Law. He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and its Technology Law Section Executive Committee, the Copyright Society of the U.S., the American Intellectual Property Law Association, and the Southeast Medical Device Association.
Jessica A. Schulze
Jessica A. Schulze, Ph.D. is registered patent agent with experience in preparing and prosecuting patent applications for clients before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Such patent applications relate to a variety of technologies including semiconductors, machine learning models, biomedical devices, mechanical devices, software and hardware relating to data storage and authentication, chemical formulations, and pharmaceutical clinical trials.
Prior to joining Harrity & Harrity, Jessica practiced as a registered patent agent at the Marbury Law Group in Reston, Virginia and Workman Nydegger in Salt Lake City, Utah. Jessica is currently pursuing her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of New Hampshire, Franklin Pierce School of Law with an Intellectual Property certificate.
Before starting her legal career, Jessica completed her Ph.D. in Chemistry with a Doctoral Minor in Computational Material Science from Penn State University under the direction of Distinguished Professor Adri van Duin. Jessica also completed an Honors Bachelors of Science in Chemistry and Bachelors of Science in Mathematics from the University of Utah with an Honors Thesis under the direction of Professor Ryan Steele. Jessica’s past research includes developing and utilizing computer methods in quantum mechanics and molecular dynamics to investigate iron-hydride complexes, poly(vinyl) alcohol hydrogels for neuron transplants, amino acids embedded in ice grains for space exploration, and cryo-EM structural biology experimental parameters.
Jessica currently resides in Salt Lake City, Utah and enjoys hiking, camping, paddleboarding, and golfing in her free time. Additionally, Jessica enjoys sitting on her front porch while reading with her two puppies. Jessica also enjoys playing any type of game including board games, card games, and video games.
Phil Harris, Esq.
Leveraging a background in mechanical and electrical engineering, Phil develops legal strategies that protect and manage business-critical patent portfolios in alignment with clients’ business priorities.
Working with some of the world’s most innovative technology companies, Phil prepares and prosecutes US and foreign patents with a focus on wireless communications, memory technology, electronics and software (including AI and cloud computing), along with complex medical and mechanical devices, chemical and manufacturing processes, and diverse material applications including in semiconductor products. Also a registered patent agent, he brings substantial experience drafting petitions, applications, expert declarations, and preparing persuasive submissions for ex parte and inter partes disputes at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Phil frequently writes, speaks, and provides commentary to media on a range of IP and technology topics. He also serves as Vice Chair on the Emerging Technology Committee of the American Intellectual Property Law Association.
As Practice Group Leader for the Patent team, Phil leads a team of 80+ high-tech and experienced patent attorneys, agents, engineers, and specialists. The team leverages automated technology solutions and applies innovative approaches to deliver high-quality, efficient, cost-effective legal services.
Ted Wood, Esq.
Ted Wood is the Managing Partner at Wood IP and a seasoned patent attorney with a rare blend of technical, legal, military, and business experience spanning over four decades. His background includes deep expertise in electrical, electro-mechanical, communications, software, and computer security technologies. Ted leverages this diverse knowledge to help companies protect, manage, and commercialize their innovations—ensuring strong IP portfolios and marketplace exclusivity.
Ted represents clients before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in a wide range of matters, including patent application preparation and prosecution, inter partes reviews (IPRs), reexaminations, and appeals before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). He has also acted as virtual in-house IP counsel for several high-tech startups, helping to build IP strategies from the ground up and establishing post-grant approaches to challenge competitive patents.
His technical focus spans a wide array of cutting-edge fields, with particular depth in software-driven innovation. Ted regularly works on matters involving artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), large language models (LLMs), and predictive analytics. His broader expertise includes cyber security for industrial control systems, power electronics, cryptography, computer architecture, wireless communication, motion sensing, additive manufacturing, medical devices, the Internet of Things (IoT), and more.
Ted previously served as a patent attorney at prominent Washington, D.C. firms, including Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox—where he was a partner—and Pillsbury Winthrop. Earlier in his career, he clerked for the IP Law Section of NCR Corporation while attending law school, where he began drafting and prosecuting U.S. patent applications.
A service-disabled veteran, Ted retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Air Force after nearly 24 years of distinguished service. He was recognized by Law360 as one of a select group of veterans honored for their legal careers and military contributions.
During his military tenure, Ted led teams that developed advanced signal detection algorithms for electronic warfare, integrating electronic (ELINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) to support some of the USAF’s most advanced combat aircraft. He also contributed to the development of satellite communications systems and testing of low observable (stealth) technologies.
For his contributions to the Smart Grid sector, Ted was named to the CleanTech 100, a list of the industry’s top 100 clean technology attorneys, as published in the LMG Clean Technology & Renewable Energy guide.
Yau Chan
After training at Fish & Richardson, Yau led software and electrical engineering prosecution and portfolio development at a boutique patent firm in Austin, TX, where he successfully prosecuted approximately 30 patents to issue over 24 months. Mr. Chan represented clients worldwide before the USPTO & WIPO
Yau Chan is now working from London, serving clients worldwide.
Adam College, Esq.
Adam College serves as Senior Counsel for Intellectual Property at Lenovo in the Raleigh-Durham area. In this position, he manages corporate patent portfolios for major business segments, including the Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) and the Solutions & Services Group (SSG).
Braxton Davis, Esq.
After obtaining his J.D., Braxton Davis joined AT&T’s Intellectual Property Patent Development Team where he evaluated inventive ideas, patent portfolios, and patent monetization opportunities based on business strategies. Thereafter, Braxton accepted a position as an Associate before being named Partner with the law firm Amin, Turocy, & Watson. Currently, Braxton serves as Meta’s (formerly Facebook) Associate General Counsel on the Patents, Licensing, & Open Source Team.
Braxton has also established the Patent Institute of Training and the National Council on Patent Practicum, a non-profit focused on increasing quality and diversity within the patent profession. Additionally, he founded Metric Mate, a tech startup which aired on Shark Tank, where he applies his degrees in electrical engineering and physics to invent and develop connected devices that track strength training data. Braxton is also the recipient of both the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Georgia State University 40 under 40 awards.
Richard Bragg, Esq.
Richard Bragg is working to change this industry status quo. Hired at Banner Engineering in December 2014 as its senior manager of legal and compliance, he became the company’s general counsel in June of 2021. For the past seven years, he’s been transforming the process at the private engineering firm that innovates industrial automation solutions.
When Bragg submits patent claims, he’s requesting protection from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the engineer’s work—or a negative right. This means, for example, if he files a claim for a new type of toaster, others can’t make or use any part of what is claimed, from a miniscule light bulb indicating a certain heat setting to the color, shape and composition of the heating coils.
However, if the engineer doesn’t write down or share every aspect of the invention with him, he can’t secure every aspect. He also can’t discover if someone else has already claimed the design or part of it or offered something similar for public sale.
“This can be a major problem because the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office can then reject the claim, and you only get a limited number of bites at the apple,” Bragg says.
The biggest advantage of being in-house is that he can talk to engineers about their work, in their industry language, eliminating back and forth and confusing language. This saves him not only time but increases the likelihood that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will approve a filing faster and without stipulations—or worse, outright rejections.
“I function as the bridge that closes the gap between engineer, counsel and patent office,” Bragg says. “It makes life easier and the process smoother for all involved.”
Collaborating with Thompson Patent Law, he and others at Banner developed a systematic approach. This includes an initial meeting with inventors, followed by in-depth prior art search and then a review of those results with the inventors.
