Overview
Sarah is an experienced and successful IP advisor, with a strong focus on the business aspects of law practice and the value of intellectual property in the marketplace. Serving on the Firm’s Management Committee, Sarah is responsible for overseeing the operation of the Firm and strategic planning, driving the business decisions to continuously position the Firm for success. She brings this same business-oriented approach to her work with her clients, helping them to identify, protect, and leverage their intellectual property rights in the U.S. and abroad.
Sarah works with clients of all sizes, from small start-ups to fortune 500 companies, across a wide range of industries, assisting them with strategic patent portfolio development and management, and providing trademark and trade secret counseling. Sarah has extensive expertise in electrical and materials engineering technologies. She practices in the areas of optics, sensors, telecommunications, software interfaces and control systems, RF devices and systems, antennas, atom interferometry, and semiconductor devices, materials and manufacturing. Sarah also has significant experience working with clients in the defense industry, and a thorough understanding of the business and intellectual property rights impacts of government contracting, compliance with FAR and DFAR, and export controls. Sarah has expertise in all phases of patent prosecution, including appeals and post-grant proceedings. She has been involved in due diligence investigations and prepared patentability and freedom to operate opinions.
Some representative matters include:
- Strategic US and foreign patent portfolio development for a large multi-national corporation to support and enhance their position in the global marketplace.
- Comprehensive intellectual property counseling for a small company in a niche industry to help them selectively invest resources using patents, trademarks, and trade secrets to maximize intellectual property value.
In her role as a co-managing partner of the Firm, Sarah works closely with the Firm’s Director of Administration to develop and analyze firm performance metrics based on financial data, and to guide both tactical business decisions and the strategic direction of the Firm using these metrics. She also works closely with the Firm’s Director of Intellectual Property Services to manage the Firm’s operational and IT infrastructure and personnel, including developing and maintaining the Firm’s cybersecurity policies and initiatives. She is also involved in Firm training, and serves on the Firm’s Docketing and Practice Committees.
With strong family ties to both Africa and Europe, Sarah has a truly international perspective that she applies to her work with clients and at the Firm. She is conversant in French and Afrikaans. Away from the office, Sarah loves to be outdoors, and is an avid hiker, runner, and skier.
Education and Prior Experience
- Suffolk University Law School, J.D. , magna cum laude, focus on Intellectual Property Law and Civil Litigation; received an Academic Leadership scholarship, and commendations for achieving the highest grade in a number of courses, as well as awards for excellence in legal writing and oral advocacy
- University of Massachusetts, Amherst, M.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering; Masters thesis focused on the use of coplanar waveguide technology for feed networks for microstrip patch antenna arrays
- University of Cape Town, South Africa, B.S., Electrical Engineering, with honors
- While in law school, participated in the AIPLA Giles Rich Intellectual Property Moot Court competition, earning recognition for Best Advocate and Best Appellant’s Brief for the Northeast Region
Admissions, Memberships, and Acknowledgements
- Admitted to practice law in Massachusetts and Connecticut
- Registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers: Intellectual Property (2016 – 2017)
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers: Rising Star – Intellectual Property (2009 – 2015)
Publications and Speaking Engagements
- Panelist for SBANE Technology and Innovation Committee seminar on “What You May Not Know About Doing Business with the Government.” (March 2014)