L. Rhys Lawson

Dr. Rhys Lawson focuses his practice on creating patent portfolios to obtain integrated worldwide protection for his clients' inventions. Rhys works with a variety of clients, ranging in size from independent inventors and early-stage entrepreneurs to multinational corporations, universities and non-governmental organizations.

Rhys is the head of the firm's life sciences practice group and a member of the mechanical engineering practice group. His areas of particular technical expertise are broad and interdisciplinary, including chemical, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, nanotechnology, materials science, immunodiagnostics, ultrasound, pulp and paper, medical and mechanical devices, and related software inventions. Rhys has expertise working with small molecule therapeutics, high throughput screening systems, microfluidic manufacturing methods (e.g., for therapeutics), biocompatible materials, and drug delivery vesicles. Representative client technologies include microfluidics, general micro/nano technologies, MEMS/NEMS, applied chemistry, flexible electronics, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), photonics, opto-electronics, ultrasound imaging and therapies, organic functional materials and devices, automotive catalytic systems, fuel cells, medical devices/coatings, semiconductor processing methods and tools, cellulose fiber and lignin technologies (both compositional and processing), and alternative energy technologies including solar, wind, and biomass.

Rhys' practice extends to assisting clients with licensing, agreements, and opinions of all types, including invalidity, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and landscape. He has experience with due diligence, pre-litigation activities, patent litigation, and post-grant patent challenges in the USPTO, including ex parte reexamination and inter partes review. Rhys additionally has an extensive design patent practice, including microfluidic devices, automotive parts, consumer products, tablet computers, and graphical user interfaces.

Prior to joining COJK in 2006, Rhys developed the first generation of hybrid silicon/organic electro-optic devices as part of a research program funded by the United States Department of Defense. He worked as a contracted research engineer at Boeing Phantom Works in the area of electro-optic devices. His research in the areas of organic functional materials and related devices, such as light-emitting diodes, transistors, electro-optic modulators, and photovoltaics, has been published in several peer-reviewed journals.

Rhys speaks frequently on patent law issues and cost-effective patent portfolio strategies at nanotechnology and chemical conferences. Rhys was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus - College of Science and Engineering award from Western Washington University in 2022. He is recognized in Chambers USA; is named to Intellectual Asset Management's guide, IAM Patent 1000 – The World's Leading Patent Professionals; is recognized in Managing IP's IP Stars; and was selected to the list of Rising Stars by Super Lawyers.