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Lea is an experienced patent attorney, specializing in chemical and materials science, medical devices, and the intersection of AI and life sciences. With over a decade of experience, she helps clients strategically grow and protect their patent portfolios through preparation, prosecution, and due diligence projects, including freedom-to-operate analyses and opinion work. Lea takes a multi-disciplinary, problem-solving approach to intellectual property strategy, guiding clients through complex challenges focusing on business impact and innovation at the junction of multiple technological areas.

A Legacy of Innovation and a Forward-Thinking Approach

Lea’s passion for intellectual property law runs deep—her grandfather, a patent attorney with a 60-year career, founded two firms in Minnesota, inspiring her to forge her own path in the field. With a STEM background grounded in battery and fuel cell laboratory work, and a commitment to advocacy, she developed a strategic approach to IP law that blends technical insight with creative legal solutions. She works closely with clients to develop holistic IP strategies that extend beyond traditional patent prosecution, ensuring their innovations are protected while supporting long-term business growth. Lea has drafted and prosecuted thousands of patents, including complex cases involving chemical products, batteries, cosmetics, and machine learning applications. Her ability to navigate intricate technologies and legal frameworks helps clients maximize the value of their intellectual property portfolios.

  • University of St. Thomas School of Law, J.D., 2015
  • Pepperdine University, B.S. Chemistry, 2011,

    emphasis biochemistry

  • New York State Bar, 2024
  • Minnesota State Bar, 2015
  • United States Patent and Trademark Office, 2017

Patent Protection at the Intersection of Life Science and Computer Science, SLW Institute (November 9, 2023)

2021 Update: Interplay Between FDA Law and Patent Law, SLW Institute (September 27, 2021)

Intellectual Property Strategies for Executives and Entrepreneurs, STL Startup Week, St. Louis, MO (November 11, 2020)

Medical Device IP Strategies for Executives and Inventors, MD&M West, Anaheim, CA (February 13, 2020)

Medical Device IP Strategies for Executives and Inventors, BIOMEDevice, San Jose, CA (December 4, 2019)

Medical Device IP Strategies for Executives and Inventors, Medical Design & Manufacturing, Minneapolis, MN (October 23, 2019)

Lea helped establish the University of St. Thomas School of Law’s trademark moot court team, which competes annually in the prestigious Saul Lefkowitz Moot Court Competition sponsored by the International Trademark Association, and their patent moot court team, which competes annually in the Giles Rich Sutherland Competition sponsored by the American Intellectual Property Law Association. Under her guidance, both programs have flourished, with recent success including advancing to the nationals round at the Federal Circuit Courthouse in Washington D.C., earning Best Oralists and Second Best Team Overall.

Minnesota Rising Stars by Super Lawyers, 2024

Community Service Award, University of St. Thomas, May 2015

Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Scholarship, Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Association, April 2015

Thurgood Marshall Moot Court Scholarship, Federal Bar Association Minnesota Chapter, November 2013

Presidential Scholarship, Pepperdine University, August 2007

Adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas