Mary (Kristi) Nicholes

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Kristi began her career as a chemical engineer and inventor in the semiconductor industry. Her practice focuses on intellectual property with a specialty in patent law and client counseling related to the pharmaceutical, chemical, and cannabis industries. Kristi has practiced in all areas of patent law (including prosecution, technology transfer and litigation) both in house and in private practice. She is involved in all stages of patent counseling with clients large and small from initial invention conception to marketing and commercialization across a variety of industries. Kristi’s background as a scientist and engineer enables her to practice in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, cannabis, plant genetics, semiconductor equipment, artificial intelligence (including robotics), mining, chemicals and materials.

Kristi manages large patent portfolios for U.S. and international clients. With over 15 years of practice in patent law, she has honed sophisticated legal skills that have proven invaluable to advance prosecution of patent applications. Her expertise is often relied on to handle difficult cases where substantial art is applied and highly technical and legal arguments must be presented. On countless occasions this expertise, together with her ability to communicate and work collaboratively with Examiners, has resulted in allowance of commercially valuable applications.

An innovator herself, Kristi excels in working with inventors to broadly protect inventions and formulating creative IP solutions in complex situations. She also led the firm in establishing a cannabis law working group where she is a member of the leadership team, and pioneered the formation of an artificial intelligence law working group. Kristi has taught several CLEs in the areas of cannabis law and artificial intelligence law examining topics such as ethics, IP protection, privacy, state licensing requirements, state biometric laws, FDA regulations and federal legislation and executive action.

Kristi’s extensive and diverse experience enables her to counsel business owners and innovators alike and her enthusiasm for innovation, science and engineering keeps her at the forefront of emerging areas of technology and law.