Vivek P. Shankam Ph.D.

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With over 15 years of experience as a patent agent and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Vivek Shankam has worked both in house at multinational corporations and in the IP departments of leading law firms in connection with patent prosecution and counseling.

He has an extensive background in preparing and prosecuting a wide range of patents in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), medical devices, telecommunications, and computer software. He has deep domain experience in wireless communication technologies, including 5G, and Wi-Fi communication protocols including 802.11. He conducts novelty searches and advises clients on patentability of their inventions, provides legal validity and infringement opinions, and conducts freedom to operate analysis. He also conducts IP due diligence in M&A deals.

A former patent portfolio manager for General Electric, Vivek has assisted clients in multimillion dollar litigations as well as acquisitions and other transactions valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars. He has managed parallel prosecutions in numerous international jurisdictions, including Europe, Canada, China, Japan, and India.

Prior to his career in intellectual property, he was employed at North Carolina State University where he researched and developed new methods for processing fibers into textile structures using wireless micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology.