Overview
During his career, Ryan has assisted clients large and small in a wide variety of intellectual property matters including the acquisition, enforcement, and licensing of technologies in a broad range of technical fields such as computer science, chemistry, biotechnology, chemical engineering, material science, and mechanical devices. Currently, Ryan specializes in obtaining and enforcing patents in the area of computer science, with a focus on database systems and applications. He also has significant experience in drafting legal agreements related to intellectual property, including license agreements, confidentiality agreements, and material transfer agreements. Ryan has participated in legal proceedings both enforcing patents and defending against charges of patent infringement, as well as participating in post-grant review proceedings. He also counsels clients regarding issues of patentability, patent validity, and non-infringement.
Ryan’s wide range of legal experience and his time spent working in-house as the director of the Technology Transfer Office at the University of Nevada, Reno, aid him in developing client-centric solutions. Ryan is passionate about learning new technologies, and has recently completed extensive coursework in computer science and engineering, including at the graduate level. He previously completed a technical diploma for the Intensive Brewing Science & Engineering Program offered by the American Brewers Guild.
Ryan worked at Klarquist as an associate from 2004 to 2008, rejoined the firm in 2015, and joined the partnership in 2021.
Professional Experience
University of Nevada, Reno
Reno, Nevada
Director and Patent Counsel for the Technology Transfer Office of the UNR and Desert Research Institute, 2008 – 2015
Klarquist Sparkman
Portland, Oregon
Associate, 2004 – 2008
Nath & Associates
Reno, Nevada
Associate, 2004
Ian F. Burns & Associates
Reno, Nevada
Associate, 2002 – 2004
Howrey Simon Arnold & White
Houston, Texas
Associate, 2001 – 2002
ExxonMobil Chemical
Baytown, Texas
Summer Associate, 2000
Professional Activities
- Member, Investment Advisory Committee, Battle Born Venture Program
- Member, American Brewers Guild
Presentations & Publications
- “The Spin(out) Cycle: A Short History of Express Licensing for Spinout Companies at the University of Nevada, Reno, and the Desert Research Institute” AUTM Western Regional Meeting, October 2, 2014
- “Successful Patent Prosecution After KSR, the Only Thing that Isn’t Now Obvious?” Dunes CLE, Las Vegas, Nevada, May 2009
- “Short Circuit: Is Federal Circuit Inequitable Conduct Law Panel-Specific?” Dunes CLE, Las Vegas, Nevada, October 2008
- “Be Prepared for the Perfect Storm – Litigating Software Patents,” Dunes CLE, Las Vegas, Nevada, March 2007
- “The Use of Functional Claim Language,” Dunes CLE, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2006
- Lecturer, “Intellectual Property for Entrepreneurs” and “Business Management of Intellectual Property,” MBA Program, University of Nevada, Reno, 2006-2008
- Catalano, V. J.; Heck, R. A.; Öhman, A.; Hill, M.G. “Synthesis, Characterization, and Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol by a Pair of Geometric Isomers of [Ru(trpy)(4,4’-Me2dppi)(OH2)]2+ where 4,4’-dppi is 3, 6-di-(4-methylpyrid-2-yl)pyridazine.” Polyhedron, 2000, 19(9), 1049-1055
- Catalano, V. J.; Kurtaran, R.; Heck, R. A.; Ohman, A.; Hill, M.G. “[Ru(bdmpp)(diimine)Cl]+ Complexes as Structural Analogs of [Ru(trpy)(diimine)Cl]+” Inorganica Chimica Acta, 286, 1999, 181-188
- Catalano, V. J.; Heck, R. A.; Immoos, C. E.; Ohman, A.; Hill, M.G. “Steric Modulation of Electrocatalytic Benzyl Alcohol Oxidation by [Ru(trpy)(R2dppi)(O)]2+ Complexes.” Inorg. Chem. 1998, 37, 2150-2157
