IRVINE, Calif., December 16, 2024 – Knobbe Martens is proud to announce that partners Susan Natland and Maria Anderson have been named as founding members of the ChIPs U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) chapter and appointed to the Board of Directors for the chapter. Ms. Natland will serve as Co-Vice President, while Ms. Anderson will serve as Co-Chair of the Expanding Inclusive Innovation and Lifting Women Entrepreneurs committee.
ChIPs is a nonprofit professional organization that advances and connects women in technology, law and policy. The newly launched USPTO chapter is dedicated to lifting women in the chapter, including those at the USPTO, through impactful programming and networking opportunities. It aims to promote inclusive innovation and to advance the National Strategy for Inclusive Innovation and National Entrepreneurship Strategy. Furthermore, it will provide valuable mentoring opportunities, raise public awareness of the USPTO’s work, and serve as a connection point for aspiring professionals through collaborations with educational institutions.
Ms. Natland and Ms. Anderson have been instrumental in advancing diversity and inclusion in the IP community as well as within Knobbe Martens, and each brings a rich history of service with the USPTO.
Ms. Natland serves as co-chair of the firm’s Trademark & Brand Protection Practice. She previously served as Chair of the USPTO’s Trademark Public Advisory Committee (learn more here). Ms. Natland has also been active in other areas of the IP community, including serving as co-chair of the International Trademark Association’s (INTA) 2023 Presidential Task Force.
Ms. Anderson is based in and is a co-founder of the firm’s Seattle office. With over 30 years of experience, she has cultivated a practice advising companies at the forefront of technology and innovation, while consistently seeking opportunities to break down barriers for underrepresented groups in the intellectual property space. Ms. Anderson has worked extensively with ChIPs, including as a chapter leader for the Pacific Northwest Chapter and as a co-founder of the ChIPs Social Justice Committee. Earlier this month, Ms. Anderson was named to the USPTO’s Patent Public Advisory Committee (learn more here).
For more information about ChIPs, visit www.chipsnetwork.org.
About Knobbe Martens
Knobbe Martens is a highly respected intellectual property law firm, offering legal services in all aspects of intellectual property and technology law. Founded in California in 1962, the firm has about 300 lawyers and scientists based in offices located in Orange County, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington D.C. Knobbe Martens serves a diverse international client base, from multinational corporations to emerging businesses of all stages. More information about the firm can be found at www.knobbe.com.
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