Jessamine N. Lee, PhD
Shareholder
| Chemical & Materials Technologies
Overview
Jas Lee works with clients in IP strategy development and execution, including IP portfolio management, US and foreign patent prosecution, non-infringement and invalidity opinions, and due diligence. She counsels a variety of clients including start-up companies, large global corporations, venture capital firms, and academic institutions on US and international patent issues.
Jas has a broad technical background including experience in the areas of microfluidics, medical devices and diagnostics, drug delivery, bioreactors, cleantech technologies, electrochemical devices (lithium batteries), nanotechnology, microfabrication, materials chemistry, organic chemistry, and pharmaceuticals.
Jas particularly enjoys helping start-up companies identify their most valuable IP and best strategies to protect them. She has served as a judge for the MIT $100K competition for several years. She has also been a guest lecturer at an entrepreneurship class at Harvard.
Jas performed her doctoral work under the supervision of Professor George Whitesides at Harvard University. Her doctoral thesis focused on the design, fabrication, and testing of integrated microfluidic systems for chemical and biochemical assays using soft-lithography. She also studied the compatibility of mammalian cells on polymer surfaces and self-assembling systems in fluids.
Jas serves as chair of Wolf Greenfield’s Diversity Committee.
Experience
- Developed and managed start-up client’s patent portfolio including client’s own and licensed-in patents/applications. Advised client through stages of venture financing, acquisition, and integration with a multinational pharmaceutical and diagnostics company.
- Evaluated complex patent portfolios and developed strategies to best position start-up clients in world-wide coordinated efforts.
- Coordinated non-infringement and invalidity studies and wrote opinions directed towards client’s competitor’s patents.
- Assisted in large clearance studies and in writing of opinions directed towards a large medical device company’s acquisition of patent portfolios.
- Analyzed patent portfolios as part of due diligence on prospective acquisitions for large clients and venture capitalists.
- Coordinated a freedom-to-operate study on lead drug compounds for a venture capitalist’s prospective investment in a company.
- Organized and helped university and start-up clients prioritize invention disclosures.
- Prepared yearly IP budget for start-up clients.
- Directed prosecution of patent applications with foreign associates in countries including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Eurasia (Russia), Europe, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, Taiwan, Ukraine, and the US.
- Counseled an international non-government organization (NGO) on IP considerations for implementing a prize or grant for developing a technology in the life sciences.
Activities
- Member of the iMatSci (MRS) Planning Committee
- Advisor to the Chemical Angels Network
- Judge for the MIT 100K Competition
Recognition
- Repeatedly named to The Best Lawyers in America®
- Repeatedly named to the list of Massachusetts Rising Stars by Super Lawyers
- Canada’s National Science and Engineering Research Council Post-Graduate Scholarship
- Harvard University’s Glaxo Wellcome Fellowship
- Harvard University’s Entrepreneurial Competition - 2nd place
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s $50K Entrepreneurship Competition - semi-finalist
Interests
Jas enjoys training for triathlons and marathons and being outdoors with her friends and family.