Gabriel J. McCool, PhD

Overview

Gabe McCool focuses on strategic intellectual property counseling, patent prosecution, and transactions in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and chemical areas. He has the uncommon combination of over two decades of private practice experience and extensive in-house leadership experience at start-up biotechnology and global pharmaceutical companies that he brings to his practice at Wolf Greenfield. Shaped by both private and company side experience, Gabe advises clients on complex IP matters with a first-hand understanding of how IP impacts overall business risk, transactions, partnering, fundraising, and decision-making.

Prior to rejoining Wolf Greenfield in 2024, Gabe served as Head of Intellectual Property at a biotech start-up company focused on building a platform for precise delivery of genetic medicines. He also served as Vice President of Legal and IP for a pre-clinical biotechnology company focused on developing RNA therapeutics. There, he held a leadership role in developing the company’s legal and IP strategies throughout the full arch of the business from stealth mode, financing, partnering, and successful exiting. Gabe also has significant experience practicing as an in-house patent counsel for a global pharmaceutical company having managed patent portfolios covering FDA-approved pharmaceuticals and delivery systems. Serving in these company-side roles in highly crowded and competitive market landscapes has given Gabe a distinct perspective on how IP and other legal considerations fit into corporate planning, decisions, and risk navigation.

Over his twenty-year career in private practice—nearly a quarter of which has been at Wolf Greenfield—Gabe has focused his counseling on matters such as IP strategy, global portfolio management, preparing and prosecuting patent applications, and conducting due diligence investigations in support of financing, licensing, acquisitions, and other complex transactions. He regularly provides opinions on patentability, freedom-to-operate, patent non-infringement/infringement, and patent invalidity.

With a doctorate in microbiology and a bachelor’s in biochemistry and molecular biology, Gabe’s technical experience spans a wide range of scientific areas, including genetic medicines, gene editing, gene therapies, cell therapies, antibody therapies, vaccines, drug delivery systems, medical devices, and bioprocessing technologies. Over his career, he has helped countless clients from academic entities to biotech start-ups to pre- and clinical-stage companies, to global biopharma and medical device companies by providing sound legal advice and securing important IP rights results in a manner that syncs, supports, and advances corporate business objectives.

Experience

In-House Counsel Experience

• Led the development and implementation of a comprehensive IP strategy, provided counseling on business-critical IP risks, and developed new IP filings for protecting emerging company technologies vital to a biotechnology start-up.
• Had a leadership role in developing an RNA therapeutics company’s legal and IP strategies throughout the full arch of the business from stealth mode, financing rounds, partnering, and a successful exit by acquisition.
• Served in a leadership capacity in the design and execution of an RNA therapeutics company’s intellectual property strategy for protecting its proprietary platform and therapeutic pre-clinical technologies.
• Helped negotiate and manage key licensing and collaboration deals, providing guidance to an RNA therapeutic company as to legal and IP risk.
• Helped lead and execute a continuum of diligence investigations and agreement support in connection with an RNA therapeutics company’s pre-clinical programs and financing.
• Managed patent portfolios for a global pharmaceutical company covering FDA-approved pharmaceuticals and delivery systems, collaborated with domestic and foreign corporate stakeholders to develop and implement patent prosecution strategies and new application filings that aligned with company program goals and priorities, and conducted IP due diligence in support of litigation, licensing, and other complex transactions.

Activities

• American Bar Association
• New York Intellectual Property Association
• Boston Intellectual Property Law Association
• Law Rocks, US Board Member (2022-present)
• Law Rocks, Volunteer, Judge, Performer, and Fundraiser (2014-present)
• Pro Bono Volunteer, Connecticut Veterans Legal Center (2013-2018)
• Advisory Board, College of Natural Sciences, UMass Amherst (2011-2015)
• Co-chair, Intellectual Property Committee, Fairfield County Bar Association (2012-2014)
• Co-Founder, UMass Amherst Life Science Alumni Network (2013-present)

Interests

Gabe is very active as a US Board Member of Law Rocks, a global charitable organization that produces fundraiser live music concerts featuring lawyer musicians in cites throughout the world and which to date has raised over $7 million for hundreds of different charities. Through this platform and as a performer at dozens of Law Rocks events in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles, Gabe has raised over $500,000 for charitable organizations that include Operation Birthday, JDRF, Cookies for Kids Cancer, and Connecticut Veterans Legal Center. Gabe also is an active runner, enjoys mountain biking and bike repair in his home shop, and the art of music recording and production in his home studio.