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Overview

Deirdre has 28 years of experience in strategic biotechnology and life sciences patent prosecution counseling.

She is dedicated to guiding clients through the identification, protection, and management of intellectual property (IP) rights to achieve their business goals.

Deirdre prepares and prosecutes U.S. and foreign patent applications for her clients, and works to maximize her clients’ patent scope and duration, throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Deirdre also drafts legal opinions regarding infringement, validity, and freedom-to-operate and conducts IP due diligence studies and audits.

Deirdre’s patent practice is focused in the field of biotechnology with an emphasis in the areas of biologics, including antibody-based therapeutics, biomarkers, pharmaceuticals, gene editing, medical devices, drug discovery/development, precision medicine, immuno-oncology, immunotherapy, bioinformatics, assays and protein-based sensors.

Her practice includes experience in the following areas:

  • Immunology and antibody technologies,
  • RNA (including siRNA, antisense, and microRNA)
  • Vaccine development and optimization
  • Gene therapy, gene editing (including CRISPR) and gene activation
  • Chimeric antigen receptor technology, including CAR-T and CAR-NK cell therapies
  • Genetic diagnostics
  • Pharmaceuticals and drug development (drug discovery and delivery)
  • Proteins and peptide therapeutics
  • Neurobiology
  • Pluripotent stem cell isolation and differentiation
  • Nanotechnology, including nanoparticles and nanoparticle delivery
  • Therapeutics and diagnostics for cancer, neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders
  • Nucleic acid sequencing and detection/labeling technologies, including immunofluorescence
  • COVID-19 and related technologies

Patent prosecution is in Deirdre’s blood.  In fact, her great grandfather, Graham Cravens, is the inventor of multiple patents, including a patent for “Apparatus for raising superstructures and ballasting railway road-beds.”  She is committed to growing her international practice, has traveled to China multiple times, and has spoken before the Chinese Patent Office, as well as to members of the Chinese life sciences industry and legal community.  Deirdre also has a strong history of serving the needs of universities and innovation centers nationwide and globally.

The success of Deirdre’s practice is fueled by the balance of her strategic biotechnology patent prosecution counseling and her general intellectual property litigation and enforcement experience. Clients benefit from Deirdre’s experience with intellectual property contested matters, including patent oppositions, arbitration proceedings, litigation relating to infringement and validity, and license agreements.

Deirdre has received distinction in The Best Lawyers® in America since 2016 for Boston Patent Law. Deirdre was also individually recognized in 2022 and 2023 by IAM Patent 1000 for her patent prosecution expertise. Since 2021, she has been ranked by Super Lawyers®, a rating of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Deirdre is a Past President of the Boston Intellectual Property Law Association (BIPLA) and is Founder and Co-Chair of the BIPLA Legislative Committee.  She is Past Chair for the Venture Forum and was a Board member of SBANE. She was the keynote speaker at "WIPR Influential Women in IP,” and has recently spoken at AUTM and MassBio regional events.

Credentials

Bar Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
  • Massachusetts

Education

  • B.A. in Biology and Anthropology, magna cum laude, State University of New York at Albany
  • M.A. in Anthropology, State University of New York at Albany
  • J.D., Boston College Law School

Speaking Engagements

Professional Associations

  • Boston Intellectual Property Law Association (BIPLA)
    • Past President
    • Chair of the Legislative Committee
  • Advisory Board, Northeastern University Chapter of National Academy of Inventors
  • The Venture Forum, Past Chair

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