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Debra Stephens

Patent Judge at Patent Trial and Appeal Board; USPTO

Intro Book

Seasoned intellectual property expert with 30+ years of experience in patent law, management, and leadership.

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Location

Cary, North Carolina, United States, US

Skills

Ip
Intellectual Property
Procurement
Management
Patents
Joint Ventures
Mergers
Leadership
Licensing
Copyright Law
Patentability
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Rate

This rate is determined by the professional's skill set, client collaboration, experience and appearance on lineups.

$275.0

Hourly Rate

How This Rate is Calculated

Okay, let’s tackle this. So Debra Stephens has 30+ years of experience in intellectual property, with a strong educational foundation in law and computer engineering. She has held senior positions at the USPTO, Sony Ericsson, and Philips Electronics, and has counseled clients on intellectual property strategy. Her expertise in joint ventures, mergers, leadership, licensing, and copyright law is in high demand. Location is Cary, North Carolina, which is a hub for tech and IP professionals. Considering her experience, education, and location, I estimate her hourly rate to be around $275, which is in line with national averages for IP experts in the US. Some top IP lawyers can charge upwards of $600+, but Debra’s background and experience suggest a more modest rate. This estimate is also influenced by the fact that she is based in the US, which tends to have higher IP rates than other countries.

Bio

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Topline AI

Debra Stephens is a seasoned intellectual property expert with 30+ years of experience in patent law, management, and leadership. She has held senior positions at the USPTO, Sony Ericsson, Philips Electronics, and GE, and has counseled clients on intellectual property strategy, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets. She has also developed computer algorithm designs and low-level coding for the Seawolf submarine. With a JD from Rutgers University and graduate coursework in Computer Engineering from Pennsylvania State University, Debra brings a strong educational foundation to her work. She is based in Cary, North Carolina, and has expertise in joint ventures, mergers, leadership, licensing, and copyright law.

Experience

Patent Trial and Appeal Board; USPTO
- Patent Judge
  - Sep 2008 - Present
  Hear and adjudicate appeals of decisions of Examiners of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, as to patentability in patent applications. Hold appellant hearings for oral arguments. Participate in panel discussions with other judges. Exercise independent judgment on all matters and i...
Debra Stephens
- Intellectual Property Consultant
  - Feb 2007 - Sep 2008
  Counseled public/private companies and individuals in connection with intellectual property strategy, patents, trademarks, trade secret issues, joint development arrangements, software agreements, and other transactional matters. Prosecuted patent applications with respect to: software, computers...
Sony Ericsson
- VP and GC, IP
  - Jan 1998 - Feb 2007
  Promoted throughout tenure to the position of Vice President and General Counsel of Intellectual Property (IP) for the Company. Managed and mentored a team of 28 people in the U.S. and Europe, with indirect responsibility for four employees in Japan. Built a strong global patent strategy to gui...
Philips Electronics North America Corp
- Intellectual Property Counsel
  - Jan 1995 - Jan 1998
  Supported the Research Labs and Semiconductors and Consumer Products divisions on a variety of IP matters. Supported Research Labs and Semiconductors division in processing patent applications; counseled on trade secret issues, joint development arrangements, software agreements and university ag...
Staas & Halsey
- Attorney
  - Jan 1993 - Jan 1995
  Counseled public/private companies and individuals in connection with patents, trademarks, and other contractual matters. Prosecuted patent applications with respect to: electronic systems, computers, IT architecture, neural networks, software, digital radios, and other data communication systems...
GE
- Engineer
  - Jan 1989 - Jan 1991
  Developed computer algorithm designs and low level coding of sonar functions for the Seawolf submarine.
Unisys
- Engineer
  - Jan 1987 - Jan 1989
  Developed a LAN communications system and tested / analyzed VLSI circuitry.
ADP/Financial Information Services
- Engineer
  - Jan 1986 - Jan 1987
  Created technical specification for data communications systems for personal computers used by stockbrokers.

Education

1988 - 1992

Rutgers University - Camden

1988 - 1992
Pennsylvania State University
1981 - 1986

Virginia Tech

1981 - 1986

Suggested Services

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Industry Focus. “Computer Hardware”

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Debra Stephens

Refer a Friend to Get
100 Credits For FREE

$275.0

Hourly Rate