JULIE STEPHENSON

 

SUMMARY

 

A highly effective Senior Manager with over 16 years of legal experience specializing in strategy, risk management, and ensuring that the legal team supports business goals. Skilled at strategic alliances, resource utilization, asset development and management, and effective world-wide budget management. A leader with an ability to produce results from external partners and internal staff through collaboration, mentoring, implementation of reward systems, and constructive feedback to maintain high performance and low turnover. Additional strengths include:

 

* Strategic Thinking	* Cross-Organizational Collaboration	* Professional Development
* Ethical	* Effective Communication	* Negotiation
* Results Oriented	* Creative Problem Solving	* Processes Streamlining

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 

OCLARO, San Jose, CA

Vice President, Intellectual Property

Key team member for multiple asset divestments. Led legal team on a large acquisition, including negotiation and drafting contract provisions. Directed several litigation and pre-litigation matters including patent assertions and indemnification issues. Managed varying staff and $3 million dollar annual spend. Redesigned patent program including reorganizing the patent portfolio, defining IP diligence and acquisitions, establishing a budget system, and a formal patent lifecycle. Connected with people across business units to generate a network of advisors with an understanding of the corporate goals.

 

The Women's CLUB of Silicon Valley, Los Altos, CA

Founder, Treasurer, Advisor for Real Estate and Operations Committees

Co-founded an organization helping women to accelerate their leadership journeys by providing an environment that inspires and tools that empower. Manage incorporation formalities, tax needs and finances.

 

SYNOPSYS, Mountain View, CA

Director, Associate General Counsel, Chief IP Counsel

Defined and owned the programs for confidential information, copyright & open source, trademark, non-revenue transactions & licensing, IP acquisitions, IP due diligence, IP integration, patent portfolio management and the patent lifecycle. Negotiated and advised on technology & patent licenses, JDAs, university agreements, open source agreements and IP-related employment issues. Managed varying staff and a $6 million dollar annual spend. In addition, managed export program practices, supported IP enforcement activities including patent assertions and indemnification issues, and supported government affairs projects.

 

*         Created marketing and non-revenue transactions program.

*         Drafted and negotiated several non-revenue agreements.

*         Managed budget to consistently hit targets worldwide while maintaining top performance.

*         Defined and implemented open source process to ensure stakeholder input and license term compliance.

*         Implemented threat based priority system for patents, informing filing & culling decisions as well as supporting RoI metrics.

*         Created patent portfolio efficiency through categorization & tagging system to improve portfolio utilization and support portfolio decision-making. Additionally, implemented patent database (Anaqua).

*         Reorganized primary and secondary counsel through development of worldwide organizational chart to define key emphasis and expertise to help target strengths and reduce expenses through negotiated discounts in exchange for increased work flow and improved quality of patents.

*         Recognized for contributions with Employee Excellence award, nominated by client base and given to a small number of employees per year.

 

SYMANTEC/VERITAS, Mountain View, CA

Senior Counsel, Counsel

Identification of project management needs, implementation, and execution. In addition, collaborated on JDA, M&A, and risk management projects. Effective management of an $8 million dollar budget and up to 6 reports on patent portfolio management, content, and risk management.

 

*         Established department, developed policies, procedures and processes, analysis of patents and partnerships with internal stakeholders.

*         Created metrics for patents and program to identify key assets and rate the process.

*         Championed the development of a successful worldwide reward system.

*         Built strategic alliances with 4 law firms to tighten management of portfolio and emphasize key company metrics and managed partnerships with many more law firms.

*         Reduced patent filing time by months by implementation of a fast track filing system.

*         Created modeling system to budget program which helped tighten costs and sync budget per quarter to consistently hit targets.

 

Technical Advisor to EVP of Engineering

Key mentoring role from EVP of Engineering that provided hands on executive guidance and succession training.

 

*         Analysis and reporting on lessons learned, including a build vs. buy decision and effectiveness of worldwide teaming.

 

BEVER, HOFFMAN & HARMS, San Jose, CA

Associate

An intellectual property specialist in the areas of electrical engineering and computer software with overall responsibilities to include drafting patent applications, patent prosecution, client counseling and client training.

 

*         Key point person in working with engineers on interpretation and verbalization of inventions.

*         Drafted over 50 cases.

 

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS/BOEING, St. Louis, MO

Senior Engineer

Specialist assigned to work on navy and air-force projects. Full analysis, identification of issues, trouble shooting, quality assurance and recommending change implementation.

 

*         Key developer on Tomahawk Anti-Ship Missile project, lasting 9 months, which resulted in the design of new guidance commands for battle and adopted for review by the Navy.

*         Reviewed and developed new guidance control and simulation software designed to assist internal development procedures and used for planning purposes.