Sean D. Solberg

Sean works with businesses and entities ranging from startups and universities to Fortune 500 companies to protect their technologies through patent prosecution, enforcement and competitive patent analyses in a variety of industries, including medical device, biotech and agriculture.

Sean manages and implements strategies for both emerging and significant patent and application portfolios, drafts and prosecutes patent applications in various technologies, performs due diligence investigations of intellectual property portfolios in merger and acquisition deals, evaluates the validity and enforceability of patents, and advises on infringement issues. He also drafts and negotiates various technology agreements, such as licenses, assignments and agreements related to research, collaboration and consulting.

Sean has advised startups, universities and venture firms in a variety of new or emerging technologies, addressing IP needs for clients in this area, including patent prosecution, IP-related agreements, IP-related issues with respect to product development, overall IP strategy and any other IP matters that arise.

In addition to his expertise in patent prosecution, IP transactions, opinions and due diligence, Sean has experience in complex intellectual property litigation, providing support and drafting briefs in conjunction with IP litigators. Sean is a registered patent attorney, licensed to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Medical Device Experience

• Robotic surgical tools (including laparoscopic tools)
• Cardiovascular catheters
• Bone deformity treatment devices
• Neural and spinal probes
• Injection pain reduction devices
• Heart assist devices

Pharma/Biotech/Agriculture Experience

• Swine virus identification and vaccine technologies
• Biopharmaceuticals
• Crop seed and plant treatment compositions
• Animal cloning technologies
• Plant technologies

Education

• University of Iowa College of Law, J.D., 2000
• Iowa State University, B.S., 1997
• Grinnell College, B.A., 1994

Admissions

• Iowa
• Minnesota
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Professional Activities

• Association of University Technology Managers, Member, Central Region Planning Committee
• American Intellectual Property Law Association, Member
• Iowa Intellectual Property Law Association, Member
• Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Association, Member
• University of Minnesota Medical Device Innovation Program, Adjunct Professor, 2014-present
• University of St. Thomas, Adjunct Professor, 2007-2012

Community

• Iowa Legal Aid Foundation, Board of Directors, 2024