Holland & Hart announced that it has created a new leadership role of Principal, Patent Agent (Principal). The firm’s leadership promoted Devin Brennan as the firm’s first Principal effective January 1. Brennan joined the firm in 2015 as a Patent Agent and progressed through the Patent team’s levels system.
Created by the firm’s Management Committee, the Principal role is similar in rights and responsibilities to an Income Partner, providing a career path for patent agents who are critical to the success of the firm’s patent team. Patent agents who demonstrate leadership and contribute to the growth of the patent team, including business development and revenue generation, may be eligible for promotion to the Principal role.
For many years, the firm’s patent team has been reinventing how firms approach patent preparation and prosecution, leveraging automated technology solutions and implementing innovative approaches to recruitment and team management to better serve clients’ needs. “Our team is intentionally structured to operate like a sophisticated technology company,” said Michael Drapkin, leader of the firm’s patent team. “We recruit highly talented professionals with a breadth of technology backgrounds and skills, including attorneys, patent agents, patent engineers, and specialists, who collaborate to deliver creative, high quality patent solutions. The new Principal role is the latest example of our innovative approach to team management.”
“I am honored to be part of a firm that leads the industry in career advancement by redefining professional roles and opportunities,” said Brennan. “The role of Principal underscores the firm’s commitment to the contributions of patent agents and the importance of holistic teams to client service. I look forward to continuing to push the boundaries of how we operate to better serve our clients.”