Seasoned Patent Strategist Brings Nearly Four Decades of Scientific and Regulatory Experience to Support Life Sciences Innovators
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, the premier provider of legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises worldwide, today announced that Jean Witz has joined the firm as senior patent counsel in its Washington, D.C., office. With nearly 40 years of experience in patent law and a distinguished career at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Witz brings exceptional knowledge in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, chemistry, and chemical engineering.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Jean to Wilson Sonsini,” said Dr. Louis Lieto, leader of Wilson Sonsini’s Patents and Innovations Department. “Her depth of experience at the USPTO—especially in biotech, pharmaceutical, and chemical patent reexaminations—is truly outstanding. Jean doesn’t just understand how the Office operates; she understands how it thinks. That level of insight will be a tremendous asset to our clients.”
Witz most recently served as a supervisory patent reexamination specialist in the USPTO’s Central Reexamination Unit, where she led a team of examiners responsible for reviewing reexamination requests, supplemental examination requests, and reissue applications in the fields of chemistry, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and chemical engineering. Prior to that, she served as a quality assurance specialist in Technology Center 1600, where she focused on promoting consistency and quality in biotechnology and pharmaceutical patent examination by developing examiner training programs and delivering presentations to both internal and external stakeholders. In 2006, she was appointed as an appeals specialist within the same center, playing a key role in pre-appeal and appeal conferences to resolve complex patent disputes.
Witz began her career at the USPTO in 1988 as a patent examiner in biotechnology, where she evaluated patent applications involving therapeutic methods, animal extracts, tissue culture technologies, enzymes, cosmetics, and related innovations.
Beyond the USPTO, Witz worked at Battelle Laboratories and Hazelton Laboratories, where she evaluated drug toxicity data for FDA submissions, further refining her scientific and regulatory acumen.
“As the patent landscape continues to evolve, clients need advisers who not only understand the law but also know how it’s applied in practice,” said Michael Rosato, head of the firm’s USPTO Contested Proceedings practice. “Jean has trained the very people responsible for making those decisions at the USPTO. Her arrival further strengthens our position as a go-to firm for life sciences companies and others facing high-stakes intellectual property challenges.”
Witz’s contributions to the field have been recognized with numerous honors, including the USPTO Exceptional Career Award (2005), USPTO Distinguished Career Award (2002), AIPLA Distinguished Service Award (2001), and USPTO Bronze Medal for Superior Federal Service (2000).
In addition, Witz brings a strong academic foundation and a passion for education. She holds both a B.S. and an M.S. in biology—with a focus on ecology and physiology—from George Washington University, where she also earned her J.D. from its law school. A member of the Pennsylvania State Bar, she has spent more than 35 years teaching anatomy, physiology, microbiology, general biology, and intellectual property law at colleges in North Carolina and the Washington, D.C., area.
“Joining a firm with such a strong reputation in intellectual property and life sciences is a natural next step for me,” said Witz. “After years of working behind the scenes at the USPTO to ensure the quality and integrity of the examination process, I’m excited to bring that experience to the private sector—helping clients navigate the system with clarity, precision, and foresight.”
Discover the latest trends and insights—explore the Business Insights Journal for up-to-date strategies and industry breakthroughs!
