30+
IP PRACTICE
YEARS OF
4
FORMER CORPORATE
PATENT CONSELS
100%
IP PRACTICE
DEDICATED
GLOBAL
PORTFOLIO
REACH
WHO ARE WE
Bottom-line Brainpower for Your Intellectual Property
Wood Phillips is a Chicago-based IP boutique with a distinctive edge: attorneys who have sat on the client side of the table. Four of our lawyers served as Patent and Trademark Counsel at major corporations — so we approach every engagement through a business lens, not just a legal one.
We see your IP portfolio as an asset to be built, managed, and monetized — not just a collection of filings. Whether you need one patent or a global trademark strategy, we bring the experience and efficiency to deliver results.
OUR APPROACH
"Even a day without informed decisions on IP assets and risks can mean the difference between gain and loss — perhaps a substantial one."
01
Set IP Objectives aligned with business strategy
Audit & analyze your existing portfolio
Refine — retain value, eliminate waste
Exploit — license, commercialize, enforce
Assess results and continuously improve
OUR APPROACH
"Even a day without informed decisions on IP assets and risks can mean the difference between gain and loss — perhaps a substantial one."
01
Set IP Objectives aligned with business strategy
Audit & analyze your existing portfolio
Refine — retain value, eliminate waste
Exploit — license, commercialize, enforce
Assess results and continuously improve
OUR APPROACH
"Even a day without informed decisions on IP assets and risks can mean the difference between gain and loss — perhaps a substantial one."
01
02
Set IP Objectives aligned with business strategy
03
Audit & analyze your existing portfolio
04
Refine — retain value, eliminate waste
Assess results and continuously improve
Exploit — license, commercialize, enforce
05
PRACTICE AREAS
Application drafting and prosecution before the USPTO and international offices. We write claims that are broad, defensible, and commercially valuable.
PATENT PROSECUTION
Audit, optimize, and monetize your portfolio. We apply portfolio theory principles to maximize value and minimize cost across your IP estate.
Portfolio Strategy
WHAT WE DO
Clearance, registration, enforcement, and global portfolio management. We build brands that are strong, distinctive, and protected worldwide.
Trademark & Brand
Specialized prosecution and strategy for pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device patents requiring deep scientific expertise.
Life Sciences & Biotech
Registration, licensing, and enforcement for creative and technical works — from software code to product design and beyond.
Copyright
Patent protection for software, algorithms, electrical systems, and computer-implemented inventions across all technology platforms.
Software & Electronics
IP identification, valuation, and risk assessment for mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and licensing transactions.
M&A Due Diligence
Aggressive enforcement and defense of patent, trademark, and copyright rights in federal courts and the ITC.
IP Litigation
Featured Insights
The Handshake That Cost Millions: IP and Contract Lessons from the Chance the Rapper Trial
A jury trial currently underway in Chicago's Cook County Circuit Court is drawing attention well beyond the music industry and for good reason. The legal battle between rapper Chancelor Bennett (known professionally as Chance the Rapper) and his former manager, Patrick Corcoran ("Pat the Manager"), offers a compelling case study in what happens when talented, creative people neglect to put their agreements in writing.
The "Human Touch" in the Age of Algorithms: A 2026 Patent Law Update
The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence into research and development has pushed the legal boundaries of "inventorship." For years, the question has loomed: if an AI generates a billion-dollar molecule or a revolutionary circuit design, who gets the patent?
As of early 2026, the answer from the highest courts and patent offices is increasingly clear: The machine is just a tool, and the human remains the master.
The "Human Touch" in the Age of Algorithms: A 2026 Patent Law Update
Can the policy objectives behind the current intellectual property (IP) legal frameworks be met when GenAI is implemented? Or will new rules and regulations necessary to bring patent, copyright, trade secret, and other IP law into the AI age? This paper will explore the intersection of AI and IP law, in particular:
READ MORE
Knowledge Center
The Inside Advantage
We combine the depth of a large IP practice with the responsiveness and cost-efficiency only a focused boutique can provide.
Why Wood Phillips
4
CORPORATE COUNSELS
Four attorneys who served as Patent & Trademark Counsel at major corporations — they know what clients actually need.
Portfolio Theory
We manage portfolios as financial assets — maximizing return, minimizing exposure, and tracking results.
100%
IP Only
Intellectual property is our entire practice. Every attorney. Every day. Every matter.
Lean & Fast
Small enough to respond in hours, experienced enough for the most complex matters — without big-firm overhead.
GA
CB
JC
SG
TG
Gabriella Acker
Attoney
Patent · Trademark
Cheryl L. Becker
Attoney
Life Sciences
Attoney
Jeffrey L. Clark
Patent · Litigation
Stephen D. Geimer
Attoney
Electrical · Computer
Thomas F. Ging
Attoney
Mechanical · Patent