Merchant & Gould, a national intellectual property (IP) law firm, promoted attorney Ryan C. Smith to partner. The promotion embraces the growth of the Minneapolis office, bringing greater depth to the firm’s local leadership.
Smith joined Merchant & Gould in 2014, and his practice focuses on chemical and life science technologies. He concentrates on patentability assessment, filing and prosecuting U.S. applications, managing international patent portfolios, IP due diligence, licensing and joint development agreements. Prior to joining Merchant & Gould, he worked for a law firm in Minneapolis, where he handled issues for clients in the biomedical, food science, chemical and medical device industries. Smith previously worked for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a patent examiner, evaluating patent applications relating to drug-delivery devices and bio-affecting and body treating compositions.
In the community, Smith is a volunteer attorney for the Children’s Law Center of Minnesota, where he represents children who are either wards of the state — or who have been removed from their homes, because they are in need of protection. He is a board member for the Nativity Groveland Football Association, as well as ayouth football coach for the Nativity Groveland football team.
“Ryan is a leader in our Minneapolis office and throughout the entire firm. We salute his high-quality legal work and are proud to promote him,” said Christopher Leonard, managing director, CEO, and chairman of the board for Merchant & Gould.
About Merchant & Gould
Merchant & Gould is a full-service intellectual property law firm that has focused exclusively on IP law since it was founded in 1900. Our team of over 100 attorneys, registered patent agents, and technical experts thrive on the complex, the simple, the creative, the big picture, and the microscopic details that position our clients for business success locally, nationally, and around the world.
