Practice:

• Canada Practice
• Intellectual Property
• Life Sciences
• Science & Technology

Bar Admissions:

Massachusetts
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Experience:

Prior to joining Burns & Levinson LLP in January 2006, Dr. Susan was an associate with the firm Perkins Smith & Cohen LLP. In years past, Dr. Susan was also associated with another prominent Boston firm, where she gained a broad range of experience in domestic and international patent practice. Her expertise consists of drafting and prosecuting domestic and foreign patent applications including opposition practice, performing patentability, infringement, validity, and freedom-to-operate analyses, conducting due diligence, and providing patent strategy advice to clients together with reviewing and developing material transfer agreements and licensing agreements.

Dr. Susan’s practice focuses on all areas of chemistry, biochemistry, and molecular biology including small molecules, as well as engineered monoclonal antibodies, transgenic animals, and vaccines. In particular, Dr. Susan is well grounded in the area of the biology and chemistry of peptides, polypeptides and monoclonal antibodies. She has prosecuted patents in the area of synthetic peptide vaccines and in methods for humanizing antibodies and humanized antibodies made trhereof. Her graduate thesis project included developing and using antibodies as research tools including synthesizing and isolating proteins and peptides thereof for use as antigens, and isolating and characterizing antibodies thereto.

Memberships:

• American Intellectual Property Law Association
• Boston Patent Law Association
• Irish Cultural Center of New England
• Women Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology
• WPI Venture Forum Program Committee

Additional Information:

• Prior to her Ph.D., Dr. Susan worked as a chemist at Johnson Matthey, Inc. where she synthesized organic and inorganic chemotherapeutic compounds and diagnostic imaging agents.

Education:

• J.D., Boston College Law School, 2001
• Ph.D., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, 1997
• B.S., Chemistry, Millersville University, Pennsylvania, 1986

Recent Articles and Publications:

Speaking Engagements: