Alice O. Martin, Ph.D.

Dr. Alice Martin advises on domestic and international patent prosecution and litigation opinions. She delivers legal acuity, scientific and intellectual prowess and prompt attention to those she serves. Alice is valued for providing clear answers to complicated questions and practical solutions for even the most difficult challenges

In addition to her patent law practice, Alice is a geneticist by training. Her immediate understanding of science and cutting-edge invention is further supported by her creativity in applying the law to pioneering innovation. As a result, Alice’s experience spans a wide range of industries, including biotechnology, agriculture, and plants, animals, medical compositions and devices, laboratory equipment, genetics, treatments and assays for various diseases, surgical techniques, tissue culture methods and equipment.

Alice offers significant experience in the specialized area of the biotechnology of plants. Over the course of her career, she has obtained many U.S. and foreign utility patents for major corporations. Notably, Alice obtained the first fertile transgenic corn plant patent, which then involved an interference proceeding that the client won.

Alice is familiar with representation for utility patents on plants and provisions under the Plant Patent Act and the Plant Variety Protection Act. Alice has also prosecuted patents involving many types of trees, corn, and rice. She has advised on patents involving U.S., Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and foreign countries for various plants and plant techniques for universities and other organizations. She is familiar with wheat, watermelon and the like.

Prior to practicing law, Alice worked as a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Medical School, as well as a certified Medical Geneticist and Cytogenetics Laboratory director at Northwestern Memorial Hospitals. She was the principal investigator on many NIH and NCI research grants. Her academic and research experience provides insight and understanding of the inventions to be protected by universities.

Professional and Community Involvement

Co-chair, American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) Plant Biotech Subcommittee

Member, American Seed Technology Association (ASTA) Intellectual Property, Biotechnology and Emerging Technologies Committees

Member, Seed Innovation and Protection Alliance

Former member, National Institutes of Health Study Sections

Member, American Bar Association

Member, Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago

Member, BIO (Biotechnology Industry Organization) Amicus, Patenting Working Group and IP Corporate Counsel Committees

Member, Intellectual Property Advisory Board of the John Marshall Law School

Guest lecturer, Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Honors

The Best Lawyers in America, 2007-2019; Lawyer of the Year, 2016

Illinois Super Lawyers, 2013-2018

Leading Lawyer, Law Bulletin Media

Martindale-Hubbell, AV-Rated