Vanessa Pierce

Vanessa Pierce specializes in corporate and intellectual property law, including complex agreements, business formation, regulatory compliance, employee matters, and IP-related issues. Prior to returning home to Salt Lake City, Pierce served as Senior Counsel for International and Legal Affairs for the Intellectual Property Owner’s Association in Washington, DC. During her six years with IPO, Pierce represented the association as a lead negotiator during domestic and international meetings with government entities in China, Korea, Japan, and India. Pierce focused on IP-related legislation and regulations, agreements for international trade, and issues related to international law harmonization, and has testified or spoken on these issues before the USPTO, USTR, Trilateral, and IP5 Offices.

Prior to joining IPO, Pierce was a full-time law school professor in Michigan, teaching contracts, patent, copyright, and trademark courses. Pierce has written several articles and lectured frequently for various organizations. Before becoming a professor, Pierce practiced corporate and intellectual property law for eight years in private practice where she assisted clients through the entire product development cycle, from the earliest decision to seek patent protection to the ultimate branding of the final product. A registered patent attorney, Pierce also has expertise in negotiating and drafting various technology transfer, licensing, confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements, and in procuring and enforcing all forms of intellectual property rights.

Pierce has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Utah, honors, and her Juris Doctor (cum laude) from the University of Notre Dame Law School. She is a member of the California, Utah, and Washington State Bar Associations and is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Pierce currently teaches intellectual property law and cyber law as an adjunct professor.