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Overview
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Experience
Introduction
Courtney provides clients with a broad range of IP services, including patent procurement, strategic patent counseling, and due diligence.
Dr. Courtney M. Prochnow brings a distinctive combination of scientific depth and patent prosecution and litigation experience to her life sciences IP practice. She advises clients across the full patent life cycle, from developing and protecting patent portfolios to challenging, enforcing, and defending life sciences patents in high-stakes disputes.
Courtney’s unique combined litigation and prosecution background gives her a practical understanding of patent strategy from both sides of a dispute. She understands how patents are attacked, which informs how she helps clients draft, prosecute, defend, and enforce them. Courtney represents clients in patent disputes in federal district court, including Hatch-Waxman litigation, and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, including inter partes review, reexamination, and derivation proceedings. She also counsels clients on patent procurement, strategic portfolio development, and due diligence.
Courtney’s scientific training allows her to work closely with clients on sophisticated technologies, including antibody therapeutics, genome editing (CRISPR/Cas), chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, small-molecule and nucleic acid therapeutics, vaccines, recombinant proteins, genetic diagnostic methods, and chemical synthesis. She represents startups, private and public research institutions, biotechnology companies, and large pharmaceutical companies.
Before practicing law, Courtney developed a technical foundation in X-ray crystallography, drug discovery, DNA mutagenesis, biochemistry, immunology, virology, and cell biology. She has authored eight peer-reviewed publications, including two first-author publications in Nature.
Education & credentials
- Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, J.D., Research Editor, International and Comparative Law Review, 2013
- University of Southern California, Ph.D., Molecular Biology
- University of Colorado Boulder, B.A., Biology
- California
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- Perkins Coie LLP, Los Angeles, CA, Scientific Advisor, 2012-2013; Summer Associate, 2012
- University of Southern California, Department of Molecular and Computational Biology, Los Angeles, CA, Post-Doctoral Research Associate, 2008-2012
- University of Southern California, Department of Molecular and Computational Biology, Los Angeles, CA, Ph.D Candidate, 2004-2008
- Dakota Ridge Veterinary Clinic, Littleton, CO, Veterinary Technician
Professional recognition
Recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for Litigation - Patent, 2026
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., et al. v. Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., et al.
U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware
Trial counsel for defendant Mylan in Hatch-Waxman litigation over patent rights to the 40 mg dose of glatiramer acetate (Copaxone®), a copolymer of amino acids used to treat multiple sclerosis. Decision pending.
Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., et al. v. Yeda Research and Development Co. Ltd.
Patent Trial and Appeal Board
Represented petitioner Mylan in multiple inter partes reviews of patents related to methods of treatment with 40 mg Copaxone®. Obtained successful judgment that all claims of the patents are unpatentable as obvious.
Fontem Ventures B.V., et al. v. R. J. Reynolds
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
Representing plaintiff Fontem in enforcing seven electronic cigarette patents in two patent infringement cases. Cases are ongoing.
Fontem Ventures B.V., et al. v. Nu Mark LLC
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
Representing plaintiff Fontem in enforcing sixteen electronic cigarette patents in two patent infringement cases. Cases are ongoing.
R. J. Reynolds v. Fontem Ventures B.V., et al.
Patent Trial and Appeal Board
Representing patent owner Fontem in defending eight inter partes reviews of electronic cigarette patents. Proceedings are ongoing.
Nu Mark LLC v. Fontem Ventures B.V., et al.
Patent Trial and Appeal Board
Representing patent owner Fontem in defending twenty-five inter partes reviews of electronic cigarette patents. Proceedings are ongoing.
Fontem Ventures B.V., et al. v. NJOY, Inc., et al.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
Represented plaintiff Fontem in enforcing nine electronic cigarette patents in nine patent cases against some of the largest e-cigarette companies operating in the United States.