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Building a Tech-Forward Patent Practice: Phil Harris on Automation and AI
Manage episode 516966152 series 3660813
In this episode of IP Innovators, host Steve Brachmann sits down with Phil Harris, Equity Partner and Patent Practice Group Leader at Holland & Hart, to trace his journey from mechanical engineering to leading one of the most tech-forward IP teams in the Mountain West.
Phil shares how his firm built custom automation and AI tools to streamline prosecution—from managing IDS filings to analyzing office actions—and how in-house innovation has transformed the way patent professionals work.
👨💼 About the Guest:
Phil Harris leads Holland & Hart’s Patent Practice Group, focusing on cutting-edge technologies like AI, wireless communications, and medical devices. With over a decade at the firm, he’s helped shape how automation and AI are integrated into patent law practice.
🔧 Sponsored by DeepIP — your patent intelligence platform, from idea to enforcement.
🛎️ Subscribe to hear more real stories, evolving practice, and the future of IP law.
Chapters
1. Welcome & Sponsor Message (00:00:00)
2. Phil’s Path Into Patent Law (00:00:43)
3. Law School Internships And Early Career (00:03:10)
4. Move To Holland & Hart And Focus Areas (00:04:34)
5. Translating Engineering To Prosecution (00:05:17)
6. Continuous Learning And Mentorship (00:06:27)
7. Tech-Specific Legal Hurdles (00:08:17)
8. Core Tech Domains: Wireless, Memory, AI, Medtech (00:09:03)
9. How Memory And Wireless Leapt Forward (00:10:16)
10. Office Tech Then vs Now (00:12:26)
11. Automating The Patent Back Office (00:14:19)
12. Building In‑House Tools And Playbooks (00:15:27)
13. Automation vs AI: Where Each Fits (00:16:45)
14. Buy vs Build: How They Decide (00:18:06)
15. Third‑Party Tools They Actually Use (00:19:19)
16. Generative AI: Experiments And Limits (00:20:25)
17. Measuring Productivity Gains (00:21:43)
18. Biggest Wins: IDS, Assignments, Office Actions (00:22:57)
19. What AI Needs Next: Consistency (00:24:12)
20. Life Outside Law: Family, Bikes, Bulls (00:25:01)
21. Favorite Rides And Closing (00:26:10)
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