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Head of Patent Program, AT&T
Applying AI to Modernize Patent Practice
I joined LegalQuants because I’ve always believed that legal professionals should be builders — not just consumers — of the tools that shape our work. That belief came into sharp focus during the recent LegalQuants Hackathon, where I spent the weekend creating a fast, automated trademark‑clearance prototype. With a simple workflow built in Replit, I designed a lightweight system that runs three parallel checks on a proposed mark: 1. Name‑variation analysis to catch confusingly similar terms 2. Web search to identify real‑world use 3. USPTO Trademark database queries to surface existing filings In my demo, I ran the name “OmniFlow” for a hypothetical water bottle. Within seconds, the prototype generated a high‑risk assessment — driven by identical marks already registered for related goods and corroborated by web evidence. It wasn’t a production system, but it was a clear reminder of what’s possible when legal reasoning meets accessible coding platforms. More importantly, it showed how quickly ideas turn into prototypes when legal professionals are given the space, community, and encouragement to build. That’s what brought me here: a community that believes in experimentation, shared learning, and the power of hands‑on innovation. Huge thanks to Jamie Tso, Raymond Sun, Rocky Li, and the entire LegalQuants team for creating an environment where legal technologists can stretch, explore, and create.
A lightweight trademark‑clearance prototype that runs parallel checks across name variations, web use, and USPTO records to generate fast, attorney‑informed risk assessments.