@HyperionLaw

May 31st, 2011

Cynthia Gilbert

Entrepreneurial Patent Attorney

Founder of Hyperion Law

Author of the Hyperion Law Blog

Today we’re tweeting Boston IP lawyer, passionate technologist, and founder of her own law firm @HyperionLaw

  1. @HyperionLaw, thank you for joining us on Twitter. Tell us, who is @HyperionLaw?
    I’m a technologist, early adopter/geek, patent attorney. I passionately do outstanding work for clients I really believe in.
  2. Tell us about your law practice.
    It’s a radically different law firm focused on translating complex patent-ese into strategic business advice for tech companies
  3. What type of clients do you represent?
    I love working w/ emerging tech companies – any company with software tech, eg 2 computers & internet cloud, is right up my alley!
  4. And what would you say is the single most important legal issue affecting those clients?
    Understanding case law’s impact on software #patents & how to draft claims satisfying legal reqs while remaining useful to business
  5. What do you tell every new client before you start working for them?
    Patents are a critical tool – or tragic waste of $. Let’s discuss business goals to understand whether you benefit from filing one!
  6. Interesting. Tell us about one of the more significant client representations you’ve had.
    A diabetes co had new glucose tools for useful, fun data interaction; it was satisfying to help them go from hard- to soft-ware IP!
  7. I’ll bet it was. Why do your clients hire you?
    An experienced, personable attorney & unabashed geek w/ solid tech background, I keep us focused on business benefits of IP
  8. What’s the most active area of your practice at the current time? Is that typical?
    Software #patents for tech companies with some friends-and-family or angel funding. It’s what I love so I hope it remains typical 🙂
  9. You spent 5 years in a big firm before starting your own. What led you that decision? Are you meeting your objectives?
    Normal fee & firm structures reduce/kill interaction between experienced attys & clients. I saw a different way. Totally successful!
  10. That’s great! How are your small / med-sized tech company clients doing in this economy? Is the crisis over for them?
    If you’re cash-constrained, I suspect there’s always a crisis! But these clients are adaptive and smart; they create ways to survive
  11. What’s the next big frontier of IP law? Who will be most affected by it?
    The biggest battle is always over growing fees. A new biz trying to preserve IP options will find it harder to afford key advice.
  12. How do you describe what you do to people you meet at a cocktail party?
    “I help companies protect their world-changing technology via strategic use of IP. And run a radically different law firm to do so.”
  13. Nice. When did you become active on Twitter? What were your objectives then? Have they changed?
    2008. I wanted to continue developing relationships w/ favorite clients. Now I also want to get to know others working w/ tech cos
  14. You blog at Hyperion Law (http://bit.ly/mMg8lK). Who do your write it for? Why should they read it?
    Anyone who has to deal w/ US software #patents: CxO, GCs, entrepreneurs. I provide useful & jargon-free info, which is hard to find!
  15. Have your Web 2.0 activities led to any additional referrals or client engagements?
    Absolutely. One of my clients hired me after reading my posts on Quora; others decide to hire me when they read the blog.
  16. Congrats on that. Let’s change gears now: what is the most significant issue currently facing the legal profession?
    We *could* tell clients we see their biz realities and will revamp the biz of law to forge even closer ties with them. But will we?
  17. What will the legal landscape look like in 10 years?
    Cynically, I suspect it will look much the same as it does today! Some going w/ tried & true; some working creatively w/clients.
  18. What would you do if you weren’t a lawyer?
    An astrophysicist or an anthropologist. Or maybe an anthropologist who studies humanity’s obsession with the universe 😉
  19. 🙂 How do you want to be remembered?
    As someone who lived and loved passionately and joyfully, gave back to the community, and was fun to be around.
  20. What do you do when you’re not working?
    I read fascinating non-fiction, check out new restaurants with my friends, travel the world with my husband, and spoil our two cats.
  21. What advice can you pass along to lawyers currently under- or unemployed due to the economic crisis?
    Take the time to do some serious soul searching about what you really want and gather info on how to get it. Don’t despair!
  22. And our final question for you: what advice do you have for people going to law school today?
    Talk to many lawyers, get as much work experience in a law practice as you possibly can; work hard to understand the path you’re on

Great advice. Thank you very much for today’s interview. I enjoyed getting to know you and your practice

Thank you! I really enjoyed the discussion!


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