Michael R. Ward

Morrison & Foerster LLP

San Francisco

Patent portfolio management

When they're picking out vegetables in the grocery store, patent law is probably the last thing most consumers think about.

However, patents are a factor for the agricultural industry, and Ward plays an important role in this field.

"I think I've got the coolest job in the world," said Ward, global head of Morrison & Foerster's life sciences practice and also co-chair of the firm's intellectual property group.

It makes sense that along with his degree from Golden Gate University School of Law, Ward also earned a doctorate in plant physiology and a master's in agronomy from UC Davis. He also has a bachelor's degree in biology from the UC Berkeley.

That combination of biological and legal knowledge has won Ward national acclaim from noted legal journals.

Ward's job is not so much litigation-driven as it is mainly protecting new inventions. He manages numerous intellectual property issues related to plants and plant products.

Last year, Ward represented a company that produces a yellow-and-red striped pepper -- sold under the brand name Aloha -- and secured a patent for it.

He also in 2019 represented the Scattini company, which sought a patent on its method of harvesting artichokes by using a timed mowing process.

Although he couldn't go into detail on the case, Ward is also representing a company that specializes in mushrooms. The case was filed in a Dutch court last year, and is in the process of finishing up, Ward added.

Ward said keeping up with all the innovations of the agricultural industry is a constant challenge.

"It used to be that you'd cross two plants, and look at the result and say, 'Ah, this looks good,'" Ward explained. "Now, they'll sequence the DNA and analyze what's happened: 'Why does this plant look different?'"

And because global climate change will put a bigger strain on resources, the agriculture industry will play a vital role in how food is grown under difficult or unusual circumstances, Ward said.

"Plant breeding and data will be critical to solving those problems," he added.

Not surprisingly, Ward said he spends a lot of time growing vegetables in his home garden. When not connecting with the earth, he enjoys being a supportive father to two college-age daughters.

-- Karen Weil