Catherine M. Polizzi

Morrison & Foerster LLP

Palo Alto

Patent prosecution, portfolio management

For Polizzi, the payoff for representing medical companies in patent matters happens when it results in a successful treatment for serious diseases.

"I didn't become a doctor, but I feel as though I'm playing a part in what a doctor does," said Polizzi, an Morrison & Foerster LLP partner in Palo Alto. "That's very, very satisfying."

Polizzi works with emerging and established companies to develop their intellectual property by guiding them through the process of obtaining patents, while also offering portfolio counseling.

Her background mirrors her specialty: While earning a molecular biology and biochemistry doctorate from UC Santa Barbara, she learned about intellectual property. Afterwards, Polizzi began studying law at Stanford University.

"I knew I could combine my science background with that," Polizzi said. "To me, the science aspect is what animates the law. ... That's what makes my blood run."

Two of Polizzi's recent achievements are Celgene, a biopharmaceutical company recently acquired by Bristol Meyers Squibb Co.; and Juno Therapeutics, which develops cell-based therapies to fight cancer.

Her resume also includes major acquisitions by Pfizer Inc., of Medivation, for $14 billion; Myriad Genetics Inc.' $375 million purchase of Counsyl Inc.; and Celgene obtaining Juno Therapeutics for $9 billion and Abraxis BioScience for $2.9 billion.

A typical day for Polizzi will involve looking "at various issues, various technologies, zoom in and back out, and try to address those."

"Every company I work with has different challenges, dynamics, business considerations -- and I have to synthesize that," she added. "All those different inputs have to be integrated."

"A lot of people don't understand how specialized is the nature of the legal rights, and sometimes people who work in patents don't understand, because it's intangible," Polizzi said.

Patent law can be rather arcane, with its own labyrinth of rules.

"People will understand that it's valuable," Polizzi said, "but it's not a concept people often run into: How do you get a patent in the first place?"

When she isn't counseling companies, Polizzi spends part of her free time gardening.

-- Karen Weil