The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has appointed Farheena Rasheed, most recently acting solicitor at USPTO, as deputy general counsel for intellectual property law and solicitor.
In this capacity, Rasheed will serve as the agency’s chief litigator and as a senior counselor to Kathi Vidal, undersecretary of Commerce for intellectual property and USPTO director, to help develop, assess and implement new rules, policies and guidelines, USPTO said Thursday.
Vidal said she is excited to work with Rasheed to establish the legal strategy for the agency.
“As we lean in more heavily to shape U.S. law, and the interpretation of that law, in a way that advances U.S. innovation – especially in key technology areas such as artificial intelligence – Farheena’s proven leadership, deep knowledge of intellectual property law, and policy chops will help lead the Solicitor’s office to shaping and advancing our mission,” Vidal stated.
Rasheed started her career within the USPTO Solicitors Office in 2010, serving as an associate solicitor for patent litigation. She held roles of increasing responsibility, including senior legal counsel for patent litigation and deputy solicitor.
She previously served as a clerk to former Judge Marvin Garbis on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland and former Judge Arthur Gajarsa on the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
She spent five years at law firm White & Case, where she focused on patent litigation.