Andrei . Iancu
Irell & Manella LLP
Andrei Iancu, Esq., is a partner at Irell & Manella LLP, where his practice focuses on intellectual property litigation and counseling. Prior to rejoining the firm in April 2021, he served as the Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), a position to which he was confirmed unanimously by the Senate. As head of the USPTO, Iancu oversaw one of the largest IP offices in the world, an agency with approximately 13,000 employees and an annual budget of more than $3.5 billion. He also served as the administration's principal advisor on domestic and international IP issues. Among Iancu's initiatives as director was the creation of the National Council for Expanding American Innovation, a group of industry, academia and government leaders tasked with helping the USPTO develop a comprehensive national strategy to broaden participation in the innovation ecosystem demographically, geographically and economically. Prior to his government service, Iancu spent two decades at Irell and served as the firm's managing partner from 2012 to 2018, the maximum allowable tenure. In his time at the firm, he represented clients in a variety of high-profile matters in district courts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the U.S. International Trade Commission and the USPTO. In addition to litigation, Iancu was involved in all other aspects of IP practice, including prosecution, due diligence and licensing. He represented plaintiffs and defendants across the technical and scientific spectra, including those associated with medical devices, genetic testing, therapeutics, the internet, telephony, TV broadcasting, video game systems and computer peripherals. Throughout his career, Iancu has been widely recognized for his work, earning accolades from publications including Chambers USA, Intellectual Asset Management, Daily Journal, California Lawyer, Los Angeles Business Journal, Legal 500, and many others. In 2021, he was inducted into the IAM Hall of Fame. He also received the 2020 Excellence Award from American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA). In 2019, Iancu was honored with the IP Champion Award from the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation for “his extraordinary leadership in advocating for the value of intellectual property to stimulate the progress of innovation.” He also received the 2020 IEEE-USA Award for Distinguished Public Service for “his achievement of restoring balance and confidence in the U.S. patent system.” Additionally, Iancu was named one of the 50 Most Influential People in IP from 2018 to 2020 by Managing IP, a recognition he received for “having changed the mood at the USPTO.” In 2021, Iancu co-founded the Renewing American Innovation Project at the bipartisan Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He previously taught patent law at UCLA School of Law, and he is a sought-after speaker and writer on issues related to IP and innovation. Iancu earned his J.D. from UCLA School of Law and his M.S. in mechanical engineering and B.S. in aerospace engineering from UCLA. Prior to his legal career, he was an engineer at Hughes Aircraft Company where he received several honors including the Malcolm R. Currie Innovation Award. He is still licensed as a Professional Engineer in California.
(03/22)
