IPO’s D&I Committee’s Hiring & Retention Guide – An Introduction and Overview

Shruti Costales (she/her)is the Managing Member at Shruti Law PLLC. Shruti is a licensed patent attorney and has worked in private practice, in-house, and with the Federal Government. She has 20+ years of deep legal experience in handling IP transactions, complex commercial transactions including drafting and negotiating XaaS agreements and handling FED/SLED agreements, product counseling, procurement agreements, due diligence and mergers & acquisitions related assessments, patent counseling, patent litigation, patent and trademark application drafting and prosecution. Her experience includes working in the technology (XaaS, IoT, AI,HW, and SW), microelectronics (e.g., semiconductors, integrated circuits/chips, microprocessors, memory devices, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS),optoelectronic devices, etc.), electronic devices, healthcare (including biotechnology, medical devices, and pharmaceutical – small molecule and large molecule), chemical (including catalysts and polymers), automotive, and petrochemical/energy technology areas. Shruti has a BS in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University and a JD from Franklin Pierce Law Center (now the University of New Hampshire School of Law). She is an Advisory Board member for Patent Pathways® and is the former co-chair of the DEI committee for the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO) where she co-authored many white papers and guides. Shruti loves reading mystery novels, writing poetry, and sewing.

Keisha Hylton-Rodic, Ph.D. is a registered patent attorney with a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry. She specializes in assisting pharmaceutical companies, start-ups, universities, chemical companies, and venture capital funds, achieve their IP objectives. Dr. Hylton-Rodic’s practice includes patent procurement, patent-related risk assessments (including freedom-to-operate, IP due diligence investigations, non-infringement, and validity), design-around strategies and opinions. She has extensive experience developing and managing domestic and foreign patent portfolios in a variety of technical areas including biotech, chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and paper.

Rachael Rodman is an accomplished litigator who concentrates her practice in the area of IP litigation, and has experience representing clients in variety of cases involving patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret claims. She also has experience in complex business litigation, and has litigated cases involving contract, shareholder, and non-compete disputes. In addition to her substantial trial experience in state and federal court, Rachael has extensive appellate experience, in both Ohio and federal appellate courts. Prior to beginning her litigation practice, Rachael clerked for the Ohio Court of Appeals for the Second Appellate District.  She has participated in arbitrations through the American Arbitration Association and the dispute resolution forums of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the American Health Lawyers Association.

Elaine Spector is a patent attorney with over 20 years of experience in intellectual property law.  Her current practice consists primarily of prosecuting patent applications with a focus on electromechanical technologies. Prior to joining Harrity & Harrity, Elaine worked in private practice for over 15 years handling various intellectual property matters, including patent application drafting and prosecution, trademark prosecution and enforcement, as well as litigating complex patent cases in federal courts. Elaine’s extensive litigation experience provides her with a unique perspective in prosecuting patent applications. Most recently, Elaine worked in-house for 6 years at Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures, where she managed over 500 matters in medical and software related technologies. As an avid believer in giving-back, Elaine serves a Board Member at No More Stolen Childhoods. She is also dedicated to improving diversity in the field of patent law through her numerous diversity leadership roles. Elaine hosts Driving Diversity, a weekly vlog sharing diversity-related tips and FAQ’s, as well as quarterly webinars in a series called Diversity Dialogue as part of Harrity’s Diversity Channel.