Derek Meeker

Derek Meeker represents clients in post-grant proceedings before the USPTO and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He handles patent appeals, reissues, and review proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. His technical range includes complex electronics and mechanical inventions such as turbocharger systems.

Derek earned his BSEE in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, graduating in 1995. He later completed his JD at Wake Forest University School of Law in 2005. This combination of education allows him to approach patent issues with both technical accuracy and legal precision, especially in advanced technologies.

Derek contributed to cutting-edge innovation before becoming an attorney. He worked on ARPA-funded research and helped develop optical communication devices that significantly extended range and capacity. As an inventor on patents in this field, he gained firsthand knowledge of the innovation process, which now supports his legal practice.

Derek has partnered with clients of all sizes, from fast-growing startups to global enterprises. Early in his career, he joined a startup as one of the first employees and helped scale it to more than 1,000 people. During that time, he led product design, built production lines, and implemented quality control processes—hands-on experience that gives him a deep understanding of real-world business needs and operational challenges.

Derek focuses on post-grant reviews, patent prosecution, appeals, and patentability analysis. He assists clients with non-infringement, invalidity, and freedom-to-operate opinions. His work has led to favorable outcomes before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, turning innovative concepts into valuable IP assets.

Derek Meeker also guides clients in building effective internal systems for acquiring and protecting intellectual property. His balanced experience as an engineer and attorney enables him to represent inventors and businesses with a practical and strategic approach, helping protect ideas at every stage of innovation.

Law Office Affiliations

• Partner, Laurence & Phillips IP Law
• Member, United States Patent and Trademark Office
• Member, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Licensed State

• Indiana

Education

• Wake Forest University School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  Bachelor of Science (BS)

Awards & Badges