Melissa M. Adams

Melissa M. Adams is a principal at Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP in Boston who advises biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies on intellectual property strategy. Her practice focuses on patent prosecution and portfolio development, intellectual property due diligence, and IP-related strategic transactions. She works with clients ranging from early-stage ventures to established companies, helping them protect valuable innovations in biologics, cell therapy, gene therapy, gene editing, immunology, microbiology, and related life sciences fields.

Melissa earned her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in 2020, completing an Intellectual Property Law Concentration with Distinction. She received a Ph.D. in biology from Harvard University, an M.S. in biology from Stanford University, and both a B.S. in biology and a B.A. in journalism from North Carolina State University. Her scientific training in molecular biology, microbiology, genomics, and bioinformatics supports her ability to evaluate complex technologies and translate technical developments into practical patent strategies.

Melissa has prepared and prosecuted complex patent applications before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in more than 30 foreign jurisdictions. She manages patent portfolios for startups and multinational corporations and conducts freedom-to-operate, patentability, landscape, and competitive surveillance analyses. Her transactional work includes intellectual property support for Series A and Series B financings, biotechnology due diligence, and drafting and negotiating IP-related agreements.

Melissa M. Adams has been recognized by The Legal 500, Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, and Massachusetts Super Lawyers as a Rising Star. She also received National Science Foundation and Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations graduate fellowships. In addition to her client work, she serves as co-chair of the Boston Patent Law Association’s Ethics Committee and mentors participants in the Harvard Graduate Women in Science and Engineering program. Her multidisciplinary background helps clients align patent protection with scientific and business goals.

Law Office Affiliations

• Principal, Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP
• Member, Association for Women in Science
• Co-Chair, Boston Patent Law Association
• Member, Phi Delta Phi

Licensed State

• Massachusetts

Education

• Suffolk University Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Harvard University
  Doctor of Philosophy (PHD)
• Stanford University
  Master of Science (MS)
• North Carolina State University
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)
• North Carolina State University
  Bachelor of Science (BS)