Overview
Vaishali Udupa is a nationally recognized intellectual property (IP) lawyer with deep experience in IP litigation and procurement, strategic counseling, and global IP policy. Having most recently served as commissioner for patents at the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO), Vaishali draws on her unique combination of public- and private-sector leadership to guide clients through their most complex IP challenges.
As commissioner for patents, Vaishali served as the USPTO’s chief operating officer for patents and managed all agency functions related to examining and issuing patents. She also spearheaded the USPTO’s artificial intelligence (AI) strategy, developing guidance on inventorship, subject matter eligibility, and the use of AI tools in patent practice.
With a particular focus in the high-tech sector, Vaishali previously held senior in-house roles at a Fortune 500 technology company, where she managed a broad spectrum of notable litigation disputes and advised on portfolio development, licensing, and enforcement strategy. Her experience spans networking and telecommunications systems, computer software, and e-commerce, as well as the consumer products and medical devices industries. Recognized as a thought leader on the intersection of IP law and emerging technologies, Vaishali is a frequent speaker on issues at the forefront of innovation and policy.
Vaishali began her legal career in the private sector representing clients in patent litigation across leading district courts, including the District of Delaware, the Northern and Southern Districts of California, and the Eastern and Western Districts of Texas, as well as before the International Trade Commission (ITC).
Recognitions
- South Asian Bar Association of Washington, DC, Public Sector Trailblazer Award, 2023
- Managing Intellectual Property, Corporate IP Star, 2015-2022
- National Bar Association, Diversity in Tech and IP Award, 2020
- DCA Live, Top Corporate Counsel, 2019
- Fortune, Most Powerful Women Next Gen, 2016
- Virginia Lawyers Weekly, Influential Women of Virginia, 2015
- Federal Circuit Bar Association, Global Fellow, 2014
Credentials
Education
American University Washington College of Law, JD, 2000
University of Virgina, BS, 1996
Admissions
District of Columbia
Virginia
