The IAM Strategy 300 focuses exclusively on patent practitioners and has firmly established itself as the definitive 'go-to' resource for those seeking world-class legal patent expertise.
CEO of iPEL, Brian Yates, is a business-savvy licensing and portfolio expert who knows how to maximise the value of intellectual property. He is a long-term strategic thinker who sees the big picture.
Brian Yates is CEO of iPEL Inc, which he founded in 2017. During its first year, iPEL secured $200 million in capital for the purpose of building one of the most valuable patent portfolios in the world. Through a series of acquisitions and divestments, Mr Yates curated iPEL’s current patent portfolio, which covers many of the core products and services being offered by leading technology companies around the globe.
Mr Yates has completed a wide range of licences for iPEL, such as a free licence to a start-up company and an eight-figure licence to a medium-sized Silicon Valley company. For infringing companies that refuse to respect iPEL’s patent rights, they can expect to defend their actions in court.
From 2000 to 2010, Mr Yates represented technology companies as a patent prosecutor and patent litigator. In 2011, he left legal practice to become an entrepreneur. During the seven years leading up to iPEL, Mr Yates founded more than 40 technology companies – each one focusing on a different aspect of technology and owning valuable patent rights. While Mr Yates did not personally invent those amazing technologies, he did partner with extremely talented companies and individuals.
During the past decade, Mr Yates has successfully licensed the patents of his wholly-owned companies to more than 1,000 companies, including nearly every technology company on the Fortune 1000. Excluding transactions where Mr Yates served as legal counsel for a client, he has successfully completed patent transactions on behalf of his own companies, totalling hundreds of millions of dollars.
Mr Yates obtained his chemistry degree from Whittier College and his JD from Loyola Law School, where he graduated with honours and received numerous awards, including the American Jurisprudence Awards for obtaining the highest grades in constitutional law, advanced legal writing, appellate advocacy and trial advocacy.