Biography
Vanessa is an Associate in Marshall Gerstein's Electrical & Computer Technologies Group, where she focuses on drafting and prosecuting U.S. and international patent applications. She works with clients across a broad range of technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, telecommunications and networking technologies, user interface and data visualization tools, software technologies, and software-enabled medical and healthcare technologies.
Vanessa is a native speaker of Mandarin (Chinese).
Representative Experience
Vanessa has experience preparing and prosecuting patent applications for software, AI-driven, telecommunications, and medical technologies, including innovations involving generative AI, predictive modeling, wireless communications, computer vision, and cloud-based systems.
Drawing on her technical background in physics, engineering management, systems engineering, and data science, she enjoys helping innovators develop patent strategies and protect complex software, artificial intelligence, communications, and healthcare technologies.
Education
- Indiana University Maurer School of Law (Bloomington) (J.D.)
- Southern Methodist University (M.S.)
- Engineering Management
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (B.S.)
- Physics
Bar Admissions
Background and Credentials
Prior to entering the legal profession, Vanessa spent five years working in systems engineering and data-driven analytical roles across corporate and nonprofit organizations. That experience enables her to quickly understand sophisticated technical concepts and communicate effectively with inventors.
Vanessa earned her J.D. from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, where she served as Executive Managing Editor of the IP Theory Law Journal and led the school's Legal Data Visualization Lab as Student Lab Director. During law school, she also gained in-house patent experience through an internship with Cook Medical and participated in patent and trademark matters through the USPTO Certified Intellectual Property Law Clinic.
Publications and Presentations
- "Navigating Timelines and Technology: Patent Strategies for Space and Earth," Engineering News-Record, April 23, 2026.
“Protecting Inventions in Outer Space: Understanding the Loopholes and Guarding Against Them,” IndustryWeek, August 15, 2024.