Sara Townsend
Associate
Silicon Valley
San Francisco
Sara Townsend
Associate
Silicon Valley
San Francisco
Contact details
Sara is an associate in the Intellectual Property practice in Silicon Valley. She litigates patent disputes chiefly in the technology and life sciences sectors and has experience in computer networking, software, telecommunications, medical devices and DNA sequencing.
Sara has appeared in matters before U.S. District Courts in California and Texas. Capitalizing on stand-up opportunities for newer attorneys, Sara secured a motion to dismiss in her first oral argument by persuading the court that a non-practicing entity’s patent claims constituted ineligible subject matter. Her practice also includes drafting petitions for inter partes review to the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
As a former environmental policy analyst, Sara learned how to work with diverse stakeholders and successfully advocate before state and federal decision-makers. She now leverages her ability to distill complex issues and translate science into layman’s terms to create persuasive legal arguments about patent claims.
Office
Silicon Valley
550 High Street, Second Floor
Palo Alto
CA 94301
San Francisco
140 New Montgomery
San Francisco
CA 94105
Qualifications
Professional
Admitted: State Bar of California, 2018
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
Academic
J.D., Santa Clara University School of Law, 2016
M.A., Marine Affairs & Policy, University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science
B.S., Ecology & Evolution, University of California, Santa Barbara
B.A., Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara
Related articles
Publications: 15 February 2023
Patent litigation strategies: Don’t overlook The Netherlands
Writing for Managing IP, our lawyers explain why the Netherlands is the gateway to Europe and we shouldn’t overlook it in patent litigation strategies.
Office
Silicon Valley
550 High Street, Second Floor
Palo Alto
CA 94301
San Francisco
140 New Montgomery
San Francisco
CA 94105
Qualifications
Professional
Admitted: State Bar of California, 2018
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
Academic
J.D., Santa Clara University School of Law, 2016
M.A., Marine Affairs & Policy, University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science
B.S., Ecology & Evolution, University of California, Santa Barbara
B.A., Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara
Pro bono
- Presented evidence that persuaded the State of Texas to not oppose the removal of an intellectually disabled prisoner from death row
- Researched state voting laws for the Brennan Center for Justice’s report entitled Voting During Covid-19: A comparison of policies and changes as a result of Covid-19
Filed a Federal Tort Claim Act complaint on behalf of a father and son who sought asylum but were instead forcibly separated at the border and never reunited - Helped parents obtain a conversatorship for their intellectually disabled 18 year-old son
