James (Jim) McParland, Ph.D. is a partner and intellectual property lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. Jim is a member of the firm’s Chemical, Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Practice as well as Foley’s Health Care & Life Sciences and Energy Sectors.

Jim commits his practice to identifying, securing, and protecting IP of clients as well as addressing the intersection of such IP with clients’ broader business goals. Jim has successfully represented clients in the areas of small molecule chemistry (e.g., small molecule cancer therapeutics, imaging agents for cancer, and “theranostic” compounds for both treating and imaging cancers), pharmaceuticals, natural product formulations, food products (e.g., candies, confectionaries, and beverages), agriculture, cannabis, beauty and personal care products, renewable fuel manufacture, fuel upgrading, energy production, polymers, batteries, and medical devices.

Jim’s practice includes patent preparation, both U.S. and foreign prosecution, due diligence, mergers and acquisitions involving IP, risk mitigation strategies, and preparing opinions on freedom-to-operate, patentability, and invalidity. Jim has also successfully represented both petitioners and patent owners in multiple inter partes review and derivation proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and further successfully supported patent and trade secret litigation.

Prior to joining Foley as an associate, Jim worked in the technology transfer department at the University of Kansas securing protection and providing strategic planning for developments from both the research groups as well as the medical center.