Scott E. Brient has over 25 years of experience in drafting and prosecuting patents that protect mechanical devices, computer systems and software, and business methods. His experience also includes trademark prosecution and licensing intellectual property to generate maximum revenue. Over the years, he has helped clients protect their intellectual property through design patents, trademarks, trade dress, and copyrights.
As a former partner at one of the nation’s leading law firms, Alston & Bird, where he practiced law for almost 10 years, Scott has extensive experience in evaluating complex patent portfolios and providing clients with strategic advice regarding competing patents within their industry.
Scott specializes in helping well-funded startup companies design comprehensive, multi-year plans for quickly protecting the company’s most critical IP in a cost-effective manner. In a recent engagement, Scott and his team helped an innovative startup reach “unicorn” status by working with the company to obtain over 300 issued patents in less than seven years. During that period, the company had a patent allowance rate of over 90% and received 8th place out of 775 entries in PatentBots’ patent quality rankings.
Scott has experience in a wide range of industries, including medical devices, cloud computing systems, dispensing systems, social networking systems, logistics technologies, complex industrial machines, software applications for handheld devices, computerized payment systems, RFID technology, wireless technologies, containers, manufacturing systems, and unique insurance products.
Scott received his J.D., with honors, in 1999 from the University of Florida and dual degrees in Mechanical Engineering and German in 1993. While in undergrad, he was a member of Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society. During law school, Scott excelled in courses in Patent Claim Drafting, Patent Law, and Patent License Agreement Drafting at Franklin Pierce Law School, one of the top patent law schools in the country.
Scott is also fluent in German and works frequently with German companies on patent-related matters.
Prior to attending law school, Scott worked as a Systems and Business Analyst for Electronic Data Systems (EDS) and as a Mechanical Engineer and Software Developer for the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Florida. At EDS, he worked on a team to develop a client/server computer system that processed all insurance claims for Vermont’s Medicaid program.
Scott is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Section and Atlanta’s IP Inn of the Court. He is a regular speaker at local Bar Association events. He is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and is admitted to practice law in both Georgia and Florida.
Representative Technologies
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Privacy management systems and other complex computing systems; medical devices; artificial intelligence; data storage; data mining; data analytics; data visualization; dispensing systems; logistics and telematics systems; parcel sorting systems; carpet manufacturing systems; plastic containers; packaging systems; insurance/financial services computing systems; RFID technologies; optics; eyewear; consumer product designs; smartboards.
Representative matters
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Served as the lead outside patent counsel for a well-funded startup company. His team helped the company obtain a valuation of over $5 billion in less than 5 years by working closely with the company’s founders and early-stage engineering team to obtain over 250 patents within that time period.
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Served as lead outside patent counsel for a worldwide transportation and logistics company with a particular focus on obtaining patent protection for complex logistics systems and packaging handling systems. The representation also involved providing strategic and legal advice regarding third party patents.
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Served as lead outside patent counsel to a $4 billion late stage startup cloud computing company, with an emphasis on identifying and protecting the company’s key cloud computing and social media technologies.
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Served as patent counsel for a major international insurance company with a focus on obtaining patent protection for unique insurance products, call processing systems, and insurance claim processing techniques. The representation also involved providing patent-related legal advice in the context of various business transactions.
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Served as lead outside patent counsel for an international rigid plastic packaging company with an emphasis on obtaining utility and design patent protection for unique plastic container designs and structures and related manufacturing techniques.
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Negotiated multiple licenses of key fiber optic technology that is widely used in modern bow hunting sights.
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Worked closely with a leading manufacturer of complex dispensing systems to develop a comprehensive portfolio of patents covering their products.
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Served as patent counsel for a leading public university with a focus on obtaining patent protection for complex mechanical devices, such as medical devices.
Articles
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Insurance Company Mergers and Acquisitions
Aspatore Books, March 2009, author of chapter entitled “Intellectual Property Considerations in Insurance-Related Mergers and Acquisitions”
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A Simple Plan for Protecting New Ideas In the Financial Services Industry
Financial Engineering News; November/December 2006; Issue No. 52
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AIPLA Patent Committee’s Hot Topics program
April 2023
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I Have an Idea, What Next?
University of Florida Department of Anesthesiology Ski Summit; March, 2023
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Patent Law Update
Atlanta Bar Association IP Section, SpringPosium Event; April, 2017
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Roundtable Discussion of Patent Prosecution Issues
Atlanta Bar Association IP Section, SpringPosium Event; April, 2016
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Patent Law Update
Atlanta Bar Association IP Section, SpringPosium Event; April, 2015
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Patent Law Update
Atlanta Bar Association IP Section, SpringPosium Event; April, 2013
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The Patentability of Computer Systems, Software, and Business Methods
Atlanta Bar Association IP Section, SpringPosium Event; April, 2012
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Intellectual Property Ethics
State Bar of Georgia Midyear Meeting; January, 2009
professional activities
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American Intellectual Property Association (AIPLA) – Electronic and Computer Law and Industrial Design Committees
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International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPA)
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Atlanta Bar Association
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Georgia Bar – Intellectual Property Section