About Us

Barbara A. Ruskin, Ph.D., J.D. is a registered U.S. Patent Attorney and since 1993 has acted as Intellectual Property (IP) Counsel for numerous corporate and academic clients in biotechnology, pharmaceutical and other life science industries. She has broad expertise across multiple scientific disciplines and diverse IP matters, rendering advice on worldwide patent portfolio management and litigation strategies, corporate transactions and IP due diligence from both the company and investor perspectives.

Barbara established BA Ruskin Law LLC in May 2012 with the vision of creating a legal consulting practice providing savvy and sensible advice individually tailored to fit the practical business needs and budgets of each client for each matter. She often manages projects with other legal counsel, scientists and business managers, and can build a team with specialists as befits the individual project. She works with clients to build and maintain value in a cost effective manner. With non-U.S. based clients in particular, she counsels on how to maximize U.S. patent value within an international portfolio, developing patent prosecution strategies unique to United States patent law to maximize patent life on key products and methods.

From September 2017 to February 2019, Barbara served as SVP, General Counsel/Chief Patent Officer of Molecular Templates, Inc. (Nasdaq:MTEM) and from April 2015 to August 2016, as SVP, General Counsel/Chief Patent Officer of Bionor Pharma, a Norwegian public company. At each company, she managed general legal and intellectual property matters including corporate financing and regulatory matters, business development, licensing and patent portfolio management.

Prior to May 2012, Barbara was a partner at Ropes & Gray LLP in New York City. She joined Ropes & Gray as a partner in the IP Corporate Group in January 2005, when it merged with Fish & Neave, the former IP law boutique where Barbara trained as a patent agent and practiced patent law as an associate after leaving academic science in 1993.