Laura Peter to be the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Next Deputy Director General of the Patents and Technology Sector
Former Deputy Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office brings decades of IP law and management experience
ALEXANDRIA, VA—Today the Coordination Committee of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) approved Laura Peter’s appointment as the Deputy Director General of WIPO’s Patents and Technology Sector. Ms. Peter will serve a six-year term beginning on October 1, 2026. In this position, she will be responsible for administering the Patent Cooperation Treaty and WIPO’s programs related to the law of patents and their application.
“Laura Peter is a well-respected and thoughtful leader who is perfectly positioned to lead the Patents and Technology Sector at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in its promotion of strong and respected intellectual property throughout the world, most clearly advanced by WIPO’s filing and registration systems,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and USPTO Director John A. Squires. “Her expertise makes her uniquely qualified, including her experience in the private sector, academia, and her prior role as Deputy Director of the USPTO, where she helped oversee an organization of 13,000 employees. Laura’s work will benefit patent stakeholders worldwide, and we look forward to working closely with her as WIPO Deputy Director General.”
Ms. Peter has practiced intellectual property (IP) law for over 25 years. From 2018–2021, she was Deputy Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, where she spearheaded the USPTO’s Artificial Intelligence Policy Initiative and conducted international engagement to advance U.S. innovation leadership. She is currently the Executive Director of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Office of Research Commercialization and Partnerships, where she leads IP strategy and technology commercialization for a $500 million research institution.
Previously, Ms. Peter held positions at Silicon Valley firms, including as Deputy General Counsel at A10 Networks and Vice President and General Counsel at Immersion Corporation, where she led all aspects of the company’s legal issues, including its IP portfolio. She was also Assistant General Counsel and Director of IP at Foundry Networks. She began her legal career as a commercial and IP litigator at Townsend, Townsend and Crew (now Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP).
Ms. Peter received a B.S. in industrial engineering from Cornell University and a J.D. in intellectual property law from Santa Clara University. She also holds an M.A. in public policy from the University of Chicago and an LL.M. in international business law from the University of London.
WIPO is a specialized agency of the United Nations, located in Geneva, Switzerland. WIPO leads the development of an effective international IP system that enables innovation and creativity for the benefit of all. Established by the WIPO Convention in 1967, WIPO currently has 194 member states and provides a global policy forum, where governments, intergovernmental organizations, industry groups, and civil society come together to address evolving IP issues.
|
