Bobby Hazelton
Age: 36. Associate, Fletcher, Tilton & Whipple, P.C., Worcester
Adjunct Professor, Suffolk University Law School
Bobby Hazelton is disproving the old saw that "you can't have your cake and eat it, too." With a BS in Applied Mathematics from Auburn University, he spent his early career as a software engineer doing support work and writing code. As his career progressed into IT consulting, he found himself reviewing contracts and settling disputes between companies and their IT vendors. That's where he caught the law bug.
Now, after completing his law degree at Suffolk University, he has parlayed his solid engineering credentials into a successful technology transfer specialty at FTW. The goal: Help clients get the most out of licensing their hard-earned intellectual property.
As Hazelton sees it, many companies not directly involved in R&D do not fully appreciate the value of their organization's intellectual property or the potential pitfalls in licensing deals.
"Sometimes this work can be very abstract," notes Hazelton, "and it takes someone with an understanding of engineering to explain the technology." He also draws lessons from his law school training in bringing together business partners who may initially be reluctant to make a deal.
"Bobby has developed some solid expertise in patent and copyright law and has been a great help on a number of technology transfer transactions," adds attorney Phil Davis, a FTW partner.
Besides his law practice, Hazelton remains very active with Suffolk Law School, where he works with the Mock Trial Team as principal coach for competitions sponsored by the American College of Trial Lawyers and the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. The school has won five straight New England regional championships in the National Trial Competition. This fall, Hazelton will also teach a course in Legal Research and Writing at Suffolk.
- Lawrence D. Maloney
WBJ Web Partners
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