Andrei Iancu

Iancu was born in Bucharest to Leon and Inda Iancu.https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/mission-hills-ca/leon-iancu-6610496 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Iancu |first1=Andrei |date=2017 |title=Questionnaire for Non-Judicial Nominees |url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Iancu%20SJQ.pdf |access-date=February 14, 2018 |website=judiciary.senate.gov |publisher=U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary}} He emigrated to America with his family in 1981 at age 12,{{cite news|url=https://adevarul.ro/stiri-locale/pitesti/andrei-iancu-subsecretar-al-comertului-in-1984978.html|title=Andrei Iancu, subsecretar al Comerțului în Administrația SUA: "Un copil imigrant, cum am fost eu, a putut evolua în societatea americană și ajunge în guvern"|trans-title=Andrei Iancu, Undersecretary of Commerce in the US Administration: "An immigrant child, like me, could evolve in American society and end up in the government"|language=Romanian|first=Denis|last=Grigorescu| newspaper=Adevărul|date=November 23, 2019|access-date=November 28, 2023}} settling in Los Angeles.https://www.immigrationresearchforum.org/post/an-intellectual-property-lawyer-s-take-on-immigrants-centrality-to-american-innovation {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}} He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering in 1989, a Master of Science in mechanical engineering in 1990, and a Juris Doctor in 1996, all from the University of California, Los Angeles. At UCLA, he was initiated into Sigma Pi fraternity.{{cite magazine|date=Summer 2019|volume=103|number=2|magazine=The Emerald of Sigma Pi|title=Iancu Named US Patent And Trademark Office Director|page=58|url=https://greek.historyit.com/sigma_pi/reader.php?id=370&page=60}}

Before entering law school, Iancu was an engineer at Hughes Aircraft, from 1989 to 1993.{{Cite web|title=Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office: Who Is Andrei Iancu? |url=http://www.allgov.com/news/top-stories/director-of-the-united-states-patent-and-trademark-office-who-is-andrei-iancu-180326?news=860440|website=allgov.com|date=2018-03-26|access-date=2020-10-02}}

Following law school, Iancu joined Irell & Manella as an associate in 1999 and was later promoted to partnership. He was elected managing partner for two terms from 2012 to 2018.https://www.law.com/therecorder/almID/1202538799894/ {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}{{cite web |title=Andrei Iancu |url=https://projects.propublica.org/trump-town/staffers/andrei-iancu |website=propublica.org |date=March 7, 2018 |publisher=ProPublica|access-date=October 1, 2020}}

His legal practice focused on intellectual property litigation. As an attorney, Iancu appeared before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States International Trade Commission, U.S. district courts, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.{{cite news |title=President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2017/08/25/president-donald-j-trump-announces-intent-nominate-personnel-key |access-date=13 September 2017 |via=National Archives |work=whitehouse.gov |date=August 25, 2017}}{{PD-notice}}{{cite news |last1=Greene |first1=Kat |title=Trump Taps Irell Partner Andrei Iancu To Lead USPTO |url=https://www.law360.com/articles/958120/trump-taps-irell-partner-andrei-iancu-to-lead-uspto |access-date=13 September 2017 |publisher=Law360 |date=August 25, 2017}}

In 2006, while Iancu was a partner at Irell & Manella, the firm represented Donald Trump, NBC Universal and Mark Burnett in a copyright suit which alleged that Mark Bethea and Velocity Entertainment Group had originally pitched The Apprentice to the production team, under the title of CEO.{{cite web |title=Mark Bethea Idea Theft Case against Mark Burnett Productions Will Begin Trial on Wednesday, May 31, 2006; Bethea Claims Burnett Stole Concept That Became The Apprentice |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20060518005061/en/Mark-Bethea-Idea-Theft-Case-against-Mark-Burnett-Productions-Will-Begin-Trial-on-Wednesday-May-31-2006-Bethea-Claims-Burnett-Stole-Concept-That-Became-The-Apprentice |website=businesswire.com |publisher=UCLA School of Law|date=2016-05-18|access-date=2020-10-02}} The case was "jointly settled out of court with an undisclosed settlement paid to Bethea" that year.{{cite web| last1=Salkin|first1=Allen|title=The Long, Strange Beef Over Who Actually Invented 'The Apprentice' |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/3kxm95/the-long-strange-beef-over-who-actually-invented-the-apprentice |website=vice.com |publisher=Vice Media|date=2019-11-14|

access-date=2020-10-02}}

Iancu is also a lecturer of patent law at his alma mater, the UCLA School of Law.{{cite web |title=Andrei Iancu |url=https://curriculum.law.ucla.edu/Guide/InstructorCourse/10631?i=94 |website=ucla.edu |publisher=UCLA School of Law|access-date=October 1, 2020}}

File:President Donald Trump during the signing of U.S. patent 10 million in the Oval Office.jpg Donald Trump and Wilbur Ross during the signing of the ten millionth patent]]

Iancu was nominated by President Trump on August 26, 2017. A hearing on his nomination was held on November 29, 2017.{{Cite web|title=Nominations|date=November 29, 2018|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/committee-activity/hearings/11/29/2017/nominations}} His nomination was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on December 14, 2017 by a voice vote.{{Cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/12-14-17%20Results%20of%20Executive%20Business%20Meeting.pdf|title=Results of Executive Business Meeting – December 14, 2017|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|access-date=January 2, 2024}} He was confirmed by the Senate on February 5, 2018 by a 94–0 vote.{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1152/vote_115_2_00028.htm|title=On the Nomination (Confirmation Andrei Iancu, of California, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)|website=United States Senate|date=February 5, 2018|access-date=January 2, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Wolfe |first1=Jan |title=Lawyer Andrei Iancu confirmed to lead U.S. patent office |url=http://whtc.com/news/articles/2018/feb/05/lawyer-andrei-iancu-confirmed-to-lead-us-patent-office/ |access-date=February 5, 2018 |work=1450 99.7 WHTC |agency=Reuters |date=February 5, 2018 |archive-date=February 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207005337/http://whtc.com/news/articles/2018/feb/05/lawyer-andrei-iancu-confirmed-to-lead-us-patent-office/ |url-status=dead }} He assumed the offices of Under Secretary and Director on February 8, 2018, when he was sworn in.{{cite news |last1=Fucito |first1=Paul |title=Andrei Iancu Begins Role as New Director of United States Patent and Trademark Office |url=https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/news-updates/andrei-iancu-begins-role-new-director-united-states-patent-and-trademark |access-date=February 9, 2018 |publisher=U.S. Patent and Trademark Office |date=February 8, 2018}}

In 2020, Iancu was in office during the sharpest declines and inclines of trademark applications in history. COVID-19 lockdowns led to fewer filings in the beginning of the year, which then increased in July 2020, exceeding the previous July. September 2020 was subsequently the highest month of trademark filings in the history of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.{{Cite web|title=USPTO Director Andrei Iancu speaks on pandemic's effect on intellectual property |url=https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2020/09/uspto-director-andrei-iancu-speaks-on-pandemics-effect-on-intell/|website=americanbar.org|publisher=American Bar Association|date=2020-10-30|access-date=2020-10-02}}

Iancu returned to Irell & Manella as a partner on April 1, 2021, with his practice focused on intellectual property litigation and counseling.https://twitter.com/IrellandManella/status/1377653951777042435 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}{{cite web | url=https://ipwatchdog.com/press/irell-welcomes-back-former-uspto-director-andrei-iancu/ | title=Irell Welcomes Back Former USPTO Director Andrei Iancu }}https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/former-patent-chief-iancu-returns-to-irell-manella-in-firm-win {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}{{cite web | url=https://today.westlaw.com/Document/I00b15a50932811eb9b3383192684ddfd/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=(sc.Default) | title=Former PTO director Andrei Iancu rejoins Irell & Manella | Business Information & News | FE | Westlaw Today }}https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL1N2LU2LF/ {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}} Three months later in July 2021, Irell & Manella announced the launch of its Washington, D.C. office, with Iancu at the helm.{{cite web | url=https://www.irell.com/newsroom-news-993 | title=Irell Adds DC Office and USPTO Associate Solicitor Philip Warrick }}{{cite web | url=https://www.law.com/nationallawjournal/2021/07/07/irell-to-open-dc-office-with-plans-to-recruit-more/ | title=Irell to Open DC Office, with Plans to Recruit More }}https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/irells-andrei-iancu-helm-california-firms-new-dc-office-2021-07-07/ {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}} In April 2022, retired former Federal Circuit judge Kathleen M. O'Malley joined his office in D.C.,https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/irell-manella-snags-former-federal-circuit-judge-omalley {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/retired-federal-circuit-judge-joins-law-firm-irell-washington-dc-2022-04-21/ {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}{{cite web | url=https://www.law.com/nationallawjournal/2022/04/21/federal-circuits-omalley-joins-irell-chance-to-work-with-andrei-was-very-important/ | title=Federal Circuit's O'Malley Joins Irell—'Chance to Work with Andrei Was Very Important' }}{{cite web | url=https://sites.law.wustl.edu/WashULaw/CCD_Blog/employer-spotlight-irell-manella-llp/ | title=Employer Spotlight: Irell & Manella LLP | WashULaw CC Blog }} and a year later in July 2023, Sullivan & Cromwell announced that Iancu had moved to the firm along with Judge O'Malley.{{cite web | url=https://www.sullcrom.com/About/Rankings/2023/July/Sullivan-Cromwell-Strengthens-IP-Practice-Adding-Former-USPTO-Director-Andrei-Iancu-and-Former-Federal-Circuit-Judge-Kathleen | title=Sullivan & Cromwell Strengthens IP Practice, Adding Former USPTO Director Andrei Iancu and Former Federal Circuit Judge Kathleen O'Malley (Ret.) }}{{cite web | url=https://ipwatchdog.com/2023/07/11/iancu-omalley-head-sullivan-cromwell/id=163257/ | title=Iancu and O'Malley Head to Sullivan & Cromwell | date=July 11, 2023 }} He is based in Los Angeles and maintains an office in D.C.

Iancu is married to his wife Dr. Luiza Cecilia Iancu, a fellow Romanian-American immigrant. They have two children, Ariella Magen Iancu and Robert Gabriel Iancu.{{cite web | url=https://2017-2021.commerce.gov/about/leadership/andrei-iancu.html | title=Andrei Iancu }}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• Presidential Nomination no. [https://www.congress.gov/nomination/115th-congress/927 927], 115th Congress, U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. September 5, 2017.

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Category:1968 births

Category:Living people

Category:Lawyers from Bucharest

Category:Romanian emigrants to the United States

Category:UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science alumni

Category:UCLA School of Law alumni

Category:UCLA School of Law faculty

Category:20th-century American lawyers

Category:21st-century American lawyers

Category:California lawyers

Category:American patent attorneys

Category:First Trump administration personnel

Category:Under Secretaries of Commerce for Intellectual Property

Category:American engineers

Category:Sigma Pi members