Michelle K. Lee

Michelle Lee built her own television as a child. During her senate confirmation hearing, Lee testified that she was first exposed to technology and innovation when she built a Heathkit radio with her father.https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/1-21-15%20Lee%20Testimony.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}} Her family is of Chinese descent.{{Cite web|url=http://www.allgov.com/news/appointments-and-resignations/director-of-the-us-patent-and-trademark-office-who-is-michelle-k-lee-141122?news=854893|title=Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: Who is Michelle K. Lee?}}

Lee simultaneously obtained a B.S. in electrical engineering and an M.S. in electrical engineering and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1989;{{cite web |title=Michelle Kwok Lee - Lawyer Profile |url=http://www.martindale.com/Michelle-Kwok-Lee/182294-lawyer.htm |website=martindale.com |publisher=LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell |access-date=March 16, 2015}}{{cite web |title=Michelle K. Lee |url=http://www.uspto.gov/about-us/executive-biographies/michelle-k-lee-0 |website=uspto.gov |publisher=U.S. Patent and Trademark Office |access-date=March 16, 2015}} her master's thesis was on qualitative behavior of nonlinear circuits.{{Cite thesis |last=Lee |first=Michelle Kwok |title=Summarizing Qualitative Behavior from Measurements of Nonlinear Circuits |degree=M.Sc. |url=http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/6825 |date=May 11, 1989 |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology |hdl=1721.1/6825 |access-date=March 16, 2015 |oclc=20639817 }} She obtained her Juris Doctor from Stanford University School of Law in 1992.

Before her legal career, Lee worked as a computer scientist at Hewlett-Packard Research Laboratories and at MIT's Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.

She was admitted to practice law in California in 1992, and is a registered US patent attorney.[https://www.law360.com/articles/7245/silicon-valley-counsel-google-s-michelle-lee Erik Larson “Silicon Valley Counsel: Google's Michelle Lee”, Law360, 27 July 2006] Lee served as a clerk for federal judges Vaughn Walker of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and Paul Redmond Michel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Prior to joining the USPTO, she was an attorney with the law firm of Keker & Van Nest from 1994 to 1996,{{cite news |last1=Straehley |first1=Steve |title=Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: Who Is Michelle K. Lee? |url=http://www.allgov.com/news/appointments-and-resignations/director-of-the-us-patent-and-trademark-office-who-is-michelle-k-lee-141122?news=854893 |website=allgov.com |access-date=March 16, 2015 |date=November 22, 2014}} when she joined Fenwick & West, where she later became a partner, before joining Google in 2003.{{cite web |title=UNITED STATES SENATE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY QUESTIONNAIRE FOR NON-JUDICIAL NOMINEES |url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Lee%20Questionnaire%20Final.pdf |website=judiciary.senate.gov |publisher=United States Senate |access-date=5 October 2020 |pages=23 |date=28 October 2014}} Lee was deputy general counsel and head of patents and patent strategy at Google from 2003 to 2012.{{cite web |url=http://about.bloomberglaw.com/law-reports/former-google-ip-counsel-michelle-lee-to-head-pto-as-director-search-continues/ |title=Former Google IP Counsel Michelle Lee to Head PTO as Director Search Continues |date=December 11, 2013 |website=bloomberglaw.com |publisher=Bloomberg }}{{cite news |last1=Samuels |first1=Diana |title=General Counsel Winner (IP Lawyer): Lee leads Google's efforts to improve nation's patent system |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2012/03/02/general-counsel-winner-lee.html |access-date=March 16, 2015 |work=Silicon Valley Business Journal |date=March 2, 2012}} While at Google, she co-founded Chief IP Counsels (ChIPs), a networking organization for female patent attorneys.

Lee's first position with the USPTO was as Director of its Silicon Valley satellite office.{{cite web |url=http://www.uspto.gov/news/pr/2013/13-39.jsp |title=U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker Names Michelle K. Lee as Next Deputy Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office |date=December 11, 2013 |website=uspto.gov |publisher=USPTO |access-date=January 29, 2014}} She was appointed Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director on January 13, 2014.

In October 2014, President Barack Obama announced that he intended to nominate Lee to the office of Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property, heading the USPTO on a permanent basis.{{cite news |last1=Scola |first1=Nancy |title=Obama nominates former Google exec to lead U.S. Patent Office |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/10/16/obama-nominates-former-google-exec-to-lead-u-s-patent-office/ |access-date=October 17, 2014 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=October 16, 2014}}{{cite web |title=President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/10/16/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts |access-date=October 17, 2014 |via=National Archives |work=whitehouse.gov |date=October 17, 2014}} Obama officially nominated Lee on November 11,Presidential nomination no. [https://www.congress.gov/nomination/113th-congress/2103 2103], Michelle K. Lee, of California, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, vice David J. Kappos, resigned, 113th Congress, November 11, 2014. Accessed January 7, 2015. and her initial confirmation hearing was held December 10.{{cite news |last1=Scola |first1=Nancy |title=Obama's pick to head the Patent Office has Congress's support. She just doesn't have its approval. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/12/10/obamas-pick-to-head-the-patent-office-has-congresss-support-she-just-doesnt-have-its-approval/ |access-date=January 8, 2015 |work=The Switch |agency=Washington Post |date=December 10, 2014}} However, Congress adjourned without her confirmation, and the nomination was returned to the President on December 17.

Following Senate rules, in order for Lee to be confirmed; Obama re-nominated her to the Senate of the 114th Congress, and he did so on January 8, 2015.Presidential nomination no. [https://www.congress.gov/nomination/114th-congress/61 61], Michelle K. Lee, of California, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, vice David J. Kappos, resigned, 114th Congress, January 8, 2015. Accessed March 6, 2015. Her second confirmation hearing was held January 21,{{cite news |last1=Sasso |first1=Brendan |last2=Volz |first2=Dustin |last3=Ryan |first3=Laura |title=Republicans Outline Net Neutrality Bill |url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech-edge/republicans-outline-net-neutrality-bill-20150115 |access-date=January 15, 2015 |work=National Journal |date=January 15, 2015}}{{cite news |last1=Brachmann |first1=Steve|title=Michelle Lee confirmation hearing brings questions on fee shifting, post-grant proceedings |url=http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2015/01/22/michelle-lee-confirmation-hearing/id=53993/ |access-date=January 28, 2015 |work=IP Watchdog |date=January 22, 2015}} and the Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously in favor of her confirmation on February 26.{{cite news |last1=Quinn |first1=Gene |title=Senate Judiciary Unanimously Approves Michelle Lee |url=http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2015/02/27/senate-judiciary-unanimously-approves-michelle-lee/id=55244/ |access-date=March 6, 2015 |work=IP Watchdog |date=February 27, 2015}}

Lee was confirmed by the full Senate by voice vote on March 9, 2015,{{cite news |last1=Carney |first1=Jordain |last2=Trujillo |first2=Mario |title=Senate approves former Google executive for patent chief |url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/235117-senate-approves-former-google-exec-as-patent-chief/ |access-date=March 9, 2015 |work=The Hill |date=March 9, 2015}} and took the oath of office on March 12, when she was sworn in by Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.{{cite news |last1=Schwartz |first1=Eric Hal |title=New Patent Office Director Sworn In by Commerce Secretary at SXSW |url=http://dcinno.streetwise.co/2015/03/13/new-us-patent-chief-sworn-in-at-sxsw/ |access-date=March 16, 2015 |work=DCInno |publisher=Streetwise Media |date=March 13, 2015}}

Lee resigned from the USPTO on June 6, 2017.{{cite news |last1=Scola |first1=Nancy |last2=Zhou |first2=Li |title=Patent Office Director Michelle Lee resigns |url=http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/06/michelle-lee-patent-office-resigns-239200 |access-date=June 6, 2017 |work=Politico |date=June 6, 2017}} Upon Lee's resignation, USPTO Associate Solicitor Joseph Matal began performing the functions and duties of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office until Andrei Iancu was sworn in.

In September 2019, Lee joined Amazon Web Services as Vice President of Machine Learning Solutions Lab.{{cite news |last1=Spiezio |first1=Caroline |title=Former PTO head Michelle Lee tapped to lead Amazon AI team |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uspto-lee/former-pto-head-michelle-lee-tapped-to-lead-amazon-ai-team-idUSL2N26927V |access-date=29 September 2020 |publisher=Reuters |date=September 18, 2019}} In May 2020, MIT Corporation, the governing board of trustees of Lee's alma mater, elected Lee as a term member (2020-2025).{{cite web | url=https://news.mit.edu/2020/corporation-elects-12-members-0529 | title=MIT Corporation elects 12 term members, three life members | date=May 29, 2020 }}{{cite web | url=https://corporation.mit.edu/all-members/michelle-k-lee | title=Michelle K. Lee | the MIT Corporation }}{{cite journal |last1=Kurilla |first1=Michelle G. |title=Former University President Faust Named to MIT Corporation |journal=The Harvard Crimson |date=May 30, 2020 |url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2020/5/30/faust-mit-corporation/ |access-date=29 September 2020}} In November 2021, Lee was elected to MassMutual's board of directors.https://www.massmutual.com/about-us/news-and-press-releases/press-releases/2021/11/massmutual-elects-michelle-k-lee-to-the-companys-board-of-directors {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}} In March 2022, Unity Technologies appointed Lee to its board of directors.{{cite web | url=https://unity.com/news/unity-appoints-michelle-k-lee-board-directors | title=Unity Appoints Michelle K. Lee to Board of Directors }} Lee is currently the Founder, CEO and Principal Advisor of Obsidian Strategies, Inc.{{cite web | url=https://obsidianstrategiespc.com/people | title=Obsidian Strategies, Inc }}

{{Reflist}}

• Michelle K. Lee, [https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/michelle-k-lee official biography] at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
• Presidential Nomination no. [http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/nominations/executive/pn2103-113 2103], 113th Congress, U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee
• Presidential Nomination no. [http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/nominations/executive/pn61-114 61], 114th Congress, U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee

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Category:1965 births

Category:Living people

Category:Under Secretaries of Commerce for Intellectual Property

Category:American patent attorneys

Category:American women of Chinese descent in politics

Category:American politicians of Chinese descent

Category:MIT School of Engineering alumni

Category:People from Santa Clara, California

Category:Stanford Law School alumni

Category:21st-century American businesswomen