John Weatherspoon is a patent attorney at NGUYEN TARBET IP Law. John has over twenty years of experience as an IP advisor for startups and larger publicly traded companies. He has worked with many clients across various industries, including aerospace, biotech, healthcare and medical, pharmaceutical, computer, and semiconductors. As a registered U.S. patent attorney, John specializes in strategies for building, protecting, monetizing, and enforcing intellectual property portfolios. He provides freedom-to-operate opinions, handles IP due diligence and IP licensing, and advises on strategies for commercialization of IP. Additionally, John has notable patent litigation experience, having been part of several successful litigation teams, and significant ANDA and ITC patent litigation experience.

Before joining NGUYEN TARBET IP Law, John co-founded a pharmaceutical startup called Affirmed Pharma. He has also worked at both boutique and larger firms in the Washington DC area, including Morgan Lewis, Winston & Strawn. His background includes serving as a U.S. Patent Examiner and working as a research scientist at Burroughs Wellcome (now part of GlaxoSmithKline) in Research Triangle Park, NC.

• George Mason University School of Law (J.D., 2002)
• The George Washington University (Ph.D. in Pharmacology, 1998)
• Duke University (B.S. in Neuroscience, 1990)

John also has a lot of professional experience as an advisor, author, panelist, speaker at conferences, an instructor and a mentor to young entrepreneurs. Here is a representative summary of some of John’s professional activities:

• Invited to be listed in “Top 100 Innovators and Entrepreneurs Magazine” (2024)
• Invited for listing in “Marquis Who’s Who in America” (2023)
• Invited to participate in the Healthcare CEOs Roundtable (Opus Connect) (2022)
• Author, “Considerations for Effective Patent Strategies in the Life Sciences” (The Life Sciences Lawyer magazine) (2021)
• IP Advisor to PandemicTech (2016-2017)
• IP Advisor, VesaliuX accelerator, Houston, TX (2016-2017)
• Mentor, NIH Commercialization Accelerator Program (NIH CAP) FeedForwardTM Session, sponsored by the Larta Institute (2016)
• Speaker, “Latest Trends and Developments in IP Licensing Agreements Explored! LIVE Webcast”; The Knowledge Congress Live Webcast Series (2015)
• Speaker, Intellectual Property Licensing, INPEX Annual Conference, Pennsylvania (2012)
• Participant, Marcus Evans Intellectual Property conference, Singapore (2012)
• Speaker, “IP Research Strategies: Getting a Grip on the Competitive Landscape and Identifying the Best Targets”; Annual Licensing Executive Society Conference, San Diego, CA (2011)
• IP Speaker, UNEMED Regional Technology Transfer Conference (“MTECHX”), Omaha Nebraska (2011)
• Guest Instructor for the Discovery to Market course, at the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School, Baltimore, MD (2011)
• Speaker on BNA’s Video Insight Intellectual Property series, greater Washington DC area (2010)
• Panelist, Biotechnology/Life Sciences section, MIT Enterprise Forum, Washington DC area (2010)
• Panelist, “Learning to Love IP: You Can’t Make a Drug Without It” at the Life Sciences Summit 2010, Long Island, NY (2010)
• Speaker, Obtaining Effective and Enforceable U.S. Patents, Executive MBA Program, Mt. Washington Conference Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (2010)
• Organizer and Speaker, Practical Strategies for Researchers, Universities, Governments and Foundations to Facilitate and Sustain the Development and Funding of Additional Translational Research Programs, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (2010)
• Speaker, Practical Tips for International Patent Protection, Inventors Network of the Capital Area; greater Washington DC area (2010)
• Speaker, Intellectual Property Issues in Structuring Deals, Montgomery County, Maryland Technology Incubation Center; greater Washington DC area (2009)
• Speaker, Practical Tips for Obtaining Effective and Enforceable U.S. Patents, Inventors Network of the Capital Area; greater Washington DC area (2009)

• State Bar of Maryland
• District of Columbia Bar (D.C. Bar)
• United States Patent and Trademark Office
• Patent Practitioner in Texas

Weatherspoon JK, Werling LL. Modulation of Amphetamine-Stimulated [3H]Dopamine Release from Rat Pheochromocytoma (PC12) Cells by Sigma Type 2 Receptors. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 289(1): 278-84, 1999.

Weatherspoon JK, Frank AR, Werling LL. Neurotensin, N-acetyl-Aspartylglutamate and Beta-Endorphin Modulate [3H]Dopamine Release from Guinea Pig Nucleus Accumbens, Prefrontal Cortex and Caudate Putamen. Neuropeptides 30(5): 497-505, 1996.

Rigdon GC, Weatherspoon JK. 5-Hydroxytryptamine 1a Receptor Agonists Block Prepulse Inhibition of Acoustic Startle Reflex. Pharm. and Exper. Therapeutics, 263(2): 486-93, 1992.