Michael Indrajana J.D. has been running a successful solo-practice out in Silicon Valley for some time now. Unlike many in the Patent industry, Mr. Indrajana took an entrepreneurial route from the very beginning, immediately challenging major players in the field at a time when litigation has been significantly consolidated. While he has since branched out from his patent practice, he still continues to handle patents in the semiconductor industry. KLK: Thank you for talking to me. Why did you start off solo in what has to be one of the toughest solo-markets ever? MI: I started as a solo because back when I received my license in 2008, the economy was really bad and no one was hiring. They were only hiring experienced counsel, and you need to work in order to gain experience. I decided to solve the chicken-egg problem by starting my own practice and worked as a contract attorney with more senior counsels in order to quickly gain experience. KLK: What is the most interesting patent that you have worked on? MI: Keith, each patent is interesting in its own right. Even the most mundane invention has its own unique story how they came to be, and each one of them represents the hard work and effort of the inventors. KLK: Did you always think you'd be a litigator? MI: Not quite -- I found out that I have a knack for litigation when I started to help out some clients who were getting screwed big time by other people. It's one thing to be a part of something big in the marketplace (i.e. being the patent attorney of a major invention), but there's something satisfying when you know that as an attorney you are looking out for those in need. KLK: That's interesting because a lot of folks are saying that patent litigation is really declining? Do you see that happening? MI: Honestly, I see a decline, but it's cyclical. The AIA and ALICE decisions have caused a lot of industry changes, and it just takes some time to adapt. Once attorneys adapt, I think litigation will recover. However, I do recommend branching out into other specialties if you have a small practice. KLK: And what about China, that metaphorical boogeyman of the blogosphere? MI: China's rise definitely poses challenges to infringement litigation, but any international situations do. The A.I.A. really fixed a lot of international issues. Also, don't underestimate the muscle of the PCT. KLK: What does it mean to provide the best possible quality service to your clients? MI: That means I'm not running a high volume practice. Rather, I strive to make sure that each active case has enough resources from my end to be handled appropriately. I network with few key partners and counsels, so any referrals are fully vetted for. KLK: So? How do you compete with large firms in Silicon Valley? MI: You have to work hard, and you have to play hard. Costs and expenses are absurd here, so you have to be extremely efficient and productive to maintain a successful practice. You need to use law practice software like Clio and understand technologies that can simplify and streamline your practice so you can focus on your billables. KLK: What's your research process like? MI: I start with science/tech blogs to see the current trending topic. From there, I also subscribe legal news blogs to see what goes on in the courts. Between the two, I beef up my knowledge from relevant CLE programs, and for technical stuff, I usually start from Wikipedia and go from there. Remember that as a patent attorney, your client is the ultimate expert, while in a trial, you cannot testify as an expert so you will need an expert witness anyhow. KLK: What do you think about the sites like CoFounders Lab and Avvo? MI: They're fantastic for answering basic questions, and most importantly, getting your future entrepreneurs and inventors to learn your name. They're great for attorneys in solo-practice or at small firms for just building a reputation. Keith Kevelson is a 1L student at the University of New Hampshire School of Law, and a member of the student Patent Law Forum.
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