Setting Patent Strategy to Reduce Risk – LinkedIn Case Study

Over the course of four years, we helped LinkedIn fundamental reduce their patent risk profile by helping them set a patent strategy and buy over 900 patents. Our case study with Sara Harrington Vice President Legal, Intellectual Property, Product, and Privacy, and Pierre Keeley Director of Patents was published in IAM Magazine #81.

In 2012 LinkedIn found itself a potential target for corporate patent asserters. It had revenue reaching nearly $1 billion, with growth of 86%, yet owned only 22 patents. However, this changed fundamentally from 2012 to mid-2016, when LinkedIn grew its organic portfolio from 36 to over 1,000 patent assets and purchased more than 900, dramatically reducing its risk profile.

Erik Oliver and Kent Richardson join LinkedIn’s Sara Harrington, Vice President Legal IP, Product, Privacy, and Pierre Keeley, Director of Patents, to author the story of how LinkedIn connected its business needs with its patent strategy to fundamentally increase LinkedIn’s freedom to operate.

You can download the paper here.