Christine Orich is a Partner in a Silicon Valley intellectual property law firm. Christine has more than 25 years of experience (and continuous, fast-paced learning!) in the fields of technology, law, and innovation, working across engineering, project management, non-legal corporate, in-house legal, and law firm roles in the software, pharmaceutical, and non-profit R&D sectors. As an outside lawyer, Christine has served clients in the software, AI, biotech, healthcare, aerospace, and motor vehicle industries. Christine is fortunate to have enjoyed academic, athletic, and professional growth opportunities in culturally diverse areas of the United States (Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast).

Others have found value in Christine’s ability to ask questions, facilitate productive meetings, quickly identify and capture the essence of discussions in written communications, organize and lead teams of diverse professionals, and manage projects to goals and target dates.

Christine is perhaps most proud of the impact of her volunteer work, including her involvement in the development of innovation policy at the federal level, her initiatives to introduce HBCU STEM students to intellectual property law, her efforts to mentor and advise entrepreneurs and startups, and her impact as a trained crisis counselor for at-risk youth.

Christine is enthusiastic about expanding the reach of America’s innovation ecosystem to all people, including groups that historically haven’t had access or participated fully. Christine is excited by opportunities to help students develop an innovation-oriented, problem-solving mindset and to empower them to have the confidence to pursue their ideas and dreams.

Christine brings the experience of frequently having been the only woman or one of a small number of women in her field, through which she has developed resilience, persistence, patience, and the ability to see, hear, and engage with many different viewpoints. Christine’s experiences in endurance sports have provided her with a strong work ethic and commitment to lifelong personal improvement.