About Bill
Bill Christiansen built a career at the intersection of laboratory science and the law. He combines deep technical training in the life sciences with long experience in intellectual property practice. The path from bench to bar is visible in his education and professional choices.
He began his academic training at Oregon State University, earning a B.S. in Biochemistry and Biophysics in 1991. He remained in the sciences and completed a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology at the University of Notre Dame in 1995. A few years later he turned to law, graduating from the University of Washington School of Law in 1998.
That sequence — undergraduate work, doctoral research, then law school — informs how he approaches client matters. His scientific background gives him familiarity with laboratory concepts and experimental design. Law school added training in statutory analysis, litigation fundamentals and client counseling. He is admitted to practice in Washington and is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, credentials that enable him to prosecute patents and advise on patent-related issues.
Christiansen is a partner at Cooley Godward Kronish LLP. In that role he has represented clients on patent matters that intersect with biology, chemistry and biotechnology. He works with inventors, companies and research institutions to evaluate inventive concepts, prepare patent applications, and respond to office actions. His work often involves translating technical detail into clear legal claims. He also counsels clients on portfolio strategy and the procedural aspects of securing patent protection.
Colleagues describe him as deliberate and analytical. He tends to tackle complex technical questions by breaking them into discrete legal and factual components. That approach suits patent practice, where claim language, prior art and prosecution history can determine outcomes. His scientific training enables him to read and assess technical disclosures with an eye toward how they will play out under patent law.
Outside filings and prosecution, he has participated in client meetings that span commercialization, licensing discussions and cross-border patent coordination. He communicates technical risks and opportunities in practical terms that business teams can use when making decisions. He balances detail-oriented work on patent drafts with the broader goals clients bring to each engagement.
He currently practices at Cooley Godward Kronish LLP, handling patent and intellectual property matters that arise in the life sciences and related technologies.
