About Dr. Michelle S.
Dr. Michelle S. Rhyu is a licensed attorney admitted to practice law in the State of California. She was admitted to the California State Bar in 2001. Her license is currently in active status. Dr. Rhyu is a partner at Cooley LLP, a global law firm with offices in Palo Alto, California, and other locations. She has been practicing law for over two decades, representing clients in the life sciences sector, including biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies.
Dr. Rhyu earned her Juris Doctor degree with distinction from Stanford Law School in 2000. Prior to her legal education, she completed her undergraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Molecular Biology in 1988. She furthered her education by obtaining a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics from the University of California, San Francisco, in 1994. Her doctoral research focused on asymmetric cell division in Drosophila neurogenesis, which was featured on the cover of the journal Cell.
Dr. Rhyu specializes in intellectual property litigation, with a particular emphasis on patent, contract, and trade secrets disputes within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. She has extensive experience leading litigation and trial teams, handling all stages of legal proceedings, including hearings, appeals, negotiations, and trials. Her practice encompasses complex commercial litigation, securities, and appellate litigation, serving clients in high-stakes disputes.
Throughout her career, Dr. Rhyu has been admitted to practice before several courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts for the Central, Northern, and Southern Districts of California. She has also been admitted to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Prior to joining Cooley LLP, she served as a law clerk for Judge James Ware of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and as an intern for Judge Paul Michel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Dr. Rhyu is an active member of the American Bar Association, the California Bar Association, and the Asian Pacific Bar Association. She has been recognized for her contributions to the legal field, including being named to The Recorder's "Women Leaders in Technology Law" list and recognized by the Financial Times as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Lawyers of North America. She is also a distinguished alumna of the University of California, San Francisco, Graduate Division, honored in 2017 for her unique and influential path of science achievement.
