About Helen
Helen Li brings a blend of technical depth and legal training to her work as a patent lawyer. She earned a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from Santa Clara University in 2006 and returned to the same campus to complete her J.D. in 2013. The combination of doctoral-level engineering research and legal education shapes how she approaches intellectual property questions.
Her early career followed an academic trajectory before she entered law. The Ph.D. involved hands-on engineering research and published scholarship in subjects tied to computer systems and design. After law school, she trained for and gained the credentials needed to represent inventors before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and she is also licensed to practice in California. That path—technical training followed by legal qualification—placed her squarely in patent practice.
Li’s work centers on patent procurement, counseling, and related IP strategy for technology companies. She prepares and prosecutes patent applications before the USPTO and advises clients on portfolio development. Her background in computer engineering helps when patent claims touch on software, systems, and hardware integration. She also supports transaction teams and outside counsel when patents are part of licensing or commercial deals.
At Fenwick & West LLP she contributes to the firm’s broader intellectual property practice. Her role includes drafting patent applications, responding to office actions, and coordinating prosecution strategies. She also assists in internal patent assessment and due diligence for corporate clients. Colleagues describe her as methodical; clients see a lawyer who can translate engineering details into patent-ready narratives.
Cases and client matters are handled day to day rather than in the headlines. Li’s profile reflects a steady practice advised by technical training and courtroom-adjacent work before the USPTO. She keeps current on developments in patent law and the technical fields that matter to her clients, especially as standards and patentability for software and systems continue to evolve.
Outside of casework she has maintained ties to the academic community where she earned her doctorate. That perspective informs how she evaluates inventions and frames claims. She currently practices at Fenwick & West LLP, where her work focuses on patent procurement and counseling for technology clients.
