About Phillip K.
Phillip K. Decker combines scientific training and legal training in a career concentrated on intellectual property. He reads complex technical disclosures and turns them into clear legal positions. Colleagues describe his style as methodical; he tends to favor careful analysis over rhetoric.
Decker began his academic path at the University of Washington, where he completed undergraduate studies in microbiology and international studies in 2005. He then attended George Mason University School of Law and earned his J.D. in 2010. Those two degrees — one anchored in the life sciences and the other in law — set the stage for work at the intersection of science and patent law.
After law school he moved into private practice and later joined Fenwick & West LLP. Over the years at Fenwick he has handled matters that draw on both technical knowledge and patent law procedure. He is admitted to practice in Massachusetts, the District of Columbia, Virginia and Washington. He is also registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The technical background in microbiology informs how he approaches patent prosecution and counseling in the life sciences. He reviews patent specifications and prosecution histories, assesses prior art, and prepares patent applications that describe biological inventions. He also works on freedom-to-operate questions that companies face when they bring new products to market.
Decker’s work requires translating lab concepts into patent claims that stand up to examiner scrutiny. He writes detailed responses to examiners, crafts claim amendments, and coordinates filings across multiple jurisdictions. He collaborates with inventors, outside counsel and in-house teams to align legal strategy with business and scientific goals.
Outside the drafting and prosecution work, he has experience managing docketing and coordinating timelines for complex portfolios. That practical side of patent practice helps clients keep filings on schedule and manage costs. He pays attention to process as well as substance.
He currently practices intellectual property and patent law at Fenwick & West LLP, representing clients on patent prosecution, counseling, and portfolio management matters.
