By Connor Siem. The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University
January 13, 2026
I had the opportunity to interview Salumeh Ramsay, the founder of S.R. Patents. Salumeh spent over 15 years as a patent litigator and earned her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and her J.D. from the University of Michigan.
1. Can you tell me about your career path and what led you to specialize in IP law?
I graduated from the University of Michigan in 2004 during a major boom in the legal market, where nearly 80% of my class went into litigation. After clerking for a District Court judge and practicing general litigation in New York for a few years, I decided to move back home to Portland. I knew I wanted to specialize rather than remain a generalist, and in 2007, I pivoted to patent litigation because I noticed a significant lack of women. I spent years at a boutique firm gaining extensive trial experience, but following the pandemic, I shifted my focus to the plaintiff side, where I now identify, build out, and monetize cases
2. What does a typical day look like for you as an IP attorney?
For the first ten years I worked all of the time, like literally all the time including holidays, nights, and weekends. But now I am working for myself, so I don’t have to do that anymore but in order to do what I do now my prior experience was essential.
3. In your experience, what is the biggest challenge in translating ‘engineer-speak’ into ‘judge-speak’ during a trial?
Well since I don’t have a stem background, technical people would explain it to me, and I would explain it how I understood. If I didn’t understand we wouldn’t present it that way.
4. What advice would you give to law students who are interested in pursuing a career in IP litigation?
I think patent prosecution will change dramatically with AI. Like I can do so much with AI so my biggest advice is to embrace emerging technology especially AI.
5. Are there any particular courses or extracurricular activities you would recommend for students to better prepare for a career in IP?
Keep your connection and contacts because you never know who has work. Network!
6. What are your thoughts on the future of IP law in the context of emerging technologies like AI ?
Prosecution will change tremendously, repeat type of work will go. A lot of discovery work will be replaced. There will be way more emphases in future on creativity, client contact, and future development.
7. For someone who is already Patent Bar eligible, would you recommend taking the exam before or after starting as a summer associate?
Take it during school if you can afford it, it only adds value.
8. How does the firm utilize associates with advanced degrees (like an M.S. in Computer Engineering) differently than those with just a B.S.?
Some clients require Ph.D, mostly client driven for pharmaceuticals, chemistry, and biotech. Once you establish your career it doesn’t matter unless you are doing specific prosecution.
9. What led you to choose a IP boutique rather than a “Big Law” general practice firm?
If you’re in Portland and you want to do high-level patent law, the boutiques are where the real work happens. Big law has lots of internal politics and it is hard to justify patent prosecution billables. A lot of those big firms aren’t actually that technical; they end up hiring boutiques to help them out anyway.
10. At what point in your career did you decide to focus on litigation versus prosecution, and what factors influenced that choice?”
Transaction is a completely different practice. I like litigation, the game, the play, the intensity, I like to win, I like the rush.