By Avery Underwood
Avery Underwood is a 2L at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University and a McCarthy Institute Fellow. She has a background in genetics and bioinformatics and is interested in intellectual property law.
Introduction
I had the pleasure of speaking with Amir J. Sadeghi over Zoom on January 16, 2026. Amir is an intellectual property attorney at Jaburg Wilk here in Phoenix, AZ, where his practice focuses on trademark, copyright, and IP-related litigation. He is also an alumnus of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University and a former McCarthy Institute Fellow. I asked him several questions about his path into intellectual property law, his day-to-day practice, and how emerging technologies are shaping the future of the field. The answers below are paraphrased. The insights he shared offer a thoughtful look into the practice of intellectual property law and provide valuable perspective for students considering a career in the field.
1. Can you tell us about your career path and what led you to practice intellectual property law?
He explained that his interest in intellectual property law stemmed from his background in music. As a classically trained violinist who also plays guitar and drums, he developed a strong appreciation for creative expression and the industries built around it. When he entered law school, he gravitated toward intellectual property as a way to connect that creative background with legal practice and to protect, honor, and support artistic and creative works through the law.
2. What initially drew you to IP as opposed to other areas of law?
He explained that intellectual property stood out because it aligned naturally with his interests. An introductory IP course exposed him to copyright, trademark, and patent law, helping him understand the breadth of the field. While he was intrigued by patents, he recognized that his lack of a technical background made trademark and copyright a better fit.
Those areas, he explained, focus on protecting creative expression rather than technical innovation. That distinction ultimately solidified his decision to pursue intellectual property over other areas of law.
3. What does a typical day look like for you in your IP practice?
He described his practice as a mix of trademark work, copyright-related matters, and litigation. A significant portion of his time is spent conducting trademark clearance searches and preparing trademark applications for clients. He also handles copyright demand letter work, often assisting clients who believe their creative works have been infringed.
In addition, he works on commercial litigation matters that involve intellectual property components, including disputes related to software and trade secrets, where IP issues often play a central role. He noted that while copyright work in Arizona is still developing compared to states like California, it continues to grow, and trademark work remains a substantial part of his daily practice.
4. How has your practice evolved since you first started working in IP?
He explained that his role has evolved naturally as he gained experience. Early in his practice, much of his work focused on conducting trademark clearance searches. As he became more efficient and confident in that work, his responsibilities expanded to include greater client interaction.
He now regularly consults with clients regarding clearance results, trademark application strategy, and goods and services descriptions. Over time, he has also become more comfortable navigating the relevant statutes and applying them across different matters. He noted that, as with most legal practices, the way he approaches his work has continued to develop alongside changes in technology and workflow.
5. In your experience, what skills are most critical for success in IP law beyond technical expertise?
He emphasized that creativity is essential in intellectual property law. Because IP attorneys frequently work with highly creative individuals, they must be open-minded and flexible in their thinking. Creativity is also critical when applying established legal doctrine to unique works of expression.
In his view, success in IP practice requires creativity not only in understanding the works being protected, but also in crafting the legal arguments used to protect them.
6. What recent developments or trends in intellectual property law most affect how IP is practiced today?
He identified artificial intelligence (AI) as one of the most significant developments shaping intellectual property law. One of the most challenging aspects of AI is its ability to scrape creative works from the internet. While content may be publicly accessible, he emphasized that it is not necessarily in the public domain.
He explained that AI has greatly increased the speed and scale at which works can be copied or transformed, raising complex questions about ownership, infringement, and fair use. He also noted growing concerns around name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights, as AI-generated likenesses can replicate a person’s identity without consent.
In his view, these developments will continue to test existing intellectual property frameworks and require careful legal responses as technology evolves.
7. What advice would you give to law students interested in pursuing a career in intellectual property?
He encouraged students to get involved in the intellectual property community as early as possible. In Arizona, he explained, the IP community is relatively small, and attorneys tend to know one another well. By getting involved, students are likely to encounter recurring attorneys who can offer guidance, mentorship, and insight into the field.
He also emphasized the importance of actively engaging with the material while in law school, explaining that this approach played a significant role in shaping his own path. Rather than passively absorbing coursework, he regularly asked questions, explored hypotheticals, and pushed his understanding of how IP doctrine applied in different contexts.
He explained that this habit of engagement, both with professors and with the material itself, is what helped move him forward. By questioning how small changes might affect a work, whether in copyright, trademark, or other areas of IP, he developed a deeper and more practical understanding of the field.
8. Are there any courses, experiences, or extracurricular activities you would recommend for students hoping to enter the IP field?
He emphasized that serving as a USPTO student clinician at ASU’s Lisa Foundation Patent and Trademark Law Clinic was one of the most valuable experiences of his legal education. The clinic provided meaningful exposure to real-world practice, where he developed practical skills he continues to use today, including conducting trademark clearance searches, navigating the USPTO’s systems, and working with trademark applications. He noted that this hands-on experience helped bridge the gap between coursework and practice by allowing him to apply legal doctrine in a practical setting and gain confidence using the tools relied on by IP practitioners.
9. How do you see the field of IP law evolving over the next five to ten years?
He predicted that intellectual property law will continue to evolve rapidly in response to artificial intelligence. As creative works become easier to generate, modify, and distribute, he expects an increase in infringement disputes and more nuanced arguments about protectable works.
He also believes creators will become more proactive about licensing and protecting their work as awareness of these risks grows.
10. Looking back, is there anything you wish you had known earlier in your career?
He reflected on how common it is for law students to underestimate themselves when considering outreach to practicing attorneys. He explained that students often feel intimidated or assume they are not yet knowledgeable enough to engage with the legal community, even though that perception is usually unfounded.
He noted that many attorneys genuinely enjoy speaking with students and are often impressed by preparation and curiosity. His takeaway was that students should not be discouraged if outreach does not always receive an immediate response, and that confidence and persistence are important parts of professional development.