With nearly 450 attorneys in 13 offices nationwide, we take pride in our collaborative approach, our lasting relationships and our unique perspectives. Other attorneys echoed the importance of mentorship, and helping inventors build social networks. Their president, Jefferson Davis, had unsuccessfully tried before to get a U.S. patent on a propeller invented by a man, Benjamin Montgomery, enslaved by his brother, according to research from University of Kentucky law professor Brian Frye. By looking over 961 patent attorneys resumes, we figured out that the average patent attorney enjoys staying at their job for 1-2 years for a percentage of 32%. US Supreme Court Rules That Patentee Maintains Burden of Proving Infringement in Actions Brought by Licensee, (Article, Board Oversight of IP Strategy (F&L National Directors Institute, 11/13), How Bad Is It, Counselor?What Do You Mean, I Don't Know?! Duane Morris energy attorneys assist clients with advisory, regulatory, litigation, transactional and legislative matters involving environmental, energy and natural resources issues. Years ago, she said, a Black deputy general counsel at a Fortune 500 company got Gills a meeting with the outfits White general counsel. Comparatively, there are 7.9% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 6.5% of the Asian ethnicity. Some companies tend to go with what they know, he said. To understand what its like for a black lawyer practicing IP, she said to imagine playing a game of Monopoly where you begin with no money or property and your opponents already have significant amounts of it. As an African American Patent Attorney, she is an active member of The Chicago's first Black Inventors Organization and provides assistance to African American Inventors throughout the United States. Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ patent attorneys. in biology, again from Texas Southern University. Los Angeles Uzodima Frank Aba-Onu Optum Eden Prairie Aji Abiedu Freedom Forever Temecula Chauna Abner McGuireWoods LLP - Baltimore Baltimore Reginald Abrams, Sr. Law Office of Reginald W. Abrams, Sr., L.L.C. To contact the reporter on this story: Matthew Bultman in New York at mbultman@correspondent.bloomberglaw.com, To contact the editors responsible for this story: Keith Perine at kperine@bloomberglaw.com; Cheryl Saenz at csaenz@bloombergtax.com, Learn more about a Bloomberg Law subscription, Photo Illustration; Jonathan Hurtarte/Bloomberg Law; Photos: Getty Images, Photo by Thomas S. England/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images; Photo by Kean Collection/Getty Images; Photo by Bettmann Archive/Getty Images, federal intellectual property legislation, Black inventors vastly underrepresented in patent system, Scholars say diversity gap has deep historical roots. Jamaal's enthusiasm for intellectual property law and the underlying science of medical device technologies is matched by his strong knowledge and mastery of the challenging patent process. LexisNexis and Bloomberg Law are third party online distributors of the broad collection of current and archived versions of ALM's legal news publications. Email: info@allgaierpatentsolutions.com, Reviving an abandoned trademark application, THE ROLE LICENSES PLAY IN INCREASING BUSINESS REVENUE. Stay tuned! Call the Hollin Law Offices in Georgia today at 770-872-4703, or contact us online. Supreme Court Relaxes Exceptional Case Standard in Pair of Fee-Shifting Patent Cases (Article, Apple v. Samsung: Implications for Patent Infringement Cases, Injunctions and Sales Ban (dri IP Seminar, 5/14). Jeanne has likewise been lead counsel in over 25 PTAB proceedings, having handled IPRs, CBMs, and rare derivation proceedings, including defense of several PTAB decisions before the Federal Circuit (see e.g., IPR2013-00178 and IPR2013-00578). It was great to see a prominent lawyer who looked like me; it materially contributed to my vision of success. One of the first Black women in U.S. history to receive a patent, she expanded upon . There are relatively simple steps that firms can take too. He counts Kasowitz as a friend. Thomas L. Jennings (1791-1859), for example, learned tailoring and dry cleaning and carried on that business in New York City, where in 1821, at the age of 30, he received a patent for an improvement in dry cleaning processes perhaps the first black person in this country to have received one . The cost of getting a patent, which can run into the thousands of dollars, and a lack of early exposure to the patent system present barriers to already marginalized communities. Customer Service| The most common ethnicity of patent attorneys is White (75.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.9%), Asian (6.5%) and Black or African American (5.7%). The Litigation Landscape Post-, Avoiding a Career Silo: Understanding and Converting Your Value (10th Annual CYOC Career Development Conference, IP Law Pre-Conference 9/07), Hot Topics in Trademark Law (DuPont Legal Conference, 9/07), Taking A Company's IP To The Next Level (Client CLE, 6/07), Use of Expert Witnesses in Patent Litigation (BNA/ABA Seminar, 11/06), Are Opinions of Counsel Still the Best Defense to Willfulness in IP (Patent & Trademark) Litigation (F&L Corporate Counsel Seminar, 10/06), Battling Global IP Piracy & Counterfeiting (Chair, F&L 2nd Annual IP Conference, 9/06). James Smith, the first chief judge of the federal Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and now chief intellectual property counsel at Ecolab Inc., said hes actually had attorneys hand him their bags to carry. 67% of Patent Attorneys are 40+ years old or older, 29% are between the ages of 30-40 years, and 4% are between 20-30 years old. As we celebrate Woman's month, founder of Mashabela IP Attorneys, Tumelo Mashabela, first black female patent attorney in South Africa, is determined to make a difference in local and international businesses by providing world class patent counsel through her boutique law firm which is situated in Pretoria. All three credit mentorssome black, some whitewith making a difference in their careers. The most common foreign language among patent attorneys is Chinese at 21.8%. Site Map, Advertise| Jeanne also serves as vice chair of the firms national Intellectual Property Department focusing on Strategic Marketing & Business Development, and she previously served as vice chair of the Intellectual Property Litigation Practice. According to the 2019 edition, 5% of lawyers are African American, . He has particular experience in patent preparation, prosecution and counseling in the fields of medical devices, optics, semiconductors, superconductors, lasers, solid state physics, RF and radar electronics, television/display technologies, software, electrochemical and optical sensors, organic and organometallic chemistry, pharmaceuticals, polymers and DNA assays. By looking through more than 961 resumes, we found that the most popular places for patent attorneys are Washington, DC and Chicago, IL. B. We determined the average age of patent attorneys based on ethnicity and gender. Feeling a personal connection to the enterprise was critical. To fix this, you can: 1. In particular, say Black lawyers who have broken through, people are surprised they can speak the language of patent law and that many of them have attained scientific and technical knowledge. Patent attorneys are most in-demand in Los Angeles, CA. Our Team Account subscription service is for legal teams of four or more attorneys. In addition, she regularly presents seminars, and publishes on a variety of IP topics, including: Jeanne has previously served on the firms Strategic Planning, Diversity, and Recruiting Committees and was the former chair and founder of the firms African-American Attorneys Affinity Group. 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Gills Named an Honoree at Corporate Counsel 2022 Women, Influence and Power in Law Awards, Foley Attorneys Recognized in 2023 Best Lawyers in America, Foley Represents The League in Acquisition by Match Group, 16th Annual IP Conference (Virtual): Knowing When and How to Pivot 2.0, Health Plan Transparency in Coverage Rule, The University of Chicago Law School (J.D., 1994), Michigan State University (B.S., with honors, electrical engineering, 1991), Ready to Respond: A Roadmap for Diverse Attorneys to Serve on Corporate Boards (CMCP Virtual Seminar, 3/21), General Counsel BootcampIntellectual Property (Client CLE, 2/21), Diversity & Inclusion: Beyond the Boardroom (F&L National Directors Institute, 11/20), Knowing When and How to Pivot 2.0 (Chair, F&L 16th Annual IP Conference, 10/20), Elevate: How to Breakthrough Your Inner Glass Ceiling & Reclaim Your Power to Lead (CCWC 16th Annual Conference, 9/20), Recent Developments in Patent Law & Best Practices with Patent Opinions (Client CLE, 6/20), 2019 PTAB Year In Review (F&L Webinar, 1/20), When and How to Pivot (Chair, F&L 15th Annual IP Conference, 10/19), Advanced, Patent Litigation Seminar (Chair, PLI, Chicago, 2009-2018), Proving and Guarding the Real Economic Value of IP (Chair, F&L 14th Annual IP Conference, 9/18), Trade Secrets Protection, Enforcement, and Litigation (Sandpiper Partners LLC, 6/18), Diversity & Inclusion (Law Bulletin Ethics Seminar, 6/18), Top Ten Tips for a Successful Mediation in Intellectual Property Cases (AIPLA Annual Meeting Presentation and Article, 10/17), Forging Ahead: Strategies for the New Unknown (Chair and Speaker, F&L 13th Annual IP Conference, 10/17), Chicago Black Partners Alliance, Marshall Movie Premiere Event (10/17), Career Not Moving Fast Enough? The figures are particularly damning for African American lawyers. Getting The Talent Balance Right: From Layoffs to Laterals to Mergers, How Can Firms Staff for Success? Researchers say the underrepresentation means the U.S. is missing out on significant inventions, with fewer perspectives and ideas in the pipeline. Patents & Trademarks. There have been periods of history where the patent system wasnt even available to large swaths of the Black population, stymieing their participation. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Racial Gap Sustained The racial divide persists for many reasons that don't lend themselves to simple fixes. We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. Apprenticeships in the 21st Century, In Search of Hetty Green: Self-Made Women Millionaires, Patent Waivers (or Dont know much about history), Is Technology a Race? Patent grants allow us to objectively prove novelty and priority. This data shows how men and women predominate in the patent attorney position over time. Its almost hard to know where to start, Gills said. Black STEM students are more likely to switch majors or leave college than Whites, researchers from the University of Texas and Florida International University found recently. "The greater horror is that they were nothing. Lawyers go to court for criminals or against criminals. FURTHER DUPLICATION WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. Black or african american patent attorneys have the lowest average salary at $82,666. Women Earn 93 For Every $1 Earned By Men. In addition, Jeanne has been Peer Review Rated as AV Preeminent, the highest performance rating in Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings system. Patent records also refute the common tendency to attribute an entire industrial category to a single inventor in fact, over 800 similar signalling devices were filed before 1910, and dozens prior to Benjamins own invention. She is a member of the firms Management Committee and the Manufacturing Sector Advisory Board. These are not the inventors that were growing up learning about, said Griffin, who testified to Congress about patent diversity this year. We've been helping experienced inventors, first-time inventors, and businesses (and their in-house legal teams) protect their inventions and brands with patents and trademarks since 2004. Claims that black inventors filed patents under the names of white attorneys seem absurd: under U.S. patent laws, any such patents would be invalid, as even the most incompetent lawyer would know; and there was no reason at all to do so, since all applications were submitted in writing and it was impossible for anyone at the patent office to identify the inventors race. The systemic challenges were driven home for Turner at a bar event some months ago. We found most patent attorneys work for a private company. Most historians agree that Thomas L. Jennings is the first African American patent holder in the United States. An Ounce of Prevention Smart Patent Prosecution Can Minimize Litigation Oops (Article. I could see the beads of sweat on his forehead, because he was probably like, Oh my God, Gills said, Is my GC going to think she is fabulous?. With her electronics background and given her attorney registration to practice before the USPTO, Jeannes broad-based IP experience also includes: counseling related to product configuration trade dress and use of color as a trademark; handling TTAB and UDRP matters; resolving copyright ownership disputes, particularly in the areas of computer software and associated documentation; handling contractual disputes concerning IP rights and the theft or use of IP by a companys former employees, business partners and/or independent contractors; counseling clients on IP holding companies, including how to maximize value from an IP portfolio when certain assets are likely to be the subject of IP litigation; handling cases involving the intersection of trade dress, design patent, and utility patent protection for consumer and industrial products; and conducting discovery abroad throughout Europe, Singapore and Japan. Metrics And Measurements for Law Departments (, How to Litigate in the Digital Decade (Defendants' Patent Counsel (doing damages expert cross-exam and closing argument) in Mock Trial Plenary Session involving patent and trademark infringement; AIPLA Mid -Winter Institute, 1/04), Bank One: Law Firm Diversity Symposium (Panelist, 12/03), A Woman and Minority Perspective on Client Development (CBA, 9/03), IP Litigation and Opinions Using Litigation Knowledge to Advance Career Success (NBA Annual Convention, 8/03). And you recruit at the law schools they attend. Clothes Line Support December 12, 1895 551,105 . Clients, attorneys say, are among the greatest gatekeepers for helping Black lawyers excel. 7.9% of Patent Attorneys are Hispanic or Latino, 6.5% of Patent Attorneys are Asian, 5.7% of Patent Attorneys are Black or African American, 4.4% of Patent Attorneys are Unknown, and 0.2% of Patent Attorneys are American Indian and Alaska Native. You could start there, she said. Lawyers do XYZ. Miriam Benjamin was actively involved in the patenting process, as an inventor and assignee. Theres a willingness to discuss the root causes of discrimination, not just the symptoms. To view this content, please continue to their sites. A registered patent attorney, he uses his background in biomedical engineering to prosecute even the most challenging patent applications for medical device technologies. Among the roughly 8% of students in ABA accredited law schools who are Black, many are first generation law students, and may not have strong insight regarding the structure of law school, Dike said. University of Nebraska College of Law Professor A. Christal Sheppard was in her last year of completing a PhD in molecular biology before considering becoming a patent lawyer. On what other basis would you think that I couldnt possibly be [on the committee] other than my skin color or gender? she said. The Cochran Firm was founded over 40 years ago by the late Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr., one of the country's most well-known and well-respected legal advocates. Elijah McCoy was also the son of African American parents who escaped slavery. Law.com Compass delivers you the full scope of information, from the rankings of the Am Law 200 and NLJ 500 to intricate details and comparisons of firms financials, staffing, clients, news and events. Patent attorneys earn the most in Massachusetts, where the average patent attorney salary is $117,586. For more information, please see our Cookie Policy. from the John Marshall Law School. The National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF), founded in 2001, is a nonprofit trade association comprised of minority and women owned law firms and other interested parties throughout the United States. ***I am indebted to Barbara Levergood of the Bowdoin College library and Rene Bosman at UNC-Chapel Hill, for their generous assistance in locating these bills. Within the legal profession, clients, firm management and associates have been reaching out to ask about ways they can help. From a broader historical perspective, she was not the first black inventor (Thomas Jennings obtained a patent in 1821), nor the first black woman patentee (Judy W. Reed, in 1884, was prior). Theres a direct correlation between the racial wealth gap and IP ownership, said Nina Archie, diversity and tech policy adviser at The Commercializer. That some lawyers have scientific backgrounds and use them was not on my radar, she said. 337-TA-1140) (ITC patent trial on automotive technology), TAS v. Cummins (jury trial on a license covering engine technology), and DeKalb v. Pioneer (jury trial on patents covering genetically engineered corn). Jeanne serves as a director with the Chicago State Foundation Board. There are also organizations like the New Voices Foundation, which helps women of color who are entrepreneurs, and the Chicago Inventors Organization, which has worked with a number of Black inventors. Apart from racism, Black IP attorneys say there are distinct reasons why they make up just 1.7% of their specialty, a figure based on a survey by the American Intellectual Property Law Association. Some law firms are looking to increase the pipeline by going beyond recruiting from top law schools. Born as Marguerite Johnson on April 4, 1928, Maya Angelou was a renowned poet, educator, and civil rights activist who moved to the Bay Area at the age of 14. "With little recourse to the courts, African Americans would have found it nearly impossible to fight patent infringement, even if they had been represented by white attorneys," Cook wrote. The patented software, LinkLine, is a web-based application for . Miriam E. Benjamin was born in South Carolina to a well-off family with a wide and influential social circle, and developed into an ambitious, confident and persistent young woman. Raychelle Tasher Company: U.S.. When Cooleys Drayton took the helm of the National Bar Association in 2018, he became the organizations first leader from an Am Law 50 law firm. 342B Park Avenue Unit B2 In the late 19th century, it was improved upon by Sarah Boone, an African American woman who was born enslaved. Even before she became the famous author we know today, she was already making history: At just 16 years old, she became the first black female streetcar conductor in San . Criminal Appeal Lawyers in Georgia You have the right to appeal your sentencing and conviction. Shreveport Uzezi Abugo Uzezi Abugo, Attorney at Law Michael Acquah Hueston Hennigan LLP Los Angeles Michael Adams DeCuir, Clark & Adams, LLP You have some jquery.js library include that comes after the Slider Revolution files js inclusion. Women, Influence & Power in Law UK Awards honors women lawyers who have made a remarkable difference in the legal profession. in biology from Texas Southern University in 1994, Ms. Allgaier went on to graduate in 1996 summa cum laude with an M.S. The invention was highlighted at the Atlanta Exposition of 1895. Patrice Jean, a molecular biology Ph.D. and co-chair of Hughes Hubbard & Reeds life sciences group; Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox partner Eldora Ellison; Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner partner Mareesa Frederick and others would qualify for such a list, Turner said. With this subscription you will receive unlimited access to high quality, online, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry. Segregation laws also made it harder for Blacks to patent their inventions. Women, Influence & Power in Law UK Awards 2023, Legalweek Leaders in Tech Law Awards 2023, WORKERS COMPENSATION ATTORNEY - Hartford, CT, Offering an Opportunity of a Lifetime for Personal Injury Lawyers, What Does Your Business Agreement Really Mean? There are over 3,943 Patent Attorneys in the United States. Jeanne has been selected by her peers for inclusion inThe Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Food & Beverage Law (2015-2023) and Litigation Intellectual Property (2017-2023) given her representation of many food/beverage and consumer products companies and work on IP matters; IAM Patent 1000 The Worlds Leading Patent Practitioners (since 2012); Benchmark Litigations Local Litigation Star (2018); Benchmark Litigations Top 250 Women in Litigation (2017); Managing IPs Top 250 Women in IP (2013) & IP Stars (since 2013); The Legal 500 US (Patent/Trade Secret Litigation, 2007, 2010; Patent Transactional, 2014-2015); Leading Lawyers (Patent Law, 2012-2013); LawDragon 3000 for IP (2011); Leadership Excellence in the Law Award (National Diversity Council, 2014); the countrys "Top Minority IP Partners" by AIPLA & MCCA (2003); the Nations Best Advocates: 40 Lawyers Under 40 Award by NBA & IMPACT (2010); the less than 5% of Illinois attorneys selected for inclusion in Illinois Super Lawyers (2005-2006, 20082018); the notable lawyers in Whos Who in Black Chicago (1st/3rd eds); and by Crains Chicago Business (2017) inaugural list of "Chicagos Most Influential Minority Lawyers." Jeanne has authored (and regularly updates) a chapter on Experts for the Patent Litigation Strategies Handbook (BNA Books). B.S. A lot of what keeps you in it is, Im part of the team. And African Americans made a lot of gains, holding office, owning property and filing patents at about the same pace as white inventors until 1900 following Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court. When you look at that requirement, you must then consider the population of black college students, or post-college grads that have that technical background. Barriers in science education for Black students start as early as middle school, they say. LexisNexis and Bloomberg Law customers are able to access and use ALM's content, including content from the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Legaltech News, The New York Law Journal, and Corporate Counsel, as well as other sources of legal information. If such an individual doesnt exist at their law firm, say to them, If you want to keep my business, hire some additional individuals to put on my team.. ABWA is partnering with the Dominican Bar Association to host a series of police reform webinars, which will update our members on the steps that are being taken to ensure more just policing practices. Another problem is a gap in those who leave college with degrees in patent-intensive fields like science, technology, engineering, and math, experts say. With Such Low Win Rates, Should Law Firms Respond to So Many RFPs? Our Membership Committee is actively working to bring back our members-only Mentorship Program, which will help members step outside of their comfort zones, astutely navigate the corporate landscape, and otherwise grow personally and professionally. Report: Judicial Diversity Grew in California Courts Last Year, Its Important for All of Us To Lift as We Climb: Black Women Judges Discuss Diversifying the Courts, Skilled in the Art With Scott Graham: I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together, Semiconductor Pioneer Adds Legal Chief With Deep Deal-Making Experience, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, Law.com Editors and Analysts Offer Top Trends to Watch for 2023. A law firm with a large IP department that includes paralegals and patent agents can ensure that those ranks are diverse. Likewise Foley & Lardner partner Jeanne Gills, a member of the firms management committee. Patent attorneys are most in-demand in Los Angeles, CA. Diversity, and Recruiting Committees and was the former chair and founder of the firm's African-American Attorneys Affinity Group. Do I matter? Do I care? STEM education, or practical experience verified by individual states, is a requirement to take that bar exam. Drayton said he too benefited from a black role model: former Cooley partner Daniel Johnson Jr., now of the Dan Johnson Law Group. There are a number of talented African American attorneys, men and women, who for years now have represented clients, said Pierce, the former chair of the IP section of the National Bar Association, the largest national network of predominantly Black attorneys and judges. Theyre really at the top of the industry, Turner said. Jamaalfrequently lectures on intellectual property law to attorneys and other professionals. But if they dont open the pool to see whats out there, they dont know what theyre missing., Turner notes that the underrepresentation of black attorneys is far from a new issue. The agency would also be required to make the data public. Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among patent attorneys. Arent Fox LLP Arnold & Porter LLP Baker & Hostetler LLP Littler Mendelson P.C. The same goes for the privilege and willingness to take advantage of systemic racism that we all witnessed in the recent video from Central Park, he said, referring to a viral video of Amy Cooper calling the cops on Christian Cooper, a black man who asked that she leash her dog. Which State Has The Most Patent Attorneys? At Stinson, our attorneys combine industry knowledge and business acumen to deliver practical legal guidance to clients ranging from individuals to privately-held enterprises to international corporations. The executive explained that he had asked his legal department to compile a list of the top black attorneys at big law firms, in the interest of diversifying the companys outside teams. Defend Trade Secrets Act: The Latest in Trade Secrets Developments, Presentation: WhatsReasonable? A U.S. Patent and Trademark Office council will begin tackling a huge challenge this year: boosting the percentage of patent owners who are Blacka figure that hovers in the single digits by some estimates. However, an overlooked and unique contribution is that she was the first black woman who practiced as a patent attorney. But there are not zero, he said. When combined with the census entry, these documented sources confirm the validity of the statement that Miriam E. Benjamin was the first black woman to practice as a patent attorney.. Although formal barriers to the patent system were removed with the abolition of slavery and the passage of the 14th Amendmentwhich guarantees citizenship to anyone born in the U.S.studies show Black inventors continued to face legal and societal obstacles. The most common ethnicity of patent attorneys is White (75.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.9%), Asian (6.5%) and Black or African American (5.7%). She Persisted at Law and Legislative Matters. Copyright 2023 ALM Global, LLC. Im surprised I havent heard of you, the executive said. Since 2008, she has focused her practice on patents related to medicine, medical imaging and instrumentation, scientific instruments, household products, and the life sciences. Gain access to some of the most knowledgeable and experienced attorneys with our 2 bundle options! Her trial experience includes bet the company cases with several hundreds of millions at stake, e.g., In re Certain Multi-Stage Fuel Vapor Canister Systems and Activated Carbon Components Thereof (Inv. Judy W. Reed, of Washington, D.C., was the first African American woman to receive a patent. All lawyers, but black lawyers especiallymake sure theyre playing an integral role in a meaningful case from the outset, he said. CAN I USE MY TRADEMARK ON PROMOTIONAL ITEMS? And, of course, if you have any suggestions on what ABWA can do to better serve you and our communities at this time, please email us atinfo@abwanewyork.org. Thats why the change in the conversation over the last two weeks has been so significant, he said. Allgaier Patent Solutions The most common degree for patent attorneys is bachelor's degree 45% of patent attorneys earn that degree. Janet Emerson Bashen became the first black woman to. Filed Under: Of Patents and Prizes, Women in the Republic of Enterprise Tagged With: diversity, intellectual property, patents, women, The Mystery of the Missing Minority Millionairess, A Halloween Debate: Diversity and Exclusion, Who was the First U.S. Economics Professor? The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation found African Americans, while making up 13% of the U.S.s native-born population, comprised less than 1% of the U.S.-born innovators it surveyed.