Arti Rai

Arti K. Rai is an esteemed legal scholar and the Elvin R. Latty Professor of Law at Duke University School of Law. She is also the Faculty Director of the Center for Innovation Policy at Duke, where she specializes in intellectual property law, innovation policy, administrative law, and health law.123

Education and Early Career

Rai earned her A.B. in biochemistry and history from Harvard College in 1987, followed by a year at Harvard Medical School. She completed her J.D. at Harvard Law School in 1991, where she was part of a team that won the prestigious Ames Moot Court Competition. After law school, she clerked for Judge Marilyn Hall Patel in the Northern District of California and worked as a litigator at Jenner & Block and the U.S. Department of Justice.12

Public Service and Contributions

Rai has had a significant impact on public policy, particularly regarding patent reform. She served as a chief policy advisor at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) under the Obama administration, where she was instrumental in shaping patent legislation that led to the America Invents Act.123 Her work has focused on creating a more robust post-grant opposition system for patents and advocating for improved administrative practices within the patent system.1

Research and Publications

Rai is recognized for her extensive research, which has been funded by various organizations including the NIH and NSF. She has published over 50 articles in notable journals such as Science, New England Journal of Medicine, and Nature Biotechnology. Her writings often address issues related to biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and software within the context of intellectual property law.234

Professional Affiliations

In addition to her teaching role at Duke, Rai has held positions on several influential councils, including the National Advisory Council for Human Genome Research and the American Law Institute. She is actively involved in advising federal and state agencies on innovation law and policy matters.23

Through her academic work, public service, and advocacy for patent reform, Arti K. Rai has established herself as a leading figure in the intersection of law, science, and technology.