Department Chair
S. Craig Hemenway

S. Craig Hemenway

Shareholder

Background

Twenty years serving as counsel to Apple Inc. handling its worldwide IP portfolio of more than 3,000 active assets. Built a best-in-class portfolio of over 150 patent assets for Clear in five years. Operates at the intersection of technology and business serving as a highly valued advisor.

Craig Hemenway develops creative strategies that enable clients in the technology sector to leverage intellectual property assets to achieve marketplace prominence. Brownstein’s lead patent attorney and chair of the firm’s IP Department, he works with both startups and major corporations to manage complex portfolios of patent assets. A former control systems engineer dealing with complex electrical and mechanical systems, he masters mechanical and technical issues quickly—a skill that is essential when distilling a concept to its essence for patent applications.

Whether handling due diligence and negotiations during transactions or prosecuting key patent applications, clients’ business goals drive his legal strategy. Craig believes the key to effective legal counsel is to analyze issues as if he were the client, focusing on their business strategy and needs. This approach is why many of the nation’s largest organizations—including some of the world’s largest personal technology, software, cloud-based storage and networking companies—rely on him for their most critical matters. Craig’s broad expertise in creating and enforcing intellectual property portfolios and understanding of high tech matters make him his client’s most valuable asset. 

Representative Matters

Recent Experience

  • Represented a Fortune 50 company to protect and grow its consumer goods-related intellectual property across a broad range of technologies, including sensors, input mechanisms, imaging, mechanical structures, manufacturing processes and more, spanning thousands of assets worldwide.

  • Represented a Fortune 250 company for patent protection related to networking, data transmission, content delivery and related hardware. Prepared opinions of counsel for noninfringement, invalidity and freedom to operate.

  • Served as IP licensing counsel for financial industry client, assisting client in licensing IP assets and entering new markets.

  • Performed IP due diligence for clients relating to purchases of company, including establishing chain of ownership, evaluating coverage of applications, providing analysis of strength of acquired portfolio with respect to competitors and strategies for expansion of IP.

  • Represented medical device manufacturer for protection of stents, valves, and catheters.

Insights & Publications

Credentials

Education

  • J.D., 1998, University of Georgia School of Law, cum laude
  • B.S., 1992, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Previous Experience

Control Systems Engineer, Bechtel

Admissions

  • Colorado
  • Georgia (inactive)
  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Memberships

Member, Corporate IP Management Committee, Intellectual Property Owners Association

Member, Colorado Lawyers’ Committee

Community Involvement

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:

Colorado Business Committee for the Arts

Recognition

AWARDS:

"He is an excellent patent lawyer who melds business sense with patent knowledge." - Chambers USA, 2024

"Craig's biggest strength is breaking down complex and technical issues so that I can understand them." "He is exceptional." - Chambers USA, 2023

“Craig is curious, engaged and makes the IP world easy to navigate. He has a deep understanding of the different strategies available for protecting IP, both domestically and internationally. This allows him to articulate the different trade-offs between strategies in relation to the client’s business goals.” - IAM Patent, 2023

5280 Top Lawyers, Intellectual Property: Patent, 2022

Best Lawyers in America, 2020-2025

Chambers USA, 2020-2024

IAM Patent 1000, 2013-2024

Colorado Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2009-2010

IP Stars - Global, 2018