Meet Jessica

I am driven by a passion for science and the innovators behind it. While my career began in Chemical Engineering at Northeastern University, my time in the lab taught me a critical lesson: I wanted to be closer to the strategy of innovation than the benchwork itself.

A pivotal collaboration with a patent attorney during an internship revealed my true calling—bridging the gap between technical discovery and legal protection. I transitioned to law school to advocate for the scientific community, and today, I thrive in Intellectual Property, where I can continuously learn from the world’s most passionate creators.

My career has been a journey through every type of organization- from startups and VC firms to large, global corporations and world-class nonprofits. This isn't just a list of roles; it is my secret weapon for serving Sagacity’s clients. Because I have spent my career as “the client,” I don't just provide legal advice, I provide strategic business solutions that I know work from the inside out.

• Startups: My first role out of law school was unique- I worked for a consulting firm that served as part-time in house counsel to a dozen life sciences startups. I saw firsthand how technologies save lives and knew I wanted to be the one helping to bring those technologies to patients.
• Global Corporations: At Draeger, I "learned the ropes" of the corporate world, managing IP strategy and complex portfolios globally.
• Venture Capital: Moving into the VC world, I wore many hats for a VC firm and its three life sciences portfolio companies. It was here, while assisting the Chief Legal Officer and eventually taking over management of transactions, that I discovered my true calling: Intellectual Property Transactions.

I have been the one receiving the 20-page legal memo when I actually needed a two-sentence recommendation. I bring that pragmatic, "get it done" mentality to every transaction I manage at Sagacity.

My Philosophy: Deals are Partnerships

A contract provides the framework, but the relationship provides the results.. Success in innovation is the result of connection, collaboration, and community. My philosophy is rooted in the idea that my job isn't just to protect and monetize assets, but to facilitate the collaborations that allow those assets to thrive. I don't just negotiate transactions, I build the networks of trust and strategy that move innovation forward.

Joining Sagacity Legal as the Head of IP Transactions is deeply personal. For the past 13 years, Randi Karpinia has been more than a colleague- she has been my mentor, my confidante, and a constant source of inspiration.

Randi and I have worked side-by-side through various chapters of our careers, and we are officially coming together because we know we are stronger as a team. Randi has built Sagacity into a premier firm rooted in technical excellence and resilience, and I am honored to build upon that foundation.

Having spent my career as “the client” in startups, global corporations, venture capital firms, and nonprofits, I now bring the opportunity to share those experiences with Sagacity’s clients and offer strategic business solutions that I know work.

Blending this with Sagacity’s deep roots in intellectual property protection, we are a holistic powerhouse for innovators.