Pooley, James
James Pooley PLC | Founder
James Pooley is one of the world’s foremost experts in trade secret law and management. His legal treatise, “Trade Secrets,” updated semi-annually, is the leading lawyer’s desk reference on the subject. His latest business book is “Secrets: Managing Information Assets in the Age of Cyberespionage” (Verus Press, 2015).
Mr. Pooley’s career as a sought-after advisor, IP litigator, and information security expert spans over four decades. His many leadership roles include his tenure as president of the American Intellectual Property Law Association and current term as chairman of the Selection Board of the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
On the international stage, Mr. Pooley served as Deputy Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva from December 2009 to November 2014, where he was responsible for the international patent system. In 2016, Mr. Pooley was named to the IP Hall of Fame.
Having returned to Silicon Valley, Mr. Pooley established a private law practice where he focuses on management of data assets and related litigation.
Mr. Pooley has argued that trade secrets are more important IP assets than ever. “Many companies today count their primary assets and primary worth by data, nothing but data. And the main way that we protect data is with trade secrets.