16 Apr 2018
Dallas-based Polsinelli shareholder Jason A. Wietjes, '03, has been appointed to the 2018 board of directors for bionorthTX, a nonprofit, member-driven trade association serving and representing the life sciences industry in North Texas.
“We are pleased to welcome Jason to our board of directors for the coming years,” said Terry Foster, CEO of bionorthTX. “His presence elevates the stature of our board, and he will provide a depth of experience that complements and enhances our current board make-up. I truly believe we are stronger by having him.”
Composed of companies from North Texas’ largest employers to emerging startups, bionorthTX is committed to encouraging the development of a rich ecosystem that allows for the growth and success of North Texas life science companies, as well as to strengthening the economy of local communities. Through events, educational opportunities, networking and access to capital, bionorthTX bridges stakeholder relationships to catalyze partnerships and propel commercialization.
“I am eager to contribute to the board’s support and guidance of bionorthTX’s vital work connecting leaders to further the progress of the local life sciences ecosystem,” said Wietjes. “I look forward to the opportunity to utilize my background in, and passion for, biotech and biopharma to advocate on behalf of member companies to impact policy and continue the forward momentum that bionorthTX and its members have worked very hard to establish.”
As a shareholder in Polsinelli’s Intellectual Property practice group, Wietjes works with clients to strategically defend, enforce and monetize their intellectual property, with an emphasis on representing plaintiffs and defendants in complex intellectual property disputes. He represents clients in courts nationwide, including a long list of multi-million-dollar patent infringement suits involving an array of sophisticated technologies. In honor of his professional achievements, he has earned selection as a Barrister in the Honorable Barbara M.G. Lynn American Intellectual Property Inn of Court and recognition as a Texas Super Lawyers “Rising Star.”
A registered patent attorney with the USPTO, Wietjes is a member of the American, Texas and Dallas Bar Associations and the Intellectual Property Law Sections of each. He’s also a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association, where he has served on the Biotechnology and Emerging Technologies committees, and is a past board member of the Dallas Chapter of Licensing Executives Society.
“Jason joining the bionorthTX board is another way for our firm to remain proactively involved in the thriving North Texas life sciences industry,” said Jon Henderson, managing partner of Polsinelli’s Dallas office and chair of the firm’s national Corporate and Transactional Practice Group. “We are proud and supportive of Jason’s work, both as an accomplished attorney and as an advocate for bioscience innovation and local economic growth.”
Highly active in the regional startup community, Wietjes also serves as a mentor at the Dallas Entrepreneur Center and Addison TreeHouse. He works with entrepreneurs, startup companies and their investors to evaluate and protect valuable intellectual property, assess risk and identify barriers to entry.
Wietjes earned his J.D. from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 2003 and completed his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at the University of Nebraska in 2000.
About Polsinelli
Polsinelli is an Am Law 100 firm with more than 800 attorneys in 20 offices. Ranked #24 for Client Service Excellence1 and #10 for best client relationships2 among 650 U.S. law firms, Polsinelli was also named among the top 20 best-known firms in the nation3. The firm’s attorneys provide value through practical legal counsel infused with business insight, and focus on health care, financial services, real estate, intellectual property, mid-market corporate, labor and employment, and business litigation.