Manita Rawat, a registered patent attorney with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), maintains a thriving intellectual property (IP) practice that includes serving as lead outside patent counsel to Fortune 100 companies in Silicon Valley. She primarily supports large technology companies with managing their domestic and foreign patent portfolios, which includes determining patentability and drafting and prosecuting patent applications to allowance. Manita also has experience with USPTO post-grant proceedings, including inter partes review and reexamination.
Manita has a strong technical background in applied mathematics with a concentration in computer science, aerospace engineering, and statistical analysis, and she also has a strong technical background in biochemistry. Working primarily with software technologies, including various online platforms, mobile applications, artificial intelligence, and machine learning models, Manita has developed a systematic approach to handling issues with the USPTO that are unique to computer-related technologies, such as subject matter eligibility, to enable allowance in an efficient and cost-effective manner. In addition, Manita is a member of the firm's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Task Force.
Manita also has experience in supporting IP issues related to corporate deals, such as mergers and acquisitions and investment funding, including the review of various patent and trademark portfolios, licensing agreements, IP-related lawsuits, and freedom to operate analysis. She also assists clients in patent licensing and transactional matters, including structuring, negotiating, and drafting agreements.
She also provides technical support on patent litigation matters at various stages of a case, including determining infringement and noninfringement positions, as well as determining invalidity of issued patents. Manita has experience with claim construction, including drafting briefs and facilitating oral arguments at hearings, and has drafted and argued motions related to invalidity.
Before joining Morgan Lewis, Manita served as managing partner of another global law firm’s Silicon Valley office.
Intellectual Property Woman Leader in Tech Law Award, The Recorder (2024)
Recognized, IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals (2024)
Top Intellectual Property Lawyers in California, Daily Journal (2024)
Recommended, Intellectual property: Patents: Litigation (International Trade Commission), The Legal 500 US (2023)
Recommended, Intellectual property: Patents: prosecution (including re-examination and post-grant proceedings), The Legal 500 US (2023, 2024)
Recommended, Intellectual property: Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters), The Legal 500 US (2023)
Recognized, World Intellectual Property Review Leaders Directory (2022)
Women of Achievement Award, Legal Momentum (2022)
Women of Influence Award, Silicon Valley Business Journal (2020)
"Best Under 40" Award, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (2016)
Rising Star, Super Lawyers Mountain State (2013–2015)
Best of the Best Attorney, Patent and Intellectual Property Law, Vegas Food & Music (2013)
Recognized, The Best of the Bar, Las Vegas Business Journal (2011)
Fellow, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (2015–2016)
Member, American Bar Association
Member, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
Member, Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley
Member, Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area
Member, National South Asian Bar Association
Member, South Asian Bar Association of Northern California
Member, Board of Directors, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Nevada (2013–2015)
Volunteer, Children’s Attorneys Project, Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada (2010–2016)