About Sarah J. Rhoades
In my practice I assist clients in securing and enforcing their intellectual property rights in the U.S. and international jurisdictions. I counsel clients on developing strategies for protecting their IP assets and then represent them in patent, copyright, trademark, trade dress, trade secret, and related business matters. I also provide IP-related contract preparation and licensing services. I serve as local counsel for intellectual property disputes, particularly patent, trademark and copyright disputes and past experience includes a Markman Hearing before the Honorable Carolyn Ostby in the District of Montana, Great Falls Division. I have also represented clients during State and Federal jury trials in Montana.
I am a Registered Patent Attorney and am admitted to practice in the State Courts of Montana, the Federal Courts for the District of Montana, and United States Tax Court.
I am an organizer of IP Day in MONTANA an annual seminar now entering its seventh year. I am a founding member and Inaugural Chair of the Intellectual Property Law Section of the State Bar of Montana. As part of my ongoing efforts and initiatives as Past-Chair, I began the Explorations Series featuring educational and professional development opportunities on various intellectual property topics. I have presented several Community Copyright Registration Workshops in Missoula, a free presentation created in an effort to help authors and artists secure their legal rights. I previously taught at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography and currently teach Intellectual Property at the Alexander Blewett III School of Law.
In addition to these activities, I have presented a number of continuing legal education seminars, serving as a panelist and presenter for the Inland Empire Intellectual Property Institute (IEIPI), at Gonzaga Law School, and for the State Bar of Montana’s Annual Meeting. I am a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the American Bar Association (ABA), the ABA Intellectual Property Law Section, the International Trademark Association (INTA), and the Western Montana Bar Association. Previously served as Vice-Chair of the Intellectual Property Committee for the Solo, Small and General Practice Section of the ABA.
I was born and raised on the Dearborn and Missouri Rivers in northcentral Montana. I attended Carroll College in Helena, Montana and the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana. I received a Bachelor's degree in Biology with an Environmental Emphasis and then a Juris Doctorate. While still attending law school, I passed the patent bar and became a registered agent before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.