Angela Foster, PhD

Trained both as a scientist and an attorney, Anji is versed in the legal and scientific aspects of her clients' matters. She has worked with small startup, medium and large companies prosecuting patents and rendering freedom-to-operate, validity and patentability opinions in a broad spectrum of technologies from life sciences to mechanical devices. She has extensive experience evaluating and counseling intellectual property assets for biotech, pharmaceutical, biomedical, and diagnostic device industries. 

In addition to her transactional work, Anji routinely litigates various intellectual property and complex commercial matters including complex contract & licensing disputes, patent, trademark and copyright infringements, and Hatch-Waxman litigation in federal court. She has negotiated and defended license agreements for complex commercial, entertainment and intellectual property matters for various pharmaceutical/biotechnology companies and entertainers. She has served as expert witness and mock arbitrator for complex commercial disputes as well as disputes before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

Certified as a mediator and arbitrator, Anji has resolved and adjudicated over 500 disputes involving patent infringement/validity, licensing, commercial and business disputes, breach of contract and negligence actions, employment discrimination claims, trade secret theft, trademark, and copyright infringement disputes. She also serves as a neutral in securities, consumer, and other complex commercial matters. She has served as a sole arbitrator, co-arbitrator, chairperson, and mediator in hundreds of domestic and international cases involving a broad array of contractual agreements, technologies, and industries. 

Anji is past-chair of the Dispute Resolution Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association and a member of numerous alternative dispute resolution panels including the Commercial and Large Complex Case mediation and arbitration rosters of the American Arbitration Association (AAA), the Panel of Distinguished Neutrals of the Institute for Conflict Resolution & Prevention (CPR), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitrator, and the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) panel of mediators and arbitrators. 

Anji was also appointed to the Silicon Valley Arbitration & Mediation Center's List of the World's Leading Technology Neutrals. She is an invited Fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators and a Member of the AAA-ICDR Council. Anji is also a recognized arbitrator and mediator of the peered reviewed National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. She was also selected as a member of the AAA Commercial Division Master Mediator Panel comprising of the top mediators as rated by counsel.

The New Jersey State Bar Associated awarded the James B. Boskey Award to Anji -- as Alternative Dispute Resolution Practitioner of the Year for 2021.

In representing her clients, Anji provides multiple perspectives. Before launching her own firm, Anji served as a Deputy Attorney General for the State of New Jersey where she defended the State against civil actions including employment discrimination actions. She also served as a patent attorney for the former intellectual property law firm, Pennie & Edmonds, prosecuting and litigating domestic and international patent matters. Prior to entering the legal field, Anji was a scientist

 
As adjunct professor for Seton Hall Law School, Anji taught patent law. She frequently publishes articles on intellectual property law and alternative dispute resolution, as well as appears on various panels. She authored “Waiver of Privilege”, a chapter in the American Arbitration Association Handbook on Arbitration Practice, 2nd Edition (2015) and co-author of Disclosure and Admission of Evidence in the International Arbitration of Intellectual Property Disputes, in Arbitration of International Intellectual Property Disputes 379 (Thomas D. Halket ed., 2d ed. Juris Publishing 2021).

Because of her knowledge in law and science, Anji was invited by the Law Library of Congress to speak on the “Gene Patent Debate”. She was also appointed by the New Jersey Supreme Court to serve on several committees including the Ad Hoc Committee on Firm Trade Names and the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics. Anji is a Fellow of the American Bar (Association) Foundation.  

• J.D. - Rutgers Law School in Newark
• Ph.D. - Rutgers University (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology)
• B.A. – Rutgers University (Microbiology)

• Silicon Valley Arbitration & Mediation Center - The Tech List
• College Commercial Arbitrators
• American Bar Association – Chair, Trial Evidence Committee, Section of Litigation 
• New Jersey State Bar Association – Chair, Dispute Resolution Section  
• New Jersey State Bar Association – Chair, Editorial Board of the New Jersey Lawyer Magazine 
• American Bar Association – Chair, Intellectual Property Litigation Committee, Section of Litigation (2015-2018)
• Licensing Executive Society 
• Association of University Technology Management 
• John Lifland Intellectual Property Law Inn of Court (Barrister)
• Association of Federal Bar of New Jersey 
• Middlesex County Bar Association - Trustee (2006 – 2011)
• Executive Women of New Jersey – Chair, Board Appointments Committee (2008 - 2011)

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