Sharon B. McCullen

Partner

Sharon B. McCullen is a partner in Morgan Lewis's Intellectual Property Practice. Dr. McCullen's practice focuses on specialty chemical companies and pharmaceutical companies. She has counseled clients on patent prosecution, patent due diligence, invalidity opinions, freedom to operate, patent litigation matters, drafting and negotiating technology license agreements, and patent portfolio management.

Dr. McCullen received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Temple University Beasley School of Law in 2002. While in law school she served as an associate editor for the Temple Law Review. Dr. McCullen received her Ph.D. in physical inorganic chemistry from the University of Illinois in 1982. She received her B.S., with distinction, in chemistry from the University of Kansas in 1977.

Prior to beginning her patent practice, Dr. McCullen worked as a research chemist with the Strategic Research Center of Mobil Oil Corporation, now ExxonMobil Corporation. Her research focused on the synthesis of novel molecular sieves. She also conducted research on the adsorption properties and shape selective catalytic reactions of molecular sieves. Dr. McCullen served as an adjunct faculty at Rider University's Department of Chemistry.

Dr. McCullen is a co-inventor for 45 U.S. patents and numerous international patents. She has authored several scientific articles and has lectured in the area of molecular sieve science and inorganic chemistry.

The American Chemical Society has recognized Dr. McCullen with its 2007 Heroes of Chemistry Award as a co-inventor of the PxMaxSM process of ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company. The PxMaxSM process is a selective catalytic process for producing para-xylene and is used throughout the world in petrochemical plants.

Dr. McCullen is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.