Louis W. Beardell, Jr.
Louis W. Beardell Jr. focuses his practice on intellectual property (IP) matters in connection with patent strategies, IP due diligence, litigation, and transactions. He assists clients in developing and implementing programs that protect products and inventions including trade secrets, particularly in the life sciences, technology, and financial services fields. For US and international clients, Louis negotiates and prepares the IP aspects of licensing and purchase agreements, as well as agreements relating to product and service supply, collaboration, research, consulting, patent litigation settlement, and material transfer.
Louis counsels on all matters related to patent strategies, patent validity, patent due diligence, and freedom-to-operate opinions. His clients include an array of US and international companies in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, biotechnology, agricultural science, medical devices, and food science as well as major venture capital funds.
As companies evolve and modernize the way they operate, Louis ensures that they are able to establish exclusive positions to protect how they do business through procuring business method patents, as well as evaluating patent validity and freedom-to-operate positions for computer and business method inventions. His ability to prosecute patents and handle important trade secrets allows him to counsel clients through the creation of a diverse assortment of IP programs.
Louis frequently lectures to academic institutions and professional organizations on a variety of IP topics. He has been hosted by US and international IP and business associations, as well as top law schools and business school IP and entrepreneur classes.
- Takeda in its global licensing agreement with Ascentage Pharma for Olverembatinib (third-generation BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor) for more than $1.2 billion.
- NBE Therapeutics AG in implementation of its IP program and in its acquisition by Boehringer Ingelheim
- Acerta Pharma B.V. in implementation of IP program and in its acquisition by AstraZeneca
- Established and implemented intellectual property programs for many small, midsize, and multinational companies in the life sciences, technology and financial services sectors.
- OncoEthix SA in implementation of IP program and in its acquisition by Merck.
- Foresight Biotherapeutics, Inc. in implementation of an IP program, and acquisition of Foresight by Shire.
- Chiesi Farmaceutici SpA in its acquisition of all outstanding shares of Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc., valuing Cornerstone at about $255 million.
- Piper Jaffray & Co. and Leerink Swann LLC in the $30 million IPO of Tengion, Inc.
- Smiths Interconnect, a division of firm client Smiths Group plc, in its purchase of Interconnect Devices Inc. from an investor group led by private equity firm Milestone Partners for approximately $185 million.
- Roquette Freres v. SPI Pharma in support of successful defense of SPI Pharma in patent litigation matter.
- Kraft Foods in its sale of its Balance Bar Company to private equity firm Brynwood Partners.
- K-Tron International, Inc. in its sale to Hillenbrand, Inc. for $150 per share in cash, resulting in an aggregate purchase price of $435 million.
- LEO Pharma in its reacquisition of Warner Chilcott's exclusive product licensing rights in the United States, as well as rights to all products in LEO Pharma's development pipeline.
- Adolor Corporation in connection with its exclusive worldwide collaboration with Pfizer.
- Enzon, Inc. in its acquisition of the North American rights to Abelcet, an antifungal used to treat patients with invasive fungal infections related to cancer, organ transplantation and other conditions.
- Sekisui Chemical Company,a subsidiary of Sekisui America Corporation, in the $25.5 million purchase of American Diagnostica Inc.
- ViroPharma in its global collaboration and licensing agreement for the subcutaneous combination of Cinryze® (C1 esterase inhibitor [human]) with Halozyme Therapeutics' recombinant human hyaluronidase enzyme (rHuPH20) EnhanzeTM technology.
- GSI Commerce in its $2.4 billion acquisition by eBay.
- Temple University Beasley School of Law, 1995, J.D.
- University of Pittsburgh, 1991, M.B.A., Finance Concentration
- University of Rochester, 1987, B.S.C.H.E., Chemical Engineering
- Pennsylvania
- US Patent and Trademark Office

Listed, World Intellectual Property Review, IP Leader (2025)
Ranked, Intellectual Property, Pennsylvania, Chambers USA (2020–2025)
Recognized, IP Transactions Star – Pennsylvania, Managing Intellectual Property (2020–2025)
Recognized, IP Patent Star – Pennsylvania, Managing Intellectual Property (2013, 2015–2019)
Recognized, Elite Patent Practitioner, IAM Global Leaders (2025)
Recognized, IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals (2017–2025)
Life Sciences Star, Patent Strategy & Management, LMG Life Sciences Awards Americas (2023, 2024)
Life Sciences Star, Intellectual Property, LMG Life Sciences (2020–2022)
Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Patent Law, Philadelphia (2016–2026)
Recommended, Intellectual property: Patents: Litigation (International Trade Commission), The Legal 500 US (2025)
Recommended, Intellectual property: Patents: licensing, The Legal 500 US (2019–2025)
Recommended, Intellectual property: Patents: prosecution (including re-examination and post-grant proceedings), The Legal 500 US (2019–2025)
Recommended, Intellectual property: Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters), The Legal 500 US (2021, 2023–2025)
Recommended, Intellectual property: Patents: litigation (full coverage), The Legal 500 US (2019, 2020)
Recommended, The Legal 500 US (2016)
Recognized, Who’s Who Legal (2016)
Member, Practice Group of the Year, Intellectual Property, Law360 (2019, 2024)
Member, Litigation Department of the Year–Intellectual Property, The American Lawyer (2019)
Member, Industry Advisory Board, National Brain Tumor Society (2013–present)
Member, American Intellectual Property Law Association
Member, Philadelphia Intellectual Property Law Association
Member, Licensing Executives Society
Member, Benjamin Franklin American Inn of Court, Philadelphia Intellectual Property Chapter
Member, Intellectual Property Owners Association
