How Engineering and Law Come Together in IP featuring Robert Ward

Career paths don’t always follow a straight line. In this episode of Medtech Snapshot, Rob Ward, Partner at Greenberg Traurig, shares how two pivotal moments led him to combine engineering and law into a career in intellectual property.

Some careers are carefully planned, but others take shape through a series of moments that spark curiosity and open new doors.

For Rob Ward, Partner at Greenberg Traurig, his path into intellectual property law was driven by two distinct inflection points.

The First Spark: Engineering

The first came early. “I had a background in engineering,” Rob explained. “And the reason I went into engineering is my father took me to a race car event.”

“We got to go into the pits and see these vehicles,” he said. “It was mind blowing how these machines operate.”

That moment sparked a deeper curiosity.

“I wanted to go into mechanical engineering because I really like to see how these systems work.”

It set him on a clear technical path focused on understanding how things are built and how they function.

A Second Inflection Point

But that wasn’t the end of the story. Later on, another experience introduced him to a different kind of problem-solving.

“I had a friend whose father was an attorney,” he said. “And I got to see firsthand the things he was working on.”

What stood out wasn’t just the profession. It was the nature of the work.

“It’s problem solving like I’m doing in engineering, but it’s in a different realm.”

That realization opened up a new possibility. “I thought, that looks really interesting. I’d like to do both.”

Finding the Intersection

Eventually, Rob discovered a path that combined both interests.

“At some point I learned I can meld these two into one thing called patent law,” he said. “And it’s the perfect fit for me.”

That intersection is what draws many professionals into intellectual property. It’s also why so many IP attorneys come from engineering backgrounds.

“You’re dealing with engineers and technology,” he explained. “So that background becomes really important.”

A Career of Continuous Learning

Even now, that curiosity continues to drive his work. “What’s great about practicing intellectual property is you have the opportunity to speak with engineers and learn new technologies every day,” Rob said.

Rather than specializing in just one area, IP law often exposes practitioners to a wide range of innovations.

“I continue to grow my understanding of engineering and technology every day.”

The Takeaway

Career-defining moments don’t always feel monumental in the moment. Sometimes it’s a day at a racetrack, and sometimes it’s a conversation that opens your eyes to a new field.

But when those moments align, they can shape an entire career. For Rob, those two experiences led him to a field where technical curiosity and legal problem-solving come together.

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