Akhlaghi, Babak

Babak Akhlaghi is the Founding Director of NovoTech Patent Firm, a Washington, D.C.-based intellectual property law firm focused on helping startups, emerging companies, and technology-driven businesses build and leverage patent portfolios to support fundraising, commercialization, licensing, acquisitions, and long-term competitive advantage.

Mr. Akhlaghi's practice centers on strategic patent portfolio development, patent preparation and prosecution, freedom-to-operate analyses, and intellectual property counseling for advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, software, machine learning, robotics, semiconductors, medical devices, wireless communications, and other emerging technologies. He has advised founders, venture-backed companies, and multinational corporations on the development and management of patent portfolios aligned with business objectives.

Mr. Akhlaghi is the co-author of the Patent Applications Handbook, published annually by Thomson Reuters/Westlaw. He also serves as an Adjunct Faculty member at the University of Maryland, where he teaches Legal Aspects of Entrepreneurship to graduate engineering and technology students.

Prior to founding NovoTech Patent Firm, Mr. Akhlaghi practiced at leading intellectual property law firms and served as in-house patent counsel for Panasonic Corporation in Japan, providing him with valuable insight into both the law firm and corporate perspectives of intellectual property management.

Mr. Akhlaghi has been recognized in the IAM Strategy 300: The World's Leading IP Strategists and was named a WIPR Leader 2026. He has also been selected to Super Lawyers each year since 2019. His commentary and articles on patent strategy and intellectual property issues have been featured by industry publications and professional organizations.

Mr. Akhlaghi earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland and a J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center. He is admitted to practice in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.