Franklin, Tom

Thomas Franklin (“Tom”) is a founding partner of the minority owned law firm Mughal Gaudry and Franklin PC. He focuses his practice on patent prosecution, licensing, and intellectual capital management with 30 years of experience.  Tom is expert in portfolio management, IP audits, due diligence, and strategic planning processes.  

Through an IP Asset Management plan, he tailors strategy to business goals, competitive pressures, and funding constraints to leverage intangible assets with intellectual property.  As an entrepreneur, Tom has developed a client-facing patent portfolio management tool, Triangle IP, that allows a company to understand and manage their patent portfolio.  Tom uses IP protection to maintain the dominance of large companies and assist emerging enterprises who are vying to dominate.

Before entering the field of law, Tom spent nine years working in semiconductor fabrication and digital design for wireless data links as a Senior Engineer in the defense industry.  He has a B.S. in electrical and computer engineering from San Diego State University, summa cum laude and a J.D. from University of San Diego. He is a member of Colorado, D.C., and patent bars.

Tom is widely recognized by Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America®, Legal 500 US for Patent Prosecution. Awards include a Managing Intellectual Property magazine IP Star, a Colorado Super Lawyer, Lexology and the International Law Office Client Choice Award USA & Canada, a top patent practitioner by IAM Patent 1000, and a top strategist in IAM Strategy 300. He was honored by Law Week Colorado to its "Barrister’s Best" list as the "People’s Choice" for Best IP Non-Litigator and named a Lawyer of the Year in 2012 by Law Week Colorado for the successful effort to bring a Regional Patent and Trademark Office to the Rocky Mountain Region in Denver to fulfill his vision of a nationwide workforce of the brightest and best examiners.  The San Diego State University Alumni Association recognized and honored Tom with the 2014 Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Engineering.

Tom's technical experience broadly covers the areas of software, AI, health tech, blockchain, Internet technology, IT security, fintech, content delivery, business methods, clean technology, circuit design, imaging arrays, cryptographic design, telecommunications, and electronic design tools, wireless communications, networking, and telemetry systems.