Paul Coble, Attorney
Paul is an intellectual property attorney and software startup founder with a deep background in cannabis science and technology. He studied molecular biology and chemistry as an undergraduate before turning to the study of law. Paul attended Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and graduated cum laude with a concentration in Law, Science, and Technology–the study of how science and law interact and affect each other’s trajectories.
Paul practiced for many years at an Am Law 200 firm in Chicago, IL. Paul has helped clients navigate and mitigate risk relating to intellectual property and heavily regulated markets such as alcohol, biotech, personal data, pharmaceuticals, and, of course, cannabis. He has managed international trademark portfolios, crafted complex licensing agreements, and shepherded all types of IP throughout their lifecycles, from conception to commercialization to enforcement.
He is a registered patent attorney with experience prosecuting patents, advising investors and companies about patent valuations, and providing invalidity and/or non-infringement opinions of competitive patents. Paul is the curator of the world’s first public database of cannabis patents, BottledCloud.io. His varied technical background also allows him to work closely with product and engineering teams to design around patented technology.
Paul also has extensive courtroom experience, litigating complex intellectual property cases across the country. He has litigated patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and other commercial disputes relating to a wide variety of technologies, including medical devices, manufacturing systems, consumer electronics, power tools, and software.
In 2018, Paul launched Thalo Technologies to develop software for cannabis and hemp manufacturers to better capture and interpret their lab data to make more profitable decisions. He is an active member of the National Cannabis Industry Association, currently serving as Chair of the Cannabis Manufacturing Committee. Paul is also an adjunct instructor of cannabis policy and risk mitigation for Excelsior University’s Masters of Criminal Justice program. As a member of Excelsior’s Cannabis Industry Advisory Committee, Paul develops the cannabis curriculum and advises the college on creating education programs that meet the industry’s needs.
Throughout his career, Paul has been involved in a number of philanthropic causes. Paul was the general counsel and board member of the Bucktown Arts Fest in Chicago and taught STEM clinics on building water-powered rockets. Currently, Paul volunteers as general counsel of the Social Justice & Engineering Initiative, which brings engineering solutions to social justice causes.
More About Paul
Published Articles
Protect Against Corporate Identity Theft with Trademark Rights.
Protecting Innovations in Cannabis Technology: The Role of Patents In the Industry, Now and in the Future.
Trademark Lawsuit May Signal the Disappearance of the “Edible” Category From Dispensary Menus, The Highest Courts, October 21, 2020.
Killing Live Resin: Raw Garden Slammed with Class Action Lawsuit for Vape Cartridge False Advertising, The Highest Courts, September 25, 2020.
Questions from the Industry: Do you Actually Have to Grow a New Strain to Get a Patent, The Highest Courts, September 16, 2020.
DEA Interim Rule Threatens to Crush Hemp Manufacturing, August 27, 2020.
AZ Supreme Court Clarifies the Legality of Cannabis Extracts, But Adds New Uncertainty For Medical Patients, May 28, 2019.
Deconstructing Inventorship: A Method to the Madness, American Bar Association Intellectual Property, Summer 2012 Newsletter.
Speaking Engagements
Testing and Labeling for “Minor Cannabinoid” Products, NCIA Webinar, June 13, 2023.
The Legal Fundamentals for Blockchain Companies, Harris Sliwoski Webinar, February 28, 2023.
Sustainability in Trademarks: Leveraging Marks to Convey Eco-Friendly Brands, Avoiding Potential Pitfalls, Strafford, January 31, 2023.
Legal and Regulatory Landscape for Psychedelics, The Seminar Group, January 12, 2023.
How To Protect Your Psychedelics Business, Harris Sliwoski Webinar, October 25, 2022.
Protecting, Monetizing and Enforcing Cannabis Intellectual Property, Harris Sliwoski webinar, June 14, 2022.
Navigating The Process of Cannabis Technology Patents, NCIA’s Cannabis Industry Voice, May 30, 2022.
Protecting Innovations in Cannabis Technology, NCIA webinar, April 19, 2022.
Futureproofing your cannabis business, NCIA webinar, June 9, 2021.
How Processors can get more from their Lab Data, Periodic Effects, August 28, 2020
Media Appearances
The Cannabis Industry Voice, NCIA Podcast, April 26, 2021.
The Language of the Cannabis Industry – Developing A Commercial Manufacturing Glossary, January 19, 2021.
Practice Areas
Education
- Arizona State University, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law (J.D.)
- University of Iowa (B.A.)
Bar & Court Admissions
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Arizona State Bar Association
- U.S. Patent Bar Association
Languages
- French (Basic)
- Spanish