Peter Detkin

Peter N. Detkin is a founder of Intellectual Ventures (IV) and focuses on a variety of projects relating to intellectual property and invention. Intellectual Asset Management recently named Mr. Detkin the second most influential “IP market maker” in the world and referred to him as a “legend in the patent transactions and strategy world.” Mr. Detkin is on the board of directors of Pivotal Commware, Inc., a spinoff from IV.

Prior to joining IV, Mr. Detkin spent eight years at Intel Corporation where he was a vice president and assistant general counsel. As assistant general counsel, Mr. Detkin was responsible for managing the Intel patent and licensing departments, including all aspects of prosecution and claims management. Mr. Detkin also managed the litigation and competition policy departments, including antitrust.

Before he joined Intel, Mr. Detkin was an intellectual property partner at the law firm of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati in Palo Alto, Calif. Mr. Detkin was the first patent lawyer hired at the firm and formed the basis of its highly successful intellectual property practice. While at Wilson Sonsini, he had lead or second chair responsibility for a number of high-profile litigations, including the seminal computer copyright case, Lotus v. Borland.

Outside of his professional work, Mr. Detkin is the past president of the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, an organization dedicated to providing legal services to low-income children and families, people with mental and developmental disabilities, AIDS patients and victims of discrimination. He is currently on the board of directors of the Humane Society of Silicon Valley and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Mr. Detkin received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with honors in 1982 from the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School of Electrical Engineering and a J.D. in 1985 from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He serves as a member of the board of overseers of the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Mr. Detkin is an inactive member of the state bars of California and New York, and is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.