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Attorneys are problem-solvers, and each one has a different way of navigating the road to resolution. Lindette Hassan stands out among this array of legal minds. As a decades-long intellectual property (IP) expert who has worked with scientists on patents, trademark, and copyright matters, she mirrors the posture her inventor clients take toward their ideas.
Instead of focusing on what can’t be done or settling for “no” amid adversity, Hassan asks: “How?”
“When you send in a patent application and receive an office action from the patent office saying that your client’s product is similar to one that came out before it, the question always becomes, ‘How do we overcome this?’” she says. “Instead of going back to the client and saying, ‘Well, I guess that’s it,’ I believe the mindset should be geared toward what we can get protected and how we can figure it out.”
That perspective is the foundation of her leadership as assistant general counsel of intellectual property at BASF, a global chemical company that produces chemicals, materials, industrial solutions, surface technology, and more. In that role, she provides IP and trademark support for the company’s North American region and takes pride in the influence she has on her business colleagues.
“At this point in my career, I’m comfortable pointing to the decision we should make based off my research and reading, and I’m able to deliver that message with confidence.”
Lindette Hassan
“For the most part, when you work in-house, you are the legal decision maker for your client,” Hassan says. “At this point in my career, I’m comfortable pointing to the decision we should make based off my research and reading, and I’m able to deliver that message with confidence. Of course, no one is right 100% of the time, but I’m also confident enough to say how we should pivot.”
Because of her clients’ confidence in her decisions, they know they can trust her to be upfront when facing controversy. “Having that kind of confidence and trust from your client is definitely something I’m proud of,” she says.
After graduating with a biochemistry degree, Hassan started her career working at The Wistar Institute, a cancer research facility. There, she prepared research reports, summaries, protocols, and delivered research presentations. She also got a chance to meet an in-house patent attorney who made her consider a career change.
The attorney was involved with chemistry and projects both the graduate students and professors were creating, which sparked Hassan’s interest. “I liked the idea of helping the people who were inventing things,” she says.
After several meetings with the attorney, Hassan went to law school at Temple, clerked at a US District Court, and started her legal career at Fox Rothschild as an IP associate before coming to BASF a decade later. Her work allows her to blend her passion for science and the law, she says.
“It’s been an interesting journey because my science background has allowed me to understand nomenclature and terminology that the [scientists] I support use. The law allows me to translate it into the legalese necessary to get a patent granted. I’ve enjoyed it since it’s stimulating both parts of my brain,” Hassan says.
She also enjoys it because of her nature as a problem solver because she isn’t afraid to tackle a challenge. Truth is, she just doesn’t like being told no.
“When I hear that word, my first instinct is to find a way to turn it into yes,” she says. “That’s how I felt when I got my grade on my first chemistry test and saw that it was a B, or when I was waitlisted at certain law schools. It’s always been instilled in me to say, ‘What do I need to do to get the outcome I want?’”
Hassan’s drive doesn’t go unnoticed. “Lindette is an inspiring leader to all women in law,” says Kristi Nicholes, counsel at Lowenstein Sandler. “She does not just speak about work/life balance and overcoming personal challenges, she lives it. Her successes are apparent in her poise and thoughtfulness when collaborating with others to solve difficult problems,” Nicholes emphasizes.
That mindset held true even in the most challenging times, particularly when Hassan and her husband were trying to start a family.
“It’s always been instilled in me to say, ‘What do I need to do to get the outcome I want?’”
Lindette Hassan
“I remember finding out early on in our marriage that I was technically infertile and being really upset and disappointed by it,” she recalls. “But, with the encouragement of my husband and close friends, I remember thinking ‘What exactly does this mean and where do we go from here?’ Because of that, my husband and I were able to overcome the initial disappointment and figure out how to pivot. Now we have three sons.”
Today, Hassan is a staunch advocate of accomplishing a work/life balance and credits her husband for encouraging her to maintain it. Young attorneys who want to accomplish the same should “surround themselves with others who support the balance.”
“Since January of 2007, I’ve met with some of my law school friends for dinner once a month. Taking those two hours a month to talk with friends is refreshing,” Hassan says. “My husband and I also continue to prioritize our date nights, and we take trips together three times a year. It’s important to have people like that around you who understand the need for balance.”
