In the world of IP, you spend your time helping others protect what they’ve created — the ideas, inventions, and assets that hold real value. But here’s a simple question that too often goes unasked:

What about the value of your own expertise?

Many IP professionals I speak to are excellent at what they do. Technically brilliant. Reliable. But their visibility? Low. Their story? Not told. Their impact? Sometimes overlooked — or worse, mistaken as interchangeable with the next firm or consultant on the list.

It’s not because they aren’t good. It’s because they haven’t made the effort to be seen as good. And that’s where personal branding comes in.

Let’s address the elephant in the room: “branding” sounds like marketing fluff.

For many IP professionals, the word triggers an eye-roll. Branding is for products. Or influencers. Not patent attorneys, IP litigators, or licensing specialists.

But this isn’t about creating a shiny facade. Personal branding is about showing the right people what you actually bring to the table, and why it matters.

Think of it like this: if your work protects other people’s intellectual property, your personal brand protects and expresses the intellectual value you bring to that work. And that value doesn’t speak for itself unless you help it do so.

Why Personal Branding Matters for IP Professionals

The IP field isn’t standing still. The issues are getting more complex, more global, more strategic. Your clients aren’t just looking for someone who understands procedure — they need people who see the bigger picture, communicate clearly, and bring a perspective that makes a difference.

In such an environment expertise must be not only developed, but also recognized. That means in practice:

  • Trust drives selection: clients want to work with experts they can trust without second-guessing.
  • Specialization needs translation: your niche expertise only matters, if people understand what it’s for and how it helps them.
  • Visibility is no longer optional: if you’re not actively shaping how others perceive your work, someone else will do it for you — often less accurately.
  • Thought leadership opens doors: those recognized as forward-thinkers in IP management are invited to collaborate on groundbreaking projects, speak at prestigious events, and influence policy decisions.

An example that might resonate

A patent attorney spent over 15 years quietly building a strong practice. His strength wasn’t just technical depth — it was his ability to explain complex IP frameworks in ways that made immediate sense to business leaders. Once he recognized that as his actual differentiator, he started shaping his messaging around it — in pitches, on LinkedIn, even in how he framed his role in client conversations.

The result? Not more noise, but more clarity. Not “selling himself,” but showing up in the right way, to the right people, at the right moment.

A final thought

You don’t need a slogan. You don’t need a content calendar. You just need to start thinking a bit more deliberately about how others experience your work.

A strong personal brand doesn’t mean being loud. It means being clear. And relevant. And easy to remember, for the right reasons.

Over the next months, I’ll be writing every two weeks about practical ways to approach personal branding as an IP expert — without hype, and without pretending to be someone you’re not.

For now, here’s something worth thinking about:
If someone googled you today, would they understand what makes you different?
Let’s make sure the answer becomes: “absolutely”.

This is the first article in my regular column on personal branding for IP professionals. In future editions, we’ll explore specific aspects of professional positioning, thought leadership, and authentic visibility specifically from the perspective of the intellectual property community.

About the columnist

Giulia Donato
Branding & Communication Advisor | Executive Coach | Lecturer
people & brand strategies
www.donatostrategies.com