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Graham Pechenik

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Prior to founding Calyx Law in 2016, Graham gained over a decade of experience obtaining, asserting, and defending some of the country's most valuable patents, representing numerous companies in the agricultural, chemical, pharmaceutical, biotech, and technology industries.

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Graham has worked on litigation teams challenging high-profile patents in court, including Monsanto's patents on GMO crops, Apple's on touchscreen devices, Microsoft's on FAT file systems, and Amgen's on recombinant EPO (in what business analysts described as "the mother of all biotech patent cases").

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Graham also worked on several landmark patent cases both at trial and on appeal, including ARIAD Pharmaceuticals v. Eli Lilly & Co. (involving the written description requirement for biotechnology patents, with 26 amicus briefs before the en banc panel); Alice v. CLS Bank (patent eligibility of computer-implemented business methods); and Wyeth v. Dudas (successfully challenging the USPTO's calculation of patent term adjustment, and resulting in significant extensions of patent life, especially for biotech and pharma patent holders).

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Before focusing on work with cannabis and psychedelics ventures, representative past clients included Pfizer, Wyeth, Roche, Sanofi, Life Technologies, Applied Biosystems, DuPont, Pioneer Hi-Bred, Ricoh, Symantec, AOL, Motorola, and Google.

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Graham's pro bono experience includes nonprofit incorporation and asylum representation, and he was part of a team that represented the governments of several foreign nations in a tax case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

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An Oakland, California native, and a longtime advocate of cannabis reform, Graham was involved in the campaign for Proposition 215 in 1996, and has experience in cultivation starting from 1997.

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In college, Graham chose his science majors after his first experiences with psychedelics inspired deep curiosity about the chemical and neural bases for changes in consciousness. A continued desire to push for the legality of cannabis and psychedelics drove the decision to enter law school, with the dream of becoming an advocate for cognitive liberty.

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A decade after graduating law school, Graham was finally able to combine his personal and professional interests, by starting a legal practice focused on cannabis and psychedelics. Feeling lucky every day, there's no work he'd rather be doing than helping passionate people in this space.

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When he's not working with clients, Graham contributes to Psychedelic Alpha as editor-at-large, where he writes about psychedelics IP, provides data for patent trackers, and helps maintain a psychedelics legalization and decriminalization tracker. Graham is also a member of Chacruna's Council for the Protection of Sacred Plants. 

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Graham's thought leadership in the space is demonstrated through his frequent conference and media appearances, his inclusion in lists of key opinion leaders (e.g., Psychedelic Invest's 100 Most Influential People in Psychedelics; Benzinga's 30 Psychedelics Executives, Scientists & Influencers To Watch In 2024 And Beyond; The Dale Report's 30 Accounts You Should Follow On Twitter), his participation on the Benzinga Psychedelics Advisory Council, and his membership on a number of academic, nonprofit, and corporate advisory committees and boards.

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When he has spare time, Graham also enjoys motorcycling, snowboarding, foraging for wild mushrooms, and reading with his two cats.

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Prior Experience

  • Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP

  • Kaye Scholer LLP

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Education

  • New York University, J.D. (2005)

  • University of California, San Diego, B.S., Biochemistry and Cell Biology; Cognitive Science with specialization in Neuroscience, with distinction (2002)

 

Additional Training

  • Anti-Monopoly and Regulated Industries Summer Academy, Law and Political Economy Project (2021)

  • World Intellectual Property Organization, Summer School on IP, Geneva, Switzerland (2010)

  • Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense, D.E.J.E.I. (International Law Diploma), mention assez bien (2005)

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Admissions & Memberships

  • U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (Reg. No. 67,000)

  • California State Bar

  • New York State Bar

  • Member, National Association of Patent Practitioners

  • Member, International Cannabis Bar Association​

  • Founding Member, Psychedelic Bar Association (Founding Steward, Intellectual Property Committee; Member of Board of Directors)

  • Member, American Chemical Society

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