In this installment of our “In Conversation” series, Elisa Cooper, VP of Marketing at MaxVal, chats with Amy Elizabeth Rufe about her career in Intellectual Property (IP), the evolution of the field, and the trends shaping the future of IP management. Amy’s extensive background in sales, consulting, and leadership roles gives her a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities faced by IP professionals today.
Elisa Cooper: Can you tell me about your background and what initially drew you to the field of IP? How has your career evolved over time?
Amy Elizabeth Rufe: I’ve been in IP pretty much my whole career. I sometimes joke that I read my first patent on the playground! I started out in sales with a small company called Smart Patents. The founders of that company are patent attorneys who are now icons in this space and inductees into the patent hall of fame. That startup in Silicon Valley was a formative experience for me, and where my interest in IP first started.
After a number of years in sales at Thomson Reuters / Clarivate, I shifted over to sales engineering—what we call solutions consulting here at MaxVal. I recruited the sales engineering team and simultaneously led the account management team. It was a great combination because the pre-sales experts and the post-sales client satisfaction teams worked together like a well-oiled machine.
I also spent time working in IP services, especially around IP administration. Most recently, I’ve been in consulting, where I work closely with clients on IPMS system selections, helping them navigate RFPs to make an informed buying decision. My background in doing hundreds of RFPs from both sides of the table has given me a unique insight into what clients need when selecting a system.
Elisa Cooper: What has motivated you to stay in IP for most of your career?
Amy Elizabeth Rufe: IP is a fascinating field – the people I get to speak with every day are on the cutting edge of technology. Whether it’s new developments in biotech, engineering, or software, they’re working on the latest and greatest innovations.
But it’s not just the technology that keeps me interested. The business side of IP has evolved a lot as well. Today, it’s not just about building a large patent portfolio—it’s about being strategic and understanding the business value behind those patents. That strategic shift has made IP much more interesting and impactful.
Elisa Cooper: What do you think are some of the biggest challenges facing IP professionals today?
Amy Elizabeth Rufe: One of the biggest challenges is that IP teams are being asked to do more with fewer resources and smaller budgets. For example, when I first started in IP, portfolio pruning wasn’t even a thing—companies would just amass large portfolios and keep everything forever. But now, with tighter budgets, they have to be much more strategic. If a patent isn’t core to their strategy, they need to either commercialize it, license it, or get rid of it.
To manage these larger workloads with fewer resources, strong technology has become absolutely essential. The companies that have invested in robust technological solutions are the ones that can stay ahead.
Elisa Cooper: What major trends do you see in the IP landscape over the next five years?
Amy Elizabeth Rufe: I think one of the biggest changes is that IP is no longer just seen as a legal function—it’s becoming a key business function. It’s being reported to shareholders, and it’s on balance sheets. And of course, we’re seeing roles like Chief IP Officers as part of the C-suite. This is a major shift from how IP was traditionally viewed.
Another trend is the explosion of more advanced technology in this space. AI, in particular, is going to play a huge role. According to most major analysts, AI in the IP space is predicted to grow significantly over the next five years, and that’s going to completely change how we manage IP—from searching and portfolio management to valuation.
Elisa Cooper: How do you see IP services evolving in the coming years?
Amy Elizabeth Rufe: I think there are two key areas where we’ll see changes. First, portfolio valuation has become more critical. Companies are relying on multiple tools and services to get an accurate valuation of their portfolios, not just for internal strategy, but also for reporting to shareholders on their balance sheets.
Second, technology is going to keep driving change. The rapid growth of new tools is transforming how businesses manage their IP. Whether it’s AI for searching, managing portfolios, or valuation, these tools are going to be indispensable moving forward.
