Robert J. Hilton is a partner in our San Diego office.
Dr. Hilton represents a wide array of clients in the pharmaceutical, chemical, biotechnology, and medical device industries related to patent prosecution and strategic counseling. He brings deep technical skills to clients’ work in therapeutics, diagnostics, antibodies, molecular biology, immunology, regenerative medicine, personalized and precision medicine, vaccines, drug delivery systems, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals, making him go-to counsel for patent protection issues of all kinds, and for complex patent portfolios. Dr. Hilton’s passion for the law and science allows him to appreciate his clients’ technical innovations and develop strategies for safeguarding and rewarding these advances.
Prior to graduate studies in biochemistry, Dr. Hilton was an ophthalmic assistant, specializing in retinal disorders. He has extensive experience in prosecuting portfolios related to diagnostics, therapeutics, and medical devices related to eye diseases, such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, and glaucoma.
Dr. Hilton has substantial experience in all aspects of patents, including drafting and prosecution, patentability, validity, and due diligence reviews. He also provides advice on risk management of intellectual property matters. Dr. Hilton offers honed skills in global patent portfolio creation and management and has guided companies from inception of ideas through building strong patent portfolios to secure business goals.
Dr. Hilton joined the firm in 2014 and became a partner in 2021.
Brigham Young University, J.D.
Brigham Young University, Ph.D., Biochemistry
Brigham Young University, B.S., Biochemistry
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Biotech
Aesthetic & Cosmetic Biotechnology
Antibodies & Immunology
Biological Manufacturing of Chemicals
Biologics
CBD & Legal Cannabis
Diagnostic Tools
Genomics
Industrial Enzymes
Peptides
Personalized Medicine
Research Tools & Reagents
Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine
Synthetic Biology & Nanotechnology
Therapeutics
Transgenic Animals
Vaccines
Chemical, Industrial & Materials
Analytical Chemistry
Biochemistry
Chemical Engineering
Combinatorial Chemistry
Cosmetics & Personal Care Products
Food Chemistry
Gardening
Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Consumer Products & Services
Aesthetics & Personal Care Products
Food & Beverage
Energy
Bioenergy & Biofuels
Biomass
Remediation & Bioremediation
Medical Devices & Procedures
Diagnostics
Ophthalmology & Eye Care
Pharmaceuticals
Antibodies and Immunology
Biological Manufacturing of Chemicals
Biologics
Diagnostic Tools
Peptides
Personalized Medicine
Research Tools & Reagents
Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine
Therapeutics
Vaccines
Due Diligence
Global Portfolio Management
IP Strategy
IP Transactions, Agreements & Venture Capital
Patent Strategy & Prosecution
Patentability
U.S. Patent Prosecution
- Named a “Patent Prosecutor of the Year” by World Intellectual Property Review’s Life Science Network (LSPN) (2025)
