Tim Casey, executive director of the University's Institute for Innovation and Informatics and the Office of Economic Development, has announced he will step down from his post April 30 to return to the private sector. Casey has also been an Our Workplace columnist.
"Starting the Institute, building excitement in the University and local community for entrepreneurial endeavors, and helping to strengthen connections between the University and the local business community has been a great challenge and experience," Casey said.
Casey will reopen his intellectual property practice through an association with a Silicon Valley law firm, where he will serve national and international clients. Casey also will work for Silversky Group LLC, a Reno-based business he has co-founded that specializes in business and patent services for intellectual property-based business.
"We're grateful for all that Tim has done to expand student entrepreneurial opportunities on campus and for enhancing University collaborations and relationships with the area's growing business community," said John Frederick, executive vice president and provost.
"He is a highly valued alumnus of this University, and we wish him continued success in his new ventures."
Prior to his appointment as executive director of the University's institute, Casey was a senior partner in the international law firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver and Jacobson, in its Washington, D.C. and New York City offices, where he headed the firm's intellectual property and technology transactions practice. Casey also served as a senior vice president and chief technology counsel for MCI Communications from 1995-2000, as director of intellectual property at Silicon Graphics and one of Apple Computer's first patent attorneys.
Casey is a published author and regarded as an international expert in copyright laws as they apply to the Internet. He also created the "Hunting License,"
a type of patent licensing program he developed at MCI that has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in licensing revenue.
Both at the University and in prior private practice, Casey has served on the board of a number of local and national businesses and charitable organizations, served on National Academy of Sciences committees, taught patent law at Santa Clara University and American University, advised international technical and legal publications, and served as an international arbitrator and mediator involving intellectual property disputes.