In Memoriam

LAWRENCE A. MAXHAM
1938-2023
Patent & Trademark Attorney

Larry Maxham – a long-time attendee at IP Section events and programs and an active practitioner of patent and intellectual property law for almost 60 years – passed away on July 15^th.  Apart from his law career, Larry was an avid golfer and baseball fan, as well as a loving father and husband to his wife of 35 years – Ruby.  He was also a true gentleman in the classic sense. 

Larry’s interest in electrical things had its roots in an unlikely place, a small dairy farm in Northern Vermont.  From age 6 his parents noticed his propensity towards all things electric, so they assigned him to Christmas light duty to keep all the lights working throughout the season. From then on, he could be found repairing and rewiring any and all electric gadgets he could get his hands on. This early inspiration led him to the Boston area where he earned his degree in Electronic Engineering at Tufts University. 

Between Tufts and Boston College Law School, he served in the United States Navy, after his obligation to the Navy made it possible for him to attend college. The concept of becoming a patent attorney came to him before graduating from Tufts and he was mulling over the decision to attend law school during his time on the USS Mullany based out of San Diego.  As many veterans before him, he, too, fell in love with San Diego. 

On a more personal note, he fell in love with baseball at age 10 when he attended a Red Sox game in Fenway Park.  He sat in the left field stands just above Ted Williams. From there he learned the game and played in high school.  At age 16 golf found him and never let go.  His game was lacking in his later years, but he enjoyed a lot of fresh air with a lot of very good people.

After 18 years of law school and law practice in Boston, he made the break and relocated to San Diego. He considered himself fortunate to live in San Diego for the past 40+ years where he could play golf, attend symphonies and top-level theater, and professional baseball games, as time away from the practice of law permitted.

His career in Intellectual Property (IP) provided him the great joy of working with and representing people in their creative modes in his local, national, and international practice.  Multiple legal and technical challenges arose daily that kept him excited about his practice and keep his mind sharp.

In recognition of his many contributions to the practice of IP law, the Intellectual Property Law Section recently created The Larry Maxham Award (a/k/a “The Larry”) to recognize and celebrate a lifetime of commitment to the IP Section, as well as a lifetime of contributions to serving clients in the field of IP law.  (Larry had attended the IP Section’s annual IP Institute for approximately 40 straight years).  The IP Section decided it was only fitting that Larry will be the inaugural recipient of the Award.

Larry Maxham succumbed to pancreatic cancer on July 15, 2023. He leaves behind his wife of 35 years, Ruby Maxham, daughters Tanya and Heidi Maxham, and stepdaughter Liz Hollingworth.

BACKGROUND

Practicing patent attorney since 1966; President, Boston Patent Law Association 1981; President, San Diego Patent Law Association 1985-1986; U.S. Bar/EPO Liaison Council, Recording Secretary 1988-2001, Vice Chairman 1999-2001, Chairman 2000-2002. Bar Memberships: California; Massachusetts; U.S. Supreme Court; Federal, 1st and 9th Circuits Courts of Appeals; California and Massachusetts Federal District Courts; United States Patent and Trademark Office.

MEMBER

State Bar of California; California, Lawyers Association; American Intellectual Property Law Association; San Diego Intellectual Property Law Association; San Diego County Bar Association; North County Bar Association (San Diego); Imperial County Bar Association; Boston Patent Law Association; International Trademark Association (INTA); International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI)

PRACTICE AREAS

All aspects of Intellectual Property including, Patent, Trademark, Copyright, Counseling, Prosecution, Licensing, and Litigation.