Yi S. Wilkinson, Ph.D.

California

Womble Bond Dickinson
1279 Oakmead Parkway
Sunnyvale, CA 94085
United States

Tel: +1 408.720.3485

Email: yi.wilkinson@wbd-us.com
Web: www.womblebonddickinson.com

Professional Biography

An experienced intellectual property lawyer with strong technical background and extensive industry experience, Yi Wilkinson is Counsel with Womble Bond Dickinson in the firm’s Silicon Valley office. She has significant experience in patent drafting and prosecution in 5G wireless communications, semiconductor materials and equipment, autonomous driving vehicles, telecommunication and laser technologies, medical devices, circuit designs and computer software.

Yi works regularly with both domestic and international clients, including a number of Fortune 500 companies, mid-size and start-up companies. Yi has been selected to the 2025 Northern California Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. Yi has also been recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America.

Yi’s practice includes the entire patent life cycle, including identifying and harvesting invention ideas, conducting training seminars in patent application drafting, drafting and prosecuting patent applications with the USPTO. Yi has extensive experience in patent portfolio development strategies, noninfringement and invalidity analyses, freedom-to-operate analyses, and IP due diligence work in financing and acquisitions.

Yi’s strong technical background and considerable experience in industry and academic research allow her to quickly understand the complex technical aspects of the inventions and the business issues of the clients. Prior to becoming an attorney, Yi worked as a senior engineer for high-tech companies, including New Focus (telecommunication), KLA-Tencor (semiconductor), and Applied Biosystems (biotech). She was also an Adjunct Professor of Electrical Engineering at Northwestern Polytechnic University for several years.

Yi received her J.D. from University of California Hastings College of Law after previously earning a Ph.D. in Optical Engineering and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from University of Alabama in Huntsville. Before coming to the U.S., she received a B.S. in Optical Engineering and an M.S. in Electronic Physics from Huazhong University of Science & Technology, China.

Womble Bond Dickinson’s IP practitioners are on hand to deal with many issues arising from patents – including non-disclosure agreements, research and development and collaboration agreements, licences of background and foreground technology, joint ownership and assignment agreements – as well as advising when a patent may have been infringed or confidential information misused. The firm’s US team is also adept at guiding clients through the patent prosecution process.

Many of Womble Bond Dickinson’s international practitioners working in patent prosecution have technical backgrounds across a diverse range of specialisms. The firm’s patent attorneys are supported by lawyers, paralegals and strategists to help protect, manage, exploit or defend clients’ hard-earned inventions.

Whether it involves commercialising patents through licensing, navigating the complexities of infringement cases or technical collaborations, understanding inventors’ ownership or compensation rights, or ensuring that patent rights are robust, the team’s attention to detail and understanding of the ever-changing legal landscape guides clients through all stages of patent protection.

Womble Bond Dickinson is a full-service, transatlantic law firm with offices across the United States and the United Kingdom. The firm brings together more than 1,300 attorneys, offering a broad range of commercially focused legal services to a diverse, global client base.

The firm provides legal advice across numerous practice areas and industry sectors, combining deep market knowledge with international capabilities. Its integrated transatlantic platform allows it to deliver coordinated legal solutions and strategic guidance to clients operating in complex, cross-border environments.

Womble Bond Dickinson emphasizes a collaborative and client-focused approach, supported by multidisciplinary teams and industry-specific expertise. The firm is known for delivering practical, business-oriented advice while leveraging its global reach and resources to address clients’ most critical legal challenges.

“A standout practitioner in patent law, Yi Wilkinson is praised for her comprehensive expertise across the full patent life cycle. Clients appreciate her precision in drafting and prosecuting high-value patents, while peers commend her sophisticated approach to portfolio strategy and IP due diligence.”
The Patent Lawyers, 2025