Olivia (Libby)
Martzahn

“I help clients protect their intellectual property—whether that’s obtaining a patent, registering a trademark, or counseling on an infringement position.”

Respectfulness, competence, and approachability are key attributes Libby Martzahn tries to convey to her clients. “I hope that I can build my clients’ trust in me as their counsel,” Libby says. “I want to have a good relationship and a good work product in whatever we’re doing together.”

 

With undergraduate degrees in chemistry and chemical engineering and a master’s degree in chemical engineering, Libby has been able to leverage her scientific acumen in working with scientists and inventors. She also worked as a chemical engineer at a large agricultural processing facility before attending law school. “Those hands-on mechanical experiences help me visualize some of the things that my clients are trying to protect,” she says.

 

As a registered patent attorney, Libby helps her clients acquire patents, defends patents that have been issued to her clients, and challenges patents her clients are accused of infringing. “It’s fun to be able to be on the cutting-edge of science and technology and use my skills and interests in a slightly different manner than the traditional engineering route,” Libby says. Patent law combines her favorite aspects of science in a different arena. “Some of the parts I like about science and engineering are also present in the law, like analytical and creative thinking.”

 

Outside of the scientific aspects of her practice, Libby also works to protect her clients’ branding through trademarks. This includes registration as well as enforcement of trademarks. “Trademarks are an important part of my clients’ business,” she says. “Trademarks can allow a business to convey so much meaning to their customers, and we need to make sure that meaning is not interfered with.”

 

Prior to joining Nyemaster, Libby worked as a patent attorney at a large international law firm in Washington, D.C., at the heart of U.S. patent law. “I had a wide range of sophisticated clients when I was in D.C.,” Libby says. “Every client is different, so you have to make sure you have that personalized approach.”

 

Now, Libby applies the skills she has learned to achieve her clients’ goals. “I’m a firm believer that we should always be questioning and thinking,” she says. “I work within the constraints of laws and regulations and think about how to best apply those for the client even if it’s not the path most regularly taken.”

 

For Libby, it’s also important to be compassionate. Among the ways Libby has expressed that compassion is through pro bono work. For example, she worked with elderly clients through AARP to help them prepare end-of-life planning documents and has worked with the ACLU to advocate for youth in detention facilities.

 

Outside the office, Libby focuses on spending time with her husband and young daughter, connecting with extended family and friends, and seeking out exciting things to do in the Des Moines area.

American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)

  • Member

OVERVIEW

Respectfulness, competence, and approachability are key attributes Libby Martzahn tries to convey to her clients. “I hope that I can build my clients’ trust in me as their counsel,” Libby says. “I want to have a good relationship and a good work product in whatever we’re doing together.”

 

With undergraduate degrees in chemistry and chemical engineering and a master’s degree in chemical engineering, Libby has been able to leverage her scientific acumen in working with scientists and inventors. She also worked as a chemical engineer at a large agricultural processing facility before attending law school. “Those hands-on mechanical experiences help me visualize some of the things that my clients are trying to protect,” she says.

 

As a registered patent attorney, Libby helps her clients acquire patents, defends patents that have been issued to her clients, and challenges patents her clients are accused of infringing. “It’s fun to be able to be on the cutting-edge of science and technology and use my skills and interests in a slightly different manner than the traditional engineering route,” Libby says. Patent law combines her favorite aspects of science in a different arena. “Some of the parts I like about science and engineering are also present in the law, like analytical and creative thinking.”

 

Outside of the scientific aspects of her practice, Libby also works to protect her clients’ branding through trademarks. This includes registration as well as enforcement of trademarks. “Trademarks are an important part of my clients’ business,” she says. “Trademarks can allow a business to convey so much meaning to their customers, and we need to make sure that meaning is not interfered with.”

 

Prior to joining Nyemaster, Libby worked as a patent attorney at a large international law firm in Washington, D.C., at the heart of U.S. patent law. “I had a wide range of sophisticated clients when I was in D.C.,” Libby says. “Every client is different, so you have to make sure you have that personalized approach.”

 

Now, Libby applies the skills she has learned to achieve her clients’ goals. “I’m a firm believer that we should always be questioning and thinking,” she says. “I work within the constraints of laws and regulations and think about how to best apply those for the client even if it’s not the path most regularly taken.”

 

For Libby, it’s also important to be compassionate. Among the ways Libby has expressed that compassion is through pro bono work. For example, she worked with elderly clients through AARP to help them prepare end-of-life planning documents and has worked with the ACLU to advocate for youth in detention facilities.

 

Outside the office, Libby focuses on spending time with her husband and young daughter, connecting with extended family and friends, and seeking out exciting things to do in the Des Moines area.

PROFESSIONAL & COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS

American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)

  • Member