Riesen, Michael J.

Michael is a Partner in and Atlanta Section Head of the Intellectual Property practices of Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP. Mr. Riesen is also part of the Entertainment practice and serves as Executive Director of SGR Labs.

Full Bio
Michael Riesen is a partner in the Intellectual Property Group, where he advises global enterprises, emerging companies, and technology innovators on the legal and strategic issues that shape innovation. Michael is also executive director of SGR Labs developing technology and AI solutions to equip SGR attorneys—and the clients they serve—with effective, secure workflows that elevate legal work and client experience from early‑stage needs through scaled, complex matters.

A U.S. patent attorney and U.K. Solicitor (England and Wales), Michael counsels clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to emerging growth ventures on developing, protecting, commercializing, and defending intellectual property and technology assets across jurisdictions.

Combining a technical background in physics, materials science, and artificial intelligence with a pragmatic business mindset, Michael helps clients bridge the gap between complex technology and legal strategy. He is frequently engaged as outside general counsel to technology-driven companies and multinational business units, providing integrated advice on innovation and commercialization, contracts, governance, compliance, and dispute resolution.

His practice spans several strategic practice areas: intellectual property and litigation, technology transactions, fintech and digital assets, regulatory compliance, and emerging company strategy.
- Intellectual Property, Litigation & Dispute Resolution – Global patent and trademark prosecution, IP strategy, PTAB and EPO proceedings, trade secret litigation, vendor and supply chain contract management, collaborations or co-developments, and portfolio management.
- Technology Transactions & Licensing – Negotiation and drafting of complex technology, SaaS, and AI agreements; IP audits; open-source and data-sharing compliance, review and development of AI policies and implementation.
- Regulatory Compliance & Licensing – Advises fintech, digital asset, and health technology companies on various Federal and State regulations, and administrative proceedings including: FinCEN, FDA, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Money Transmitter Licenses, and export control compliance.
- Fintech & Emerging Technology – Counsel to blockchain, AI, and digital finance innovators on money transmission, state licensing, data security, policies and consumer protection, and evolving regulatory frameworks, including administrative proceedings and resolution with agency examiners.
- Emerging Company Counsel – Serves as outside general counsel to startups and venture-backed companies, advising on corporate governance, IP development, contract management, commercialization, and dispute resolution.
Representative Experience
Enterprise and Institutional Engagements
- Worked with a Fortune 500 company to develop a patent landscape study and filing strategy relating to Internet-of-Things (IoT) and incorporating of data science analytics into the product line.
- Represents multiple universities across the country in matters relating to patent prosecution and litigation, contracts, licensing, and export control. Manages patent families in optics, medical devices, image processing, and other technologies from schools of engineering, medicine, and applied physics.
- Served as senior manager on an extensive patent portfolio (1000+ IP assets) for a client in the plastics and material science industry. Worked with numerous inventors worldwide and with multiple foreign filings contacts to facilitate client business and communication goals.
- Represented an automobile supplies company, assisting in the facilitation of company expansion into a new international market in India. Strategized regarding patent prosecution, including licensing, joint venture agreements, mergers and acquisitions, research agreements, and due diligence. Worked closely with foreign and in-house counsel and inventors and brainstormed and developed the company’s new business venture from the ground up.
- Performed open source audits and coordinated third-party vendors for code review. Conducted in-house seminars and assisted with the development of open-source policies for various corporate entities.
Litigation/Diligence:
- Has been involved in dozens of patent suits, PTAB proceedings, and EPO oppositions.
- Works with S.G.R. Labs to conduct I.P. clearance, I.P. landscapes, and competitive analysis.
- Works closely with testifying and non-testifying subject matter experts in developing non-infringement and invalidity strategies.
- Involved in a challenge to validity for ineligible subject matter under 35 U.S.C. § 101 at the District Court and an appeal to the Federal Circuit.
- Has participated Markman briefing/hearing and expert depositions in various jurisdictions Massachusetts, Colorado, Connecticut, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, and California.
- Counseled major institutions and universities on IP licensing, export-control, and research-collaboration disputes.
- Represented both emerging and established clients in technology-commercialization and founder-related disputes.
- Successfully represented a former Motown artist in royalty and catalog-sale disputes.
- Represented medtech client in administrative proceeding counter to state agency action.
Regulatory and Fintech Compliance
- Conducted complex regulatory analysis to determine MSB and money-transmission status; represented client in FinCEN meetings and with state examiners.
- Developed Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) / AML policies and procedures for money-services businesses; authored compliance memoranda assessing money-transmission status under FinCEN rules.
- Managed multi-state money-transmitter licensing analyses and represented digital-asset clients in state-level regulatory actions and settlements.
- Coordinated compliance review of various cryptocurrency offerings including collaboration with Securities and Commodities group, BSA/AML, MTL, data privacy, information security, and consumer protection.
Technology & IP Transactions
- Negotiated and drafted hundreds of technology, licensing, and collaboration agreements for various companies across market sectors including medtech, fashion/apparel, AI, energy, manufacturing, and software development.
- Designed and implemented corporate IP and AI audit programs.
- Conducted AI lunch-and-learns for various Universities, Public entities, and private entities.
- Conducted open-source audits, developed compliance frameworks, and led internal education programs on innovation management and IP risk.
Bar Admissions

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal
England and Wales (U.K. Solicitor)
European Patent Office
Supreme Court of Georgia
Supreme Court of Ohio
Education
Undergraduate
- Clarion University of Pennsylvania
Grad School
- University of Toledo
Law School
- University of Toledo
Memberships

Georgia Lawyers for the Arts

Georgia Intellectual Property Alliance (Founding Member)

Georgia PATENTS
Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America®, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Atlanta (2024-2026)
Publications and Speaking Engagements

Riesen Coauthors “Knowledge Discovery for Query Formulation for Validation of a Bayesian Belief Network”, 6/20/2010

Riesen Coauthors Article on Bayes Net Classifiers for Prediction of Renal Graft Status, 3/25/2010

Riesen Coauthors Article on Bayesian Belief Network Based on National Crime Victimization Survey, 11/6/2008

Riesen Coauthors Paper on National Crime Victimization Survey Data
SGR Publications
Press

Michael J. Riesen