From Engineering to Law: Shane Percival’s Journey to Leading a Modern IP Firm

In this episode of This Legal Life, host Ben Chiriboga sits down with Shane Percival — a lawyer, engineer,  and partner at NOD Law. Shane shares his unique journey from an engineering career during the dot-com era to becoming a leader in intellectual property law. They explore how his technical background and project management skills influenced his legal practice, his path from associate to partner, and the development of a dynamic, hybrid work culture. Shane also discusses the future of boutique law firms, the integration of AI, and how building meaningful client relationships remains central to success.

Guest Bio:

A problem-solver by nature, Shane frequently organizes cross-disciplinary actions in providing clients innovative legal solutions. As a former project manager tasked with the timely resolution of client issues while operating independently within a client location, Shane translates those previously honed organizational and managerial skills to apply intricate legal frameworks to cutting-edge technology and novel business models. Whether he is providing a client with patent, trademark, transactional due diligence, litigation support, or licensing/commercial agreement work, Shane ensures all firm work product is aligned with the client’s vision and needs. As an engineer, Shane was previously based in London, UK, and frequently worked with customers while stationed in Hong Kong. He is now able to rely on the skills honed during this time when managing clients’ global legal issues to fortify their market position and secure their commercial success.