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Vern Francissen is an experienced intellectual property attorney currently serving as the IP Practice Head at Providentia since February 2022, specializing in open-source counsel. With a robust background, Vern founded Francissen Patents in January 2015, providing expert patent law services tailored to various organizational sizes. Previous roles include Independent Patent Counsel at Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P., Virtual In-house Patent Counsel for eBay, and Patent Counsel at Newport IP, LLC. Vern's experience also encompasses significant positions at major firms, including as a Senior Patent Counsel at Microsoft and as a Partner at both Gardner Carton & Douglas and MBHB. Academic qualifications include a JD from the University of Wisconsin Law School, an MS and BS in Electrical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, respectively, and additional studies at the University of Groningen.