April Wurster
Key details
- Job title: Partner and Co-Chair of the Life Sciences Industry Group
- Firm: Snell & Wilmer
- Jurisdiction: US
A partner at Snell & Wilmer and co-chair of the firm’s Life Sciences Industry Group, April Wurster advises startups, universities, public companies and biotechnology innovators on patent strategy, technology transactions, trade secrets, trademarks and complex commercial agreements.
With a background in molecular biology, biochemistry and stem cell research, Wurster has built a career spanning private practice, in-house counsel and executive legal leadership. She has held senior legal roles including general counsel at Freenome and associate general counsel, IP & litigation, at GenMark Diagnostics.
During her time at ViaCyte, she played a pivotal role in securing some of the industry’s earliest patents relating to pluripotent stem cell-derived therapies and medical device systems for cell encapsulation and implantation, while obtaining more than 225 patents covering both life sciences and hardware technologies.
Wurster is widely respected for helping organisations translate scientific innovation into robust IP protection and commercial strategy. She is a frequent speaker and author on emerging IP issues.
Beyond her client work, Wurster is committed to advancing the profession through mentoring junior lawyers, promoting inclusion, and expanding access to IP education.
Through organisations including Women in Bio, Athena Women in STEM and Biocom California, as well as educational initiatives such as the Patent Lego Challenge, she has helped foster innovation, professional development and greater understanding of IP within the life sciences community.
