Carl Horton

Chief IP Counsel, GE

Prior to becoming GE’s Chief IP Counsel, Carl served as lead IP counsel for GE’s Healthcare Business where he was responsible for all intellectual property matters including procurement, licensing and enforcement of all patents, trademarks, trade secrets, copyrights as well as all legal components of GE Healthcare’s academic relationships. From 1995 to 2001, Carl served as lead IP counsel for GE’s Electrical Distribution and Control businesses and later GE’s Industrial Systems businesses. Carl joined GE in 1992 where he worked in Pittsfield, MA as IP counsel for several of GE’s Plastic/Advanced Materials divisions. Prior to joining GE, Carl worked 4 years at the IP law firm of Burns, Doane, Swecker & Mathis in Alexandria, VA.

In the past 12 years Carl has led IP teams in over 10 countries throughout the world in protecting a wide range of products and services for GE ranging from diagnostic imaging equipment such as MRI, CT, PET & ultrasound equipment and related contrast agents, to hospital information technology systems and genomic/proteomic-based products, to circuit breakers and reliable power transmission systems, switches, drive systems, motors and a host of high temperature thermoplastic materials. Carl was lead IP counsel on over 40 acquisitions ranging in value from $10 million to over $10 billion as well as lead internal IP counsel for countless IP disputes including litigation, interference, opposition, arbitration and mediation.

Carl received a Chemical Engineering degree with honours from the University of Utah, and JD, cum laude, from the National Law Center at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Carl has also been a frequent speaker at IP meetings in the US, including LES, ACCA, ABA, etc. Before joining the IPO Board of Directors, Carl chaired the US Patent Law Committee of the IPO where he helped analyse numerous provisions contained in the various patent reform proposals in the US.