Industry Veteran Brings More Than Two Decades of IP Licensing, Litigation, and Commercial Negotiation Experience as Via Expands its Licensing Program and Strategic Partnerships
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (June 15, 2026) – Via Licensing Alliance (Via) today announced that it has hired Patrick Zhang as the company’s new Vice President of Licensing and Commercial Strategy. This newly created role at Via further bolsters the senior team, adding over two decades of expertise in IP litigation and licensing to the organization. In his new role, Zhang will bridge the licensing and new programs functions at Via, with a focus on expanding the company’s strategic partnerships accelerating its licensing deal flow. He will also contribute to new program growth and strategy.
“Via has always placed a strong emphasis on hiring top talent with extensive experience and relationships in the IP space,” said Kevin Mack, President of Via. “Patrick’s background, energy and expertise are an ideal fit as we continue to grow our senior team and build our momentum. We look forward to working with Patrick and leveraging his ability to consistently generate value for licensors and licensees.”
Zhang brings more than 20 years of experience spanning technology licensing, intellectual property strategy, litigation, and commercial negotiations. He has held IP litigation roles at leading global law firms such as Morrison & Foerster and Ropes & Gray, and he has also served as senior in-house counsel, overseeing IP licensing, strategy and enforcement for IP innovators and technology companies including Atlassian, Technicolor and TiVo.
Among his notable accomplishments, Zhang served on the courtroom trial team for the landmark Apple v. Samsung smartphone litigation and has built and led sophisticated licensing and intellectual property functions for global technology organizations. More recently, he has counseled companies on AI model use and training risks amid evolving litigation and regulatory developments.
“I am very excited to join the great team at Via and look forward to working closely with Via leadership to grow our partnerships and present the balanced value proposition of a pool IP license to our customers. It is an incredibly exciting time for technology innovation and an equally important time for intellectual property and licensing. I look forward to bringing a balanced perspective from having sat on both sides of the negotiating table to create trust and unlock solutions.”
Zhang will be based in Via’s San Francisco office. He earned a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Cornell University and a law degree from Fordham University School of Law. He is admitted to the bar in New York and California and is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
About Via Licensing Alliance:
Via Licensing Alliance is the collaborative licensing leader, dedicated to accelerating global technology adoption, fostering participation, and generating return on innovation with balanced licensing solutions for innovators and manufacturers of all sizes around the globe. Via has operated dozens of licensing programs for a variety of technologies. Via is an independently managed company owned by industry-leading participants with over 25 years of intellectual property licensing leadership. For more information about Via, please visit https://www.via-la.com.
Contact:
Via Licensing Alliance
Raleigh Hogan-Miller
Press@Via-LA.com