For more than two decades, it has been my privilege to work in the public relations industry. The majority of that time has been spent supporting technology companies. I always joke that while my grandfather was an engineer, and my father is a software developer — I’m from the same tree. It’s just that the apple happened to land on the other side of the fence, in marketing.

My client base has also reflected that. Between stints on the corporate side, and at global public relations firms, I have supported everything from semiconductor companies to telecom and networking equipment makers and just about every kind of software that has been invented.

Seventeen years ago, at another firm, I was part of a team that supported IBM’s intellectual property (IP) group. At the time it was a $1 billion a year division, generating revenues from licensing fees.

A little over a year later, I was part of a team that helped launch Open Invention Network. It was unprecedented, an entity created to provide a “patent no-fly zone” around Linux and other open source projects.

Seven years ago, Steve Andrews and I created a boutique firm that would concentrate on supporting technology startups. We named it AVID Public Relations. Our first client was Open Invention Network, and we have been honored to work with them, and continue to do so.

This has required a strong understanding of open source software (OSS) and an ever increasing and evolving understanding of intellectual property.

There are many public relations firms that address the needs of technology vendors. Others support law firms.

We see an opportunity that few, if any, can match. We understand technology, IP and how to execute effective public relations campaigns for both.

With that as a bit of background, we are announcing our firm’s transition.

AVID Public Relations will be the premier IP public relations firm. AVID PR is the only firm optimized for maximizing clients’ success in their public relations activities, where their technology and intellectual property intersect.

As the only firm of its kind, AVID PR is uniquely capable of amplifying IP-oriented coverage in IP-industry, business and technology media. We’ve designed our firm’s programs to maximize public relations success for in-house IP teams at businesses, defensive patent management organizations and IP law firms.

We will continue to support our current non-IP clients. But moving forward, we will only accept new business from defensive patent management organizations, in-house IP teams at companies and IP law firms.

We are excited about this opportunity, and we hope the IP community is too.