Hylton-Rodic Law | Q2 Newsletter
As the second quarter of 2026 comes to a close, we wanted to share a few updates from around the garden at Hylton-Rodic Law. This spring, the garden got a new look.
Adams Morgan neighborhood in Washington, DC, where Hylton-Rodic Law’s new office is located
Here's what sprouted this spring at Hylton-Rodic Law
As spring turns into summer, there have been many exciting new blossoms around the garden at Hylton-Rodic Law.
As we shared in our Q1 newsletter, our word for 2026 is growth. Every gardener knows that as a tree spreads its roots, it needs more room to grow properly. That’s exactly what happened at our firm as we left our office suite in Tenleytown to our very own rowhome in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, DC. While we are only two miles from our previous office, this move represents more than a change of address. The new space gives us room to grow our team and continue delivering high-quality intellectual property services to our clients.
The project required months of planning, coordination, and teamwork, all while ensuring that the level of service our clients expect never skipped a beat. Our team owes special thanks to our Chief Operating Officer (COO), Scott Benigno, for being the steward of the entire renovation and the move to the office. His involvement allowed our legal team to continue to focus on legal work and client satisfaction.
This quarter also kicked off our client happiness initiative. Our Relationships Team has begun reaching out to clients and coordinating check-ins to better understand their goals, priorities, and experiences working with Hylton-Rodic Law. These conversations help us identify opportunities to improve and ensure we continue providing the highest level of service possible.
If we have not connected with you yet and you'd like to schedule a conversation, feel free to send a note to Keisha or Scott.
We intend for these sessions to be “anything goes”. While we would prefer to focus on our successes, it is more important to chat about where we could improve. Your insights help shape how we serve clients and support our continued growth.
This quarter, we are excited to share a few highlights, including our new office, industry conferences, educational programming, and a look at what is ahead. We hope you enjoy seeing what has been sprouting around the HRL garden this spring. Thanks for being a part of our community.
Hylton-Rodic Law has found a new home
This quarter, we officially moved from our suite office in Tenleytown to our new home in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, DC.
The white building pictured on the left is Hylton-Rodic Law’s new office in Adams Morgan, Washington, DC.
The move reflects both our current needs and our long-term plans for growth. As our team expands, we need a space that better supports collaboration, creates room for new opportunities, and strengthens the way we serve our clients.
More importantly, this new office gives our team the space to do what we do best: work together to build defensible portfolios, create long-term strength, and help our clients maximize the commercial value of their innovations. The space includes collaborative work areas that allow our team to tackle challenges together, as well as dedicated workstations that support focused, individual work.
For us, Adams Morgan felt like a natural fit. It is a vibrant and energetic community that has grown in popularity in the last several years. The streets of “Admo” offer captivating murals, must-try restaurants, and a different energy than many other DC neighborhoods. We believe the character of Adams Morgan best reflects our firm, and the choice to move here felt natural.
Like any growing garden, there comes a time when a little more room is needed to flourish. We are excited for this next chapter and look forward to welcoming many of you into our new home in the months ahead. If you find yourself in DC, please feel free to drop by!
From Boston to Dallas: Insights from the Road
During the quarter, the HRL team attended several industry events covering topics ranging from law firm operations to life sciences intellectual property.
First up was the “Crushing Chaos” conference, hosted by Law Firm Mentor.
This two-day event focused on helping law firms scale effectively while maintaining high levels of client service.
The conference reinforced the importance of building systems and processes that support sustainable growth.
With our office move complete, our Operations team is focused on refining the infrastructure that supports both our clients and our team.
In May, the HRL team also attended UM Ventures' Invention of the Year event at the University of Maryland, celebrating groundbreaking research and the innovators bringing new technologies to market. From life sciences and AI to quantum technologies and clean energy, the event highlighted the exciting work happening throughout Maryland's innovation ecosystem.
Our connection with the University of Maryland continued on June 2, when Keisha returned to campus to speak with innovators and entrepreneurs about intellectual property strategy, commercialization, and building defensible companies. We always enjoy opportunities to engage with founders and researchers working to transform ideas into impact. Our commitment to our clients is to continue to evaluate the best technologies and solutions while driving industry leading conversations.
Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.
— James Cash Penney
Keisha Takes the Stage
As mentioned above, Keisha joined industry leaders at LSPN North America for a panel discussion on AI-Powered Patent Prosecution for Life Sciences Innovation.
As artificial intelligence continues to influence how innovation is developed and protected, the panel explored both the opportunities and limitations of using AI within the patent process. One theme emerged clearly: while AI tools are evolving quickly, thoughtful legal analysis and human judgment remain essential.
For HRL, participation in discussions like these extends beyond staying current with industry developments. It is an opportunity to help shape the discussions that matter most to our clients and to provide practical guidance as new technologies continue to transform the innovation landscape.
Continuing the Conversation
Our firm remains highly focused on the adoption of AI in the legal and life sciences industries. We believe that AI can be a valuable tool when used appropriately, but successful adoption requires careful consideration of legal, ethical, and practical challenges.
With that, we hosted a webinar titled "AI-Discovered Therapeutics: Get Your Patent Strategy Right or Settle for Second Place," exploring intellectual property strategies in the rapidly evolving world of AI-driven drug discovery.
One message came through clearly from both the presentation and the conversations that followed: AI-discovered therapeutics are no longer a concept on the horizon; they are here today. As innovation moves faster, so does the need for thoughtful IP protection.
For innovators operating in this space, the takeaway was simple: move early. Building a strong patent strategy and protecting valuable discoveries from the start can make all the difference. Waiting may feel easier in the short term, but in a rapidly changing landscape, it can also mean falling behind.
Social Channel
We’ve been having a little more fun on LinkedIn this quarter while continuing to share ideas, milestones, and moments from around the HRL garden. Our creative posts featured below were developed by our Marketing Assistant, Xinru, who helps bring HRL’s events, ideas, and milestones to life online. If you're not already, drop our company page a follow!
Here are a few of our favorite posts from Q2:
What’s Our Team Up to This Summer?
With Q2 behind us, we’re heading into Q3 and the heart of summer. While most days you can expect to find our team at the HRL HQ, there will still be some travel days this summer.
Annika from our Legal Team is spending much of her summer preparing for an exciting move to Philadelphia and looks forward to exploring her new city. When she’s not getting settled, she plans to relax with family and friends, enjoy some good books, and go for runs. She’ll also be kicking off graduate school applications and studying for the LSAT, making this summer both productive and exciting.
Trina, one of our Associates, has a summer full of plans, including traveling to Connecticut for a wedding, heading to the beach in Massachusetts, and going river tubing in West Virginia. With celebrations, beach time, and a little outdoor adventure on the calendar, she’s making the most of the season before fall arrives.
What We're Cultivating for Q3
Launching a New Podcast
We’re launching a new podcast focused on biotech innovation, IP strategy, and helping founders build defensible companies. We’re actively looking for founders, innovators, investors, and industry leaders to join us as podcast guests.
Client & Community Connections
We’ll begin hosting monthly webinars covering biotechnology, intellectual property, and innovation strategy. If there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss or a question you’d like addressed, we’d love to hear from you. In addition, we’ll be scheduling in-person client visits throughout Q3. If you’re interested in meeting with Keisha while she’s in your area, we’d be happy to coordinate a time to connect.
Growing the Team
As our client base and initiatives continue to expand, so does our team. We’re always interested in connecting with talented professionals who are passionate about innovation, strategy, and supporting emerging companies. If you know someone who would be a strong fit for HRL, we’d be happy to receive an introduction or resume.
As we look ahead to the second half of 2026, we’re excited about what’s taking root and grateful to be growing alongside our clients, colleagues, and partners.
Thank you for being part of the HRL community. We appreciate your continued trust and support and look forward to continuing the journey together.