
My name is Sheila Niaz, and I am a developer, runner, and patent attorney. I presently serve as a board member of the ChIPs Twin Cities Chapter Advisory Board, chair of Women in Intellectual Property Law of the Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Association, and chair of the Intellectual Property Practice Group of the Federal Bar Association Minnesota Chapter. While in law school, I served as the president of the Student Intellectual Property Law Association for both 2018-19 and 2019-20, the editor-in-chief of Vol 11.2 and executive editor of Vol 11.1 of the Cybaris Intellectual Property Law Review, vice president of the Chess Club for both 2018-19, and 2019-20, a student attorney volunteer at the Mitchell Hamline Intellectual Property Clinic, a member of the Honorable Jimmie V. Reyna IP American Inns of Court, a semifinalist in the AIPLA Giles Rich Patent Moot Court competition, and a recipient of the Minnesota Justice Foundation award for volunteer work. While studying Computer Science at the University of St. Thomas as an undergraduate, I served as the Computer Science Club president, president of the Pre-Law Society, and founder of the Running Club. I enjoy reading, rock climbing, boxing, and running in my spare time. I have completed nine marathons – the 2015 Grandma’s Marathon; 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 Twin Cities Marathon; the 2017 Chicago Marathon; the 2018 New York City Marathon – and am currently training to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I am not one to shy away from an adventure; I enjoy the challenges of unfamiliar territory and view each new venture as an opportunity to expand my experiences.
