Snell & Wilmer Partner April Wurster Recognized as a WIPR Influential Woman in IP

SAN DIEGO – Snell & Wilmer is pleased to announce that partner April Wurster has been recognized as a 2026 “Influential Woman in IP” by World IP Review (WIPR). This annual recognition honors women whose expertise, leadership and achievements are shaping the future of intellectual property across the globe.

Wurster is Co-Chair of the firm’s Life Sciences and Medical Technology Industry Group and focuses her practice on intellectual property and technology transactions. She advises startups, public companies and universities on protecting and commercializing innovations in areas including cell and gene therapies, diagnostics, and medical devices. Wurster’s background includes stem cell research at the University of California, San Francisco and experience as in-house counsel for a regenerative medicine company, where she was involved in securing some of the industry’s first patents involving pluripotent stem cell-derived therapies and medical device systems for cell encapsulation and implantation. Her practice includes patent strategy, licensing, technology transactions, Freedom to Operate analyses and trade secret strategies.

Wurster is a frequent author and speaker on intellectual property and life sciences topics, contributing to publications including BioSpace and IPWatchdog and presenting at industry events such as the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy Conference and ABA IP West. She is also a member of Biocom California’s Cell and Gene Therapy Committee and Medical Device & Diagnostics Committee.