Counsel, Office of Naval Research(ONR)

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) manages and coordinates the Navy's basic, applied and advanced Science and Technology program. It is responsible for the administration of contracts and grants for the Department of Defense at all educational institutions, acts as the Navy’s focal point for worldwide research information, represents the Navy in all types of agreements with other government agencies, corporations, educational and scientific research institutions, and other organizations and individuals concerned with scientific research. ONR also has management and oversight responsibility for the Navy's corporate laboratory, the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), the Navy's exploratory development program, the Navy's domestic technology transfer program, the Navy's small business innovation research program and the Navy's advanced technology development program. ONR is responsible for Navy policy and direction concerning patents, inventions, trademarks, copyrights and royalty payments (intellectual property). While research managed by ONR is directed toward areas of interest to the national defense, these areas, such as mathematical and physical sciences, ocean sciences, engineering sciences, life sciences, advanced vehicles technology, applied oceanography, acoustics, surveillance and communication are so broad that the results often have significant benefits in the commercial sector.

The Office of Counsel directly advises the Chief of Naval Research and the Department Heads on all legal matters affecting ONR. The major areas of practice include procurement law, grants law, intellectual property law, environmental law, use of humans and animals in research, technology transfer, personnel law, standards of conduct, Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts, indirect costs and review and monitoring patent licenses, and cooperative research and development agreements. Within the Office of Counsel is the position of The Patent Counsel of the Navy. The responsibilities of the position include assisting the Chief of Naval Research in formulating and establishing intellectual property policy for the DoN, advising the General Counsel on the practice of intellectual property law in the DoN and the implementation of the CNR’s intellectual property policies, representing the DoN at interagency meetings on intellectual property matters, and managing and coordinating the performance of DoN-wide intellectual property responsibilities. The Office of Counsel, ONR, has field offices throughout the United States that support medical research, the Naval Postgraduate School, and naval meteorological and oceanographic operations. These offices' primary areas of practice include contract law, personnel law and standards of conduct, intellectual property law (especially patent soliciting), technology transfer, and interagency, international and cooperative agreements.

For additional information on ONR, go to www.onr.navy.mil.