Intellectual Property

Experience matters for the protection and exploitation of a company’s intellectual property—often its most valuable, and its most vulnerable, asset. Our IP attorneys deliver that experience for a wide range of industries—including electronics, computer software and hardware, semiconductors, manufacturing, nanotechnology, optics, healthcare, life sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, telecommunications, entertainment, and financial services—providing practical advice and innovative strategies that address all aspects of intellectual property protection and results in commercial solutions to the problems faced in today’s marketplaces.

Steptoe’s intellectual property attorneys are at the forefront of technology, commerce, and the law.

Steptoe represented the winning plaintiff in the most recent copyright/unfair competition Supreme Court case Dastar v. Twentieth Century, concerning important limitations of unfair competition law. Steptoe publishes the highly regarded E-Commerce Law Weekly which focuses on timely legal and related developments that affect electronic commerce and security.

Steptoe’s attorneys have been, and are, engaged in numerous cases, including legislative action, administrative proceedings, and other forums respecting the protection of virtually the entire gamut of IP rights including patent, trade secret, copyright, trademark, and privacy. Steptoe’s attorneys regularly obtain patent protection for and advise clients on cutting-edge issues in a broad range of technologies, including pharmaceutical, biotechnology, chemistry, materials science, optic, electrical, semiconductor, encryption, electronic commerce, mechanical, medical device, business method, telecommunication, nanotechnology, and software patents.

The firm’s attorneys and technology specialists include a doctor of veterinary medicine and four Ph.D.s in chemistry, biochemistry, biomedical sciences, and mechanical engineering.

Steptoe partners have been chosen by their peers in the IP bar to serve recently as president of the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the Federal Circuit Bar Association, and the International Trade Commission Trial Lawyers’ Association.

Representative Matters

Franck Muller USA, Inc. v. Yafa Antique Jewelry Inc. et al (S.D.N.Y. 2007) – Represented the United States licensee for Franck Muller watches in a lawsuit alleging trademark infringement and unfair competition suit relating to the gray market trafficking of Franck Muller watches. On December 7, 2007, a federal court issued the last of several rulings barring 11 retailers from engaging in this illegal activity in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.

Noteworthy

Ranked, Chambers USA 2008, America’s Leading Lawyers: Intellectual Property (District of Columbia)
Steptoe Patent Team Scores Major Victory for Honda
Section 337 Victory in Wood Flooring Investigation
Steptoe Achieves 337 Victory for SHARPIE Maker
Steptoe Team Arranges $40 Million Settlement for Ampex

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Publications

Piece of Fake
July 23, 2008, Los Angeles Daily Journal
"Creating a Viable Alternative: Reforming Patent Reexamination Procedure for the Small Business and Small Investor," 59 ADMIN. L. REV 629 (2007)
Litigating the Business Method Patent: Pitfalls for Unwary Defendants
2006, The Intellectual Property Strategist Vol 12 No 12
Korea Practice (English version)
October 18, 2006

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