OBWB - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Patent Agent ( With Limited Recognition )
- Patent Agent ( With Limited Recognition ) Houston
Mr. Mustafic assists with prosecuting foreign and domestic patents in nanotechnology, materials science and software-related industries.
Prior to joining Osha Bergman Watanabe & Burton (OBWB) , Mr. Mustafic worked as a research assistant at the University of Florida's Data Science Lab. His main research focused on implementing data science analysis to Precision Ketogenic Therapy. Outside of academia, his work experience included an internship as a software engineer at the Nielsen Corporation, during which time he assisted with developing a new generation of cognitive and conversational dialog systems.
Job Titles:
- Patent Engineer / Houston
Allison Harding brings her expertise in the field of chemical and mechanical engineering to her patent preparation and prosecution work.
Prior to joining OBWB, Allison worked as the Director of Engineering and Compliance at Vintage Air, Inc. While there she coordinated and led the production, manufacturing and engineering team to successfully and efficiently launch the first all new line of automotive AC systems in 20 years.
Job Titles:
- Patent Engineer
- Patent Engineer / Houston
Mr. Posluszny is a patent engineer with considerable experience in the energy, manufacturing and automotive sectors. He brings a wealth of insight and expertise to his patent prosecution practice which focuses on these industries.
Mr. Posluszny has technical knowledge in a wide array of oilfield technologies including subsea and surface production equipment, downhole completions equipment, and more recently marine bulk and tanker ship machinery.
Prior to joining OBWB, Andy worked for some of the most prominent energy industry giants, including ten years at Schlumberger and ten years at FMC. While working as an engineer, Andy developed prototypes and products, and consolidated data from subsea trees and wellheads, pipelines, and floating production system hulls, moorings, risers, and topsides.
His work with product research, development and testing has taken him to both sides of the Atlantic. He is now currently based at OBWB's Houston office and assists with domestic and international patent prosecution.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner / Houston
Mr. Griffith's experience includes patent prosecution, counseling, and litigation in the chemical and mechanical arts. He has drafted and prosecuted hundreds of patent applications in various chemical and mechanical fields including, but not limited to, hydrocarbon processing (inclusive of hydroconversion, hydrotreatment, metathesis, isomerization, alkylation, oligomerization, etherification, and many others), gasification, polymerization processes and catalysts, polymer processing, drilling fluids, downhole tools, adhesives, and power production.
In the area of intellectual property counseling, Mr. Griffith has prepared freedom-to-operate, non-infringement and invalidity opinions; counseled clients on patent design-around strategies; developed and implemented global patent prosecution strategies for numerous patent families; and conducted intellectual property due diligence.
Previously, Mr. Griffith drafted and prosecuted patent applications with Lundeen and Dickinson, an intellectual property boutique in Houston, Texas. Before his legal career, he worked as a chemical engineer for Total Petrochemicals (formerly Atofina Petrochemicals) performing research in the area of polymer process and product development. While at Auburn University, he conducted research in the area of supercritical fluid processes.
Arsalan Safiullah manages all aspects of patent prosecution and litigation. He has extensive experience filing patent applications, handling IP contracts and IP counselling, as well as drafting opinions, office action responses and other submissions.
His background in biochemistry and chemical engineering enables him to navigate IP operations and procedures as they relate to utility and design patents for electronics, chemical engineering, biomedical and medical sciences.
In addition to working as a contract patent attorney at Osha Bergman Watanabe and Burton LLP, Mr. Safiullah also manages his own law firm in Houston, Texas. Previous work experience includes four years as a civil rights attorney at CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations). While at CAIR, he provided consulting on civil rights matters, supervised legal staff and prepared letters and briefs. He also met with government officials on Capitol Hill, and negotiated with government officials and law enforcement on civil rights matters.
Job Titles:
- Patent Engineer / Japanese
- Patent Engineer / Tokyo
Ayaka Saito assists with drafting foreign patent applications in the field of chemistry. She holds a master's degree in chemistry and has experience in the fields of analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and geochemistry.
Prior to joining Osha Bergman Watanabe & Burton (OBWB), Ayaka Saito worked as a chemical engineer in the field of organic photo conductors and gained experience on product design and process design.
Education
School of Science, Kitasato University, B.S., Chemistry, 2017
Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, M.S., Chemistry, 2019
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Chief Financial Officer / Houston
Mr. Caldwell has more than 30 years of experience in public and private accounting covering a wide range of industries in manufacturing, distribution, and service sectors. He has 20 years of experience in IP law firm management.
Job Titles:
- Patent Engineer
- Patent Engineer / Houston
Dr. Penland brings a wealth of expertise to bear in her work as a patent engineer. With a robust background in chemistry and chemical research, she is able to expertly draft and prosecute patents in this field
Prior to joining OBWB, Dr. Penland worked as an assistant professor at Georgia Southern University. She taught courses on Analytical Chemistry, Principles of Instrumental Analysis and Industrial Chemistry, Principles of Chemistry I and II, Survey of Chemistry I and II, and Principles of Chemical Research.
While at Georgia Southern University, she also worked as a research advisor where she assisted to develop, train and supervise students (both undergraduate and master's level) conducting research projects on various topics broadly focused on the synthesis of metal and metal oxide nanomaterials for catalysis and water remediation applications, author and submit manuscripts to scientific journals for publication, attend and give regular talks at professional meetings and apply for grants to obtain internal and external funding
Job Titles:
- Patent Engineer
- Patent Engineer / Houston
Dr. Thompson possesses a technical understanding of prior-art and novel inventions at the forefront of a wide range of scientific fields, such as: chemistry, biochemistry, biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences, electronic devices, materials chemistry, and many others. Brena's breadth of knowledge in these fields serves her well in her work as a patent engineer.
Prior to joining OBWB, Dr. Thompson worked as a technology licensing associate, managing the life science patent portfolio for Washington State University. She drafted and negotiated agreements for licensing, material transfer, and other protected functions in a complex regulatory environment, she also drafted and filed patents, responded to USPTO office actions, and worked with attorneys to protect WSU technologies.
Thompson, B. L., Kieffer, I. A., Heiden, Z. M. Utilization of BODIPY-based redox events to manipulate the Lewis acidity of fluorescent boranes. Chem. Commun., 2022; 58: 2646-2649.
Li, X., Ding, G., Thompson, B. L., Hao, L., Deming, D. A., Heiden, Z. M., Zhang, Q. Microwave-assisted synthesis of zirconium phosphate nanoplatelet-supported Ru-anadem nanostructures and their catalytic study for the hydrogenation of acetophenone. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces., 2020; 12: 30670-30679.
Dr. Ayala assists with patent preparation and prosecution. With a doctorate in chemistry, Caitlan brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to bear in her work as a U.S. Patent Agent.
Caitlan is an expert in small molecule organic synthesis and chemical synthetic methods with postdoctoral experience in organic and inorganic materials, analytical, and polymer chemistry. She is well-equipped to provide support and facilitate growth and dissemination of relevant scientific findings to the community at large.
Prior to joining OBWB, Caitlan worked as an associate in the Department of Chemistry at Louisiana State University. She was also a research assistant in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Northern Illinois University.
Education
Ph.D., Chemistry, Louisiana State University (LSU), 2016
B.S., Chemistry, Northern Illinois University, Summa Cum Laude, 2011
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner / Houston
Carlyn Burton uses intellectual property (IP) in creative and strategic ways to help clients achieve their business goals. With more than 18 years of IP legal experience under her belt, Ms. Burton has represented a wide range of clients - from accomplished Fortune 500 companies to innovative start-ups. As a scientist, she combines diverse technical knowledge with a strong skill set across multiple areas: domestic and foreign patent prosecution and maintenance, IP counseling, licensing, and IP litigation in the fields of chemistry, materials science, and mechanical engineering, with an emphasis in oilfield technologies, specialty chemicals, polymers, nanotechnology, and pharmaceuticals.
Ms. Burton has drafted and prosecuted hundreds of patent applications in various chemical, materials, and mechanical fields including, but not limited to, complex fluid systems, downhole tools, nanotechnology, batteries, adhesives, polymer chemistry, ion exchange systems, materials development, metallurgy, and consumer products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, therapeutics, synthetic peptides, and medical devices.
In the area of IP counseling, Ms. Burton has rendered opinions regarding patentability, infringement, validity, freedom to operate; counseled clients on patent design-around strategies and the strength of patents in anticipation of litigation; developed and implemented global patent prosecution strategies for numerous patent families; led numerous brainstorming sessions to strengthen IP portfolios, and conducted intellectual property due diligence.
In the context of litigation, Ms. Burton has prepared complaints, answers, motions, responses to discovery, and participated in mediations, settlement conferences and hearings for various patent infringement cases and contract disputes before U.S. District Courts, and Section 337 investigations before the U.S. International Trade Commission. Specifically, Ms. Burton's experience includes development and briefing of infringement (or non-infringement) positions, invalidity positions, and claim constructions for Markman hearings, as well as significant contributions to the domestic industry and remedy strategy, analysis, and briefing before the ITC and Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Previously, Ms. Burton was a judicial intern for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas in the Court of the Honorable Judge David Hittner. Prior to law school, Ms. Burton conducted research in the fields of structural investigation of membrane proteins and protein denaturation and renaturation.
Job Titles:
- Engineer
- Patent Engineer
- Patent Engineer / Houston
Christina Stender is a patent engineer with a background in engineering and electronics. Christina holds a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelor's in Physics and Applied Mathematics. She brings a wealth of academic knowledge and practical experience to bear in her work prosecuting patents.
Prior to joining OBWB, Christina worked as a product engineer at Plexus Corp. where she established manufacturing processes for a Fortune 500 aerospace client's printed circuit board assemblies. Her technical training and professional experience have equipped her with skills in electronics, imaging, hardware, and software. This includes work with digital and analog circuits, printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) design and manufacturing. She has built and maintained failure mode and effects analyses and control plans, as well as provided PCBA design for manufacturability feedback.
Christina worked for several years as a research engineer at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Research & Development Center for Limb Loss and MoBility (CLiMB). While there, she used gait analysis tools and/or medical imaging to study foot and ankle orthopaedics.
Christophe Besnard has more than fifteen years of experience in both patent prosecution and litigation. His litigation background is highly valuable for helping companies to obtain patents that will withstand the scrutiny of European judges.
Being based in the Paris office, Mr. Besnard advises non-European companies in European proceedings. He also handles international patent portfolios for established French companies, while helping young innovative companies to define IP strategies aligned with their objectives.
As an engineer, he has a diverse technical knowledge in mechanics and electronics, including expertise in consumer electronics, automotive, aeronautical and aerospace industries, medical devices, microfluidics, alternative energy, packaging and childcare articles.
Job Titles:
- Engineer
- Patent Engineer
- Patent Engineer / Boulder
Colin Phelan is a patent engineer with a background in mechanical engineering. He assists with patent preparation and prosecution. Prior to joining OBWB, Colin was part of a team that worked on several engineering projects at AIAA Design Build Fly.
They designed, fabricated, and demonstrated flight capabilities of an unmanned, electric powered, radio-controlled aircraft that met the specified mission requirements and budget. Colin also led the additive manufactured parts subsection, overseeing the design and assembly of 3D printed parts.
His team was able to innovate the current capabilities of 3D printers by designing a new 3D printer with the ability to 3D scan. They successfully demonstrated the ability of one machine to replicate unique objects more efficiently than the current methods. While Colin worked on the CAD FEA Impact Simulation Project, he modelled, simulated, and analyzed the mechanical impact between a golf club and a golf ball with COMSOL.
Job Titles:
- Patent Engineer
- Patent Engineer / Houston
Dana Gheorghe's practice includes patent prosecution in the field of chemistry, materials science, electronics, oilfield technologies, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Gheorghe has more than six years of domestic and foreign patent preparation and prosecution experience. She has drafted, filed, and prosecuted numerous patent applications in the field of chemistry, polymers, materials science, electronics, oilfield technologies, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. Prior to joining Osha Bergman Watanabe & Burton (OBWB), Dr. Gheorghe worked for more than five years in the tobacco industry, where she gained industrial experience at both the pilot and commercial plant scale, with emphasis in research, development and production management. Further, Dr. Gheorghe previously performed research in the areas of biomedical applications of nanotechnology and structure-property relationships and reactivity of transition metal oxides at the College of Pharmacy-University of Houston and Texas Center for Superconductivity, respectively.
Job Titles:
- Registered U.S. Patent Agent
Daniel Smith is a registered U.S. Patent Agent with a strong background in geophysics. Daniel utilizes his scientific understanding to draft and prosecute patent applications for clients in various jurisdictions.
Prior to joining OBWB, Daniel worked at Hess Corporation as a geophysicist where he served as a project manager for deepwater development projects. These included geophysical analysis and assessment of oil discovery to progress to sanction including seismic stratigraphic interpretation, and reservoir characterization using seismic and inversion products. He also provided support in horizontal drilling of unconventional reservoirs, reservoir characterization and production optimization using microseismic data.
Job Titles:
- Adjunct Professor of Trademark Practice at Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
- Trademark of Counsel
Dionne Heard is an intellectual property attorney who has extensive experience assisting clients with their trademark, copyright, and patent needs. This includes prosecution, maintenance, enforcement, and litigation. Ms. Heard has over a decade of experience prosecuting both domestic and foreign trademarks as well as negotiating and drafting licensing agreements in corporate and private practice.
Ms. Heard's clients range from start-up companies to large private and public corporations. She counsels clients on intellectual property matters related to product research &development, marketing, and advertising from the initial stages of product development to launch. Ms. Heard also advises clients on data privacy, cybersecurity, licensing, IP assignments, and IP contracts related to buyouts and mergers and acquisitions.
Ms. Heard is also an adjunct professor of trademark practice at Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. She has a passion for teaching intellectual property law and the importance of brand protection to students at every level including high school students who are involved in STEM or other science-based high school programs.
Prior to joining OBWB, Ms. Heard worked as intellectual property in-house counsel to one of the largest restaurant equipment distribution companies in the country where she managed their extensive trademark and copyright portfolio, advised on trademarks and branding, litigated trademark and copyright infringement matters and monitored and protected the company's brand through online enforcement. Ms. Heard continues to advise other restaurant equipment distribution companies on product development related to trademark clearance, prosecution, monitoring, and enforcement.
Job Titles:
- Coordinator for Vintage Air 2018
Disability March Coordinator for Vintage Air 2018. Coordinated Vintage Air's involvement in the disability march, including designing t-shirts, attending volunteer meetings, and gathering employee attendees.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner / Houston
Douglas has prepared and prosecuted several hundred US and foreign patent applications across a number of technologies including electronics, wireless communications, artificial intelligence and machine learning, semiconductors, network security software, electronic communications, and personnel monitoring. Doug Hamilton holds a law degree from Cornell University and a bachelor's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Brigham Young University. Doug is licensed to practice law by the state of Colorado, and is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Prior to attending law school, Doug practiced as an electrical engineer for Texas Instruments and Cirrus Logic where his work focused on developing multimedia devices, including graphics controllers, video and audio decoders, and communication devices. In the process, Doug was involved in all aspects of product development including semiconductor design and software development. Doug was awarded patents covering various aspects of his work. Doug uses his expertise in preparing and prosecuting patent applications in the area of semiconductor devices, software products, and electronic communication systems.
Douglas has prosecuted and overseen a number of inter partes and ex parte reexamination proceedings in front of the USPTO.
Prior to joining OBWB, Doug co-founded the firm of HDC IP Law, LLP where he practiced for several years. Doug also practiced as an intellectual property attorney for the full service intellectual property firm of Townsend and Townsend and Crew (Now Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton), and for Faegre & Benson (now Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath).
Dr. Alec Sobany prosecutes foreign and domestic patents. Dr. Sobany's deep knowledge about U.S. patent law and broad technical knowledge helps clients to protect their inventions. Dr. Sobany is a professional electrical engineer with experience in academic and industrial research in electrical engineering, nanotechnology, device fabrication, optics, nanophotonics, and spectroscopy.
Prior to joining Osha Bergman Watanabe & Burton LLP (OBWB), Dr. Sobany worked as an R&D scientist at Cree Inc., which is a pioneer in developing and manufacturing blue/white LEDs, power electronics, and RF devices.
Education
Rice University, Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, 2016
Rice University, M.Sc., Electrical Engineering, 2014
Job Titles:
- Engineer
- Patent Engineer
- Patent Engineer / Houston
Dr. Alex Casey is a patent engineer with a background in mechanical engineering. Alex brings an impressive breadth of knowledge and research experience to his work as a patent engineer. He assists with patent preparation and prosecution for domestic and international clients.
Prior to joining OBWB, Alex worked as a research scientist and as a graduate research assistant at Purdue University. His work developing and implementing algorithms while analyzing and generating data sets contributed to establishing new methods and techniques which in turn led to an improved understanding of energy localization ("hot spots") needed to improve the safety and performance of explosives.
Job Titles:
- Engineer
- Patent Engineer
- Patent Engineer / Houston
Dr. David Inglefield is a patent engineer with a background in biochemistry and chemistry with expertise in polymer science who assists with patent preparation and prosecution for domestic and international clients. He has extensive experience with nanotechnology and polymer chemistry, receiving his PhD in Chemistry from Virginia Tech.
Prior to joining OBWB, David worked in several industry research positions including working at Eastman Chemical developing new coating formulations. He can now use his experience in a wide range of industrial polymer synthesis and applications to assist OBWB clients.
Job Titles:
- Patent Engineer / Houston
Francesca Giovannini's practice includes foreign and European patent prosecution and European patent litigation, in the fields of materials science, chemical and mechanical engineering.
At Osha Bergman Watanabe & Burton (OBWB), Ms. Giovannini handles prosecution, opposition and litigation work for French and international clients, in particular in the oil field (e.g. wellbore fluids, drilling equipments), in process engineering (e.g. polymerization plants and processes, hydrocarbon separation processes and plants, heat exchangers, gasifiers, air-conditioners) and in materials science (e.g. polymers, fuel cells, batteries), and she regularly attends oral proceedings before EPO Examining Divisions, Opposition Divisions and Boards of Appeal. Further, she is involved in infringement and nullity actions before the French Court (TGI) as well as before the National Commission on Inventions made by Employees (CNIS). She assists bailiffs in French infringement seizures.
Prior to joining Osha Bergman Watanabe & Burton (OBWB) in 2009, Ms. Giovannini worked as patent attorney at Basell Polyolefine GmbH in Frankfurt, Germany, a joint venture between BASF and Shell which subsequently merged with Lyondell Chemical Company to form LyondellBasell. There, she harvested inventions in the field of polyethylene products, plants and processes and drafted and prosecuted corresponding patent applications globally, drafted patentability and freedom-to operate opinions and progressively focused on oppositions and appeals before the EPO, attending many oral proceedings. She also provided IP advice on core R&D projects relating to polyethylene catalysts and processes and she held internal training seminars on IP issues.
Before that, after a short experience as a patent engineer at a Patent Library in Vicenza, Italy, where she performed patent searches, Ms. Giovannini worked several years as patent agent for the IP law firm Porta, Checcacci & Associati in Milan, Italy, where she performed prior art searches, patentability and freedom-to operate analysis and drafted and prosecuted patent applications in Italy and abroad, most of them relating to the manufacture of tyres, glasses and dragées.
Additionally, Ms. Giovannini worked in the polyurethane industry as a materials engineer at Deltapur S.p.A., a company of Bayer group. In that position, she developed tailor-made polyurethane formulations for the automotive industry.
Ms. Giovannini graduated in 1996 with a M.S. degree in Chemical Engineering with a particular emphasis on process engineering and materials science and drafted an experimental thesis on the basis of a research performed to develop controlled release pharmaceutical systems.
Job Titles:
- Japanese Patent Attorney / Tokyo
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Senior Associate / Houston
James Carlson's practice emphasizes domestic and foreign patent prosecution, open source and privacy compliance, patent and software licensing, and IP counseling in a wide variety of technical disciplines, such computer software, video games, oil and gas technologies, business methods, semiconductors, and optical systems. In particular, Mr. Carlson has significant experience in providing legal counsel to clients regarding a wide range of artificial intelligence issues, such as the patentability of machine learning inventions. Moreover, Mr. Carlson also specializes in patent-eligibility analyses in view of recent Supreme Court and Federal Circuit jurisprudence.
Prior to attending law school, Mr. Carlson worked with several nonprofits in developing software and providing technology counseling. He previously worked at TFA-Wireless, a research project developed by Rice University with a local Houston nonprofit, Technology for All. TFA-Wireless involved creating an operational wireless mesh research network for serving both Rice graduate students and area residents. Additionally, Mr. Carlson worked for the National Technology Assistance Project (NTAP), a technology team under the direction of the Legal Services Corporation to provide technical assistance to legal aid organizations throughout the United States.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Managing Partner / Houston
Jeffrey Bergman serves as the Managing Partner of the firm's Houston office. With over 23 years of experience, he is frequently recognized among his peers as a leader in the field of intellectual property law.
Jeffrey was recently lauded in IAM Patent 1000's 2020 edition of The World's Leading Patent Professionals, who said, "Jeffrey Bergman … has prosecuted key patents for clients in many technical disciplines and industry sectors. Contacts in Europe and Asia look to him for incisive insight into the US patent system."
Jeffrey Bergman's practice encompasses all aspects of intellectual property law, including domestic and foreign patent prosecution and maintenance, IP counseling, licensing, IP litigation, and validity and infringement opinions. Jeffrey specializes in the fields of chemistry, materials science, and mechanical engineering, with an emphasis in oilfield technologies, specialty chemicals, polymers, and nanotechnology.
Mr. Bergman has prepared and successfully prosecuted hundreds of U.S. patent applications in a wide variety of fields including nanotechnology, all aspects of chemical practice including organic and inorganic synthesis, polymer science, ion exchange systems, materials development, computer software, semiconductor fabrication and packaging, mechanical engineering, subterranean drilling, and oilfield services.
He has successfully appealed numerous patent applications before the U.S. Patent Office Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences. In addition to his extensive involvement with domestic patent applications, Mr. Bergman has provided guidance to foreign counsel in the procurement of numerous foreign patents. Mr. Bergman has also served as lead counsel in Federal Circuit appeals, as well as handling reexamination proceedings, reissue proceedings, and Inter Partes Review Proceedings.
Mr. Bergman has worked on a number of litigation matters involving oilfield and chemical technologies. He has also provided counseling to clients on freedom to operate, invalidity, and non-infringement opinions. Mr. Bergman has given numerous talks throughout Europe and Asia to clients and law firms to facilitate their understanding of the U.S. patent system.
Job Titles:
- Patent Engineer / Houston
Job Titles:
- Patent Engineer
- Patent Engineer / Hangzhou
Mr. Yi has passed the Chinese patent bar and is in the process of completing the Chinese patent agent registration. Mr. Yi's practice focuses on the electronics, materials, chemical, and mechanical industries.
Mr. Yi has experience spans a wide range of patent, including assisting with China Patent Application and PCT Application, assisting with patent drafting and application, translating PCT Application and assisting in response to Office Actions of China Patent Application, etc.
Education
Zhejiang University, China, M.S., Materials Science and Engineering, 2014
Zhejiang University, China, B.S., Materials Science and Engineering, 2010
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Houston
Kevin Szymczak assists with prosecuting foreign and domestic patents in the chemical, mechanical, and oilfield industries.
Mr. Szymczak primarily works on drafting and prosecuting patents in the areas of olefin production, hydrocarbon cracking, polymer production, gasification, and commodity chemical production.
Prior to joining Osha Bergman Watanabe & Burton (OBWB) , Mr. Szymczak spent time as a process engineer for Luminant, working on process optimization and troubleshooting for coal-fired power plants. During this time, he worked primarily on heat exchangers and large rotating equipment. He also performed duties related to safety considerations for unit turnaround and provided safety consultation to maintenance crews working on on-line process equipment.
Also at Luminant, Mr. Szymczak spent time as a laboratory engineer, working on environmental quality control and remediation. He used his background in chemical engineering to collaborate with other scientists to work on ways to predict and control swings in possible environmental contaminants associated with coal-fire electricity production using selective catalytic converters, absorber columns, and ammonia handling systems.
While at Texas A&M University, Mr. Szymczak collaborated on designing a central offshore production platform for LNG. During the design process he was primarily responsible for designing and specifying the compression and pumping systems including all main and auxiliary pumps, compressors, and turbines, as well as the overall process equipment layout for the platform.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Senior Associate / Austin
Ms. Witbeck's experience includes preparing and prosecuting patent applications for the oil and gas industry, including downhole tools technology, offshore equipment, manufacturing processes and mechanical systems, as well as work with novel materials in metallurgy and ceramics, batteries and sensing and monitoring systems. In addition to patent prosecution, Ms. Witbeck has experience drafting legal opinions, including invalidity and non-infringement opinions, and has past experience with litigation discovery.
Job Titles:
- Patent Engineer / Houston
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner / Houston
Lisa Margonis has spent more than 15 years working with her clients to manage their intellectual property portfolios and enforce their IP rights. Ms. Margonis' strong technical background, sharp analytical skills, and legal knowledge and experience combine to provide clients with exceptional guidance on and assistance with foreign and domestic patent preparation and prosecution, IP litigation, invalidity and infringement opinions, and IP counseling. Ms. Margonis' practice primarily focuses on intellectual property based in the field of mechanical engineering, with particular emphasis on oilfield technologies, automotive technologies, and health and wellness devices.
Ms. Margonis' experience includes patent drafting, patent prosecution, and patent appeals. She has drafted and prosecuted hundreds of patent applications in various mechanical fields, including, but not limited to, automotive devices, consumer products, subsea technology, downhole tools, drilling assemblies, oilfield tubulars and support equipment, filtering equipment and systems, subsea pump systems, and health and wellness devices.
In the area of intellectual property counseling, Ms. Margonis has prepared non-infringement and invalidity opinions and freedom to operate analyses; counseled clients on patent design-around strategies, the strength of patents, and worldwide patent strategy in anticipation of litigation; and conducted intellectual property due diligence.
In the context of litigation, Ms. Margonis has worked on numerous patent infringement, copyright, and trade secret cases, including Section 337 investigations before the U.S. International Trade Commission. Specifically, Ms. Margonis' experience includes development and briefing of infringement (or non-infringement) positions, invalidity positions, and claim constructions before U.S. District Courts, as well as leading infringement and validity portions of a patent infringement case to trial before the ITC.
Additionally, Ms. Margonis has also handled Inter Partes Review proceedings, including preparation of petitions for Inter Partes Review, discovery, oral argument, and client counseling with respect to such proceedings in light of pending or anticipated litigation matters. Ms. Margonis has also represented clients in Amazon's Utility Patent Neutral Evaluation Program proceedings.
Previously, Ms. Margonis worked as a mechanical engineer for MPR Associates, where she assisted with various equipment designs, including pump systems for nuclear power plants, and performed systems design analysis. She also served as a mechanical engineering intern at FMC Energy Systems, where she worked on subsea tie-back systems for tension leg platforms.
Job Titles:
- Attorney at Law
- of Counsel
Louis Bonham has extensive experience in advising architects, designers, builders, and developers in architectural copyright matters and in litigating architectural copyright cases. He has experience in financial, oilfield, semiconductor, telecommunication, and software industries.
Mr. Bonham has concentrated on architectural copyright law for over 25 years, beginning shortly after the enactment of the Architectural Works Copyright Protection Act. His practice emphasizes intellectual property litigation with particular emphasis on architectural copyright law, Digital Millennium Copyright Act claims, bankruptcy and fraudulent conveyance litigation, and appellate litigation.
Mr. Bonham litigates patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret cases, as well as many other general business disputes. He frequently speaks on copyright and intellectual property law to industry groups such as the National Association of Home Builders, the American Institute of Architects, the American Institute of Building Design, and the American Society of Media Photographers. He has been a guest lecturer on architectural copyright law at the University of Texas School of Architecture, and has presented lectures on United States intellectual property litigation to industry and trade groups in Japan, Taiwan, and China.
He has been interviewed as a commentator on copyright law by major media outlets such as Bloomberg, Agency France Presse, the National Law Journal, and USA Today. Previously, Mr. Bonham was a law clerk to Judge Edith H. Jones of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. While attending the University of Texas, he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Eta Sigma.
Job Titles:
- Patent Engineer / Houston
Job Titles:
- Senior Patent Engineer / Houston
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- Patent Engineer / Houston
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- Senior Patent Agent / Austin
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- Global Manager Trade Mark Practice
- Global Manager Trade Mark Practice / Dubai
- Intellectual Property Advisor
Motasem Abu Ghazaleh is a intellectual property advisor with over 27 years of industry experience. While Motasem's focus is primarily trademarks, he has also worked on reviewing and drafting intellectual property laws and has contributed to implementing regulations and procedure manuals in the Middle East. Motasem has handled infringement and counterfeit actions for trademarks, patents and copyrights; he provides consultation on trademark prosecution and brand protection enforcement.
Motasem has successfully worked to identify, negotiate, and establish business relationships between brand owners, international IP associations and attachés in both the private sector and with governmental bodies. His breadth of knowledge and insight is a valuable resource to clients and associates alike.
Motasem is a frequent speaker on international trademark issues and currently sits on the board of INTA. He also serves as a member of the INTA Middle East Global Advisory Council (MEGAC); this board advises on policy and advocacy efforts specific to this region.
In early 2024, Motasem announced his election to the board of directors of The Gulf Brand Protection Group "BPG" - a leading organization dedicated to protecting brand owners' interests. On this apointment, Motasem commented, "Osha BWB IP's presence on the board will further strengthen BPG's ability to advocate for and protect intellectual property rights in the Gulf. We welcome this opportunity to collaborate with BPG and look forward to participating in this proactive role on the board alongside our distinguished colleagues."
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- Japanese Patent Attorney / Tokyo
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- Senior Patent Agent / Houston
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- Senior Patent Engineer / Houston
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- Patent Engineer / Houston
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- Patent Engineer / Houston
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- Patent Engineer / Houston
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- Senior Patent Agent / Houston
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- Senior Patent Agent / Boulder
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- Taiwanese Patent Attorney / Tokyo
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- Business Executive Committee Member
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- Patent Engineer / Houston
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- Patent Engineer / Houston
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- Patent Engineer / Hangzhou
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- European Patent Attorney / Paris
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- Japanese Patent Attorney / Tokyo