Intellectual Property

Experience matters for the protection and exploitation of a company’s intellectual property—often its most valuable, and its most vulnerable, asset.  Poised at the intersection of technology, commerce, and law, Steptoe attorneys help clients develop, exploit, and defend their intellectual property to produce enduring competitive advantages. 

We provide practical advice and innovative strategies to clients in a wide range of industries including electronics, computer software and hardware, semiconductors, manufacturing, automotive and gaming industries, tooling, nanotechnology, optics, healthcare and life sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, telecommunications, media and entertainment, and financial services.  Our attorneys’ and technology specialists’ strong technical backgrounds enable them to provide value-added advice and obtain excellent results. The firm’s attorneys and technology specialists include a doctor of veterinary medicine and seven Ph.D.s in chemistry, biochemistry, biomedical sciences, electrical, and mechanical engineering.  On behalf of the firm’s clients, Steptoe attorneys find commercial solutions to the problems faced in today’s marketplaces.

Our attorneys have been, and are, engaged in numerous cases, including legislative action, administrative proceedings, and other forums with respect to the protection of virtually the entire gamut of IP rights.  We regularly obtain patent protection for and advise clients on cutting-edge issues in a broad range of technologies, including chemistry, materials science, electrical, encryption, electronic commerce, mechanical, business method, and software patents, among others.  Our trademark attorneys offer the full range of services to protect, preserve, and exploit trademarks, trade dress, and other indicia of origin.  We regularly counsel clients concerning enforcement and defensive strategies for trademarks, trade dress, and the broader issues of unfair competition.  We also counsel clients on copyright, IP government contracts, and international IP policy.  With IP experience both domestically and internationally, Steptoe attorneys represent complainants and respondents in Section 337 investigations involving the full spectrum of intellectual property issues.  Our partners have extensive litigation experience in courts throughout the United States and before the US International Trade Commission, and have tried scores of cases to judgment for Fortune 500 companies, midsize companies, and small, emerging high-tech companies.

Steptoe partners have been chosen by their peers in the IP bar to serve as president of the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the Federal Circuit Bar Association, and the International Trade Commission Trial Lawyers’ Association. Additionally, Steptoe’s IP practice and attorneys have received recognition from numerous well-respected attorney guides and industry publications.

Noteworthy

• Steptoe’s Section 337 practice was ranked in Chambers Global 2011: The World’s Leading Business Lawyers in International Trade: Intellectual Property, Section 337 (US)
• Steptoe’s Section 337 practice was ranked in Chambers USA 2009 - 2011: America’s Leading Business Lawyers in International Trade: Intellectual Property, Section 337 (Nationwide)
• Charles Schill and Alice Kipel were named in Chambers Global 2009 - 2011: The World’s Leading Business Lawyers as leading attorneys in International Trade: Intellectual Property, Section 337 (US)
• Charles Schill and Alice Kipel were named in Chambers USA 2008 - 2011: The World’s Leading Business Lawyers as leading attorneys in International Trade: Intellectual Property, Section 337 (Nationwide)
• John Hanley was named in Chambers USA 2011: The World’s Leading Business Lawyers as a leading attorney in Intellectual Property: Patent (California)
• Michelle Cooke, John Hanley and Robert Kovelman were named in Daily Journal's "Top 25 Intellectual Property Portfolio Managers and Patent Prosecutors in California” for 2011
• John Hanley was named in Daily Journal's "Top 25 Biotech Lawyers in California" for 2011
• Charles Schill was ranked among the top 250 patent litigators in Intellectual Asset Management’s "Patent Litigation 250" for 2011
• Listed as a top Patent Law Firm in the US by Intellectual Property Today (March 2009)
• Harold Fox was listed in IP Law & Business’ “Top IP People Under 45” in 2008
• Michelle Cooke was listed as one of the top 10 Trademark Attorneys in California by the Daily Journal in 2008.
• IP Law & Business consistently recognizes Steptoe for its work with Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930

Select News & Events

• Bloomberg Businessweek Quotes Steptoe's Pecau on Obama's Move to Trademark GI Bill
• Corporate Counsel Cites Steptoe’s Allan on Trademark Application Policy in Beyoncé Rocket Docket
• INTABulletin Profiles Steptoe Trademark Partner Winterfeldt
• Washington, DC Super Lawyers Recognizes 23 Steptoe Partners
• Cohesive Support for Your Brands: Getting Business and Legal to Work Together Webinar
• "Apples, Oranges, and the ITC: Insights into Section 337 Patent Litigation Practice," Colorado Bar Association
• "Federal Circuit Panel Discussion," IPLAC's Patent Law Symposium 2011
• "Trademarks and the New Domain Name Extensions," Inter-American Association of Intellectual Property (ASIPI) XVI Work Sessions and Administrative Council

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Publications

• Building Your Brand Through Social Media
  February 2012, The Computer & Internet Lawyer
• Rogue Websites and the ITC: New Proposed Anti-Piracy Legislation
  December 16, 2011
• Intellectual Property Advisory: Senate Holds Hearing on the New Generic Top-Level Domain Program
  December 9, 2011
• Intellectual Property Advisory: New gTLD Program Updates from the Dakar, Senegal ICANN Meeting
  November 1, 2011

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