Thomas Pasternak Joins Steptoe's IP Group

(September 21, 2009, Chicago, IL) – Thomas G. Pasternak, an experienced patent litigator, has joined the Intellectual Property Practice at Steptoe & Johnson LLP as a partner in the firm’s Chicago office.

“Tom is a tremendous addition to our intellectual property litigation capability in Chicago,” said Alfred M. Mamlet, Head of Steptoe’s 67-member Intellectual Property Practice. “The combination of his experience in-house and his in-the-trenches first chair trial experience will be of significant benefit to our clients.”

Mr. Pasternak represents clients in patent infringement litigation, including rocket docket and ITC litigation, and in trademark and trade dress litigation. He has licensing experience in a broad range of sectors for technologies including consumer products, chemical technologies, e-commerce and business methods, automotive, molecular diagnostics, electrical and electronic products, battery technology, paper products, and cellular telephony. His work has extended across equally diverse industry sectors in trademark and trade dress matters.

“Steptoe is a collegial, team-oriented firm with a unique culture. The IP practice has strong, committed leadership with a vision, which was a key factor for me,” said Mr. Pasternak. “I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to contribute to the expansion and development of a practice and a firm that has a stellar reputation in the area of patent and trademark litigation, and I look forward to participating in its growth in Chicago and nationally.”

Mr. Pasternak’s clients have included Amazon, Sunbeam, La Cafetière and Anakam. He is presently working with other members of the Steptoe IP team to prepare for a federal trial in the Western District of Wisconsin in January.

Previously a partner and trial lawyer in the Chicago office of DLA Piper, Mr. Pasternak joined that firm following service as vice president and chief patent counsel at R.R. Donnelley & Sons in Chicago. Prior to that, he was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis.

A 1991 graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, the newest member of Steptoe’s IP Litigation Practice has completed Master’s-level coursework in electrical engineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 1982, he earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the US Naval Academy, and prior to entering law school, he served on the U.S.S. Haddo, a nuclear submarine.

Mr. Pasternak is a member of the Licensing Executives Society, Intellectual Property Owners, The Richard Linn American Inn of Court and the Sedona Conference Working Group on Electronic Discovery. He has held adjunct professorships at Valparaiso University and Loyola Chicago School of Law, and taught courses in IP law for engineers for the Society of Automotive Engineers, as well as published and presented on a variety of IP litigation topics for professional audiences.

About Steptoe

In more than 60 years of practice, Steptoe & Johnson has gained a national and international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in guiding business transactions. The firm has offices in Washington, New York, Chicago, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Century City, London, and Brussels. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.