For decades, our clients have relied on Oblon for intellectual property counsel and guidance. We would not have such a legacy if we did not continually invest in the future of our firm and our clients by developing the next generation of professionals. This tradition of cultivating talent is rooted in our history. Many of the firm's current partners began their intellectual property careers at Oblon decades ago when the firm's founders invested in them with an eye toward the future.
This tradition of training the next generation of IP law leaders continues to this day. Over the past year, we have welcomed a number of outstanding new professionals. We plan to welcome still more next year. These professionals have expertise and experience in a diverse range of technical disciplines reflecting the broad range of technologies practiced by our clients.
At the end of 2021, we welcomed Dr. Jenna Logsdon and Ms. Cristina Lai:
- Jenna Logsdon. Jenna has a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Northwestern University and a B.S. in Chemistry and Biology from the University of Tampa. Jenna is a patent agent in the firm's Chemical Practice Group, where she focuses on patent application drafting and prosecution in technologies, including organic chemistry, materials science, nanomaterials, and ultrafast spectroscopy. Prior to joining Oblon, Jenna spent several years in the technology transfer offices at Northwestern University, the National Cancer Institute, and the University of South Florida.
- Cristina Lai. Cristina has a B.S. in both Electrical/Computer Engineering and Biomedical Engineering from Duke University. Cristina is a patent agent in the firm's Electrical and Mechanical Practice Group, where she focuses on patent application drafting and prosecution in various technologies. Her experience includes image processing and display, medical devices, artificial intelligence, networking, wireless communications, blockchain, and radar systems. Prior to joining Oblon, Cristina worked as a patent agent at an intellectual property firm in North Carolina, and before that she gained industry experience in pharmaceuticals manufacturing, medical devices, microfluidics, and hardware design.
In 2022, we have welcomed professionals, including Dr. Xiaohua (Joyce) Guo, Mr. Brian Glasser, Dr. Xuan Xie, Mr. Evan Smith, Mr. Trevor Franklin, Mr. Richy Rocha, Dr. Sara Pistilli, and Dr. Yechao (Mike) Dai.
- Xiaohua (Joyce) Guo. Joyce has a Ph.D. and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and received her J.D. from The George Washington University. Joyce is an associate in the firm's Electrical and Mechanical Practice Group, where she focuses on patent application drafting and prosecution in various technologies. Her experience includes electric vehicles, electric motors, telecommunications, semiconductors, integrated circuits, electronic circuits, power transmission/distribution systems, medical devices, consumer electronics, online advertising, search engines, cybersecurity, databases, artificial intelligence, and computer-assisted surgery. Prior to joining Oblon, Joyce practiced Chinese patent law for eight years at a law firm based in Beijing, China.
- Brian Glasser. Brian has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan. Brian is a technical advisor in the firm's Chemical Practice Group, where he focuses on patent application drafting and prosecution in various technologies. His experience includes additive manufacturing, stereolithography, fused deposit modeling, nanotechnology, organic polymers and compositions, injection molding, adhesive bonding, coating processes, and metallurgy. Prior to joining Oblon, Brian was a patent examiner in the chemical arts at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
- Xuan Xie. Xuan has a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Utah State University, an M.E. in Software Engineering from Tsinghua University, and a B.S. in Communication Engineering from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. Xuan is a technical advisor in the firm's Electrical and Mechanical Practice Group, where he focuses on patent application drafting and prosecution in various technologies. His experience includes large-scale web platforms and desktop applications, image and signal processing, computer graphics, computer vision, LIDAR research, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning. Prior to joining Oblon, Xuan also worked as a software engineer for startups and large open-source software organizations.
- Evan Smith. Evan has a B.S. in Materials Science Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. He is expecting his J.D. from the University of Maryland in the spring of 2023. Evan is currently working as a law clerk for Oblon and will be joining the firm as an associate in the firm's Electrical and Mechanical Practice Group in 2023.
- Trevor Franklin. Trevor has a B.S. in Astrophysics and a minor in Computational Mathematics from Michigan State University. Trevor is a technical advisor in the firm's Electrical and Mechanical Practice Group, where he focuses on patent application drafting and prosecution in various technologies. His experience includes work in software, physics, medical, and electrical areas. Prior to joining Oblon, Trevor worked at the University of Michigan's Technology Transfer Office.
- Richy Rocha. Richy has an M.E. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.S. in Physics and Mathematics from the University of Oregon. Prior to joining Oblon, Richy worked as a patent engineer at a general practice firm.He is a technical advisor in the firm's Electrical and Mechanical Practice Group, where he focuses on patent application drafting and prosecution in various technologies. His experience includes work in software, including fintech, machine learning, artificial intelligence, signal processing, and electronics, including processing systems and sensors.
- Sara Pistilli. Sara has a B.S. in Biology from Texas Tech University and a PharmD. in Pharmacy from the University of Texas, Austin, College of Pharmacy. She is expecting her J.D. from the University of Minnesota in the spring of 2023. Sara is currently working as a law clerk for Oblon and will be joining the firm as an associate in the firm's Chemical Practice Group in 2023.
- Yechao (Mike) Dai: Mike has both a B.S. and a M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois, Chicago. Prior to joining Oblon, Mike worked as a technical research engineer at an intellectual property research firm. He is a technical advisor in the firm's Electrical and Mechanical Practice Group, where he focuses on patent application drafting in various technologies. His experience includes work in semiconductors, wireless communication, Internet of Things, computer memory, and quantum computing.
Also in 2022, the firm welcomed highly experienced litigator and counselor Mr. Don McPhail and former Administrative Patent Judge and USPTO Solicitor Dr. Mark Nagumo.
- Don McPhail. Don has a M.S. in Organic Chemistry from Duke University, a B.S. in Chemistry from Duke University, and a J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. Don joined the firm's Litigation and Post-Grant Patent Proceedings Practice Group. He has handled litigations in a variety of technologies, including pharmaceuticals and biosimilars, regulated medical devices, semiconductor design and operation, thin film transistor manufacturing and design, voice-over-internet telephony, computer firewalls, routers and switches, network topology and message routing, LCD and LED design and operation, PECVD manufacturing processes, metal smelting furnaces, avionics, video signaling, computer software, and electronic point of sale devices. Don also provides counseling on intellectual property (IP) matters, including portfolio design and development, patent enforcement and monetization, design around efforts, and licensing. Finally, Don has prepared and prosecuted patent applications in the chemical, pharmaceutical, biotech, and mechanical arts. Prior to joining Oblon, he worked at IP firms, including Finnegan and Sterne Kessler, as well as several general practice firms. Before that, Don was a patent examiner in the pharmaceutical arts at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
- Mark Nagumo. Mark has a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles, a B.S. in Chemistry from Princeton University, and a J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. Mark joined the firm's Chemical Practice Group. Prior to joining Oblon, Mark spent 29 years at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), including 17 years as an Administrative Patent Judge (APJ) at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) (formerly the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (BPAI)), three years as an Associate Solicitor, and seven years as an Examiner (three years as a Primary Examiner). As an Administrative Patent Judge and as an Associate Solicitor, he handled appeals relating to a range of chemical technologies as well as cases in mechanical and electrical arts. As an Examiner, Mark examined technologies, including high polymers, metallocene and metathesis polymerization catalysts, and polymers having unusual properties and applications, including nonlinear optical properties, and liquid crystal polymers. Prior to joining the USPTO, Mark was a research chemist at the Naval Research Laboratory (Washington, D.C.) for about seven years, starting in the Optical Sciences Division and ending in the Bio/Molecular Engineering Branch of the Chemical Division.
Looking ahead, the firm plans to welcome Dr. Chris Tuinenga and Dr. Colin Downey.
- Chris Tuinenga. Chris has a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Kansas State University and a J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law. Prior to joining Oblon, Chris worked as an attorney at an intellectual property law firm in Illinois. Prior to law school, Chris worked for four years with an environmental services firm, as a postdoctoral researcher for the University of Notre Dame, and as a postdoctoral research fellow at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory.
- Colin Downey. Colin has a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Indiana University and is expecting his J.D. from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in December 2022. Colin will be joining the firm as an associate in the firm's Chemical Practice Group in 2023.