Experience

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  Uspto

  Jan 1997 - Jan 1998

  Patent examiner

  ✔ Patent Examiner in the Electrical Arts (Art Unit 2742 - Telecommunications).

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  Baniak pine & gannon

  Jan 1999 - Jan 2003

  Intellectual property attorney

  ✔ Practice focused on all aspects of Intellectual Property Law.✔ Prepared and prosecuted patent applications, including software applications.✔ Drafted legal opinions.✔ Conducted legal research and assisted in drafting of various pleadings, motions and memoranda, including appellate memoranda; argued in support of motions in court.✔ Assisted in Intellectual Property Litigation in various matters in front of Trial and Appellate Courts, including arguing in support of motions, attended depositions and conducting discovery. Show less

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  Neal, gerber & eisenberg llp

  Jan 2003 - Jan 2005

  Intellectual property attorney

  ✔ Joined after dissolution of previous law firm.✔ Practice focused on all aspects of Intellectual Property Law.✔ Prepared and prosecuted international and domestic patent, trademark and copyright applications, including software, business-method and design patent applications.✔ Drafted legal opinions.✔ Drafted and negotiated IP-related licenses and agreements.✔ Managed discovery for various litigation matters; conducted legal research and drafted various pleadings, motions and memoranda; argued motions in court; conducted expert and fact discovery, including taking and defending depositions; prepared claim construction positions, and argued same; negotiated settlement agreements.✔ Counseled clients, to develop Intellectual Property strategy and portfolio, and served to implement such strategy within portfolio development, including development of Trade Secret Protocols. Show less

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  Altheimer & gray

  Jan 2003 - Jan 2003

  Attorney at law

  ✔ Practice focused on all aspects of Intellectual Property Law.✔ Prepared and prosecuted international and domestic patent, trademark and copyright applications, including software, business-method and design patent applications.✔ Drafted legal opinions.✔ Drafted and negotiated IP-related licenses and agreements.✔ Managed discovery for various litigation matters; conducted legal research and drafted various pleadings, motions and memoranda; argued motions in court; conducted expert and fact discovery, including taking and defending depositions; prepared claim construction positions, and argued same; negotiated settlement agreements.✔ Counseled clients, to develop Intellectual Property strategy and portfolio, and served to implement such strategy within portfolio development, including development of Trade Secret Protocols. Show less

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  Dykema

  Jan 2005 - Jan 2008

  Intellectual property attorney

  ✔ Practice focused on all aspects of Intellectual Property Law.✔ Prepared and prosecuted international and domestic patent and trademark applications, including software, business-method and design patent applications.✔ Drafted legal opinions, as well as various IP-related licenses and agreements.✔ Managed discovery for various litigation matters; conducted legal research and drafted various pleadings, motions and memoranda; argued motions in court; conducted expert and fact discovery, including taking and defending depositions; prepared claim construction positions, and argued same; negotiated settlement agreements.✔ Successfully litigated unfair trade practice action at International Trade Commission, and won Exclusion Order.✔ Counseled clients, to develop Intellectual Property strategy and portfolio, and served to implement such strategy within portfolio development. Show less

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  Morella law, ltd.

  Jan 2008 - now

  Business, corporate, franchise, intellectual property & real estate attorney

  In this role, I provide legal consultation, guidance, and advice to entrepreneurs and small- to mid-sized businesses in IP law, as well as in general business/corporate, real estate, and franchise law issues.✔ Due to entrepreneurial experience, am able to provide such consultation, guidance, and advice with a cogent appreciation of fiscal and practical realities of operating a business.✔ Deliver training on various global commerce topics, focusing on IP, to businesses of all sizes in collaboration with a global trade and supply chain institute.✔ Support small business development organizations within Chicagoland and Central Texas areas to educate members and the public on the benefits of acquisition and enforcement of IP rights. Show less

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  Molex

  Jan 2008 - Jan 2015

  Division ip counsel; chair, ip committees, integrated products and micro products divisions

  In these roles, I oversaw all IP activities for two of Molex’s three product divisions.✔ Created a comprehensive IP strategy, including drafting and negotiation of agreements, as well as patentability, invalidity/validity, infringement/non-infringement, and enforceability opinions.✔ Recognized for successfully and strategically securing IP rights on a domestic and international level, as well as developing a strong trade secret protocol.✔ Streamlined each division’s IP portfolio to make them more efficient and representative of Molex’s product lines.✔ Leveraged the division’s IP portfolio to increase revenue in the form of additional market share and royalty revenue.✔ Helped to reduce the budget of the Legal Department and to make the Legal Department revenue-positive.✔ Rendered legal advice and consultation on IP-related trade compliance matters for the divisions, including ITAR-related issues.✔ Supervised and coordinated a team of one U.S. Patent Attorney within the Integrated Products Division, five Japanese Intellectual Property Professionals within the Micro Products Division, one U.S. Patent Agent, and one U.S. Patent Paralegal. Show less

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  Sommelier holding company

  Jan 2017 - now

  President and general counsel

  ✔ Lead day-to-day operations, including all executive and legal functions, of the holding company for property management and fitness franchises and associated subsidiaries.

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  Real property management advisors

  Jan 2017 - now

  Managing member

  ✔I help Property Investors in the Central Texas area with their property management needs. We take the stress out of owning Investment Property, by providing professional, trustworthy property management services, from tenant screening to leasing to maintenance to evictions, with a prime focus on increasing our Clients' return on investment.✔I partner with Real Property Management, North America's largest property management company with over 300 offices in 46 states. Backed with over thirty years of experience, we provide cutting edge technology, a wealth of knowledge and a commitment of doing business with uncompromising integrity. As such, we are trusted by tens of thousands of Investment Property Owners continent-wide. Show less

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  Baker hughes

  Jan 2022 - now

  Senior counsel - intellectual property

  ✔ Managing, implementing and improving Global Intellectual Property Strategies for Drilling Services and Wireline Business Units to support Strategic Business Objectives, including harvesting new Inventions, leading Invention Evaluation Boards, managing an Intellectual Property Budget, overseeing Internal Resources and managing Outside Counsel responsible for Intellectual Property Prosecution.✔ Advising Management in the Legal Department and the Company as to Intellectual Property risks and opportunities in business and technology plans.✔ Advising Company on optimal structure of business arrangements and technology strategy based on current and anticipated IP portfolio as well as competitive considerations.✔ Negotiating agreements with detailed IP terms, including development agreements, IP licenses, Master Service Agreements, M&A Agreements, NDAs, and the like.✔ Structuring, negotiating and drafting contracts to support global licensing and commercial activities, including those related to software and digital technologies.✔ Implementing IP landscape and IP clearance reviews and processes to minimize patent infringement risks.✔ Providing training to increase business’ IP acumen and help drive a culture of compliance.Reconciling IP and technology strategies as well as business objectives to adapt to varying IP laws globally.✔ Investigating allegations of employee IP theft and data loss.✔ Assisting in IP due diligence for M&A activities.✔ Assisting marketing and communications groups with branding campaigns, including clearance and protection of new trademarks.✔ Identifying, assessing, and managing technical data and other digital rights. Show less