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Oblon, Spivak Elects New Partner and Names Three New Senior Associates
Monday, January 12, 2009
Alexandria, VA -- Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C. is pleased to announce Ronald A. Rudder Ph.D. has been elected a new partner to the Firm and three associates have been elevated to senior associates: Jacob A. Doughty, Lee L. Stepina and Joseph E. Wrkich.
Ronald A. Rudder focuses on patent prosecution in the Electrical/Mechanical Practice Group. He formerly was a Senior Research Engineer for 13 years at the Center for Semiconductor Research at Research Triangle Institute in North Carolina. He is a former Adjunct Professor of the Chemical Engineering Department at North Carolina State University. Dr. Rudder received his J.D. from the George Washington University School of Law. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from North Carolina State University and his B.S. in Mathematics and Physics from Lynchburg College. He has written over 50 publications and has seven U.S. patents in the fields of materials processing and deposition for advanced semiconductor devices and packaging.
New senior associates:
Jacob A. Doughty practices in the firm's Chemical Practice Group. He has experience in patent prosecution, patent litigation, opinion preparation and client counseling in diverse technologies, including image processing and formation, optical films and coatings, cosmetics, nanomaterials, catalysts, ceramics, pharmaceutical agents, medical adhesives, semiconductor processing and biotechnology. Mr. Doughty received his J.D. from Washington & Lee University School of Law. He received his B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Chemistry from Florida State University.
Lee L. Stepina is an attorney in the firm's Electrical/Mechanical Practice Group. Before attending law school, Mr. Stepina was a research and development technician for a snowmobile manufacturer and an engineer in the water purification, automated equipment, semiconductor and medical device industries. He received his J.D. from the University of Houston where he was a member of the Order of the Barons, interned for the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and graduated cum laude. He received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from North Dakota State University and has completed additional class work in vacuum and thin film technology. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer.
Joseph E. Wrkich practices in the firm's Electrical/Mechanical Practice Group. He has experience prosecuting and drafting patent applications in diversified technologies, which include telecommunication technologies, satellite communication systems, digital signal processing, signal compression and encoding schemes, consumer electronics, semiconductor devices, and medical imaging devices. Mr. Wrkich received his J.D. from the College of William and Mary, School of Law. He received his Bachelor of Physics degree and minors in Business Administration and Mathematics from California State University, at Fullerton where he graduated summa cum laude. He has conducted research and published articles in the area of electron scattering.
Assisting clients for 40 years, Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C., in Alexandria, Va., is one of the largest intellectual property specialty firms in the United States. The firm provides a full range of intellectual property services, including litigation matters in all courts. The firm also continues to have a significant trademark, copyright and patent interference practice.
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