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IP Lawyers With Degrees in Biomedical Engineering, Biochemistry and Electrical Engineering Join Armstrong Teasdale
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
St. Louis, MO – Dr. Harven V. DeShield, who holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry and Jason H. Conway and Mark A. Pitchford, who have Bachelor of Science degrees in biomedical engineering and electrical engineering respectively, have joined Armstrong Teasdale LLP as associates. They are members of the law firm’s Intellectual Property practice group that includes other professionals with scientific degrees.
The three associates’ practice will involve the preparation and prosecution of domestic and foreign patent applications.
Dr. DeShield will focus on applications in the life sciences, genetics, biochemistry, pharmaceutical and chemical sciences. His practice will also encompass freedom to operate opinions, assessment of the invalidity/validity of patents, patentability opinions, assessment of trade secrets, technical know how agreements, licensing, unfair trade practices, patent infringement assessment and other intellectual property litigation-related matters.
He received his Ph.D., J.D. and certificate in intellectual property in 2007 and his M.S. in biological sciences in 1999, all from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Additionally, Dr. DeShield received his B.S. in biology, cum laude, in 1995 from Appalachian State University.
Mr. Conway’s patent practice will primarily focus on inventions in the mechanical and electrical arts. In addition to preparing and prosecuting patent applications, he counsels clients on patent infringement issues and prepares non-infringement and invalidity opinions. He works closely with inventors, in-house counsel and marketing teams during all phases of new product design and development.
Mr. Conway received his J.D. from Washington University School of Law in 2004 and his B.S. in biomedical engineering, cum laude, from St. Louis University in 2001.
Mr. Pitchford specializes in the electrical, software, and mechanical arts, particularly electronic circuits, mechanical system controllers, communications systems, client server interactions, and user interfaces as they relate to medical devices, heavy equipment, railroad equipment, communications equipment, and general purpose computers. He also counsels clients on patentability and freedom-to-operate issues and is involved in the enforcement of intellectual property rights.
Mr. Pitchford received his J.D. in 2005 from the Kentucky College of Law and his B.S. in electrical engineering, magna cum laude, in 2001 from the University of Kentucky College of Engineering.
In addition to the three lawyers, Shen Wang and Jessica Li, technology specialists, have become members of the intellectual property group.
Armstrong Teasdale has added 10 professionals to its Intellectual Property practice group in the past six months, increasing the group’s size to 72 members. The firm was recognized by Intellectual Property Today this year as one of the nation’s top patent firms, making it the first Missouri law firm named to the list. In addition, the St. Louis Business Journal reports that Armstrong Teasdale has the largest patent practice in the city.
About Armstrong Teasdale LLP
Armstrong Teasdale LLP, with nearly 250 lawyers in offices across the U.S. and China, has a demonstrable track record of delivering sophisticated legal advice and exceptional service to a dynamic client base. Whether an issue is local or global, practice area specific or industry related, Armstrong Teasdale provides each client with an invaluable combination of legal resources and practical advice in nearly every area of law. For more information, please visit www.armstrongteasdale.com.
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