Michael K.

Leachman

Michael’s patent practice focuses on patent litigation, prosecution, and licensing covering a wide range of technologies. He has represented patent holders and accused infringers in jurisdictions throughout the United States, including major patent venues such as the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas and for the District of Delaware, the US International Trade Commission, and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). Michael prepares and prosecutes patent applications covering a broad spectrum of inventions, including technologies in the mechanical, chemical, biomedical, bioscience, and nanotechnology fields. As part of his patent transactions practice, he prepares patent licenses and assignments, patent infringement opinions, validity opinions, freedom-to-operate opinions, confidentiality agreements, and employment and consulting contracts. He also handles a variety of corporate transactions centering on technology transfers and intellectual property rights.

Michael’s trademark practice extends to all facets of trademark law. His practice includes counseling clients in their selection of trademarks, providing trademark availability and registrability opinions, preparing, filing, and prosecuting trademark applications in the United States and abroad, and policing potentially infringing uses of clients' marks. Michael has experience handling trademark, trade secret, and unfair competition litigation in courts at the federal and state levels. He also has represented clients in trademark matters before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB).

As part of his copyright practice, Michael handles all aspects of copyright protection, licensing, and enforcement. He is experienced in obtaining copyright registrations, advising clients regarding ownership disputes, and preparing and negotiating licensing agreements, assignments, and employment contracts. On behalf of licensors and licensees, Michael has prepared and negotiated software-related agreements such as software development agreements, software licenses and subscription agreements, and software maintenance and support contracts. In federal court, he has litigated copyright issues on behalf of copyright owners and accused infringers.