BSKB News

USPTO Fees Update

Effective October 2, 2020, many USPTO fees will increase including application filing, RCE, appeal and issue fees. Therefore, to save costs, with one exception, you may consider filing any items with fee increases prior to October 2, 2020. The exception relates to the payment of the Issue Fee. Any issue Fee having a mailing date prior to October 2, 2020, will have the lower Issue Fee printed on the Notice of Allowance (even if the Issue Fee is paid after October 2, 2020).

Michael Smith quoted in Law360 on the Washington's NFL Team temporary name

"The fact that these other guys have filed applications for trademark registrations, I think it is a cautionary tale," Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch LLP trademark attorney Michael Smith told Law360. "Teams want to go ahead file an intent to use applications early on so they can be first in line. That is not to say that the Washington team is not going to be able to resolve the issue, but it complicates things more."

Partner Michael Smith is quoted in today's Law360 article regarding a rare Listerine royalty auction

Unlike patents and copyrights, which have a set lifespan, "trade secrets basically last forever as long as you can keep a secret," said Michael Smith of Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch LLP. A modern trade secrets contract would likely take that into account and call for the agreement to terminate if the secret became known, "which would mean the obligation obviously to continue paying would likewise terminate at that time," he said.

Partner Michael Smith quoted in the Washington Business Journal

Washington’s NFL team could still profit off its discarded name

Michael T. Smith Named New Partner at Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch

BSKB is pleased to announce the promotion of Michael T. Smith as a Partner. Michael T. Smith joined BSKB in 2012 having practiced in the intellectual property field since 2001. Mr. Smith’s practice focuses on all aspects of trademark law, including clearance, prosecution, maintenance, enforcement, and licensing. His practice also includes patent prosecution, litigation in federal district courts, and inter partes matters before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board as well as the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Mr. Smith’s litigation experience includes the representation of clients from a variety of industries, including media, technology, hospitality and manufacturing. Mr. Smith received his bachelor’s degree in biology from West Virginia University and his JD from the University of Akron School of Law.

Fed. Circ. Revives Part Of Hearing Aid Patent Challenge

Oticon is represented by David R. Anderson and Eugene Perez of Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch LLP. The case is Cochlear Bone Anchored Solutions AB v. Oticon Medical AB et al., case numbers, 19-1105 and 19-1106, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

BSKB Partners Recognized as IP STARS

BSKB partners MaryAnne Armstrong, Ph.D., Paul C. Lewis, and Michael K. Mutter have been named IP Stars by Managing IP.

MaryAnne Armstrong, Ph.D. discusses IP rights related to diagnostic testing

Covid-19 Spotlights Ruling’s Chilling Effect on Diagnostic Tests

Firm News – COVID-19

Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP (BSKB) is aware of the concerns about the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). We are following the rapid developments and we are closely following the guidance of local health officials, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization to protect our employees, clients, and guests.

Stephanie Grosvenor chats with Bloomberg Law about an antitrust case involving two tech giants, Intel Corp. and Apple Inc.

Intel, Apple Using Antitrust as New Weapon in Patent Fights

Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP recognized by Legal 500.

Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP has been editorially recommended and ranked in the Patents: Prosecution area of the current edition of Legal 500.

U.S. Brand Protection & Trademark Seminar Postponed

Mike Smith weighs in on a complex trademark battle between LeBron James and a Maryland-based nonprofit in Bloomberg Law

BSKB’s Michael Smith weighs in on a complex trademark battle between LeBron James and a Maryland-based nonprofit.

Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch names Catherine M. Voisinet as Partner

Falls Church, Virginia – January 16, 2020. Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP (BSKB), an Intellectual Property law firm based in Falls Church, Virginia, has named Catherine M. Voisinet a partner with the firm effective January 1, 2020. Ms. Voisinet’s practice focuses on counseling domestic and international clients that have interests in many fields of complex technologies, including software and hardware computer technology, electrical, mechanical, business method and bio-informatics.

Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP ranked in 2020 “Best Law Firms”

click here to read the release.

BSKB sponsors WIPR – World IP Review Influential Women in IP Project

BSKB is a proud sponsor of the World IP Review Influential Women in IP Project. The initiative will place a positive spotlight on the development and progress that women have made in creating, protecting and securing IP, as well as supporting and enabling women to move forward in their respective industries. Partner MaryAnne Armstrong and Hailey Bureau will represent BSKB at the project’s opening event. Read more here.

BSKB participates in a commemorative joint seminar with Japanese and European patent/law firms in Japan

Partner Gerald Murphy and Associate Toyohiko Konno shared their expertise and U.S. perspectives regarding revisions to claims.

BSKB Ranks #3 in Top Trademark Firms for 2017

BSKB is pleased to announce that the firm has been ranked number three for trademarks obtained in 2017. BSKB obtained 704 trademarks in 2017, moving up from sixth in the rankings. The reports are compiled by the Ant-Like Persistence blog and can be found here.

BSKB Ranks #4 in Top Patent Firms for Design Patents in 2017

BSKB is pleased to announce that the firm has been ranked number four for design patents issued in 2017. BSKB obtained 446 design patents in 2017, moving up from fifth place in the rankings. The reports are compiled by the Ant-Like Persistence blog and can be found here.

BSKB Ranks #3 in Top Patent Firms for Utility Patents in 2017

BSKB is pleased to announce that the firm has been ranked number three for utility patents issued in 2017. BSKB obtained 3607 utility patents in 2017, maintaining third place in the rankings. The reports are compiled by the IP Watchdog blog and can be found here.