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Biography
Experienced patent attorney with a strong technical background, over 250+ issued patents, and many trademarks.
In addition to my legal background, I have a Biophysics STEM background (PhD) and experience with medical devices, software, electronics, and biotech. I have a lot of experience with startups, due diligence, and litigation support.
Education
- William Howard Taft University
- J.D. (2011) | Law School
- Honors: Graduated with Honors
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- University of California - San Diego
- Ph.D. (1980) | Biophysics - Biology
- Studied how cell membranes work using techniques from biophysics, immunochemistry, and protein chemistry, with focus on red cell maturation during erythropoiesis. Also studied protein chemistry of myosin heavy chain isozymes.
- Activities: Worked under John Singer, discoverer of the fluid mosaic model of cell membranes, now taught in every biology textbook.
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- University of California - Santa Barbara
- B.A. (1974) | Physics, Biology
- Double major in Physics and Biology, with additional courses in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.
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Professional Experience
- Owner (Solo Practice)
- PatentAssociate - Stephen E. Zweig, PhD JD, Patent Attorney
- - Current
- IP attorney with an emphasis on patent drafting and prosecution, as well as trademarks. I handle a broad range of topics, from simple to complex, but I particularly like technically difficult and interdisciplinary (electronics-software or medical device-biotech) cases.
- Medical device and IP strategic advisor
- CliniSense Corp.
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- Ran consulting company focusing on Intellectual Property (patents), and medical devices for Beckman-Coulter and other firms. Among other work, developed a new type of electronic stability monitoring technology (LifeTrack®) to detect deteriorated drugs, vaccines, medical supplies, and other materials.
- Founder, Chairman and CTO
- Avocet Medical, Inc.
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- Founded VC backed medical diagnostics company that produced a point-of-care home diagnostic test for anticoagulants (warfarin, Coumadin). CEO 1991-96, Chairman and CTO 1997-2001. Ran R&D, Engineering, and Intellectual Property departments. The product was FDA cleared, and is still marketed as the Acon Laboratories, Inc. "Mission PT Coagulation Monitoring System"
- Director R&D and Operations
- LifeScan, a Johnson and Johnson Company
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- Headed up the R&D/operations department that scaled up the "One-Touch", which was the first highly successful blood glucose test strip for diabetes (sales approached nearly a billion dollars a year). After the One-Touch was launched, headed up the R&D team that did the initial R&D for the successful "SureStep" diabetes test strip system.
Publications
Articles & Publications
- Mobile robotic system with web server and digital radio links
- USPTO patent 6,658,325
- Verification device for optical clinical assay systems
- USPTO patent 6,061,128
- Membrane-based dry-reagent prothrombin time tests
- Biomed. Instrum. Tech.
Awards
- Best research paper of 1997
- American Association of Biomedical Instrumentation (AAMI)
- SBIR Phase I and II award
- National Institutes of Health
- Postdoctoral Fellow
- Arthritis Foundation
Professional Associations
- American Bar Association  # 02064556
- Member
- Current
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Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
- California
- State Bar of California
- ID Number: 283095
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- USPTO patent bar (Federal Jurisdiction)
- ID Number: 60144
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Practice Areas
- Patents
- Patent Prosecution
- Trademarks
- Trademark Registration
- Intellectual Property
Legal Answers
- Q. Life sciences patent lawyer Q: can I patent modified protein production protocol never used for this protein but others
- A: A lot will depend on whether your modified protocol is legally "obvious" or not. Here, the legal question is if the modification would appear apparent to a person of average skill in the art (here, "average skill" in biotech is Ph.D. level).
If you did something unusual or obtained unexpectedly good results, this would be an argument favoring non-obviousness. On the other hand, if the examiner can look at other prior-art protein production protocols and show that your modified method employs techniques that the examiner can find in these prior art methods, then this would be an argument against patentability.
Other arguments, such as opinions of experts in your field ... Read More
- Q. After many years confirmed by today I get the patent for my golf tee in Malaysia Best way to aply in the USA?
- A: Unfortunately, the time to apply for a US version of your Malaysia design patent has passed. Generally, you need to apply for a US design patent no later than six months after initially applying for a foreign design patent.
- Q. was this device patented publication number 20170325789
- A: The status of a printed patent application like this can be checked online. This can be done either at the US patent office, https://patentcenter.uspto.gov/, or using alternate sources such as patents.google.com.
In this case, the answer is that the patent application was abandoned.
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