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Matthew A. Pequignot
Partner

Mr. Pequignot's experience broadly encompasses all aspects of intellectual property counseling and enforcement. In recent years, his work has centered on litigation of intellectual property disputes, but he continues to remain intimately involved in all phases of patent preparation and prosecution. Additional experience includes counseling domestic and international clients in the development of intellectual property programs and portfolios, licensing, opinion preparation, trade secrets, trade dress, and trademark and service mark procurement.

His experience covers a wide range of technical arts including complex mechanical inventions, the electrical engineering arts, fiber optics, chemical based inventions, and software. As examples, this experience includes work pertaining to commercial vehicle axles and suspensions, omni-directional wheel technologies, semi-conductors, automation software, optical coatings, laser cavities, cellular and SMS technologies, laminate and composite flooring products, and methods of doing business.

Mr. Pequignot was first admitted to the state and federal patent bars in 1999. He was awarded his Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles in 1995 and his Juris Doctor from The George Mason School of Law in Arlington in 1999.

Representative Cases:

Hui Lau Shan Food Manufacturing Inc. v. Ma Ka Wai et al., Central District of California (Los Angeles): Case involving trademark infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair trade practices: Negotiated favorable settlement.

CYI, Inc. v. Lumin Zone and Hing Hung Ricky Fu, Central District of California (Los Angeles): Case involving patent infringement, allegations of trade secret misappropriation.: Successfully obtained Summary Judgment of infringement and certain validity issues; remainder of case still pending.

The Boler Company v. Tuthill (dba Reyco Granning), Southern District of Ohio (Columbus): Pending at the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.

Geoffrey R. Myers
Retired

After a long and distinguished career as a patent attorney, successful litigator, law professor, textbook author (on the topic of patent damages), and instructor for the Patent Resources Group, Mr. Myers retired from the practice of law in 2005.

Representative Case:

TWM Mfg. Co. v. Dura Corp., 789 F.2d 895, 229 U.S.P.Q. 525
(Fed. Cir.), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 852 (1986).

Author:

Patent Infringement Remedies (published by Patent Resources Group, Charlottesville, Virginia).

Keith R. Lange
Partner

Keith's practice is focused in the chemical and biotechnology areas, and includes patent procurement, opinion, licensing and litigation work; as well as the preparation and prosecution of patent applications in the mechanical and business method arts, and trademark and copyright work.

Keith received his J.D. from The George Mason University School of Law in 1999, M.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology from The George Washington University in 1996 and B.A. in Biological Sciences from The George Washington University in 1993. Prior to joining the firm, Keith served for several years as Biotechnology Patent Counsel at Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, where he was responsible for domestic and foreign patent drafting and prosecution, as well as for providing opinions on freedom-to-operate and patent validity issues. He also conducted patent due diligence investigations and worked closely with licensing and regulatory colleagues on the in-licensing of biologic and small molecule therapeutics, with a primary emphasis in virology and metabolics.

Prior to Bristol-Myers, Keith was an associate at an established patent law firm in New Jersey where he focused on domestic and foreign patent procurement, particularly in the biotechnology and chemical arts, and also worked on trademark and licensing matters. Prior to graduation from law school, Keith worked for many years as a patent searcher for a law firm in Crystal City (Arlington), VA, conducting patentability, right-to-market and validity investigations in the biotechnology, chemical and mechanical arts.

Keith is admitted to practice law before the New Jersey State and District courts as well as before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. He is also registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Joyce H. A. von Natzmer
Senior Counsel

Joyce provides patent writing and prosecution services. She frequently opines on the validity and infringement of third party patents and assists biotech companies in devising a viable global patent strategy. Joyce participated in patent litigations, focusing on prosecution issues. Joyce is also experienced in trademark procurement. Many of the Joyce's clients are small and medium size biotech companies and institutions of higher education.

Joyce received her J.D. from WCL at American University, D.C., in 1999 and is admitted to the Maryland, D.C. and the patent bar. Her scientific training includes a B.Sc. in Biotechnology from Imperial College, University of London, U.K. in 1991 and a Masters degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Freiburg, Germany in 1993. Prior to starting in a patent law firm in the D.C. area in 1994, Joyce worked for the Max-Planck Institute in Bad Nauheim, Germany, investigating an obesity gene in rats.

Joyce is fluent in English and German.

Mia K. Poston
Associate

Mia's practice is focused on patent and trademark litigation, as well as the preparation and prosecution of trademark applications.

Mia received her J.D. from The University of Dayton School of Law in 2004, where she graduated cum laude, and her B.S. in Biology from The College of William and Mary in 1998. Prior to joining the firm, Mia served as an associate for a medical malpractice defense firm where she was responsible for all aspects of her cases, including discovery and trial work.

Mia is admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia and in the United States District Court Eastern District of Virginia.

William D. Hall
Of Counsel

Bill has been practicing patent, trademark, copyright and related law for more than sixty years and actively counsels and assists in the representation of the firm's clients. In addition to Bill's extensive experience in private practice, he served in the Patent Section of the Signal Corps, War Department from 1940-1947; as Chief of the Patent Section, Signal Corps from 1946-1947; and on the Army-Navy Patent Advisory Board from 1945-1947.

Bill received his J.D. from The George Washington University School of Law; and his B.S.E.E., M.S.E.E. AND E.E. degrees from West Virginia University. He is a member of the bars of the District of Columbia; Maryland; U.S. Claims Court; U.S. Supreme Court; and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He is also registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and is a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association.

Distinguished Alumni Academy
William D. Hall
Inducted: 05/08/1993

William D. (Bill) Hall, born in Elkins, WV, received the degrees BSEE (1934), MSEE (1935), and EE (1940) from WVU and JD (1946) from George Washington University.

After nearly four years at General Electric, he invented and designed several new electrical measuring instruments that were placed on the market. He worked for the War Department from 1939-47.

During World War II, he served on a high level board of experts who dealt with the latest inventions including radar and other electronic devices. From 1945-47, he was in charge of settling wartime patent claims against the Signal Corps.

Since 1947 he has been in private practice as a patent attorney. He litigated disputes over the basic patent rights to the radar, the electronic computer and other important inventions. Moreover, he has worked with many start-up companies and other small firms whose businesses were developed around inventions.

B.S. Electrical Engineering, West Virginia University, 1934
M.S. Electrical Engineering, West Virginia University, 1935
EE, West Virginia University, 1940
JD, George Washington University, 1946

Charles J.S. Woodson
Of Counsel

Charles' practice is focused on property and contract litigation, and he has expertise in mediation, negotiation, and preparing settlement agreements. As part of his litigation experience, he has conducted direct and cross-examination of witnesses, participated in motions practice, and conducted oral arguments.

Charles received his J.D. from the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University (Class of 2008), and was a finalist at the 2008 UC Davis National Asylum and Refugee Moot Court Competition. Charles received a B.A. in history from the University of California, Berkeley (Class of 2004).

Charles is admitted to practice law in the state of California, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He is also a member of the Lawyers' Club Inn of Court.

Charles worked in the biotechnology industry prior to attending law school.